+TECH TALK+

BY Bob Jewett

COMPETITIVE PRACTICE Want to know your skill level? Put yourself through these tests.

O YOU wonder how you stack up tition with cash prizes was organized, and a table ranking possible scores are against other players? On the vari­ but it ended after a year or so. One major available at Joe Waldron's Web site at ous pool-related Internet forums, problem — shared with all solo games www.sunburstselect.com/PBReview/ D — is that the table can be a large factor Self_Assessment.htm) players frequently ask, "How good am I?" This may take the form of asking in your score. Mike Page — whose new poolroom in how impressive a recent run is, how In the 1990s, a competition called Fargo, N.D., just won the BD new room various league rating systems work, or Internet Equal Offense had 20 tourna­ award — has added an interesting wrin­ whether a particular level of play quali­ ments that involved teams from around kle to Q Skills, making a solo game he fies as "advanced" or "shortstop." Let's the world. (The statistics from those calls "Fargo," which I described in my look at some ways to calculate pecking events are still online at www.ieotour. May 2000 column. Instead of transition­ order, including some practice routines com, including an analysis of how a ing from straight pool to rotation after that will not only rate you, but will also given average ranks within those who the 10th ball, you can start rotation at give you tools to improve. any time during each rack. This tests Pool is best played between two play­ your judgment of your shot-making abil­ ers, and performance in a competitive THERE ARE MANY ity, and penalizes over-confidence. The environment is the gold standard of an rules and rating table are also available accurate rating. Most of us will never ap­ SOLO SYSTEMS on Waldron's site. pear on the top money winners' list, but A common way to rate players is to say local, regional and even national tourna­ TO GAUGE YOUR how they "play against the ghost." The ment participation is open to all. If you ghost is an imaginary player who never haven't tried the tourney scene yet, and LEVEL OF PLAY misses, so if you miss in a rack of 9-ball, you beat everybody you can lure down you lose that rack, and the ghost gets to your basement, it's time to get out into AND PROVIDE AN a point. The ghost, being a good sport, the larger world. If you finish in the top spots everyone the break and ball in eighth of the field at one level, try the INTERESTING WAY hand after the break. This also keeps him next. from actually having to shoot (which is If you don't yet feel ready to jump into TO PRACTICE THAT awkward for ectoplasmic beings). Play an open tournament, consider a local as long a race as you like — the ghost league. Many of these give handicaps to WILL HELP THE never tires. beginners, and the handicap (or "skill A much better test is to play "Progres­ level") will give you a direct indication OFFENSIVE PARTS sive Ghost," in which you adjust the of how well you do against others, as OF YOUR GAME. number of balls on the table to achieve well as some measure of your improve­ an even match. For example, you could ment as your league rating rises. remove the lowest balls from the table There are many solo systems to gauge played.) Quite a range of players par­ after the break to leave only five. If you your level. The main drawback is that ticipated, with 10-inning scores ranging can win most of those games, you can they have no component of safety play, from a few balls to a record of 176 set by beat the 5-ball ghost, and it's time to try although these methods usually provide instructor Don "The Preacher" Feeney. six balls. An easy way to keep track of an interesting way to practice that will If you would like try EO, here are my your level during a practice session is to help the offensive parts of your game. suggested ratings according to your av­ mentally number the diamonds from 1 One of the oldest of these systems is erage score over several sessions on a to 15 and place a coin under the cush­ "Equal Offense," which was developed 9-foot table: 20-plus, beginner; 50-plus, ion at the number you are working on. by Jerry Briesath and introduced in the intermediate; 80-plus, advanced; 100- After each rack, move the coin a third 1977 BCA Rule Book. It starts with an plus, top room player; 120-plus, top city of a diamond toward the next higher open break of a 15-ball rack. You then player; 140-plus, semi-pro. number if you win, and toward the next shoot any ball with the rules of 14.1 Allen Hopkins has developed a system lower number if you lose. If you play the until you miss or run 20 balls. The to­ he calls Q Skills, which is like Equal Of­ number of ghost that the coin is closest tal number of balls pocketed in 10 tries fense except the final five balls of each to, the level will automatically adjust to determines your score, with a maximum rack are shot in rotation and there is no a fair game. of 200. Around 1980, a national compe­ continuing break shot. (Detailed rules I've heard of someone beating the 13-

26 BILLIARDS DIGEST I January 2010 ball ghost, but I'd have to see it to believe it. If you can beat the 9-ball ghost, you should consider entering pro tourna­ ments. An alternative 9-ball rating drill that is a little simpler but still requires scoring is to play the standard ghost game, but you get one point per ball pocketed and two points for the 9. (This is the same scoring that the APA league uses in its 9-ball sessions.) Dave Alciatore has a score sheet and rating table for this on his Web site (billiards.colostate.edu). In Europe, a complete system for rat­ ing players has been developed by Ralph Eckert, Jorgen Sandman and Andreas Huber. The "Playing Ability Test" (or PAT) comes in three levels, which are suitable for every player, from beginner to world-class. There are three work­ books available for the three levels, and each volume includes drills and games with numerical grades according to shots successfully made. The shots in­ clude the general categories of speed, straightness, follow, draw and game situations. The diagrams explain exact­ ly what has to be done on each kind of shot — for one drill, that's just shooting the cue ball up and down the table in a straight line — and how the shot is to be scored. An example drill from the be­ ginning PAT-1 level is the "ring around the side" drill that you may know from Willie Mosconi's books: a semicircle of five balls by the side must be pocketed in order, typically using just draw and no cushions. each shot, place the object ball as shown. not come back more than two diamonds While you can use the PAT workout Start with the cue ball at position I. The extra. Score over 4 and you are "room books effectively on your own, they are goal is to make the object ball and draw champ." designed as tools for coaches to use dur­ the cue ball back at least a diamond. If Use Diagram 2 for levels 4 and 5. In ing training sessions. The system has a you do that, try the cue ball in position both, the cue ball starts in hand behind number of recognized ability levels given 2. Continue to increase the distance by a the line. The object ball moves away from as colors, like belts in martial arts train­ diamond until you fail to get a diamond the cue ball to make the shot more diffi­ ing. To get an official rating, you must be of draw, and then decrease the distance cult. In level 4, the cue ball must end up tested by a trained PAT examiner. The by half a diamond. (Mark the present cue in the blue area within a diamond of the workbooks are available from several re­ ball position with a coin and be sure to head cushion. Get the coin to 4 or better tailers, and you can find out more about move the coin after each shot.) Continue and you are officially a "shortstop." For the system at www.pat-billiard.com. Be to shoot the shot, changing the distance the highest level, you must leave the cue careful when you order, though, because half a diamond at a time until you have ball in the smaller green box that is just the workbooks have both English and shot a total of 10 shots. If you end up at a diamond on each side. Do that more German versions. position 3 or better, you get the title of than half the time when the object ball is Here is a brief test of your ability to draw "beginner." at position 4 and you are a "pro." the cue ball that you can use to approxi­ For level two, the position is the same, Each of the tests above provides two mate your position among the spectrum but the goal is to draw the cue ball back important things: a way to measure of pool players. It is in five levels of dif­ at least to the point that you start from. your progress and a structured exercise ficulty, so it should be able to rank just Keep track with the coin again and shoot to help you focus and improve. If you about everyone. For the first level, use 10 shots. A position of 4 or higher earns have a favorite structured drill, please the position shown in Diagram 1 (or the you "advanced." Level 3 is nearly the send it in and it may appear in a future mirror image if you are left-handed). For same shot as 2, but the cue ball must column.

January 2010 BILLIARDS DIGEST 27 +TECH TALK+

BY Bob Jewett OLDIE BUT A GOODIE English billiards will help you see angles after impact.

