Bob Jewett T E C H T A L K Get to the Point Practice tips for attaining the most precise position possible.

T h e r e a r e two contrasting styles of is initially placed close by as shown. The Try to drive it as straight as possible position play — long and short. In the goal on each shot is to pocket the first toward the pocket labeled A. long style, the main goal is to have s o m e object ball and touch the second object Shot B in D i a g r a m 1 is similar, but the shot, even if you leave the cue ball quite a ball. T h e precision part is to leave the cue object ball starts m o r e toward you so that w a y s from the next object ball. You can ball within one ball's d i a m e t e r of the sec- you will need to draw the cue ball to m a k e see a lot of 9-ball players using this strat- o n d ball; you should j u s t barely touch it. contact. T h e goal is to get at least five (or egy. T h e y d o n ' t care how long the shot is Leave that second object ball where you 10) soft contacts before the shot b e c o m e s as long as they aren't hooked. I've seen b u m p e d it. Gradually it will cross the line too difficult. Earl Strickland adopt this strategy. and then it is time to start over. Try to get A warning on this d r a w shot: If you The other style seeks to m i n i m i z e the at least five g o o d shots in before the line. d o n ' t get e n o u g h draw on y o u r first few d i s t a n c e b e t w e e n shots, y o u m a y hit the c u e ball and the ball on the far object ball, d o w n side, w h i c h will tend to s o m e t h i n g under to drive the ball 18 inches. T h e goal straight toward you, is to keep all the m a k i n g the s h o t shots short so that i n c r e a s i n g l y diffi- not o n l y is e a c h cult. A g o o d goal is shot e a s i e r to to drive the ball m a k e , but it's easi- toward pocket B. If er to play position. the ball goes along T h e best e x a m p l e that line, the of this t y p e of r e q u i r e d d r a w will player I've run into r e m a i n r e a s o n a b l e . at 9-ball is Paul In practice. 1 found Silva. a p l a y e r this second form of from the Palace in the shot easier than San Francisco 4 0 - the first. odd years ago. N o t In D i a g r a m 2 is an only did he m a k e e x e r c i s e u s i n g the every shot l o o k cu s h io n s. The set-up easy, but it seemed is fairly critical: T h e that position on his object ball is o n e next ball w a s d i a m o n d from the a l w a y s a u t o m a t i c long rail and the cue — he m a d e 9-ball stick passes over the look like straight m i d d l e of the rail pool. section at the d i a - You will p r o b a - m o n d as shown. bly p l a y b e t w e e n T h e distance from these e x t r e m e s , no the cue ball to the m a t t e r w h a t y o u r object ball is up to g a m e is. T h e plan you. If it is closer, this m o n t h is to the shot is easier, so work on the close- begin there. As you p o s i t i o n part of d e v e l o p m o r e c o n - your g a m e . trol, try m o v i n g the In D i a g r a m 1 are cue ball back toward two similar drills the c u s h i o n , but to w o r k on control of both speed and If that's too easy, try for 10. R e m e m b e r always with the cue stick passing over the direction. In Shot A, the cue ball and the not to c o u n t any shot that either d o e s n ' t s e c o n d d i a m o n d . object ball always return to the spots touch the s e c o n d ball, or leaves it m o r e T h e goal here is to send the cue ball in marked — you m a y as well mark them on than a ball's d i a m e t e r from the cue ball. turn to locations A through J. Shot A is a the cloth w i t h p a p e r r e i n f o r c e m e n t It is useful to have a specific goal for the plain draw shot, and this shot is very " d o n u t s " or chalk. T h e second object ball direction you are driving the second ball. tough if the cloth is sticky or the cue ball

3 0 BD • JANUARY 2007 is heavier than the object ball. It will also angle of cut and with the way the other the end rail and one d i a m o n d from the b e c o m e harder the farther back the cue balls in the g a m e are sitting, you have to side rail. Put the cue ball w h e r e you are ball starts. leave the cue ball on your side of the sec- sure you can m a k e the shot and m a r k its With practice you should be able to leave ond cue stick. You need to decide between location with a coin. Try the shot, d o i n g the cue ball within a ball of the target at stopping the cue ball before it crosses that your best to keep the sideways motion to least o n e in three, a m i n i m u m . U s e but at first just try to your best soft draw hit the target. Shots with no sidespin to A and B are direct, achieve a stun shot but C and D need to (stop shot with an be played with one angle). As you get cushion. For the the h a n g of the shots up the second shot, m o v e the cue side rail, there are ball and the coin to two ways to get to the left until you them Ð go one rail c a n ©t kill the cue and then two rails. ball in time. For extra credit, try Does soft follow to get the cue ball work from the same out to the side pock- position? et on your side of the You should be able table. Is it possible? to shoot the follow Next, see h o w the shot so softly that shots c h a n g e if the the object ball just cue ball is m o v e d gets to the pocket. up and d o w n the table slightly. W h i c h line and going to the cushion and b o u n c - Does that cut down further on sideways shots b e c o m e easier and which harder? ing out. With this m u c h angle, going one motion? H o w about sidespin? Finally, try Finally. D i a g r a m 3 shows an exercise cushion is usually not a problem unless moving the cue ball back two more dia- for "killing" the cue ball in the middle of balls are in the way, but let©s work on the monds to see how tough the shots become, the table. This is a fairly c o m m o n situa- softer, m o r e precise shot. and to get a little motivation for keeping the tion w h e r e you have a 20- to 30-degree T h e object ball is three d i a m o n d s from cue ball close to the object ball.

BD • JANUARY 2007 31 Bob J e w e t t T E C H T A L K Online Magic YouTube.com brings Sayginer's masse wizardry to the masses.

O n e of the most amazing talents on any — you cannot masse the cue ball to the right years of practice, and probably more than table is Semih Sayginer, the Turkish cham- without putting some right spin on the ball. one take. pion. His main game is three-cushion bil- Given the shot and masse lines and the Note that at some point in the second part liards, but he can also perform at ball-to-ball right side spin, how does the illustrated shot of the path — between the first and second billiards and p o o l His artistic shots are the result".' First, the cue ball starts along the shot cushions — the masse spin runs out. and the stuff of legend, and now they are available line. The masse line accelerates the cue ball cue ball begins to roll smoothly on the cloth online. toward the first rail and makes it curve. You without slipping. After that point, the cue Before you read the rest of ball's path will be a straight this article, you should visit line. w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m , and Once the ball follows the type "Semih Sayginer part path into the corner, the one," into the search win- remaining right spin takes dow. Click on the video that when the ball contacts the end is 9:30 long. You may want cushion and the cue ball to visit a friend with a high- comes back to the side rail for speed connection if you a fourth cushion contact have a dial-up. Once you've before hitting the two object watched " T h e Magic balls. Simple. Show," pick up your j a w Sayginer's third shot is and read the following for shown in D i a g r a m 2. and an explanation of what you might be called a draw/follow saw. masse. The shot line is more D i a g r a m 1 shows the or less directly into the end first shot on the video; a cushion. The masse line is masse shot I had never seen toward the cushion and back before. At first glance it toward the second object ball, looks like it might be and there is some left side impossible, but the action is spin. The cue ball is shot hard actually straightforward. It enough that it mostly slides is a four-cushion shot. If off the end cushion and to the you show the position to first object ball. In the video, someone and name the hits you can see that there are at in order — side rail, side least two different paths that rail, end rail, side rail, both will work, as the different balls — it could be a long angles were shot on two dif- time before he guesses the ferent takes. The shot that path. starts and ends the clip has the cue ball going first to the end W h e n shooting masse cushion, then twice on the shots, the player has to long cushion before it hits the blend initial direction, first object bull, then three big hops on the degree of elevation, amount of side spin and can think of the masse acting like gravity long cushion and then a straight path to a last " m a s s e spin," and a m o u n t of force to with the masse line saying "this way down." contact on the long cushion just before the achieve a particular path. For example, in The ball hits the first cushion and it object ball for a total of seven cushion con- Diagram I, the initial direction of the shot is bounces, more or less, straight back with the tacts. along the "shot line." The stick is elevated right side spin helping to bring the ball back and played with right draw. This produces down the table. As the cue ball comes off the The shot is not hard to understand, given both right side spin and a tendency to curve. rail, the masse line is almost unchanged, so the shot line and the masse line. The masse We can assign a direction to this tendency to the ball again wants to "fall" back to that will tend to keep the cue ball on the long curve by imagining (or causing) the cue ball same cushion and the path curves again. In cushion between the end rail and the first to run straight into an object ball, and then theory, if there were enough masse on the ball, so the aim doesn't have to be perfect. seeing which way the cue ball moves. For ball, it could be made to return to that same As long as there is still some masse spin left this shot, the "masse line" shows which way long cushion. In Sayginer's shot, there is just on the cue ball after it hits the first object the cue ball wants to move. In addition, there enough masse to bring the cue ball to a path ball, it should return to the long cushion is some right side spin, which is a necessary that grazes the other long cushion at a fairly some more. In the shot on the video, the cue result of choosing a masse line to the right shallow angle. How does he do that? By feel. ball happens to be about half a ball off the

30 BD • FEBRUARY 2007 cushion when it hits the first object ball so ion before hitting the end rail and coming quite small. T h e masse spin is again acting the remaining hops are large and obvious. straight off the end rail to the second object like gravity to cause the bounces, and the During those hops, the remaining left ball. imperfect elasticity of the cushion causes the English on the cue ball helps to bring it One remarkable feature of the shot is that dying out of the bounces of the cue ball. down the table to the second object ball. The the second object ball is barely more than a On the shot on the video, you can see that masse gives out about two the first bounce is about diamonds from the second the diameter of the cue ball, and the last part of tip, and on each subse- the path is a straight line to quent bounce the cue ball the score. leaves the cushion less D i a g r a m 3 shows the and less. Since there are fifth shot Sayginer does nine b o u n c e s before on the video. It©s a fairly threading the gap, the cue standard shot in concept, ball is guaranteed to be but the action is not stan- very close to the cushion dard. T h e shot line is up at that instant. the table, and the masse There is a similar shot action is m o r e or less by the great Japanese pool straight back from the shot trick-shot artist Yoshikazu line. I think there is a little Kimura in which he has a right English on the cue line of balls near the cush- ball. If so, the shot line ion, he masses the cue ball and masse line can©t be directly opposite Ð ball off the cushion. As the cue ball passes off an object ball, and the cue ball passes that is only true for pure masse draw without between it and the rail, there looks to be less between the line of balls and the cushion, not bending to the side. than a quarter-inch of clearance. The princi- touching any of them. After the shot, he The cue ball hits the first object ball thinly ple that makes it possible to pass through demonstrates that there is less than a playing and travels forward along the cushion. It gets such a small gap is "dying bounce." Imagine card©s thickness of margin for the cue ball to four cushion contacts as the masse© fights to dropping a tennis ball. If the first bounce is a pass. On YouTube, search for "Kimura pool keep returning it to the rail and speeds it foot, the second may be half a foot and the shots" to see some other great shots. toward the second object ball. The cue ball third a quarter foot, and so on. After a few Are there points here to put into your gets a total of 11 contacts on the long cush- bounces, all the subsequent bounces are game? Maybe, but not on my table.

BD • FEBRUARY 2007 31 Bob Jewett T E C H T A L K Derby City Shootout A few desperation shots were highlights in this 14.1 straight pool event.

O t h e r articles in this month's issue took top honors with an 89, followed by finals. Darren Appleton from the U.K. should already have convinced you of this; Danny Harriman at 85 and Niels Feijen at played surprisingly good straight pool for If y o u ' r e interested in pool in the U.S., you 62. They got the daily prizes of $300, $200 someone from a country with no known have to see at least one Derby City Classic and $100 respectively. There were no runs 14.1 tradition. L u c Salvas nearly m a d e the in Louisville, Ky. It is a nine-ring circus. of 100. cut, as did Fabio Petroni. Dennis Orcollo, Besides the standard three events of bank On Monday, the participation and perfor- the only Filipino entrant, snapped off a 93 pool, one-pocket and 9-ball. there are mid- mances got m u c h stronger. Johnny Archer to get a spot in the finals. night mini-tournaments, bar table competi- had a 107 and a 7 1 ; Ralf Souquet answered D i s a p p o i n t m e n t s in the p r e l i m i n a r y tion, ring bank pool and 10-ball matches on with a 137, plus an 84 and a 70 after rounds were Cory Deuel, w h o was one of the TV table, all-night action wherever you scratching on the first of his four tries. the s t r o n g e s t p l a y e r s in 2 0 0 6 , and look, and even qualifiers for the National 3- M i k e Davis took first prize for the day with Thorsten H o h m a n n , w h o is the current C u s h i o n world c h a m p i o n , having Championships. It was w o n the W o r l d 14.1 ray privilege to help run S t r a i g h t Pool the 14.1 Challenge for C h a m p i o n s h i p i n N e w the second year. Jersey in J u n e 2 0 0 6 . T h e C h a l l e n g e is H o h m a n n averaged 50 in strictly a high-run com- the E u r o p e a n straight petition with just one pool championships but competitor at the table could not get past 43 in at a lime. You begin 12 tries in Louisville. He with a break shot of also dominated the N e w y o u r choice (cue ball J e r s e y State and 15th object ball "in C h a m p i o n s h i p s a couple h a n d " ) , and see h o w of years a g o with multi- m a n y you can run by ple 100-ball runs. s t a n d a r d straight-pool A r c h e r c o n t i n u e d the rules. A miss or foul fast pace as he posted a ends your try. 129 on the third day of T h e format was prelims and a 114 on the slightly changed from final day. He clearly last year. A $100 entry seemed to be the one to got you a total of 12 beat. He confided that tries spread out over most of his practice time three of the four days of these days is spent play- the p r e l i m i n a r i e s . A ing 14.1. few players dominated T h e n M i k a I m m o n n e n the event last year when got off the airplane. He there w e r e unlimited was p l a n n i n g to play in re-entries, so 12 w a s the 9-ball event that w a s the m a x i m u m number about to start up, but had of tries any one player s o m e t i m e to try the could have. A budget 1 4 . 1 . H e p u t his cue option of four tries for together and ran 127 on S50 was also available. his first try. T h i s w a s T h e eight players followed by a 1 (bad roll with the highest runs in on the break shot), a 54 the preliminaries advanced to the finals on an amazing 151. M i k e had failed to get and a 99 for a 70.25 average. Thursday where they had five tries each. into the second rack on any of his first-day As the finals began, Davis's run of 151 This w a s also a change from last year, tries. looked to have a good chance of standing when the number of tries in the finals Other notable entrants included Larry up for the $1,100 highest run bonus. T h e depended on your high run, and there were Nevel, whose 14.1 g a m e exudes power and tables had the standard D C C tournament a lot of finalists with just one or two tries. confidence. His 38-ball per inning average pockets of barely 4.5 inches at the opening T h e prelims started off slowly with only was outstanding, but his highest run of 80 with a deep shelf, and a light hit onto the 15 players on the first day. John Schmidt didn't meet the 85 needed to make the near jaw ended a lot of runs.

BD • MARCH 2007 In the finals, Harriman, Davis, Orcollo Shot B is a standard out-of-the-rack shot. ered with blockers by the corner. This shot and Souquet all failed to get past 50 in five T h e corner ball is banked straight back the is not as hard as it looks, if you take care tries. Archer m a n a g e d a 56, and Charlie long way. Hit as m u c h of the ball as you about the angle and speed. T h e r e are sys- Williams, w h o admitted that 14.1 was not can. Inside English may help, depending tems to play this kind of c a r o m . his best g a m e , got a 67. Steady John on the rack and the cloth. T h e one time it Shot B w a s all that I m m o n e n w a s left Schmidt had a 71 as well as a 6 9 , 5 5 and 4 3 , was played during the competition did not with early in his 160 run in the finals. T h e but only the highest run for each player go well, d u e to a too-thin hit. bank is not that difficult if you are in b a n k counted. Surprisingly, his 71 won him sec- D i a g r a m 2 shows two shots that you pool stroke, but it is not a shot m o s t ond place. might not play if you had an opponent straight pool players w o u l d risk. Try it, but O n e of the nice things about attending w h o w a s going to run a few racks on you also play position by bringing the cue ball tournaments, as opposed to watching them if you missed. Shot A was at the start of three cushions to the m i d d l e of the table. on TV or D V D , is the fascinating people John S c h m i d t 's second-place run of the I'll see you next year in Louisville. If you get to meet. O n e of the m a n y such per- finals. After the break, he had nothing but you get there early you m a y get a chance sonalities present at D e r b y City was 92- the d r a w - c a r o m , as the cue ball had gath- to keep score for the straight pool. year-old George Rood, w h o was there to accept a lifetime achievement award from OnePocket.org. You m a y not have heard of George, since he stayed out of the lime- light during his heyday, but he played about even with Luther Lassiter at 9-ball. He also played straight pool and once ran 100 balls 11 times in one day w h e n playing 50 no-count. (In no-count, you have to run at least the n u m b e r specified or your run doesn't count at all.) George was next to me watching the 14.1 finals. T h e shooter at the table was clearly not an expert at 14.1, and G e o r g e w a s sur- prised he w a s in the finals. Then Mika I m m o n e n started to play. S m o o t h stroke, smooth breaks just hard enough to scatter the balls well and get the cue ball loose but not too far away. G e o r g e c o m m e n t e d , " N o w this is h o w straight pool should be played." He was proven right, as M i k a pro- ceeded to run 160 in his second try and an 86 two tries later. In his nine tries (prelims and finals), he h a d an average of 62.33 balls per inning. With the daily prize, the highest run b o n u s and first prize in the finals, he got a total of $3,600. T h e only thing he m i s s e d was the special $1,000 b o n u s offered by D i a m o n d Billiard Products for the first run over 200. M a y b e next year. T h e players this year seemed more famil- iar with the rules than last year, when sev- eral ball-in-the-rack opportunities were missed. (See my April 2006 column avail- able at http://www.sfbilliards.com/arti- cles/BD_articles.html.) There w e r e a few desperation shots that we re notable. In this form of competition, the player might as well go for a shot that has only a 1 per- cent chance, if that's the only option. In D i a g r a m 1, Shot A is a break shot that Charlie Williams m a d e after failing to break the n e w rack at a count of 14. If you hit the two b o t t o m balls on that side simul- taneously, the corner ball on the other side has a c h a n c e to go in. It did. To go in, it needs to be struck by both of the balls it's touching. That happens only if the rack is pretty tight, so energy will be transmitted to both balls at the s a m e time. Take 10 tries to see if this shot if worth playing when desperate.

BD • MARCH 2007 31 Bob Jewett T E C H T A L K

The controversy has existed since the early 1900s, and continues to "vex.'

T h e r e is a controversy in the lot like carom billiards but is billiard world that has been played with small balls on a 6- s i m m e r i n g and sometimes by- 12-foot table with pockets. In boiling over for the last hun- his 1923 book, " H o w to Play dred years. You would think Billiards," Tom Newman, who that in all that time, someone was a six-time world champion, would have been able to get to firmly staked out a practical, the bottom of the matter and middle-of-the-road position: shut up the idiots on the other "[...] Last, and least, I propose side, but the controversy to touch upon the vexed question remains: Is it possible to trans- of the transmission of side. fer sidespin from the cue ball to Enough has been written to fill a the object ball? book bigger than this, simply to I think the continuing confu- prove that a side-laden cue-ball sion is due to the fact that if the can or cannot transmit side to the effect exists, it is weak. You object-ball. I am not disposed to can shoot the cue ball with argue about it, but if anyone can heavy sidespin directly into an show me how to transmit an object ball and the cue ball will effective amount of side from the sit and spin like a top, so no cue-ball to the object-ball, I shall one will deny that the cue stick be very much indebted to him: it can put sidespin on the cue will help me to solve many little ball. You cannot, however, problems [...] Please mark my make an object ball spin simi- words carefully, I do not wish for larly. But can you make it spin ' p r o o f that side can or cannot be at ail? transmitted. I want to see such measure of effective transmis- The earliest reference I've sion of side as may be of real found for the question is also playing value. Until I see this, I one of the easiest early billiard shall not bother about the trans- books. "Daly's Billiard Book" mission of side when playing was first published in 1913, but billiards." is now widely available as a Dover reprint. In it, Maurice N e w m a n ' s approach is quite Daly describes a class of shots reasonable: He is asking for spe- in which an object ball is dri- cific examples that will help his ven more or less straight into a game, and is withholding his cushion and is banked with j u d g m e n t on the matter until precision back to where it start- then. ed. (This is a standard shot at Slightly later, we find two pro- simple c a r o m billiards.) ponents of the p h e n o m e n o n Maurice comments: "In this claiming to show such shots. shot (and its variations are The two authors were Walter numerous in close play near L i n d r u m and Willie Smith. the end rail) one must pay strict Lindrum was the best English attention to the English on the Billiards player w h o ever cue hall. That imparted to the driven object cue ball is not, to any appreciable degree, played, and arguably the best cueman of all ball affects the course of the latter on its transferred to an object ball, not enough to time. In one championship, he had to give the return from the cushion. This driven ball may 'throw' the object ball off a true angle from other three players a head start of about 30 be "thrown' one side or the other as much as the cushion. The writer [Harris] is convinced percent in weeks-long matches and he still three inches." he is right [...]" won. Smith was twice a world champion. This seems like a pretty clear statement, but It would have been helpful if the author and D i a g r a m 1 and D i a g r a m 2 are from the editor (W.W. Harris), had said earlier in the editor had gotten their stories straight. Lindrum's 1930 book "Billiards." The goal is the book: "Mr. C.C. Curtis, of New York, has Transferred side was quite a heated topic in to scratch off the black ball from behind the made many interesting experiments with bil- England during the 1930s. The game being line. The sub-goal is to control the return liard balls, and contends that the spin of the discussed was English Billiards, which is a point of the black ball. Lindrum claims that