NGLISH BILLIARDS is one of the great on an English table. For a pool table, use OCB or making a carom (or "cannon") cue sports. For over 100 years, it a "half-line" as shown, which is half the by hitting both the other balls. If you E was the dominant game in many length of the headstring. Why are you foul, your opponent gets two points. parts of the world, and can be thought shooting after a scratch? You get points It is a foul not to hit a ball, but there of as the parent of pool, snooker and for a scratch off one of the other two is no concept of "no rail after contact" carom billiards. While those other balls — two points off your opponent's in English billiards. Also, after a foul, games have taken center stage, English cue ball and three off the red ball. From the incoming player may request the billiards — or simply "billiards," as the the position shown, you could pocket red ball to go on the billiard spot, the English usually call it — still has a lot to your opponent's cue ball (OCB), but OCB to go to the center spot and to get show players at all levels. It emphasizes that's generally bad strategy because it cue ball in hand. If you score in more precise speed control of the cue ball and stays off the table until you fail to score than one way on a shot, you get all the the object ball and specializes in teach­ and it's your opponent's turn to play. corresponding points, so it is possible ing the natural angle of the cue ball off So, a good play is to scratch again. If to score 10 points on one shot. That's the obj ect ball. Give it a try if you want to you set the cue ball in the right place, a bad idea, though, because it includes polish those fac­ pocketing OCB. ets of your game A typical game and stretch your might be to 100 mind around the points (which strategy and tac­ is only about 40 tics of a "new" successful shots) game. or to 200 points Billiards is once you and properly played your opponent on the same 12- start getting 20- by-6-foot table or 30-point runs that is used for (or "breaks," snooker, but for as the English most new play­ would say). The ers, a pool table game begins will work fine. with the seated Rather than go player's ball off through a recita­ the table, so it's tion of the rules, a disadvantage to let's look at Dia­ start. gram 1 for some scoring strategies. a scratch for that location of the OCB The facet of English billiards that is In the situation in the diagram, there is almost automatic with a half-ball hit. most immediately useful in pool is the are three balls on the table, two cue With the correct speed, the OCB will half-ball in-off, as shown in Diagram 1. balls (plain and spotted, as shown, or stop near the red ball (the 3), maybe When you hit about half the object ball white and yellow), and a red ball. Three at Y. Now with ball in hand, you can with a smoothly rolling cue ball, the spots are used in the game, including use the third way to score, which is to path of the cue ball is very, very pre­ the center spot and the foot spot, which hit both the other balls with your cue dictable. For example, in the standard the English call the "pyramid" spot. In ball. If you hit that shot softly, the red spot position after a foul, if you know addition, there is a "billiard" spot which ball will be near the end rail and will where to place the cue ball along the on a pool table should allow four ball be easy to pocket with the cue ball if it line, a scratch to the side pocket is au­ diameters between the cushion and a ends near Y after softly hitting the OCB. tomatic, and the right speed will result spotted ball. When pocketed, the red comes back to in good position. Serious players can You have just scratched ("gone in-off") the billiard spot. both recognize the "in-off angle" in ran­ and now have cue bail in hand. On a You get 3 points for pocketing or dom positions and can modify the angle snooker table, that would be in the D, scratching off the red, and two points by playing with more speed. They also which is a D-shaped part of the kitchen for pocketing or scratching off the know key spots. If the cue ball is at X

30 BILLIARDS DIGEST February 2010 on the cushion by the corner pocket, an ries of articles going back to the 1600s. in-off red to the other corner pocket is The site also has extensive instruction easy, and is much, much easier than try­ available for free, including videos. A ing to make (pot) the red ball. new book, "The Snooker Player's Guide There are some other rules to pre­ to English Billiards," which is an excel­ vent repetitive scoring practices, such lent complement to the online course, is as shooting in the red ball off its spot available for sale. The authors, Martin many times in a row. Currently, if you Goodwill and Roger Morgan, explain shoot the red twice off its spot with­ in the intro that the book is also aimed out some other score during the two at pool players who would like to try shots, the red is spotted on the center the game. They spend little time on the spot. Before that rule was implemented basics and get right into the techniques — about 100 years ago — some of the and strategy of the game, such as using top players specialized in repeated reds. side spin to slighly adjust the carom William Peall pocketed about 1,000 angle of the cue ball. Excellent illustra­ reds in one record run of 3,304 points, tions include overhead views, player's- and had over 600 consecutive reds from eye views and diagrams of exactly how the spot. much ball to hit and spin to use. The To get some idea of the flow of the price (£19.95) includes shipping any­ game, go to YouTube and search for where in the world. videos of Walter Lindrum, who is gen­ English billiards is one of the first erally considered to be the best English games I learned, and I use parts of it ev­ billiards player ever. In his prime, he ery time I play. If you are lucky, you will had to give a head start of 30% in the want more information, go to the Web have a snooker table available to play championships to make the matches in­ site englishbilliards.org. This site has on, but I think you will enjoy the game teresting. He also is on the short list of both a one-page summary of the rules even on a pool table. When you regular­ all-time best cuemen. and the complete official rules. The his­ ly run a hundred points, it will be time If you enjoy a taste of the game and tory of the game is well covered in a se­ to upgrade to a real "billiards" table.

February 2010 BILLIARDS DIGEST 31 +TECH TALK+

BY Bob Jewett BACK TO THE BASICS Working on the fundaments of your stroke is always a good idea.

O YOU ever find yourself in a slump least some of their shots. They may have The stripe is useful for seeing whether and unsure how to get out of it? a more complicated stroke that gets more you have added sidespin unintentionally. Maybe your basic techniques have body parts into motion for power shots, The ball may wobble a little, but let's call slipped and need to be reinforced. The but any shot that has less than two table it good if it remains rolling on the color following drills will help with this. They lengths of power doesn't require any of the stripe. If you have trouble finding will even help if you're not playing poor­ fancy stuff. the center of the ball as you address the ly, but have some time to work on your Try this drill until you can pocket 10 ball, note whether the tip is in the center game. balls in a row with fair speed and a per­ of the stripe. II the number of the ball is Stroke Perfection fect finish. in the stripe (in what is called the "eye"), Drill 1 is deceptively simple at first. Exact Centering rotate the ball so your tip can be centered Place some object balls about eight inch­ The "over the spots drill," shown as in the eye, which gives you a tighter vi­ es from the end rail and cue them into Drill 2, is one of the oldest I know of. At sual clue. the far pocket. No cue ball After you master this shot is involved. Here are some at slow speed — just hard complications: Play the drill enough to come back to one-handed. Your bridge your tip — pick up the pace. hand should be resting on See how well you stay cen­ the rail but not touching the tered while hitting the far cue stick. At the end of the cushion twice. How about forward stroke, do not pull the near cushion twice? Of your stick back. Rest for a course, you will have to get moment in position. your bridge out of the way On each shot, notice for these shots once you where the cue stick ends. get the ball coming straight This small act is nearly im­ back. possible for most players to There are a lot of funda­ accomplish initially because mentals to be working on their eyes automatically fol­ while working on your cen­ low the ball to the pocket. tering. I'd argue that if you Instead, I'm asking you to are not also working on look at your stick. Specifi­ them, you're wasting valu­ cally, focus on the ferrule. able practice time. How's Where does it end? Ide­ your bridge? Is it as firm ally, your stroke will finish as it should be? Can you straight toward the pocket. make both open and closed Whether the tip finishes bridges? How is your grip? high or low will tell you Is it firm but not tight? Does what your elbow has done. your stick finish straight A high finish, with the tip ahead? Waiting for the ball well above the cloth, means to return to your tip should you have dropped your el­ help you to stop standing bow. If you don't drop your elbow, the first it may seem even simpler than Drill up during the shot. Does your tip finish tip will finish on the cloth, as your hand 1, but I've got some add-ons that will test on or near the cloth? A friend or a video rises at the end of your stroke. your accuracy. Again, no cue ball is in­ camera will be needed to help you check Why would you want to keep your el­ volved. Use a stripe in its place, and put it on these extras. bow still? Because it makes the mechan­ on the head spot. Place the stripe so that For a real challenge in this drill, shoot ics simpler. The simpler your mechanics, it points straight up and down the table. the soft version — just back to your tip the less that can go wrong. Every good The goal is to shoot over the foot spot to — with draw. player I have ever watched closely has a the middle of the far cushion and have Perfectly Straight "still elbow" stroke that they use for at the ball return straight back to your tip. Finally, we get to shoot a normal shot.