28 BD • APRIL 2007 in Diagram 1, right English puts enough left half-ball hit with follow and medium speed is for him as a billiards player, I feel bound to on the black ball to keep it on the left side of a guaranteed scratch. Smith says about the pick up the gauntlet, which he has again the table. In Diagram 2, he has changed to shot: "There is no stroke on the table which thrown down." left English, which has worked the red way proves so clearly that side can be transmitted. The book is only a small one, and, of its 91 over to the right side of the table. Playing it half-ball, without side, the [black pages, 32 are full-page diagrams. It is, how- In discussing the shot, Lindrum also ball] will come down the centre of the table. ever, a very readable little volume, but five laments about the forests wasted in printing But, if the [other object ball] should happen different ridiculous statements concerning opinions on the matter, saying, "I have yet to to lie in its course, it is quite an easy matter transmitted side mar it. meet a man who can play any better for all to guide the [black ball] past that ball on "[...] W h e n you play a slow or medium- this spilling of ink." either side. If you want the [black ball] on the pace stroke with side you give the object He continues: "But get away from theory, right-hand side of the table, use left-hand ball a different line of travel from what it put the balls on the table, and I will prove to side on the cue-ball, and vice versa to bring would take in a stroke played without side, you that the influence of side on the cue-ball the [black] ball to the left-hand side of the but this is simply because side pulls the cue is transmitted to the object-ball to such an table." hall out of the line of aim before contact is extent that you cannot play billiards without The big gun of British billiards writers, made with the object ball. The object ball is allowing for it. [You may call what happens Riso Levi, fired against these two champions. taken thinner or fuller than would have been in the diagrams whatever you want] but To Levi, w h o has the distinction of having the case with a plain-ball stroke. That is all. please give me my point that the effect of the written the most words on billiards of any It is passing strange to me that a great cue- side is transmitted to an extent, which could author, there was no such thing as transmit- man like Smith cannot realize this, but scarcely be surpassed if you were putting ted side. Any effect that was observed could sometimes when a m a n gets thoroughly side on the object-ball with your cue." be explained by the normal curving of the obsessed with a certain idea, he cannot see That's about as clear as you can get. But do cue ball due to the sidespin, which is easily wood for trees." his examples really show that the object ball demonstrated and explained. Frankly, I don't think I would have liked has spin that affects its angle off the cushion? In his 1935 book, "Billiards for All Time," to be around Riso. But was he right? Mull Smith, in his 1934 book "Billiards in Easy he said: "I have written so much in the past on this a while. You may want to refer to Stages," shows the shot in D i a g r a m 3. on the question of transmitted side — I was David Alciatore's recent articles in BD that Again, the goal is to scratch off the black ball the first to treat the subject at all exhaustive- discuss the physics of spin transfer. Can you and to control the path of the black ball off ly — that I thought I had done with it forev- come up with better demonstrations than the cushion. You can try it yourself on a pool er. Willie Smith has, however, revived the Lindrum's and Smith's? Next month I'll table with the object ball about two balls off question in his latest book, "Billiards in Easy propose some shots that should clear things the end cushion and the cue ball near the side Stages," and though I have a great liking for up, since Levi doesn't seem to have finished pocket. Adjust the cue-ball position so that a him as a man and a tremendous admiration the job.

BD • APRIL 20D7 29 Bob Jewett TECHTALK Let's Twist Again Putting to rest a controversy that has existed since the early 1900s.

Last m o n t h I went over some ancient how the surface of the c o m p a r e d to the case history of this controversial question: Can cue ball c o m e s to be above with no spin on sidespin be transferred from the cue ball to moving on the surface of the cue ball. Or, there the object ball? Even though this point has the object ball. If the cue might be outside been debated for more than 100 years, there ball is not spinning at all English on the cue ball, still seems to be no general agreement. I but is cutting the object which could perfectly hope that 2007 will finally end the debate. ball, its surface will be cancel the friction due First, let's look at the mechanism that moving relative to the to the motion of the cue purports to transfer sidespin from one ball object ball at the point of ball across the object to another. In D i a g r a m 1 is a collision contact, and the friction ball, or it might even be between the cue ball and an object ball. will tend to drag the sur- enough to reverse the During the collision, there are two kinds of face of the object ball in direction of the rub on forces. Forces have to act at the contact the direction the cue ball the surface of the object point, since that is the only way the cue ball ends up m o v i n g as it ball. can influence the object ball. The two leaves the collision. To complicate things a forces act in two separate directions. A second w a y to have the surface of the little more, you also have to consider any The first is the usual force that acts to cue ball moving relative to the object ball is follow or draw that the cue ball might have. push the object ball away from the cue ball. for the cue ball to be spinning. There are The first effect of this rubbing sideways It's called the " n o r m a l " force by physicists, several cases tor this. The cue ball might hit of the cue ball on the object ball is throw. If but this is not the normal "normal." In this the object bail full, but with sidespin. It there is throw, the object ball will not trav- case, normal means perpendicular to the could be cutting the object ball with inside el away from the collision along the line surfaces of the balls or along the line join- English (left sidespin for a cut to the left), joining the centers of the two balls at the ing their centers at the m o m e n t of impact. which would increase the relative motion instant of the collision, but instead will The force is quite high, move at an angle of up to six and very short — perhaps degrees for reasonably com- 1,000 pounds of force for mon conditions. (If you have 200 millionths of a second. brand new, waxed balls, you If that w e r e the only likely w o n ' t see that much force during the collision, throw, but you will see some.) playing pool would be Throw is not unexpected if much simpler than it is. you agree that the cue ball can For better or worse, there rub sideways on the object may also be a tangential ball. If there is a rub to the force. This acts along the right, there pretty much has to tangent line between the be s o m e c o r r e s p o n d i n g balls at the instant of con- motion to the right. In normal tact, and it's a result of the collisions, the " n o r m a l " force surface of the cue ball rub- is much larger than the rub- bing across the object ball. bing or tangential force, so Since the two balls are not while there is throw, it's small perfectly slippery, there enough that the careless play- will be some friction and, er might not notice it. consequently, s o m e force Conversely, if you observe at the edge of the object throw, there must have been ball. some rub to the side of the The tangential force is surface of the cue ball on the fairly complicated, and can object ball. T h e two are per- take quite a while to com- fectly tied together. You can- pletely understand. In a not have one w i t h o u t the future article, I'll show you other. If you see no throw, some related shots that I there w a s no rub. only learned in the past What is not so obvious is a month, after 40 years of point that escaped me for playing the game. about 35 years. If there is A first complication is throw, there m u s t also be

28 BD-MAY20Q7 transferred side. Further, the amount of rebound angle off the far cushion would be the head rail that you have to hit to m a k e side will be directly proportional to the equal to that, but I measured it as 10.3 the ball. Put a blocker ball at that exact amount of throw. Both of them c o m e from degrees. T h e angle out was twice the angle location, as in D i a g r a m 3. N o w , bet that the same sideways force of the cue ball in! As it turns out, this angle causes the you can bank a ball off the spot, back to the rubbing on the object ball. You c a n ©t rub banked ball to go into a corner pocket at the foot pocket and land either to the left or the sideways on the cue ball and not m a k e it foot of the table. Spin has clearly been right of the blocker ball. Of course, the only spin. Physics can tell us how many R P M of transferred to the object ball, but can it be way this can be done is by getting some sidespin we will have if there is one degree done from the cue ball? sidespin on the object ball. I hope you of throw (for a particular speed), but that is Some readers will think it©s pointless to k n o w which side to use for each side of the not as interesting as the following mea- set up a test with the cue ball, since the blocker. surement. object balls are expected to have the same W h y do so many people get this stuff Spot two object balls on the foot spot, as reactions with each other as they do with wrong? I think the main problem is that the shown in D i a g r a m 2. Put a third object ball the cue ball, but let©s be complete and fig- effect of the transferred sidespin is fairly near them so it forms a line with a spot ure out a way to test with the cue ball trans- small, and it©s only really visible on bank about two diamonds from a far corner ferring side directly to the object ball. shots. Most people know banks so poorly pocket, shown as spot X. Place the cue ball A first test has already been done. In that they are willing to write off five along that same line, so that you are shoot- December 2 0 0 2 , 1 proposed a test to see if degrees of unexpected increase in banking ing the third ball straight into the second sidespin on the cue ball could throw the angle to their own erratic stroke or a funny ball. T h e ball on the spot will be driven to object ball. In April 2 0 0 3 , I reported the rail. Another factor is that you don©t always the end rail, but not the middle of the end results as done by you readers. The largest see that much twist (that©s what bankers rail. It will be thrown to the right, thanks to amount of throw reported was slightly call transferred sidespin). If the balls are the second ball rubbing across its surface. more than five degrees. T h e test happened worn or dirty, you will see quite a bit more Shoot the shot a few times until you get the to also be set up from the spot, and the throw and twist than if the balls are new speed right to drive the ball to the head rail object ball happened to also go in the cor- and polished or waxed. and back to the foot rail with a little ner pocket when it c a m e back d o w n the Is five degrees important in play? In the bounce. Take several shots to measure table. length of the table, that©s almost nine inch- where the ball hits on the head rail and But that©s not something that©s likely to es, or well over half a diamond. If you are where it returns to the foot rail. make you money. Here©s a proposition shot going to shoot long banks, you have to W h e n 1 did the test, and converted the dis- that might. Put an object ball on the foot compensate for this effect. Short banks too, tances to angles, it tunned out that the object spot and, with the cue ball in hand, bank the since 4.5 inches (half of the long way for ball initially threw off the centerline by 5.1 object ball back to the foot pocket hitting it the shorter travel to the pocket) is about the degrees for the conditions I had. T h e full and without side spin. Find the spot on width of the pocket.

BD • MAY 2007 Bob Jewett T E C H T A L K Degrees of Difficulty The laws of physics were meant to be broken. Here's how.

If y o u hang around poolhalls — and what A cautious physicist will ask a few ques- change the banking angle. (This little trick well-educated, adventurous person does tions before putting down his money. Is the is said to be very effective when playing not? — you will hear about proposition cue ball going to be j u m p e d off the table to one-pocket, leaving an opponent a relative- shots that s e e m to be impossible. Efren or hit the back edge of the 3 ball? N o , the shot ly easy bank that has to hit a needle previ- C l e m or W i m p y is said to have m a d e the will be played with a nearly level cue stick, ously placed in the rubber.) cue ball dance in a star pattern or to have and there will be no apparent j u m p . T h e shot requires more than one try. as is j u m p e d an object ball over five tables to go M a y b e something is not right with the usual with m a n y proposition bets that five m o r e cushions into the side pocket. cushion, or it has been tampered with. Will require skill. Vernon Elliott, a great road If you run into s o m e o n e claiming to be the object ball be well past the side pocket player w h o was recently inducted into the able to do such a shot, if the m o n e y ' s right on the flat part of the cushion, or will it be One-Pocket Hall of Fame, is said to have and attempts plentiful, you should be fair- partly on the corner of the pocket where it accepted 20 tries. I d o n ' t play as well as ly certain that the shot is to be made. T h e can be deflected back up the table? The 3 Vernon, so I w o u l d need an hour. only question is w h e t h e r the entertainment ball will be frozen to the cushion so that If you w a n t to try it yourself, you will is worth the price. K e e p a firm h a n d on point nearest to the cue ball will be even need a lot of sidespin to overcome the your wallet and r e m e m b e r the advice Sky with the edge of the pocket. It can only hit "impossible" angle. T h e technique is to Masters on recalls his j u s t b r u s h the father giving h i m in object ball with "Guys and Dolls": the cue ball, which " O n e of these days has so m u c h out- in your travels, a guy side spin that the is going to c o m e to surface of the cue you a n d show you a ball is m o v i n g nice, brand new deck b a c k w a r d s as it of cards on which the touches the object seal has not yet been ball. This is illus- broken. This m a n is trated in Diagram going to offer to bet 2. T h e spin does you that he can m a k e two things: First, the j a c k of spades it c h a n g e s the j u m p out of the deck angle of the cut. a n d squirt cider in P e r h a p s it can y o u r ear. N o w son, do bring an 84-degree not bet this m a n , for cut to 90 degrees as sure as you stand — six degrees of there, you are going to t h r o w is not wind up with an earful of cider." impossible with old, dirty balls. I would not want to shoot this shot One such shot that could be used with newly polished, w a x e d balls. t o b a n k r u p t a n y o n e w h o under- T h e s e c o n d effect is transferred stands a little physics is outlined in sidespin onto the object ball. D i a g r a m 1. T h e cue ball is frozen to the side cushion on the head string. In my M a y article, I measured the The 3 ball is frozen to the same side relationship between throw and the cushion just past the side pocket. effect that transferred sidespin has on T h e goal is to bank the 3 ball one the cushion. Turns out, if you have 5 cushion into the other side pocket. degrees of throw, the bank angle will Any physicist will tell you that the also c h a n g e by a b o u t 5 degrees, shot is impossible — any careless because the action of throwing the physicist, that is, and that's the kind you the proper part of the cushion, not the cor- ball puts sidespin on the object ball. This can bankrupt. In terms of cut angle for the ner of the pocket. m e a n s that if you have 6 degrees of throw shot, this clearly requires a cut of more But the thorough physicist might not on the object ball, you w o u l d get an addi- than 90 degrees. (It's about 95.58 degrees, trust this table. M a y b e this particular cush- tional 6 degrees of change in angle from depending on how far below the side the ion has problems. Are you willing to play the rail. T h e result is a net change in the object ball is.) Any cut angle greater than the shot on any table in the poolhall? Yes, direction of the object ball of 12 degrees. 90 degrees is — supposedly — physically and you can check the cushions for the old T h e original 84-degree cut turns into a 96- impossible. trick of i m b e d d i n g pins or needles to degree bank. T h e object ball goes into the

28 BD • JUNE 2007 heart of the pocket, and the physicist tacts the object ball. Since the cue ball has tries, I'd prefer to have an hour with it as scratches his head and hands over the to be shot about o n e ball away from the well. money. foot spot, the cut turns out to be about 94 For shots like these, seeing is believing. If you are going to offer proposition degrees. Joe Tucker has offered a video on the shots, you need to have several available, As with the first shot, you will need more YouTube Web site in which he shoots the be c aus e you might bank shot four times not harvest all of and makes it three. On the loose cash with one attempt the object just o n e . D i a g r a m ball is placed a full 3 s h o w s a n o t h e r ball l o w e r than in shot that can be Diagram 1 and misses p l a y e d using the on the hard side of the same technique as side p o c k e t . ( N o t e the cross-side bank. that Joe is using a spe- This time, the 3 ball cial aiming fixture he is on the foot spot, invented.) Also, he is and the cue ball is shooting the cue ball straight out from into the c u s h i o n , o n e of the foot which may help with pockets. Be sure the the a m o u n t of cue ball is directly sidespin. Regardless, in the middle of the it is a good example line b e t w e e n the of how to execute this pocket and object trick. If you w o u l d ball. T h e shot is to sink the object ball sidespin than most pool players are nor- like to see the video, search for Joe's han- straight into the other foot pocket. mally willing to put on the cue ball. T h e dle, " J T 1 0 B A L L , " on YouTube. This is another cut angle greater than 90 shot does not have to be played with great Proposition shots vary from simple trick- degrees. It would be exactly 90 degrees if speed, but the extreme sidespin is essen- ery to remarkable skill to amazing mira- the 3 ball were moved one ball diameter tial. Also, r e m e m b e r that clean, polished cles. If you choose to bet against them, toward the intended pocket, allowing the balls are not helpful with shots like these. r e m e m b e r to keep within your entertain- cue ball to be on the foot spot when it con- Although I have m a d e this shot in two ment budget.

BD • JUNE 2007 29 + T E C H T A L K +

BY Bob Jewett DIVIDE AND CONQUER Feel your way to better aiming with some simplified fractions.

NE OF t h e oldest a n d m o s t c o m - 'Pointer'" w h i c h w a s p u b l i s h e d i n 1 9 1 1 . hits, since h i t t i n g half t h e object ball is m o n w a y s o f a i m i n g s h o t s i s t h e I n this d i a g r a m , h e s h o w s t h e i n c o m i n g t h e s a m e a s m i s s i n g half t h e object ball. Ofractional-ball s y s t e m . T h e idea is p a t h s for t h e cue ball in i n c r e m e n t s of T h e u p p e r left fan of W e s t e r n ' s d i a g r a m t h a t for a n y p a r t i c u l a r s h o t on a p o o l or o n e - s i x t e e n t h of a ball. T h e object ball r e p r e s e n t s t h e exit a n g l e of t h e object billiard table, y o u i m a g i n e t h e c u e ball is at t h e c e n t e r of t h e d o u b l e - f a n s h a p e . ball. F o r a o n e - e i g h t h c u t w i t h t h e c u e o v e r l a p p i n g t h e object ball by a c e r t a i n T w o c u e balls are s h o w n , o n e for a hit ball c o m i n g in a l o n g line S-A, t h e object a m o u n t as s e e n from t h e tip's eye view, t w o s t e p s from full ball a n d t h e o t h e r ball leaves a l o n g line R - C , a n d for t h e a n d t h e n y o u m a k e t h e c u e ball m a t c h t w o s t e p s from barely g r a z i n g t h e e d g e T-B s h o t , the object ball is d r i v e n a l o n g t h a t o v e r l a p . of t h e object ball. T h o s e t w o c u e balls line R-D. F o r s m a l l a m o u n t s o f c u t , e a c h A recent b o o k t h a t c o v e r s t h e i d e a v e r y are t r a v e l i n g a l o n g lines S-A a n d T-B in i n c r e m e n t c a u s e s n e a r l y t h e s a m e a n g l e well i s F r e d d y Bentivegna's " T h e G o s - t h e d i a g r a m , c o m i n g u p from the bot- of c u t on the object ball. You c a n see this P o o l of B a n k P o o l . " D i a g r a m 1 is an il- t o m o f t h e page. for t h e c u t s from zero to one-half. l u s t r a t i o n from t h a t b o o k . T h e fraction W e s t e r n n u m b e r s h i s fullnesses o p p o - T h e m o d e r n v e r s i o n s o f fractional-ball b e i n g d i s c u s s e d is t h e five-sixths full site t o t h e s t a n d a r d w a y o f n a m i n g these a i m i n g s y s t e m s h a v e several pitfalls y o u s h o t . F r e d d y gets a lot of t h i n g s right i n his d e s c r i p t i o n t h a t o t h e r a u t h o r s t e n d t o d o badly. H e s h o w s t h e t w o - d i m e n s i o n a l o v e r l a p p i c t u r e , w h i c h i s s t a n - d a r d , b u t he is careful to s h a d e t h e o v e r l a p a n d s h o w t h e c e n t e r s o f t h e t w o balls. T h e s m a l l e r v i e w from a b o v e t h e t w o balls also s h o w s the over- lap a s t h e s h a d e d area o n t h e object ball. Finally, he s h o w s a v e r y specific s h o t for w h i c h a five-sixths full hit is n e e d e d to p o c k e t t h e object ball. F r e d d y also c o v e r s full, t h r e e - q u a r t e r , t w o - t h i r d s , half, o n e - t h i r d a n d o n e - q u a r t e r hits w i t h s i m i l a r d i a g r a m s . W i l - lie H o p p e , in "Billiards As It S h o u l d Be Played," d i v i d e s t h e ball i n t o e i g h t h s . F o r b o t h F r e d d y a n d Willie, a m a j o r r e a s o n t o talk a b o u t fractional- ball c o n t a c t is t h a t n e i t h e r h a s a target to s e n d t h e object ball t o w a r d i n t h e n o r m a l s e n s e . H o p p e i s t a l k i n g a b o u t t h r e e - c u s h i o n billiards, a n d t h e exact p a t h o f s h o t s . H i s n u m b e r s c o r r e s p o n d t o t h e n e e d to l o o k o u t for. T h e first is b e i n g the first object ball is n o t as i m p o r t a n t c u t r a t h e r t h a n t h e fullness of t h e s h o t . able t o project t h e c u e ball f o r w a r d o n t o as t h e p a t h of t h e c u e ball. Bentivegna's T h u s h i s z e r o s h o t h a s t h e c u e ball hit- the object ball to get t h e r i g h t o v e r l a p . b o o k o n b a n k i n g often h a s n o direct tar- ting t h e object ball full, or w i t h z e r o cut. T h i s i s m a d e h a r d e r b e c a u s e t h e c u e ball, get for the object ball. A c u t of o n e c o r r e s p o n d s to barely graz- b e i n g closer t o y o u , a p p e a r s t o b e sever- T h e m o s t c o m p l e t e d r a w i n g I've s e e n i n g t h e e d g e of the object ball. T h i s w a y al t i m e s t h e size of the object ball, w h i l e of fractional-ball h i t s is D i a g r a m 2, from of n u m b e r i n g is m o r e n a t u r a l as far as t h e s y s t e m w a n t s y o u t o o v e r l a p e q u a l C h a r l e s M a x i m i l i a n W e s t e r n ' s b o o k , t h e g e o m e t r y goes, b u t it's against tradi- d i s k s . T h i s c a n b e o v e r c o m e b y a i m i n g " T h e Practical Science of Billiards a n d Its tion. T h e t w o s y s t e m s m a t c h for half-ball t h e c u e ball a l o n g a p a r t i c u l a r line, as

34 B I L L I A R D S D I G E S T J u l y 2 0 0 7 s h o w n i n D i a g r a m 2 , r a t h e r t h a n trying offered w i t h a v e r y s m a l l n u m b e r of a n - a half-ball a n d a q u a r t e r - b a l l c u t , t h e r e for a p a r t i c u l a r a m o u n t of o v e r l a p . gles, w i t h the justification t h a t t h e p o c k - are a b o u t 15 d e g r e e s , o n l y a b o u t t w o of A s e c o n d p r o b l e m is t h e a c c u r a c y of ets a l l o w several d e g r e e s of s l o p in e i t h e r w h i c h c a n b e a c c o m m o d a t e d b y s l o p p y t h e a n g l e . T h e s y s t e m s are n e a r l y always d i r e c t i o n . W h i l e this m a y b e t r u e for o b - p o c k e t s . A practical a n d c o m p l e t e sys- s t a t e d w i t h o u t a c c o u n t i n g for friction. ject balls that are w i t h i n a d i a m o n d of t e m n e e d s several c u t s from a q u a r t e r to T h e typical a m o u n t of t h r o w on a half- t h e p o c k e t , if t h e ball is f o u r d i a m o n d s a halt to w o r k . ball s h o t i s t w o o r t h r e e d e g r e e s , b u t this from a c o r n e r p o c k e t , t h e m a r g i n of e r r o r O n e t h i n g to n o t i c e in D i a g r a m 3 is d e p e n d s o n s p i n a n d s p e e d . I t h i n k t h e s a m e t h i n g t h a t w a s n o t e d i n t h a t this will m o s t l y t a k e care of it- D i a g r a m 1: F o r s h o t s n e a r a full-ball self. S h o t s m a y vary a few d e g r e e s hit (small c u t s ) t h e a n g l e c h a n g e s from t h e exact m e a s u r e m e n t s in the n e a r l y p r o p o r t i o n a l l y t o t h e cut. s y s t e m , b u t y o u l e a r n t o c o m p e n s a t e But a r o u n d an 8 0 - d e g r e e c u t , a v e r y for throw. s m a l l v a r i a t i o n i n c u t fraction o r hit W i t h s o m e s y s t e m s , t h e s t a t e m e n t fullness c a u s e s h u g e c h a n g e s i n t h e o f t h e a n g l e m a y n o t b e exact. For c u t a n g l e . T h i s i s t h e m a i n r e a s o n e x a m p l e , s o m e s y s t e m s state t h a t t h a t t h i n c u t s are s o h a r d ; a n y e r r o r a q u a r t e r - b a l l full hit (or a three- i s greatly m u l t i p l i e d c o m p a r e d t o q u a r t e r s c u t ) , r e s u l t s in a 4 5 - d e g r e e e r r o r s w i t h n e a r l y full hits. a n g l e . That's n o t q u i t e r i g h t ; w i t h o u t 1 t h i n k t h a t fractional-ball s y s t e m s throw, t h e angle is 4 8 . 6 d e g r e e s . Is c a n b e v e r y useful t o b e g i n n e r s a n d t h a t difference really i m p o r t a n t ? i n t e r m e d i a t e s w h o are j u s t b e g i n - M a y b e n o t , b u t it doe s n't h u r t for n i n g t o l e a r n h o w t o a i m . T h e y p u t s y s t e m p r o m o t e r s t o s p e a k a c c u r a t e - s h o t s into a reference f r a m e w o r k , ly. Since W e s t e r n h a s t h e n u m b e r s a n d give y o u a w a y to c o m p a r e t h e d o w n to a b o u t o n e - h u n d r e d t h of a de- to e i t h e r side is o n l y 1.3 d e g r e e s — that's c u r r e n t s h o t w i t h s h o t s y o u 'v e p l a y e d gree, h e d o e s n 't h a v e this p r o b l e m . Fie the m o s t y o u c a n c h e a t t h e p o c k e t a n d before. B u t b e c a u s e t h e r e i s s o m u c h d o e s , h o w e v e r , i g n o r e throw, a n d e v e n still h o p e to m a k e t h e ball. D i a g r a m 3 t h e y d o n 't cover, y o u will n e e d t o s u p p l y states t h a t it d o e s n 't exist. is a p l o t of the cut a n g l e v e r s u s t h e frac- t h e c o r r e c t i o n s — s o m e of w h i c h I've S o m e t i m e s fractional-ball s y s t e m s are t i o n a l c u t , a n d y o u c a n see t h a t b e t w e e n p o i n t e d o u t a b o v e — by feel.