22 BILLIARDS DIGEST March 2010 In Drill 3, the cue ball Accurate Aiming is on the head spot and Finally, shots that re­ the object ball is half quire aiming! In Drill way to a corner pocket. 5, the goal is simple: Get some donut-shaped Pocket the object ball. paper reinforcements Let's limit the number of at the stationery store angles to five, and mark to put down temporary each one with a donut. markers. Also, mark Also place a donut for the center of the pocket the object ball and the with a donut to give you an exact target. the 1, which requires the least amount center of the pocket. The first goal is to make the object ball of side. For such little spin, it's useful to Play each shot as simply as possible, and have the cue ball stop dead, without dilute the side with follow. which means without much extra speed moving to the left or right, forward or In terms of a clock face, the first spin and with no sidespin. Just let the cue ball back, and without sidespin. It may help shot would be at about 11:00 or even roll. Try to make each shot three times to substitute a stripe for the cue ball to 11:30. Shoot until you contact the 1 ball in a row, but with an added requirement: check for the sidespin. If this shot is too three times in a row, then go on to the 2 You must make the object ball go over hard to do consistently with the present ball. As you move up the numbers, move the target in the pocket. If the ball enters state of your mechanics, make it shorter. the contact point on the cue ball around the pocket but is well wide of the center, Precise Sidespin the clock face. For the 5 ball, you will it doesn't count. Many players get lazy You may have heard of players refer to be about at 9:00, but you may find that with their pocketing, and you see them "tips" of English to describe how much you will also need to hit slightly below often hit the side cushion before the they are spinning the cue ball. Drill 4 is center, say at 8:00. The addition of draw pocket. This drill should gel you back on a different way to quantify sidespin. The concentrates or multiplies the sidespin. the straight and narrow. start looks a lot like the over-the-spots As a final test, use cards or dice to se­ While these drills may seem trivial, I drill, but this time you don't want the lect targets at random and see if you can think you will find them quite a chal­ cue ball to come straight back. Instead, control the spin without getting several lenge on the table. Try them the next time you want it to head toward one of the chances to warm up on a particular in­ you're tired of shooting the same old way target balls on the cushion. Begin with tensity of rotation. and making the same old mistakes. +TECH TALK+

BY Bob Jewett DIAMOND SYSTEMS 101 Here are the basics when learning to handle multi-rail kicks.

NE OF the most common technical with the nose of the adjoining cushion, yourself, "Well, that's pretty easy." pool questions I hear is, "How does so each corner pocket has two, as shown Item 3: You have to develop consistent the Diamond System work?" The by the red marks in Diagram 2. In prac­ spin and speed for each kind of shot. questioner is likely motivated by having tice, you can mark these eight positions Because cushions are involved and be­ encountered situations like Diagram 1 with stick-on paper reinforcements, the cause cushions react to changes in spin from a game of 9-ball. Suppose you are kind used with three-ring binder paper. and speed with huge differences in re­ already on one foul. There's no easy path Item 2: Systems usually assign numbers bound angle, you need to learn — mostly to the 1 ball using just one cushion. With to the diamonds. Most diamond systems through practice — which shot param­ the 9 where it is, a foul that doesn't move have you do some simple arithmetic de­ eters make the system most accurate. any balls is certain to lose. The standard termined by both the numbers and the For example, in Diagram 1, the stan­ play of pocketing the 9 will lose to most positions of the balls, and then give you dard spin for the corner-five shot is players, as even Joe roughly equal parts Mooch could play a of running English perfect safe with ball (in this case left) and in hand on the 1 ball. follow. You should hit If only you knew the cue ball at 10:30, how to go two or three if you think of it as a cushions out of the clock face. diagonally opposite Unfortunately, each corner, you might not system will have a only get the hit but different "best spin." achieve the hook as Many require no spin well. If you follow me and are referred to as for the next several dead-ball systems. columns, you'll have Others require maxi­ some maps and coor­ mum spin. Still oth­ dinates that will guide ers, such as the modi­ you through problems fied corner-five by like this. Allen Gilbert and a very accurate one-rail There are many diamond systems, so system by Ron Shepard, require you to the questioner above started with a mis­ vary the spin according to the approach apprehension. One of the most common angle into the cushion. If a system you is called the "corner-five," which is the read about doesn't actually state the re­ one that will solve your problem in Dia­ quired spin, assume it is running follow gram 1, but there are literally dozens of until you learn (by trial and error) that others. it's something else. First, some basics. These may be as to the dia­ Item 4: Contrary to Item 1, we have an boring as learning how to chalk, but you mond with the infinite number of diamonds. By that I will need them down the road. number that mean that you will often start from a ball Item 1: The first obvious thing: Dia­ corresponds location or choose an aiming point that monds are the evenly spaced marks on to the result of is in between the physical diamonds. the tops of the rails — three on each rail your calculations. One problem is that For the example in Diagram 1, you section of a pool table. Besides the 18 that the number for each diamond is often may calculate that your aiming point is are visible and physical, you also need to different in each system. The number­ halfway between the second and third fill in 10 others that are imaginary. Two ing sometimes makes little sense at first diamonds from the top left corner pock­ obvious ones are in the side pockets; just glance; you will just have to memorize et, which for the corner-five system are imagine a mark in line with the others. them or use flash cards. numbered 2 and 3, respectively. That Not so obvious are the diamonds near This may already seem complicated would make your aiming point "2 1/2." the corner pockets. These are in line with and difficult, but the first time escape Some authors start with finer grada­ other diamonds on their rail and even the layout in Diagram 1, you'll think to tions, so those same two diamonds

28 BILLIARDS DIGEST May 2010 would be numbered 20 and 30 and there the large advantage of letting from the cushion and even would be 10 natural points between the you know exactly where the with the second diamond two physical marks on the rail. In sys­ cue ball will be when it hits from the corner. Try the shot tems like that, you would say "25" in­ the first cushion. Often play­ at medium speed so that if stead of "2 1/2." ers will do their calculations you hit the 1 ball full after Item 5: The diamonds are not always using "opposite" and then two or three cushions, it will where they appear. Suppose your calcu­ find the equivalent "through" be driven to the other end of lation says to shoot to "2," or the second location on the rail for aiming. the table. Adjust the target up diamond from the corner in Diagram 1. One way to do this is to place Diagram 4 and down the first cushion to There are two standard ways of choosing your tip at the "opposite" cue- find the whole range of contact the target to hit a particular diamond. ball location, aim your stick back at the points on the first rail that lead to hits The obvious one is the visible mark on cue ball and note where your stick cross­ on the 1 ball. While you may be able to the rail (or a spot that's some fraction be­ es the line of the diamonds. That gives extend this range by using radical spin, tween marks, if the numbers don't come you a physical aiming point. Raymond don't. For now, stick with the "standard" out even). Aiming at that spot is called Ceulemans advocates "opposite" for spin for this shot (high follow). By the "aiming through" the diamond. This is most shots, but many systems have been end of the exercise, you should be able to the most obvious way to aim. developed using "through," so you will get a good hit 10 out of 10 times, if you The alternative is "aiming opposite" the need to be able to deal with both. stick to the center of the target range and diamond, which means to shoot the cue That's enough of the basics for a start. normal spin. ball so that when it touches the cushion, Here is an aiming exercise. First, make Also, get some practice with the "op­ its center will be right by the diamond. a target like the one in Diagram 4. It posite" aiming method. For this, you can These two techniques are shown in should be the same diameter as a ball, place the paper target on the surface of Diagram 3. Note that for the approach with the added feature of a round hole the table, where the cue ball will be when angle shown, there is a large difference cut out of the middle. it hits the cushion. If you have a second in where the ball lands on the cushion, Set up a shot like Diagram 1. (Only target, you can place it on the rail for the and presumably a significant difference the cue ball and 1 ball need to be on the equivalent "through" target. in where it hits the next cushions. table.) Place the target on the rail so its Next month, we'll need to do some cal­ Why use one or the other? The easier center is between the second and third culations, so bring a paper and pencil. one to sight is "through." "Opposite" has diamond. The 1 ball should be a ball Calculators are optional. +TECH TALK+

BY Bob Jewett DIAMONDS REDUX Get to know the corner-5 system for two-cushion kick shots.

AST MONTH, I introduced some of the corner pocket. The cue ball needs to go roughly equal parts of follow and run­ basics of using the diamonds to help toward diamond 3 on the final, third rail ning English — in this case left — and with planning shots in which the cue to hit the 1 ball. The solution to the for­ a medium speed that is hard enough to ball hits one or more cushions before mula is easy: 5 (cue ball) = 2 (first rail) knock the 1 ball to the bottom cushion if hitting the object ball. Usually, you'll be + 3 (third rail), so the system tells us you hit it fully. shooting these when your opponent (or to shoot the cue ball toward the second One of the basics covered last time is the your lack of position play) has left you no diamond. Because you usually know the exact position of the diamond as a target. alternative. position of the target (the third-rail num­ The choices were to shoot "through" the A classic situation is in Diagram 1, ber) and the cue ball, you may want to diamond, which means to shoot the cue where you can only hit the 1 ball by tak­ restate the formula as its equivalent: first ball toward the actual spot on the rail, ing the cue ball two cushions out of or to shoot "opposite" the diamond, the far corner. The solution is given so the cue ball lands at a point on the by the classic diamond system called cushion even with the diamond. For the "corner-5," so-named because the the corner-5 system, for both the first numbering of the diamonds assigns 5 and third rail the standard is to shoot to the corner near the cue ball's posi­ through the first diamond and the cue tion. ball will come off the second cushion There are three numbers involved to go through the diamond on the with the system: the starting position third cushion. of the cue ball (shown in red), the goal Take the first diagram and turn it on the third cushion (in blue) and the around, so that you are looking from target number on the first cushion (in the cue ball's contact point on the sec­ green). The bad news is that you will ond rail — about the middle of the need to memorize them. Fortunately, end rail — on its way to the 1 ball. To­ the numbering scheme is about as sim­ ward which spot on the third rail do ple as it gets for diamond systems. The you want to shoot? If all you're trying first and third rails are numbered in to do is hit the 1 ball, it is effectively even diamonds, starting with zero at quite wide — maybe eight or nine the far pockets. Remember to include inches, if you count hitting the third 4 at the side pockets, even though cushion before the 1. there are no physical diamonds. If you need to hit the ball before the The numbering for the cue ball is a cushion or the 1 ball is frozen to the little trickier. The name of the system cushion, you will have a much smaller gives a huge clue to label the corner target and your calculations will need pocket as "5." Along the short rail next to be more precise. Suppose you're go­ to that pocket, 6 and 7 are easy, and ing for a ball-first hit, and you come you will probably never use 8, which up with a third-cushion target of 3.2 is not marked on the diagram. Along diamonds (again, the blue numbers) the long rail, the numbering is more rather than an even 3. How would complicated, and the numbers only your target change on the first cush­ step by half for each diamond. A justi­ ion? It's OK to use a pencil and paper fication for this is that there are twice or even a calculator in practice, but in as many diamonds along the long rail, a match you need to come up with 1.8 so each is only worth half a count. rail = cue ball - third rail. In the diagram, quickly, because 5 minus 3.2 equals 1.8. Like most diamond systems, the corner- that would be first rail = 5-3, which, as So you would shoot the cue ball a little 5 requires you to do a little arithmetic. you can guess, is 2. past diamond 2 on the first rail. As a hint, The formula is fairly easy, though: CB = As mentioned in last month's article, for my fingers are conveniently each l/20th first + third. In the diagram, the cue ball any diamond system, consistent spin is of a diamond wide, so that would be four is "coming from" the 5 position (mean­ a major factor (speed is also important finger-widths. ing your cue will pass directly over the but usually not to the same degree). Use The example in Diagram 1 is the sort

26 BILLIARDS DIGEST June 2010 of hanger I give to beginning students to 3.7 -1.7 = 2 for the new target on the first give them some initial success. The tar­ cushion. That will turn your stick some get is huge and the arithmetic is simple. more, and you will have to do the arith­ But that's not the way real life works. metic again. Eventually you will get to Diagram 2 is quite a bit harder. the right line, but the process can be slow First, it's hard to determine exactly and tedious. where the cue ball is. The position of the A faster way to get there is by "paral­ cue ball is determined by where your leling" your stick. The idea is to make stick will pass over the cushion when a line that is correct to start with but you're shooting. In Diagram 1, that was doesn't have the cue ball on it. If we want clearly very close to 5. When the cue ball to get to 1.7, a simple line that would do is out in the middle of the table and you that is from the cue ball (3.7) to the first don't yet know which way to shoot, it's rail (2.0) for a difference of 1.7. Now, if really hard to tell where your stick is go­ you increase both of those numbers by ing to pass over the cushion. the same amount, you can get a new pair When in doubt, guess. The "first guess" that has the same difference (1.7) but is line in Diagram 2 is a fairly bad line, but closer to the cue ball. Try adding a half let's see how we eventually get to shoot­ diamond to each one to get the line 4.2 ing in the right direction. to 2.5. Is the cue ball on that line? If so, By our guessed line, the cue ball is that's the line you need. coming from 5 again. Now, on the third Try a few other positions on the table to cushion, we want to aim roughly for 1.7. work on your arithmetic skills. Remem­ Doing the arithmetic, we get a target on ber to find the target on the third rail by the first cushion of 5 - 1.7 = 3.3. But the looking from the second. And for awk­ "resulting path" is a huge correction to ward positions like the second example, our initial guess. If you line up to shoot work on your "paralleling." along that new direction, you will find So far, this is only the surface of the your stick over a cue-ball location of corner-5 system. Next time we'll go quite about 3.7. Redoing the arithmetic gives a bit deeper. +TECH TALK+

BY Bob Jewett DIAMONDS, PART III Avoid blockers by knowing where you'll hit the second cushion.