J u l y 2 0 0 7 B I L L I A R D S D I G E S T 3 5 + T E C H T A L K +

BY Bob Jewett MANY QUESTIONS? Solve the riddle of close combinations with these experiments.

HEN I w a s first l e a r n i n g to play, p u n c h a n d s o m e t h i c k p a p e r o r a s h e e t T h e e x p e r i m e n t i s t o p l a c e t h e object c o m b i n a t i o n s h o t s w e r e q u i t e o f t r a n s p a r e n c y film a n d p u n c h h o l e s balls a p a r t at a c e r t a i n d i s t a n c e a n d t h e n Wa p u z z l e . If t h e t w o object balls a t v a r i o u s d i s t a n c e s a p a r t . T a p e o r j u s t see h o w m u c h off-line a n d i n w h i c h i n v o l v e d w e r e a fair d i s t a n c e a p a r t , t h e p l a c e t h e p u n c h e d s h e e t o n t h e table d i r e c t i o n t h e s e c o n d ball g o e s . I n t h e s h o t s e e m e d m o r e o r less n o r m a l e x c e p t p o i n t i n g i n t h e d i r e c t i o n y o u w a n t , a n d p r e l i m i n a r y stages, s h o o t t h e 1 ball w i t h g r e a t e r d i s t a n c e s m a d e i t m o r e difficult roll balls i n t o t h e h o l e s . a full hit so it a r r i v e s at t h e 2 ball for t o p o c k e t t h e f i n a l ball. But a half-ball hit, as s h o w n in w h e n t h e balls w e r e close D i a g r a m 2 . That's a b o u t t o g e t h e r , s t r a n g e t h i n g s a 3 0 - d e g r e e a n g l e of a p - s t a r t e d t o h a p p e n . p r o a c h . U s e m e d i u m s p e e d , T h e m a i n effect, throw, s o t h e b a l l b a n k s b a c k t o i s m o s t easily s e e n w h e n a b o u t w h e r e y o u start. t h e t w o balls are t o u c h - (Before y o u start e a c h test, i n g . T h i s m a k e s the a p p a r - it's g o o d t o f i n d o u t w h e r e e n t " c u t " m e c h a n i c s w o r k " s t r a i g h t a h e a d " i s b y p l a c - b a c k w a r d s . See D i a g r a m 1. i n g t h e c u e ball a l o n g t h e If y o u hit t h e 1 ball full, t h e line of t h e o b j e c t balls a n d 2 ball is n o t c u t to t h e left, s h o o t i n g full i n t o t h e c o m - b u t i n s t e a d i s t h r o w n t o b i n a t i o n s o t h e r e c a n b e t h e r i g h t , a s i n t h e S h o t A . n e i t h e r t h r o w n o r c u t . M a r k If t h e object balls are s e p a - o n t h e far rail w h e r e t h e r a t e d b y a n i n c h , a s i n S h o t o b j e c t ball a r r i v e s — that's B , a n d y o u p l a y t h e s a m e y o u r reference.) full h i t o n t h e f i r s t ball, the At a c e r t a i n d i s t a n c e b e - balls b e h a v e " n o r m a l l y " t w e e n t h e o b j e c t balls, y o u a n d t h e s e c o n d ball i s c u t t o will f i n d t h a t t h e s e c o n d o b - t h e left. j e c t ball g o e s e x a c t l y a l o n g T o r e p e a t : W h e n t h e object t h e r e f e r e n c e line. T h i s is balls are t o u c h i n g , t h r o w t h e " m a g i c d i s t a n c e , " a s d o m i n a t e s a n d t h e s e c o n d o n e o n - l i n e p e r s o n a l i t y h a s ball i s t h r o w n t o t h e right. d e s c r i b e d it. ( T h e balls' b e - A t a n i n c h a p a r t , c u t d o m i - h a v i o r will d e p e n d o n h o w n a t e s a n d t h e s e c o n d ball i s s t i c k y they are. 1 h o p e t h e c u t t o t h e left. W h a t h a p - balls y o u h a v e b e e n u s - p e n s in b e t w e e n ? Is t h e r e a i n g are i n s t a n d a r d p l a y i n g d i s t a n c e b e t w e e n t h e o b j e c t c o n d i t i o n . ) balls w h e r e t h e t w o effects N o w t h a t y o u h a v e f o u n d c a n c e l ? Let's find it. t h e m a g i c d i s t a n c e , let's try F o r t h i s e x p e r i m e n t y o u a few o t h e r v a r i a b l e s . T h e will n e e d t o set u p t h e balls first is to v a r y t h e a n g l e of a t v e r y r e p e a t a b l e d i s t a n c - a p p r o a c h . W h a t h a p p e n s es. You c a n t a p t h e balls w h e n t h e f i r s t object ball i n t o t h e table, b u t t h e cra- a p p r o a c h e s t h e s e c o n d a t ters d o n ' t last l o n g o n t h i n 1 5 d e g r e e s ? H o w a b o u t 4 5 c l o t h . You c a n u s e self-ad- d e g r e e s a n d 6 0 d e g r e e s ? A t h e s i v e p a p e r r e i n f o r c e m e n t s s o m e p o i n t t h e " m a g i c " will — t h o s e w h i t e d o n u t s from g o , a n d c u t will d o m i n a t e . t h e office s u p p l y s t o r e . A O f c o u r s e , a t large a n g l e s , t h i r d w a y t h a t a l l o w s y o u t o y o u c o u l d b r i n g b a c k t h e r e p e a t d i s t a n c e s a c r o s s ses- m a g i c b y l e s s e n i n g t h e g a p . s i o n s is to get a p a p e r h o l e T h e s e c o n d t h i n g t o try a t

32 B I L L I A R D S D I G E S T A u g u s t 2 0 0 7 t h e m a g i c d i s t a n c e i s t o v a r y t h e s p e e d . d i r e c t i o n . C a n y o u see w h y ? H o w d o e s h a v e i n t h e r e a c t i o n s from c l u s t e r s o f F r o m p r e v i o u s t e s t s w e k n o w t h a t balls t h e t h r o w r e a c t if all t h r e e o b j e c t balls balls. T h e m o s t c o m m o n s u c h c l u s t e r t h r o w less for h a r d s h o t s . D o e s t h a t are frozen? y o u e n c o u n t e r i s t h e b r e a k s h o t . E v e r y h o l d u p h e r e ? F o r f o u r - t a b l e - l e n g t h T h i s p a r t i c u l a r s h o t h a s baffled m e a n d g a p is i m p o r t a n t , so r a c k tightly. s p e e d , h o w m u c h c u t can y o u get? H o w h a s cost m e m o r e t h a n a l e w g a m e s o v e r If y o u r e r e a d t h e a b o v e , y o u will s e e m u c h d o y o u h a v e t o d e c r e a s e t h e g a p t h e last 40 y e a r s . I t a k e p r i d e in the. fact t h a t I©ve a s k e d a lot m o r e q u e s t i o n s t h a n t o get b a c k t o t h e m a g i c ? D o soft s h o t s t h a t I©ve l e a r n e d a n e w trick, b u t that©s I©ve a n s w e r e d . T h a t ©s i n t e n t i o n a l . You s h o w m o r e t h r o w t h a n for y o u r refer- t e m p e r e d b y t h e fact t h a t i t t o o k m e 4 0 h a v e to get to a t a b l e a n d do t h e e x p e r i - e n c e s p e e d ? y e a r s to sec w h a t w a s right in front of m e n t t o get t h e a n s w e r s for y o u r s e l f u n - N e x t , try s o m e t h i n g o t h e r t h a n a full m e . d e r y o u r c o n d i t i o n s . T r y i n g t h e s e s o r t s hit o n t h e f i r s t o b j e c t ball. P u t t h e c u e A n i m p o r t a n t t h i n g t h a t this "inter- of s h o t s is t h e o n l y w a y to get a feel for ball i n line w i t h t h e c o m b o , b u t hit half- fered w i t h " c o m b i n a t i o n p o i n t s o u t i s t h e m , s o you©ll b e r e a d y t o u s e t h e m i n ball on t h e left or r i g h t s i d e . Is t h e m a g i c t h e m a j o r i n f l u e n c e e v e n s m a l l g a p s c a n c o m p e t i t i o n . still t h e r e ? You m i g h t e x p e c t t h a t t h e first object ball w o u l d p i c k up a little s p i n from h a v i n g b e e n s t r u c k o n t h e s i d e , a n d t h a t s p i n m i g h t m o v e t h e s e c - o n d ball o v e r a little, b u t d o e s it? T h e n e x t t h i n g t o try i s s i d e s p i n o n t h e c u e ball, u s i n g e i t h e r a full h i t f r o m an a n g l e o r s t r a i g h t o n , o r w i t h a cut s h o t on t h e first object ball. Finally, y o u c a n m e s s w i t h t h e friction b e t w e e n t h e t w o object balls. Saliva is a h a n d y Ð if n o t a bit t o o n a t u r a l Ð s u b - s t a n c e t o r e d u c e t h e friction. J u s t a p p l y it to t h e s e c o n d o b j e c t ball at t h e c o n - tact p o i n t . C h a l k is a w a y to i n c r e a s e t h e friction. C h a l k t h e p a d of y o u r finger a n d t h e n roll y o u r finger p r i n t Ð just like w h e n y o u ©v e b e e n b o o k e d Ð o n t o t h e ball. H o w m u c h d o t h e s e c h a n g e t h r o w ? Finally, if y o u are in t h e h a b i t of o c c a s i o n a l l y w a x i n g y o u r o b j e c t balls, try d o i n g t h e test b e f o r e a n d after w a x - ing.