N MY last two columns, I covered looks like the cue ball is going to barely Adjust the location of the target until it's some basic aspects of how to use the miss the 2 ball for the half-ball hit shown in the right place when you get the hit diamonds to send the cue ball two or by the dotted-line arrow. you want on the 1 ball. three rails to hit an object ball with the So much for theory; it's time to try the Now you can tell for yourself — on corner-5 system. These ideas can't be shot. You will need a marker like the one your table and with your stroke — how learned in your armchair; you will have mentioned two columns ago: a paper disk accurate the 45-degree rule is for the to go to the table to see how they work with a 2.25-inch diameter. Place this on angle from the second to the third cush­ in practice. If you haven't already spent the top of the second cushion, where you ion. To make it easy to judge, place the some time with the system live, do so be­ estimate the cue ball will land but back cue ball where it hits the second cush­ fore reading further. ion and an object ball where the cue By now you should be able to hit ball is landing on the 1 ball. Is a line the 1 ball 10 times out of 10 in the through those two balls parallel with situation shown in Diagram 1 on a the 45-degree line? For easy sighting, table that you're familiar with. Even put your cue stick along the line and on strange tables, the corner-5 is re­ over both balls. If the angle is not 45 markably accurate for third-rail land­ degrees, you can develop your own ing spots. correction. Move your stick parallel to Up until now, we've considered itself to a convenient spot such as the where the cue ball contacts the cush­ middle diamond on the end cushion. ion on only the first and third cush­ Note where the stick points on the ions. The first gives us the aiming side cushion, such as "four inches be­ point and the third is the real target. low the second diamond." Now, let's consider the second cush­ If you can remember this small ad­ ion. justment, you will be able to quickly Is the 2 ball in the way for the two- judge whether a ball like the 2 inter­ rail kick on the 1? The system doesn't feres with your kick. say anything directly about the cue This technique can also be used for ball's contact point on the second judging blockers between the first cushion, but we have to know for this and second cushions. From where shot. One simple technique is to stand you are aiming, you know the loca­ by the cushion the 2 ball is near and tion of the cue ball when it hits the sight toward the 1 ball, estimating the first cushion. You can now estimate path of the cue ball from the second the second-cushion contact point, cushion to the third. When using this so joining them with a straight line technique, be precise — for example, gives you a good estimate of the cue plan the shot for an exact half-ball hit ball's path. There are two wrinkles to on the cushion side of the 1 ball. You worry about, though. The first is that won't be that accurate at first, but if when you shoot "through" diamond 3 you set mediocre goals you're unlike­ on the first cushion, for example, you ly to achieve superb results. can't get the cue ball's path by drawing The angle the cue ball takes from the a line from diamond 3 to the second second to the third cushions will be cushion. You have to figure out where roughly 45 degrees for many corner-5 the cue ball will be when it hits the shots. This is a simple angle to find on just a little from the nose of the cushion, first cushion, which is about half a dia­ the table as you can simply join two dia­ as shown. mond away. monds that are equal distances from the Try the shot, and note where the cue The second problem is more subtle. The pocket, as with the red line in Diagram ball touches the second cushion relative cue ball does not follow a straight line 1. This will give you the correct angle but to the paper target and whether it goes between the cushions. Instead, it will probably the wrong path, so just parallel on to hit the 1 ball. (Leave the 2 ball off curve back toward the cushion it just hit over to the path you're interested in. It the table if it interferes with the shot.) as shown in the diagram with a slide or

28 BILLIARDS DIGEST July 2010 hook. This is due to the top spin the The usual way of dealing with this cue ball has before it hits the cushion. is to put 5 in the middle of the corner As it leaves the cushion, some spin re­ pocket and call it close enough. I'm mains along the same axis, but that is going to propose a more accurate and now masse rather than follow and the consistent approach that is still easy to cue ball curves. This effect is far more use. For the cue-ball position only, use visible when the cloth is new and slip­ where the stick crosses the nose of the pery, as the cue ball doesn't lose as cushion. Diagram 2 shows an example much spin on slippery cushions. The of this. Marked on the noses are the hook will also happen on the second spots for the locations around the cor­ and later cushions. For the most part, ner pocket. The particular shot shown you can ignore the curvy path and is a 5.5. And spot 5 is exactly in the treat it as straight, but if the potential center of the corner pocket, just where obstruction is close to the path you it should be. Order has been restored want, the curve may decide whether to the universe. it really is in the way. If you do chose to use this cue-ball That's probably enough to keep you location technique, your corner-5 busy until next time, but there is ample, you are shooting from 6. But if numbers will be a little different from one more wrinkle in the corner-5 that you use this method and work along the those of other system users, but not by we should straighten out before you go end rail to find 5, you end up at a spot much. You will find that individual tables any further. For the cue ball's location in that is one diamond from the 6 spot and will vary more than this small change in Diagram 2, where is 5? The name itself on the end cushion. On the other hand, numbering. tells us it's in the corner, but what do we if you work back from 4 and 4.5 on the Practice your second-rail estimating mean by that? long rail, you get a location for 5 that is — including along other lines — and One standard for finding the start­ on the other side of the corner pocket. So deciding on go/no-go for interferers. ing position of the cue ball is to use the we have two 5s! (If you use the "oppo­ Next time, we'll move on to cushion 4, equivalent of "through" sighting, so if site" method of diamond location, which now that we have an understanding of your cue stick is over diamond 6 — the I described before, you get a similar but cushions 0 (where the cue ball starts), physical spot on top of the rail — for ex- smaller discrepancy.) 1, 2 and 3. +TECH TALK+

BY Bob Jewett

THE RIGHT TRACK Set the right course when you're kicking four cushions.

N MY last three columns, I covered Diagram 1 the basics of diamond systems — how to use the spots around the table to send the cue ball off cush­ ions to hit a target — and a particular system called the "corner-5." By last month's installment, we had covered the numbering of the first four cush­ ions involved, where "cushion 0" is the place on the cushion that the cue ball is "coming from." Now it's time to consider where the cue ball contacts cushion No. 4, the fourth cushion it actually hits. The path of the cue ball off the third cushion is referred to as the "return" or the "track." This concept is from three- cushion billiards, where many shots involve banking the cue ball three or more rails to hit the object balls. The best discussion of the path of the cue ball toward the fourth cushion is in cushion more parallel to the rail on a Going from the third cushion to Robert Byrne's "New Standard Book of carom table, while on a pool table, it will the fourth is not compensated in the Pool and Billiards." Diagram 1 is how tend to bounce off the cushion closer to same way, and that's why you need to Byrne illustrates basic tracks. perpendicular. calibrate the tracks for your particular Let's first consider Track 2. If you Practically, this means that the tracks conditions. On most pool tables, except shoot from the corner (cue-ball origin 5 are shifted on each table, and you will with brand new cloth, the tracks go in this system) and shoot diagonally to­ have to learn how much the table is about one diamond short of the stan­ ward 3, the cue ball will go toward 2 (5 playing "short" or "long." The best shot dard tracks. You may want to re-num­ minus 3) on the third rail. From there, to use as a test for the return in the ber the tracks in your personal system it should follow Track 2 and go to the corner-5 system is the one illustrated: to match how your table usually plays. corner opposite your starting point. If Shoot from one corner and see what it A second factor that you need to con­ you needed to hit a ball that's almost in takes to get to the other corner. For ex­ sider is "track shifts." Where the cue the pocket (on a pool table), that's the ample, if the table is playing "one dia­ ball goes after hitting the third cushion track you would seek. mond short" you would have to shoot at a particular point is fairly constant To hit balls at other points, you need from the corner to 2 on the opposite for this system, but it does change a to try for other tracks. For example, if rail to get to 3 on the third rail and then little. There are three different cue-ball you needed to hit a ball on the short rail go on to the opposite corner pocket. origins in Diagram 2 — all going to the a diamond from the corner pocket, you Usually there's little variation be­ same position on the third cushion. It's would want perhaps Track 3.2. If the tween tables in where the cue ball hits perfectly reasonable that the different table is working exactly according to the third cushion. That is, if you shoot incoming angles to cushion 3 would the system, you would then shoot to a from 5 to 2, the cue ball will go toward produce different outbound angles and first-rail number of 1.8 (5 minus 3.2). 3 for a wide variety of conditions. This therefore different tracks. As it turns Usually, though, a table will not work is because if the first cushion plays a out, this does happen but not as much precisely according to the system, and little short, and the cue ball bounces as you might expect. you will have to adjust the numbers to out straighter than average, a similar To figure out how much adjustment match the equipment. The system was bounce on the second cushion will you need to make according to where developed for carom tables that gener­ tend to compensate for the effect and the cue ball starts, begin by making ally play "longer" than pool tables. That you end up at the same place on the some measurements. Try the shots in is, the cue ball will come off the third third rail. Diagram 2 and note where the cue ball

28 BILLIARDS DIGEST August 2010 "returns" relative to the track you get when you shoot with the cue ball start­ ing from 5 (the corner). This will give you something like, "half a track for a two-diamond change in starting posi­ tion," which would be a quarter track shift per count change away from the corner. See what it is on your table. For a lot more information on track shifts, see the discussion in Byrne's book. All of the remarks above apply to us­ ing standard running English and a me­ dium speed. If you vary from this, the angles will change. Again, the third-rail landing point will not change much, but the track on to the fourth cushion can change a lot. I find that a medium speed gives the longest and most con­ sistent tracks. What's medium speed? slide less off the last cushion and there­ system changes when you use either If you play a three cushion kick along fore come in shorter. no sidespin or some reverse side on the Track 3.5, the cue ball should continue Any system is nearly useless if you shot. I think you will find that your per­ on to about the middle of the table after don't practice it. If you want to make the centage of good hits will drop when you hitting a total of five cushions. corner-5 part of your game, learn the add the funny stuff, but you will eventu­ For faster speeds, the cue ball tends to track shifts on your table, then see how ally find yourself in positions where you bounce straighter off the cushions be­ they change as you change the speed have to do something strange to avoid cause it doesn't have time to slide, and of the shot. Try draw instead of follow. blockers. Learn the variations and ways for softer shots, the cue ball seems to For a really advanced study, see how the to bend the system.

August 2010 BILLIARDS DIGEST 29 +TECH TALK+

BY Bob Jewett POLISHING UP Now you know corner-5, but do you have a real feel for It?

HIS IS the fifth in a series of columns you know this will give the "opposite" easily (see the red disk in the diagram). on diamond systems, with empha­ location (or diamond count). Within four shots, you should have a sis on the corner-5 system, which We want to record two numbers for nearly full hit. This phase of the study guides you when in a situation such as each cushion, the "through" and the will also show you how consistent you Diagram 1, where you want to hit the 1 "opposite" numbers for where the cue are in your stroke, since you will be ball after two or three cushions. By now ball contacts the cushion. For the shot shooting from the same place and along you should recognize the shot instantly, shown, the through number is clearly the same line. and be sure that if you send the cue ball 3, because that's the diamond you are Getting the through location on the from the corner toward the third dia­ shooting toward. The opposite location second rail is done by placing disks at mond site on the opposite rail, you will is not so obvious, but you can find it by the contact points on the first and sec­ hit the 1 ball 10 times in 10 shots. OK, placing a spare ball on the cushion di­ ond cushions, and then a third disk on maybe eight in 10 if the balls are not sit­ rectly between the starting cue ball and the second rail even with the diamonds ting where they make the calculation diamond 3. That's called the "contact and on the straight line joining the other easy or you don't know the table. ghost" in the diagram. The opposite lo­ two disks. Record the two locations for The point of this column is to get you cation will be about 3.6. the second rail and move on to the third to work on the system rail using the same enough that your suc­ technique. The fourth cess with such shots is rail is next, which will well over 90 percent, give you the "return" which requires practice. or "track" number I'll give you a choice of that was covered last three methods. month. The first method is, While measuring and well, methodical. You recording the locations, will need pencil, pa­ don't think about what per and several of the the arithmetic of the ball-size paper targets system says the num­ 1 mentioned earlier in bers should be; try to the series. make unbiased read­ The general outline is ings. to shoot a range of shots Time for a fun break. using the system and see Place a ball where you exactly where the cue ball lands on each How accurate do we need to be in mak­ land on the second cushion. Place an rail. This will show you how close the ing the measurements? Since there are object ball frozen on the cushion almost basic system is to being correct for your about five ball diameters per diamond, touching that contact ghost. Remove table, balls, stroke, spin, etc. Diagram 1 and we hope to get hits on the right side the contact ghost and shoot the cue ball shows a good shot to start with; just re­ of the ball we're kicking at, quarter-ball as usual. It should land in place of the move all the object balls for now. You are accuracy (or l/20th diamond) is not too ghost ball and knock the object ball into shooting from 5 toward 3. If "5 toward much to ask for. the corner pocket. On my table, I know 3" doesn't ring a bell, go back and review Predicting accurate landing spots on that if the edge of the object ball is even the first four articles in this series. the subsequent cushions is harder. I with the middle diamond on the end To make the alignment faster, put a like to do this in steps by placing a real rail, 5 to 3 makes the ball. paper target centered on diamond 3 as ball at the location of the contact ghost OK, back to work. You need to try oth­ shown. If you have made the disk into a and shooting the shot a few times. By er shots in the system. Try 5 to 2, 5 to 1, donut by cutting out a small hole, cen­ adjusting the position of the ghost until and from 3,4 and 6 to 1, 2 and 3, record­ tering will be easy. Take a few shots to I get a completely full hit, I get a very ing the two locations for each of the four see in general where the cue ball goes. accurate reading. When using this tech­ cushions for each of the 12 cases. Yes, As you do so, place additional disks on nique, I put a target disk up on the cush­ that's a lot of work, but the point is to the cushions even with where the cue ion, sort of "kissing" the contact ghost, build a real feel for where the cue ball is ball touches the cushion. From before, so I can adjust and repeat the placement going. If you are overloaded, just shoot

28 BILLIARDS DIGEST September 2010 toward 2 from 3,4 and 6, but do immaterial in this game; the all the cases shooting from 5. only goal is to make the 8 Once you've made your mea­ in the corner. I've seen this surements, it's time to check the drill done in three shots, but accuracy of the system. Simply that depends on the rack add the second and third rail and getting a great break numbers for each case. They shot; 12 shots to make the 8 should add up to the cue-ball is a reasonable goal. origin number. If there is a con­ The most impressive ex­ sistent error, such as always a ample I've seen of this drill half a diamond more than you was in an exhibition by should, then you can adjust the Alain Robidoux, the great system. Add in that error on the Canadian snooker player, first cushion sighting point, so on a 6-by-12 snooker table. a shot at 3 that should normally go to Shoot the three-cushion shot in Dia­ He racked the black and 14 reds as for 2 from 5, adding a half (or 3.5) will go gram 2, trying to make the object ball 8-ball and then proceeded to throw (by to 2. The errors you find may not be so into the corner pocket in as few shots hand) the cue ball around three cush­ consistent, especially if you look across as possible. If you hit the object ball but ions to make the black ball in the corner. all possible cases. You may have to work don't make it, leave it where it ends up He said he would need about 25 throws, out different adjustments when shoot­ and adjust your kick shot accordingly. and that's just what he took. The amaz­ ing from the end rail as opposed to the Finesse beats power at this shot. ing part to me was that every shot im­ side rail, for example. A similar drill is played starting with a proved the situation, either by moving Here's a fun drill that will help you full 8-ball rack. The goal is to make the the black closer to the pocket or getting learn the corner-5. It can also be a 8 ball in the fewest shots, always kick­ reds out of the path. And snooker tables competition to see who can pocket the ing three cushions as in the single-ball have no diamonds to guide the shooter ball in fewer shots. Place an object ball drill. Remember that you get cue ball in —• or thrower, in this case — so Alain on the spot and take cue ball in hand. hand for each shot. Stripes or solids are did it all by feel.

August 2010 BILLIARDS DIGEST 29 +TECH TALK+

BYBobJewett PROP-SHOT LESSONS Plenty can be learned from seemingly impossible shots.