S o m u c h for t h e b a s i c s o f t h r o w a n d c u t i n c o m b i n a t i o n s . N o w for a w r i n k l e . In D i a g r a m 3 is a c o m b i n a t i o n w i t h t h e 1 a n d 2 balls v e r y close b u t n o t t o u c h - i n g . A t h i r d ball ( t h e 3 ball) h a s b e e n a d d e d t o t h e m i x . T h e e x a c t p o s i t i o n o f t h a t t h i r d ball is critical. T h e 1-2 c o m - b i n a t i o n is l i n e d up so t h a t it just barely g o e s i n t o t h e r i g h t side of t h e p o c k e t w i t h n o t h r o w . First t r y t h e s h o t w i t h t h e 3 ball t o u c h - i n g t h e 2, w i t h a larger g a p b e t w e e n t h e 1 a n d 3 t h a n t h e 1 a n d 2. D o e s a half- ball h i t on t h e r i g h t s i d e of t h e 1 ball p u t t h e o b j e c t ball c l o s e to t h e c e n t e r of t h e p o c k e t ? I t d o e s o n m y table. T h r o w i s critical h e r e for t h e s h o t . If t h e balls are p o i n t e d a little f a r t h e r to t h e r i g h t , y o u m u s t h a v e t h r o w t o m a k e t h e s h o t . Set t h e s h o t u p j u s t a s before, b u t n o w m o v e t h e 3 ball so it is t o u c h i n g t h e 1 ball a n d is a s m a l l g a p a w a y from t h e 2 . O n e m i l l i m e t e r i s sufficient t o m a k e a big difference on a s h o t like t h i s . Try t h e s h o t a g a i n . 1 t h i n k y o u will find t h a t t h e c o m b i n a t i o n t h r o w s i n t h e w r o n g

A u g u s t 2 0 0 7 B I L L I A R D S D I G E S T 3 3 + T E C H T A L K +

BY Bob Jewett KILLER GEOMETRY The "Semicircle of Death" can help you avoid cue-ball peril.

ONG-TIME R E A D E R S of Billiards Digest ball i n t o e i t h e r p o c k e t , t h e c u e ball will t w o s i d e p o c k e t s . C a n y o u d r a w t h i s for m a y r e m e m b e r a series of t e c h n i - s c r a t c h i n t h e o t h e r p o c k e t , a s l o n g a s y o u r s e l f a n d p l a c e t h e c u e ball a n d o b - Lcal c o l u m n s b y G e o r g e O n o d a , w h o t h e c o n t a c t p o i n t b e t w e e n balls i s o n t h e j e c t b a l l a p p r o p r i a t e l y ? d i d r e s e a r c h for IBM. I n F e b r u a r y 1 9 9 2 , s e m i c i r c l e ( a s s u m i n g y o u u s e s t u n a n d O n e t h i n g t o n o t e i s t h a t t h e g e o m e t r y h e c o v e r e d a n e a t g e o m e t r i c a l c o n c e p t c u t t o t h e a p p r o p r i a t e s i d e ) . i s v a l i d for e x a c t p o i n t s , b u t t h e balls are a b o u t s c r a t c h i n g t h a t d e s e r v e s a n e w A n e x a m p l e i s s h o w n i n S h o t B . T h e q u i t e a b i t l a r g e r t h a n p o i n t s . If t h e o b - v i e w i n g — w i t h s o m e e x t e n s i o n . o b j e c t b a l l is off t h e s p o t , b u t it's still j e c t ball i s e x a c t l y o n t h e s e m i c i r c l e , t h e In D i a g r a m 1, S h o t A s h o w s a typical o n t h e s e m i c i r c l e . A g a i n , t h e r i g h t a n g l e c u e ball w i l l b e o u t s i d e t h e s e m i c i r c l e p r o b l e m . T h e o b j e c t b a l l i s o n t h e h e a d f o r m e d b y its p a t h t o t h e p o c k e t p u t s a t c o n t a c t a n d w i l l t e n d t o b e slightly s p o t , a n d t h e c u e ball h a s a g o o d c h a n c e t h e c u e b a l l i n t o t h e o t h e r p o c k e t . o u t s i d e t h e p a t h t o t h e p o c k e t . B u t t a k e t o s c r a t c h i n t h e s i d e c a u t i o n , t h e g e o m e t r y p o c k e t . R e m e m b e r is still close e n o u g h to t h e f i r s t p r i n c i p l e o f tell y o u t h a t y o u h a v e p o s i t i o n play: W h e n a p r o b l e m , s i n c e a little t h e c u e b a l l h i t s a n s p i n o n t h e c u e ball o b j e c t b a l l , t h e initial m a y still p u t i t i n t o t h e p a t h o f t h e c u e ball p o c k e t . f o r m s a r i g h t a n g l e Besides w a r n i n g y o u w i t h t h e p a t h o f t h e of p o s s i b l e s c r a t c h e s , o b j e c t ball. t h i s r u l e c a n also a s s u r e B e c a u s e t h e object y o u w h e n a s c r a t c h is b a l l w i l l b e g o i n g a t i m p o s s i b l e . I n S h o t a 4 5 - d e g r e e a n g l e t o - B, for e x a m p l e , if t h e w a r d t h e p o c k e t , t h e object ball i s w i t h i n c u e ball will c o n t i n u e t h e s e m i c i r c l e , a n y c u t at a r i g h t a n g l e from s h o t w i t h e i t h e r s t u n o r t h i s l i n e , w h i c h h a p - follow c a n n o t s c r a t c h p e n s t o b e d i r e c t l y t o - s i n c e t h e c u e - b a l l p a t h w a r d t h e side p o c k e t . m u s t g o t o t h e s h o r t If t h e c u e ball h a s ei- rail. Similarly, if a ball t h e r follow o r draw, i s o n t h e s p o t , a s l o n g t h e s p i n will p u l l i t a s y o u s h o o t w i t h a n y - off t h a t initial p a t h . If t h i n g b u t s t u n — a n a t - i t h a s n e i t h e r , w h i c h u r a l l y r o l l i n g c u e ball is c a l l e d a " s t u n " is t h e easiest c h o i c e s h o t , i t w i l l c o n t i n u e — t h e r e is no w a y to s t r a i g h t a n d s c r a t c h . s c r a t c h . Try a few s p o t T h e s t a r t i n g l o c a t i o n s h o t s f r o m a n y w h e r e o f t h e c u e ball i s n o t o n t h e table. A s l o n g a s i m p o r t a n t ; y o u c a n t h e c u e ball is r o l l i n g s c r a t c h o n a n y c u t w h e n i t h i t s t h e o b j e c t t o t h e left, a s s h o w n . ball, y o u can't s c r a t c h . W h e n y o u see t h e o b - You c o u l d also a v o i d j e c t b a l l i n t h i s p o s i - s c r a t c h i n g on a s p o t t i o n , r e d flags s h o u l d fly t h a t y o u n e e d A t h i r d s i t u a t i o n is s h o w n in D i a g r a m s h o t w i t h d r a w o n t h e c u e ball, b u t i f t o t a k e s o m e k i n d o f evasive a c t i o n t o 2 w h e r e t h e s e m i c i r c l e is t w i c e as large. t h e c u e ball h a s a l o n g w a y t o g o t o t h e a v o i d s c r a t c h i n g . T h i s u s u a l l y p r e s e n t s less of a p r o b l e m , o b j e c t ball, k e e p i n g b a c k s p i n o n t h e c u e D r a w n w i t h S h o t A is a s e m i c i r c l e w i t h s i n c e t h e p o c k e t y o u m i g h t s c r a t c h i n ball t a k e s a g o o d s t r o k e . its "feet" at e a c h of t h e t w o p o c k e t s . is a lot farther away. A f o u r t h s i t u a t i o n T h e c o n c e p t of a " s e m i c i r c l e of d e a t h " T h e a m a z i n g r e s u l t — t h a n k s t o g e o m - ( t h a t is a lot m o r e c o m m o n ) is for t h e c a n b e e x t e n d e d t o d r a w a n d follow e t r y — is t h a t if y o u s h o o t t h e o b j e c t t w o feet o f t h e s e m i c i r c l e t o b e i n t h e s h o t s . T h e c h a l l e n g e i s t o k n o w t h e a n -

32 B I L L I A R D S D I G E S T S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 7 gle f o r m e d b y t h e p a t h o f t h e object ball circles d r a w n a b o v e , t h e h y p o t h e t i c a l a s n e e d e d , a n d t h a t y o u u s e y o u r b e s t a n d t h e p a t h o f t h e c u e ball, s i n c e d r a w c e n t e r of t h e circle w a s in a c o n v e n i e n t m e d i u m - s p e e d draw. o r follow w i l l m a k e i t larger o r s m a l l e r p l a c e , s u c h as t h e m i d d l e of a rail. F o r T h e h a r d p a r t a b o u t u s i n g t h i s e x t e n - t h a n 9 0 d e g r e e s . t h e p a r t of a circle t h a t gives t h e s c r a t c h s i o n o f t h e i d e a i s t o m a k e t h e a n g l e b e - O n e g o o d e x a m p l e t w e e n t h e p a t h s o f t h e w a s m e n t i o n e d i n t w o balls 1 2 0 d e g r e e s . a n o t h e r o f O n o d a ©s W h i l e t h i s c a n b e d o n e articles. If y o u s h o o t w i t h a half-ball h i t a n d a 3 0 - d e g r e e c u t s h o t y o u r b e s t d r a w , it©s also w i t h t h e " b e s t " draw, p o s s i b l e t o get t h a t t h e c u e ball e n d s u p a n g l e w i t h a fuller hit g o i n g at a r i g h t a n - a n d less d r a w . Here©s a gle t o its o w n origi- drill t o p r a c t i c e this n a l p a t h , n o t t o t h e idea: W i t h t h e 3 b a l l as p a t h o f t h e o b j e c t s h o w n ( a d i a m o n d a n d ball. T h a t is, t h e c u e a b a l l f r o m t h e e n d rail), ball Ð w i t h p l e n t y try t o s c r a t c h a s s h o w n of b a c k s p i n Ð will f r o m v a r i o u s a p p r o a c h m a k e a 9 0 - d e g r e e a n g l e s . C a n y o u get to a t u r n after a half-ball c u t o f m u c h m o r e t h a n hit o n t h e o b j e c t ball. 3 0 d e g r e e s ? T o m a k e S i n c e t h e o b j e c t ball t h e s h o t m o r e r e w a r d - i s b e i n g c u t 3 0 d e g r e e s a n d t h e c u e ball ing, p u t t h e 9 ball i n t h e j a w s o f t h e c u e l o c a t i o n s for a 1 2 0 - d e g r e e s p r e a d , t h e i s t u r n i n g 9 0 d e g r e e s t h e o t h e r way, t h e ball©s p o c k e t . c e n t e r is a b o u t a d i a m o n d off t h e table. a n g l e b e t w e e n t h e t w o balls i s 120 d e - T h e r e s u l t i n g arc b e t w e e n t h e t w o cor- W h i l e t h e o b j e c t b a l l w i l l n o t a l w a y s grees. Is t h e r e a s e m i c i r c l e t h a t w o r k s n e r p o c k e t s is o n l y a b o u t a t h i r d of a b e o n o n e o f t h e arcs d e s c r i b e d a b o v e , i t for t h i s case? circle. Try t h e s h o t s h o w n i n D i a g r a m is often fairly close. B e i n g familiar w i t h T h e r e is, t h o u g h it is s l i g h t l y different 3 . Before y o u s h o o t , m a k e s u r e t h a t the t h e d a n g e r z o n e s w i l l h e l p y o u d e c i d e f r o m t h e f i r s t e x a m p l e s . I n all t h e s e m i - c u t i s 3 0 d e g r e e s b y m o v i n g t h e c u e ball o n t h e b e s t w a y t o m o v e t h e c u e ball.