HEN I was first learning to play, ficult to predict, with a little practice on along the needed line. The cue ball, in one of the most interesting parts a specific table, this pattern can become the mean time, will move slightly to Wof the process was the proposi­ quite useful. Grady Mathews often dem­ the left to avoid the kiss. Further study tion shots that circulated frequently in onstrates it in exhibitions. To practice it, shows that you don't need a lot of right the poolhall. They often had an underly­ put an object ball in the corner pocket English on the cue ball to get the needed ing mechanism that was useful in play, adjoining rails B and C, remove the 1 left spin on the object ball — half a tip or they got you to practice facets of the ball, and see how far down the table you is likely enough. You will need to adjust game that you might otherwise neglect. can shoot and still get to the object ball. the distance between the cue ball and I'm not talking about sly tricks, such as On new cloth, you can get quite an arc the object ball, so the cue ball is exactly laying the bridge across the full width of as the cue ball comes off the cushion. on the cushion as the object ball passes the table and saying, "I bet I can roll the Diagram 2 shows a gem from Willie it. You may find that no English at all cue ball under the bridge without touch­ Jopling, who passed away last Novem­ is required on the cue ball, and just the ing it." You then either small cut angle is enough roll the cue ball on the to spin the object ball. floor under the table Next up is a proposi­ (and the bridge) or just tion in the form of a drop the cue ball into game. Longtime BD sub­ the ball return system scribers may remember (from the head of the George Fels' description table). That sort of play of it in the 1980s. 1 saw it can get your thumbs in use about 20 years be­ rearranged. No, a good fore that. The goal is for proposition bet will the shooter to make all leave your client saying, six easy balls, but they "What a neat shot!" or have to be pocketed in at least scratching his the order given by the head long enough for "caller." Of course, the your retreat. caller waits until one A little knowledge can shot is complete before be a dangerous thing. he calls the next. The ex­ The goal in Diagram act setup of the balls can 1 is to shoot the cue greatly change the diffi­ ball from behind the culty; as the balls move head string and to hit farther into the corner each of the indicated pockets, it's much hard­ rail sections in order er to make them and get without hitting any of back to the center of the the "boundary" balls. If you know just ber. Willie, whose real name was Bill table without hitting the short-rail point a little bit about the corner-5 diamond Marshall, was a longtime contributor to of the pocket. Also, the balls by the side system, you may think that there's no this magazine and a real connoisseur of pockets are exactly one ball off the line way to hit the rail on the far side of the the non-obvious shot. of the nose of the cushion so that the 1 ball and then in sections B and C. The The proposition is a seemingly impos­ cue ball cannot fit through on its way to idea is to use spin that you would never sible bank shot. The cue ball and object a far corner. use normally for those cushions. In this ball are both a ball's width off the side There is skill to be learned on both case, you need to use reverse draw (right cushion. The shot is to bank the ball sides of the game. The shooter will be sidespin) and hit just the other side of the long way. Basic pool knowledge says striving to return the cue ball to the the first boundary ball. The shot works impossible, but deeper understanding middle of the table, while the caller will best with plenty of draw and just enough says that, if you can get a little left side- be looking for weaknesses in the shoot­ speed to keep the draw on the cue ball. spin on the object ball, you can shoot it er's position play. While the cue ball's path may seem dif­ away from the cushion and bring it back In one long session at this game, I saw

28 BILLIARDS DIGEST October 2010 a shooter lose 120 "units" even get­ ting three-to-one money odds. He didn't shoot that badly, but he seemed incapable of learning, so he repeated the same mistakes for hours. Even champions will struggle with this on tables with deep shelves. Diagram 4 shows a shot to test your banking knowledge. The goal is to bank the object ball one rail cross- side, somehow avoiding the double- kiss. The difficulty of the shot is ad­ justed by moving the cue ball up or down the table. In the "easier" direc­ tion, you have several things that can There is an interesting wrinkle to this of the side pocket. The facing is fairly help the shot. Shooting harder will force shot that Eddie Taylor, the great bank- hard and can redirect the ball by 20 or the object ball into the cushion, so the pool player and Hall of Famer, demon­ 30 degrees. From the position shown cue ball has more time to move to the strated to onlookers at a BCA Expo. If with the cue ball straight toward the side and avoid the kiss. Also, the cut the object ball is frozen on the rail in other side pocket, most bankers would will tend to put spin on the object ball just the right place — which is with its say it's impossible. Try hitting the ball that will help the angle. As the cue ball edge about even with the pocket open­ half full and let the facing correct the moves in the harder direction, it will be ing — you can cut the ball a lot more angle. If you get a double-kiss, try hit­ moving into the path of the object ball than you would think and still make ting the ball thinner. after the collision and avoiding the kiss the bank. The trick is that the ball Do you have a proposition you like becomes impossible. The test is to see sinks into the cushion as it is moving and wouldn't mind seeing in print? Send who can make the shot from the most sideways toward the pocket. While in it in ([email protected]) and it may difficult position. the cushion, it encounters the facing be in a future column.

October 2010 BILLIARDS DIGEST 29 +TECH TALK+

BY Bob Jewett BEGINNING 3-C See how your skills translate to the game of three-cushion.

F YOU followed my recent series of col­ indicated. If you are far from that, try near your opponent's cue ball, and then umns on the Corner-5 System, you placing a target for the red on the cush­ play the cue ball along the same line as should have learned to apply it in the ion as a training aid. illustrated above — 3.5 to 0.5 — to hit game where it was created: three-cush­ If you remember my diamond sys­ the pair. The shot is easiest if the pair is ion billiards. Here's a brief introduction tem columns, you can figure the path separated, but not by enough to allow for those pool players who can handle of the cue ball in the Corner-5 System. the cue ball to pass between them. At the cue ball pretty well on a pocket ta­ Finding the origin is a little tricky be­ carom, this kind of shot is called a lag ble, but have no idea what to do when cause the initial path is curved, but the shot or a bank shot. you can't sink a ball. Mostly what you'll straight section as it goes into the first Diagram 2 shows some other shots do is perfect your cue-ball control. cushion is "coming from" about 3.5 on that tend to surprise pool players when The rules are fairly sim­ they first see them. Once ple. Each player has his understood, they're very own cue ball. One of them easy due to the short dis­ is white and the other is tance traveled compared either white with spots or to most three-cushion yellow. The third ball is shots. Shot A is called red. To score a point, you a "double the rail" shot have to make your cue ball played with "reverse" hit both the other balls, but English. Any other shot it has to make at least three would be tough; the shot cushion contacts before it shown is a hanger. Just hits the second ball for the hit the end rail first with first time. Do that and you right sidespin. The spin get one point and another doesn't take on the first shot. Make 15 or 25 points cushion because you are before your opponent does going into it at a shal­ and you win the game. low angle. But the ball Shown in Diagram 1 is really bites on the sec­ the position for the open­ ond cushion, returning ing shot — lag to see who to the short cushion for breaks — which is re­ the third cushion con­ quired to be shot off the tact and then on to the red ball. Play to hit about two balls. Remember half of the red ball with left that the rules say three English and follow. You cushion contacts and don't have to hit this shot not three different cush­ hard on most carom tables. ions. With a masse shot Turn your speed down to you could get all three gain control and preci­ cushion contacts on one sion. The pattern is called cushion, but be careful if the owner is watching. a "natural" because the cue ball is run­ the opposite long rail. Since it's headed ning around the cushions always rub­ toward diamond 0.5 by the corner, it Shot B is a very common pattern called bing the "right way," which in this case will land at about 3.0 on the third cush­ a "ticky." The cue ball hits the long rail is with left sidespin and in a counter­ ion. On most tables, that's about where just before the first object ball, returns clockwise cushion order. you want to hit to score the break shot. to the same cushion and then gets to Many pool players have a hard time The rules allow lots of other patterns the end cushion just before the second hitting the correct fullness on the ob­ and rail orders on scoring shots. You ball. In general, a ticky is easy when the ject ball when they have no pocket to don't have to hit a ball first, so you could first ball is about one ball's width from aim to. Hit correctly, the red ball will go for three cushions before either ball. the cushion, although a ticky may still follow roughly along the dotted line as Modify the break shot by putting the red be possible when the ball is within an

28 BILLIARDS DIGEST November 2010 inch or less of the cushion. place as for Shot A, but you It takes a good referee (or an play to hit nine cushions honest opponent) to see two at spots A through I, while cushions in such situations. making two complete cir­ In Shot C, you nearly have cuits of the table. This is a ticky, but the far ball is pretty tough on a pool ta­ too close to the cushion and ble, although it's in the offi­ it's tough to both get the cial Artistic Pool program. rail and the ball. Instead, (In that competition, the it's much easier to play one goal is to land on a dollar cushion to the far ball and bill after the eighth rail.) then spin out of the corner. I Don't use much sidespin, think you'll find that reverse and work to hit very close English (right sidespin in this case) amaze your uninitiated friends. In Shot to the second corner. On new cloth, helps the cue ball "turn the corner." A, the two object balls are frozen to­ it's possible — Mike Massey can do it This shot is called a "Schaefer" shot af­ gether and pointed from the corner to easily — to hit 11 cushions with this ter Jake Schaefer Sr., a great early carom about the third diamond. The cue ball is pattern as you will hit I-H in the other player. He was one of the few players in played fairly thin off the first with right order, continuing the natural order of cue sports history who played so well sidespin, taking the path shown, which rails and maintaining speed. the rules had to be changed to slow is nearly automatic. The second object For more information about three- him down. More prosaically, the shot is ball, in the meantime, crosses the table cushion billiards, check out the second called the "corner spin-out." It is par­ twice for a rendezvous with the cue ball half of Robert Byrne's "New Standard ticularly effective and not much harder in the far corner. This shot will help Book of Pool and Billiards." A lot of vid­ when your cue ball is at the other end your ability to see what needs to be ad­ eos are also available including on You- of the table. justed and to fix it accordingly. Tube, the USBA website (streamed from Finally, Diagram 3 has a couple of Shot B is a simple nine-cushion lag USBA tournaments) and from Kozoom. fun shots that take a little work but will shot. The cue ball starts in the same com. Have fun with the bumpers.

November 2010 BILLIARDS DIGEST 29 +TECH TALK+

BY Bob Jewett

MORE THE MERRIER Multi-player games can really freshen up the poolroom.

OME OF my fondest memories of the line after a scratch, the shooter can him shoot again from the new position. learning to play pool are of the have the ball spotted on the foot spot This includes after a scratch, when the variety of multi-player games that or can shoot out of the kitchen to come only shot might be a near-impossible were common at the rec center. Those back and hit it. spot shot. Sometimes this rule can lead games allowed the beginners to com­ All balls spot. That means that if a to "earnest discussion" between the pete on a reasonable basis with the old ball is pocketed on a foul or driven off players when a fouler is told to shoot hands and were as much social as in­ the table, it is spotted on the foot spot. again by his best friend in a pretty structional activities. I was reminded If several balls need to be spotted, they makeable position. If that situation is of the great fun of ring games on a re­ are spotted in numerical order on or frequent, you can implement the "pass cent visit to Mike Page's amazing Fargo behind the foot spot. A common alter­ around" rule: After a foul, each player (N.D.) Billiards, where I got to play native to this, which makes the game can pass the shot to the next player, with four to six other players at a time go faster, is to spot only "one before the but the fouler has to shoot it if it comes in a very entertaining format that I had money" which is usually the 8 ball, but back to him. That way, all the players not seen before. It was a great evening see below about additional money balls. have to agree that the shot is not worth of shifting alliances, remarkable shots Personally, I used to practice spot shots, shooting. and some small profits. so I preferred to spot everything. A typical difficult situation is shown There are at least a dozen games for in Diagram 1. By normal rules, you're three or more players. In this column, in trouble, since there is no easy way I'll go over some of the most common, to hit the 1 ball. And even if you do as well as considerations that are spe­ manage to make a legal hit, there is no cial to ring games. If you have a favorite obvious hope for a safe. In ring 9-ball, game that a group can play, please send you have a chance to win. Do you see in a description (the more complete, the shot? Using the corner-5 kicking the better), and I'll pass on any gems in system I've covered in recent months, future columns. play the cue off cushions A, B and C The standard ring game at the rec to hit the 1 ball. The cue ball should center was 9-ball. Once you get the then proceed to cushions D and E gang together, draw for order. A shake for a hit on the 9 ball toward — and, bottle with numbered "peas" is tradi­ hopefully, into — the top right corner tional (an example is shown in the pho­ pocket. This is not a shot to play like to). You will also need a shake bottle for you're sewing doilies; instead, picture some other games I will describe later. killing snakes with a machete. Poison­ An example of a shake bottle and peas. If you have a small chalkboard near the ous snakes. Gusto pays. Give chance a table, use it to keep track of the order There is no safety play. You are ex­ chance. The 1-6-4 combination might and the scores as necessary. Except as pected to try to make a ball. This is also go to the corner if you miss the 9 ball. specified, assume that the rules are the usually good strategy, because your Which corner? Who cares? And re­ same as the world standardized 9-ball good safety will force the next player member that if you fail to hit the 1 ball rules (available at www.wpa-pool.com, to sell out to the player after that — entirely, you might be rewarded with a the website of the World Pool-Billiard and that lucky recipient is not you. In second chance to shoot the shot. Just Association). a six-player game, you need to make try to keep the cue ball on the table. The game is different from two-player the most of your chances, however slim Change the order from time to time. tournament 9-ball in several important they are. Of course, this is a gray area It can be depressing and expensive to ways: when you play a two-way shot that in­ follow a player who has mastered two- You never get ball in hand for a foul. corporates both offense and defense, way shots and you rarely see a shot any That would be a huge advantage for but the strategic interplay will give you better than in the diagram. Any player the incoming player, so the cue ball is some insight to the character of your may ask to shake for a new order, but played from where it lies. If the cue ball opponents — and them into yours. a full game must be played after the scratches, the incoming player gets ball A fouler shoots again... maybe. After request, and the winner of that game in hand in the kitchen (where you break a foul, the incoming player can hand still gets to break. Also, at least a mini­ from). If the lowest object ball is behind the shot back to the fouler, and make mum number of games must be played

26 BILLIARDS DIGEST December 2010 in each order, say five. For three-player 9-ball, we used to change the order each game: If you sell out (shot before the winner), you rack and shoot second. If a player runs out from the break, you change rackers. When a new player wants to join the fun, you don't need to change the order. If the players already in the game agree that he should be allowed in, he racks for the next game and shoots last. If a runout is very rare for the players in your get-togethers, you can make the game more interesting by promoting the 5 ball to be worth half of the value of the 9 ball. Then you might refer to the game as "dollar-two" if a spectator, or potential revenue source, inquires about the stakes. Some groups go as far with the top players at Cochran's in San pink. In addition, any runout paid dou­ as to play "odd ball," in which half the Francisco was "pink ball," which was ble. The stakes could get quite high be­ balls are valuable. played on a 6-by-12-foot snooker table. cause, with seven players at just $10 per There are many variations of rules It was 6-ball rather than 9-ball, played point, a runout would be worth $840 to for ring 9-ball. If you have a favorite with the red, yellow, green, brown, the winner. (Six balls times seven play­ rule set, please forward it to me, or at blue and pink balls (snooker values ers times $10 per point is $420, which least note the differences from the rules 1 through 6, respectively). Due to the is then doubled for a runout.) above. difficulty of each shot, every ball was a Next time I'll cover some other good One variation that used to be popular pay ball, with double payment for the games for more than two.

December 2010 BILLIARDS DIGEST 27