S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 7 B I L L I A R D S D I G E S T 3 3 + T E C H T A L K +

BY Bob Jewett ACTIVE SPECTATING Learn from watching how top players approach the game.

AVE Y O U e v e r w a t c h e d t h e p l a y e r s a t are lots o f v a r i a t i o n s , a n d s o m e are far front of h i m , like a s o l d i e r d o i n g " p r e s - a t o u r n a m e n t ? If y o u h a v e , y o u are m o r e s t a b l e t h a n o t h e r s . I s t h e h e e l o f t h e e n t a r m s " o n a drill f i e l d . H i s s t i c k w a s H i n t h e m i n o r i t y o f s p e c t a t o r s . I n h a n d o n t h e table? F o r t h e o p e n b r i d g e , a l o n g t h e line o f t h e s h o t f r o m t h e c u e m y e x p e r i e n c e , p e o p l e w a t c h w h a t t h e is t h e r e a s h a r p ball t o t h e g h o s t L A b a l l s a r e d o i n g a n d r a r e l y w a t c h w h a t "V" g r o o v e t o W ball f r o m t h e R E t h e p l a y e r s d o . T h e y c h e c k t h e g o a l g u i d e t h e s t i c k ? N t i m e h e s t e p p e d C E

— b a l l i n t o p o c k e t — a n d i g n o r e t h e W h e r e i s t h e L u p t o t h e table U S T

m e t h o d . player's h e a d ? I u n t i l t h e s h o t G T h e n e x t t i m e y o u g o t o a t o u r n a - T h a t is, d o e s w a s f i n i s h e d . m e n t , s t a r t w a t c h i n g w h a t t h e b e t t e r t h e p l a y e r h a v e A n o t h e r m a j o r p l a y e r s d o . A n d , i f y o u are g o i n g t o d o o n e eye o v e r t h e p a r t o f t h e PSR t h i s p r o p e r l y , y o u h a v e t o b e m e t h o d i - s h o t or is it t h e is a d j u s t i n g one's cal a n d d e t a i l e d . P r e p a r e a n o t e b o o k n o s e , o r i s t h e a i m . I n a n earlier for y o u r o b s e r v a t i o n s . O n e p a g e p e r s t i c k o u t s i d e of c o l u m n , I s u g - p l a y e r o u g h t t o b e e n o u g h w i t h s p o t s t h e s p a n o f t h e g e s t e d t h a t y o u for t h e d a t e a n d l o c a t i o n o f y o u r o b s e r - eyes? In par- s h o u l d s t o p w i t h v a t i o n s . You m i g h t a s w e l l i n c l u d e t h e ticular, n o t i c e t h e c u e tip n e a r s t a n d a r d b i o g r a p h i c a l a n d e q u i p m e n t w h e t h e r t h e left t h e c u e ball af- i n f o r m a t i o n a v a i l a b l e , s u c h a s n a m e , eye i s o v e r t h e ter s o m e w a r m - b i r t h d a t e a n d r e s i d e n c e . U n d e r e q u i p - s t i c k for a r i g h t - u p s t r o k e s , a n d R o u t i n e : S o u q u e t p r e f e r s t h e b a l l ' s - e y e v i e w . m e n t , i n c l u d e c u e b r a n d , w e i g h t , l e n g t h h a n d e d player, t h e n d e c i d e a n d style, t y p e o f w r a p , shaft b r a n d a n d a n d vice v e r s a . T h a t c o m b i n a t i o n c a n w h e t h e r y o u s h o u l d c h a n g e s o m e t h i n g d i a m e t e r , tip b r a n d a n d a n y t h i n g t h a t c a u s e s t r o k e p r o b l e m s . i n t h e s h o t . D o e s t h e p l a y e r y o u ' r e c h a r t - s e e m s u n u s u a l a b o u t t h e stick. D o e s t h e O n e p a r t of a v e r y m e t h o d i c a l PSR i n g h a v e a n y o b v i o u s t i m e t o m a k e cor- p l a y e r w e a r a glove? t h a t I n o t i c e d a few y e a r s b a c k at t h e r e c t i o n s ? S o m e p l a y e r s p a u s e a t t h e c u e T h e m e a t o f t h e m a t t e r i s i n h o w t h e R e n o O p e n w a s t h e w a y C o r e y D e u e l ball, a n d s o m e are a c o n t i n u o u s b l u r o f p l a y e r a p p r o a c h e s a n d e x e c u t e s s h o t s . a p p r o a c h e d t h e t a b l e for e a c h s h o t . H i s m o t i o n u n t i l t h e s h o t i s d o n e . Is t h e r e a c o n s i s t e n t p r e - s h o t r o u t i n e , or c u e w o u l d a l w a y s b e vertical a n d i n W h e n a d d r e s s i n g t h e c u e ball — t h a t PSR? T h i s c a n i n c l u d e v i e w i n g t h e is, w i t h t h e tip s t o p p e d n e a r t h e c u e ball s h o t f r o m t h e line o f t h e o b j e c t ball — d o e s t h e p l a y e r h a v e t h e tip at t h e to t h e p o c k e t , c h a l k i n g in a s p e - NOTE WORTHY f i n a l i n t e n d e d c o n t a c t p o i n t ? That's t h e cific w a y a n d at a p a r t i c u l a r t i m e c o m m o n way, b u t s o m e p l a y e r s h a v e a in t h e PSR, s t r o k i n g a p a r t i c u l a r Look for t h e following information h a b i t o f l i n i n g u p o n e p l a c e a n d h i t t i n g n u m b e r o f t i m e s b e f o r e s h o o t i n g , w h e n watching y o u r f a v o r i t e player: a n o t h e r . a n d a d j u s t i n g t h e a i m o r E n g l i s h i n N o t i c e t h e s p e e d a n d n u m b e r o f t h e a p a r t i c u l a r way. > E Q U I P M E N T : C u e b r a n d , w e i g h t , p r a c t i c e s t r o k e s . S o m e p l a y e r s h a v e S o m e t o p p l a y e r s are v e r y m e - s h a f t d i a m e t e r a n d t i p b r a n d . n o n e . S o m e m a t c h t h e s p e e d t o t h e t h o d i c a l i n all o f t h e m o t i o n s s p e e d o f t h e f i n a l s t r o k e . S o m e p l a y e r s > P S R : C o n s i s t e n c y i n v i e w i n g t h e t h a t o c c u r before t h e f i n a l p o w e r v a r y t h e n u m b e r , a n d s o m e stick w i t h s h o t , c h a l k i n g , g e t t i n g i n t o p o s i t i o n a n d s t r o k e . O t h e r s are far less c o n s i s - a s i n g l e n u m b e r , r e g a r d l e s s of t h e dif- t e n t i n w h a t h a p p e n s b e f o r e t h e y p r a c t i c e s t r o k e s . ficulty of t h e s h o t . h i t t h e ball. You m a y also d i s c o v e r > S T A N C E : T y p e o f b r i d g e a n d w h e r e O n t h e f i n a l p o w e r s t r o k e , t h e r e are t h a t s o m e p l a y e r s are s o m e o f e a c h t h e p l a y e r ' s h e a d i s o v e r t h e c u e . m a n y t h i n g s to w a t c h for. Is t h e r e a — w h i c h w a y d o t h e y p l a y b e t t e r ? > S H O T M O T I O N : W h e r e t h e t i p i s p a u s e a t t h e start o f t h e f i n a l s t r o k e w i t h W h a t k i n d o f b r i d g e d o e s t h e t h e tip n e a r t h e c u e ball? H o w m u c h o f b e f o r e t h e f i n a l s t r o k e , p a u s e s b e f o r e p l a y e r u s e ? I n p o o l , m o s t t o p a g a p is t h e r e ? I k n o w o n e p l a y e r w h o p l a y e r s u s e b o t h o p e n a n d c l o s e d o r a f t e r t h e b a c k s w i n g a n d a n y e l b o w left less t h a n a t e n t h of an i n c h b e t w e e n b r i d g e s . Are t h e r e specific k i n d s o r d r o p a f t e r c o n t a c t . tip a n d ball — h e m u s t h a v e h a d b e t - s p e e d s o f s h o t s w h e r e o n e k i n d o f t> R E C O R D Y O U R S E L F : N o w l o o k f o r ter d e p t h p e r c e p t i o n t h a n I h a v e . If y o u b r i d g e i s p r e f e r r e d ? H o w g o o d i s see a p a u s e at t h e c u e b a l l , try to n o t i c e t h e s e t h i n g s w i t h y o u r o w n P S R . t h e player's c l o s e d b r i d g e ? T h e r e w h e r e t h e player's e y e s are. I t h i n k m o s t

32 B I L L I A R D S D I G E S T O c t o b e r 2 0 0 7 will b e f o c u s e d o n t h e c u e b a l l w h i l e d e - t h a t it©s n e e d e d on o n l y a s m a l l f r a c t i o n p e r c e n t . If t h e b u t t is six i n c h e s ( t h e c i d i n g w h e t h e r t h e s p i n i s r i g h t o r n o t . o f s h o t s . D o e s t h i s t h e o r y c o r r e s p o n d l e n g t h of a d o l l a r bill) a b o v e t h e tip, D o y o u s e e w h y a s m a l l g a p i s b e t t e r w e l l w i t h reality? that©s six d e g r e e s of e l e v a t i o n . t h a n n e v e r g e t t i n g t h e t i p c l o s e r t h a n H o w m u c h i s t h e s t i c k e l e v a t e d ? I t i s O n c e y o u ©v e o b s e r v e d all t h e s e c h a r - f i v e o r six i n c h e s f r o m t h e c u e b a l l d u r - a l m o s t a l w a y s e l e v a t e d a little b e c a u s e a c t e r i s t i c s o n t o p p l a y e r s , t r y l o o k i n g a t i n g t h e w a r m - u p s ? t h e rails are i n t h e w a y o f p e r f e c t i o n , b u t y o u r o w n t e c h n i q u e . E i t h e r get a v i d e o A s t h e p l a y e r b r i n g s t h e s t i c k b a c k , i s s o m e p l a y e r s s e e m t o p l a y w i t h far m o r e c a m e r a y o u r s e l f o r h i r e a n i n s t r u c t o r t h e m o t i o n a l w a y s t h e s a m e s p e e d o r e l e v a t i o n t h a n t h e rails r e q u i r e . H e r e i s w h o h a s a v i d e o s e t u p . R e c o r d 1 5 m i n - i s i t m a t c h e d t o t h e s p e e d o f t h e s h o t ? a w a y t h a t y o u c a n easily m e a s u r e t h e u t e s o f p r a c t i c e play, a n d also r e c o r d D o e s t h e s t i c k c o m e s t r a i g h t b a c k ? e l e v a t i o n a n g l e : E s t i m a t e h o w m a n y s h o t s f r o m specific a n g l e s t h a t w i l l al- T h e r e a r e m a n y p l a y e r s w h o w i l l c o m e i n c h e s h i g h e r t h e b u t t i s c o m p a r e d t o l o w y o u t o see t h e a b o v e p o i n t s easily. t o o n e s i d e a s t h e y b r i n g t h e s t i c k b a c k t h e t i p . T h a t n u m b e r o f i n c h e s gives t h e H o w d o y o u c o m p a r e t o t h e p l a y e r s y o u a n d t h e n r e t u r n t o " c e n t e r e d " a s t h e y e l e v a t i o n a n g l e in d e g r e e s w i t h i n a few w o u l d like t o b e a t s o m e d a y ? b r i n g t h e s t i c k f o r w a r d . H o w m u c h s w e r v e i s t h e r e ? T h i s i s m o s t easily s e e n w h e n y o u h a p p e n t o b e s i t t i n g directly a l o n g t h e l i n e o f t h e s t i c k a n d b e h i n d t h e player. Is t h e r e a p a u s e at t h e e n d of t h e b a c k - s t r o k e ? F o r A l l i s o n F i s h e r , t h a t i s t h e t i m e t h a t h e r e y e s m o v e f r o m t h e c u e ball t o t h e o b j e c t ball. O t h e r p l a y e r s h a v e n o n o t i c e a b l e p a u s e a t t h e e n d o f t h e b a c k s t r o k e ; t h e i r a r m s b e c o m e m o - t i o n l e s s o n l y for an i n s t a n t , like a p e n - d u l u m a t t h e p e a k o f its s w i n g . W i t h o r w i t h o u t a d i s t i n c t p a u s e , w h e r e i s t h e p l a y e r l o o k i n g w h e n t h e tip h i t s t h e ball? T h e o r t h o d o x t e a c h i n g i s t h a t y o u m u s t b e l o o k i n g a t t h e object ball e x c e p t for s o m e v e r y s p e c i a l s h o t s . O n t h e f i n a l , f o r w a r d s t r o k e t h e r e are lots o f t h i n g s t o c h e c k . D o e s t h e stick c o m e s t r a i g h t t h r o u g h ? S o m e p l a y e r s h a v e l e a r n e d t o p u t s i d e s p i n o n t h e ball b y s w e r v i n g t o t h e side o f t h e i n t e n d e d E n g l i s h a t t h e last i n s t a n t . C a n y o u f i n d a t o p p l a y e r w h o d o e s this? D o e s t h e e l b o w d r o p , a n d i f s o a t w h a t p o i n t i n t h e s t r o k e ? M o s t p l a y e r s h a v e a perfectly still e l b o w o n v e r y soft s h o t s , b u t m a n y w i l l d r o p t h e e l b o w a bit a s a n a t u r a l f i n i s h t o p o w e r s h o t s . W h a t d o e s t h e s u b j e c t o f y o u r o b s e r v a t i o n s d o ? You w i l l n e e d t o c h e c k this o v e r a r a n g e of s p e e d s a n d p o s i t i o n s at t h e table. T h i s i s o n e o f t h e m o s t difficult t h i n g s to o b s e r v e , b e c a u s e , if t h e r e is a d r o p , t i m i n g i s critical. I s t h e r e m o t i o n o f t h e u p p e r b o d y d u r i n g t h e s h o t ? T h e f i r s t t i m e I s a w R a y m o n d C e u l e m a n s , t h e g r e a t t h r e e - c u s h i o n player, m y i m p r e s s i o n w a s o f a n o a k tree. All t h a t h e m o v e d d u r i n g t h e s t r o k e w a s h i s r i g h t a r m . D o e s t h e p l a y e r s t a y d o w n o n t h e s h o t ? D o e s t h e s t i c k s t a y o u t i n t h e f o l l o w - t h r o u g h p o s i t i o n o r i s i t j e r k e d b a c k after c o n t a c t ? T h e r e a r e s o m e o t h e r t h i n g s t o n o t e d u r i n g play. H o w often d o e s t h e p l a y e r use s i d e s p i n ? V a r i o u s a u t h o r s o p i n e

O c t o b e r 2 0 0 7 B I L L I A R D S D I G E S T 33 + T E C H T A L K +

BY Bob Jewett SCRATCHED TO DEATH More geometry to keep your cue ball free from a dangerous fall.

N MY S e p t e m b e r c o l u m n , I d i s c u s s e d p a r t s o f circles ( a r c s ) . O g d e n ' s d i a g r a m s grees. T h i s a n g l e i s v e r y i n s e n s i t i v e t o t h e fact t h a t c e r t a i n o b j e c t - b a l l p o - h a v e t w o n e w features. First, o n e e n d h o w full t h e object ball is s t r u c k , so for s i t i o n s o n t h e table w e r e v e r y likely of t h e arc is at t h e c u e b a l l s l o c a t i o n . a large r a n g e of c u t a n g l e s on t h e o b j e c t t o l e a d t o s c r a t c h e s . O n e e x a m p l e w a s T h i s isn't o b v i o u s f r o m t h e b a l l s s h o w n ball, t h e c u e ball will deflect close t o 3 0 a s e m i c i r c l e t h a t sits s p a n n i n g t h e e n d i n t h e d i a g r a m , b u t y o u c a n m o v e t h e d e g r e e s t o t h e o t h e r s i d e . rail. If a ball is on t h a t arc ( o r n e a r i t ) , o b j e c t ball c l o s e r a n d c l o s e r t o t h e c u e T h i s c o n s t a n t a n g l e o f t h e c u e ball a n d y o u p o c k e t i t i n o n e o f t h e foot ball a n d still h a v e a m o r e or less a u - c o m i n g off t h e o b j e c t ball is e x a c t l y p o c k e t s w i t h n o d r a w o r follow, t h e c u e t o m a t i c s c r a t c h w i t h t h e r i g h t k i n d o f w h a t is n e e d e d at E n g l i s h Billiards. If b a l l i s s u r e t o s c r a t c h i n t h e o t h e r foot c u e i n g a n d c u t a n g l e . T h e o t h e r differ- t h e c u e b a l l h a p p e n s t o b e i n t h e r i g h t p o c k e t . e n c e i s t h e total c u r v e o f t h e arc o r t h e p o s i t i o n , o r y o u c a n p l a c e i t i n t h e r i g h t After s u b m i t t i n g t h a t c o l u m n , I r e - a m o u n t of a full circle t h a t it i n c l u d e s , p o s i t i o n b e c a u s e i t i s i n h a n d , y o u c a n m e m b e r e d s e e i n g s o m e o t h - p l a y a half-ball h i t a n d be er d i a g r a m s a b o u t a s i m i l a r s u r e t h a t t h e c u e ball will i d e a . I n t h e 1 9 2 5 b o o k " E n g - h e a d for t h e p o c k e t . lish Billiards M a d e Easy," I t t u r n s o u t t h a t t h e a n g l e J a m e s O g d e n s h o w s D i a - t h e c u e ball is deflected for g r a m s 1 a n d 2 . I n D i a g r a m a half-ball h i t is n o t q u i t e 1 , h e s h o w s v a r i o u s p l a c e s 3 0 d e g r e e s b u t r a t h e r 3 5 d e - f r o m w h i c h t h e c u e ball c a n g r e e s ( w i t h i n a fraction of s c r a t c h if it s t a r t s in t h e " D " a d e g r e e ) . T h e e x a c t a n g l e o n a s n o o k e r t a b l e . (In t h o s e d e p e n d s o n t h e c h a r a c t e r - d a y s , t h e y w e r e called "bil- istics of t h e balls — t h e i r l i a r d s " t a b l e s , b e c a u s e t h e w e i g h t s , h o w s m o o t h t h e m a i n g a m e p l a y e d o n t h e m s u r f a c e s a r e , h o w elastic t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l l y w a s b i l l i a r d s p l a s t i c is — a n d y o u h a v e to a n d n o t s n o o k e r . ) e x p e r i m e n t o n t h e table t o I n E n g l i s h Billiards, o n e o f b e p r e c i s e . You'll n e e d t o d o t h e m a i n w a y s t o s c o r e i s t o t h a t a n y w a y , o n c e y o u f i n i s h s c r a t c h off o n e o f t h e o t h e r t h i s article, to get a feeling t w o balls. You get t w o o r for t h e a n g l e . W i t h t h e c u e t h r e e p o i n t s for t h a t , a n d get ball d e f l e c t e d 3 5 d e g r e e s t o t a k e y o u r c u e ball t o t h e on a s h o t , g e o m e t r y tells us D a n d s h o o t a g a i n . R e m e m - t h a t t h e r e s u l t i n g arc will b e b e r t h a t t h i s is on a t a b l e t w i c e t h a i , o r 7 0 d e g r e e s o u t t h a t is 6 - b y - 1 2 - f e e t in size. of a circle. F o r a b a l l s i t t i n g in t h e r i g h t F r o m t h i s idea, O g d e n p r o - p l a c e , t h e s c r a t c h i s m u c h , d u c e d t h e f i g u r e i n D i a g r a m m u c h e a s i e r t h a n p o c k e t i n g 2 . T h i s l o o k s like t h e c h a l k t h e ball. o u t l i n e of a large, w i n g e d , T h e real t r i c k t o t h a t p a r t a q u a t i c s p a c e a l i e n w h o w a s of E n g l i s h Billiards, called m u r d e r e d on a s n o o k e r ta- "in-offs" b e c a u s e t h e c u e ball g o e s i n t o w h i c h t u r n s o u t t o b e 7 0 d e g r e e s . W h y b l e , b u t it's a c t u a l l y m u c h m o r e useful a p o c k e t off a ball, is to r e c o g n i z e t h o s e is t h a t ? t h a n that. It is t h e r e g i o n of all p o s s i b l e s p e c i a l l o c a t i o n s t h a t are n e a r l y c e r t a i n T h o s e o f y o u w h o h a v e b e e n r e a d i n g l o c a t i o n s o f a n o b j e c t ball w h e r e y o u t o s c r a t c h . T h a t k n o w l e d g e i s e x a c t l y D a v e Alciatore's r e c e n t c o l u m n s ( a n d c a n s e t u p a n e a s y half-ball s c r a t c h from w h a t y o u n e e d t o a v o i d s c r a t c h i n g w h e n m y c o l u m n s a n d B o b Byrne's c o l u m n s t h e D . T h e alien's feet are m a d e u p f r o m p l a y i n g p o o l . b e f o r e t h a t ) s h o u l d k n o w a b o u t t h e 3 0 - t w o 7 0 - d e g r e e arcs t h a t h a v e t h e i r o t h e r I n D i a g r a m 1 , O d g e n s h o w s s h o t s for d e g r e e r u l e . If t h e c u e ball s t r i k e s t h e e n d s a t t h e c o r n e r s o f t h e D . A s a n e x - w h i c h a s c r a t c h is n o t o n l y p o s s i b l e , b u t object b a l l a b o u t half full a n d i s r o l l i n g a m p l e , n o t e t h a t t h e foot s p o t , w h a t t h e easy. J u s t a s w i t h S e p t e m b e r ' s d i a g r a m s , s m o o t h l y a t c o n t a c t , i t will b e deflected British call t h e p y r a m i d s p o t o r t h e p i n k t h e l o c a t i o n s o f t h e o b j e c t balls f o r m from its o r i g i n a l p a t h b y r o u g h l y 3 0 d e - s p o t , i s w i t h i n t h e body. T h i s m e a n s

32 B I L L I A R D S D I G E S T N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 7 t h a t to s c r a t c h off a ball at t h a t l o c a t i o n , t h e y m e e t at a p o i n t a b o u t 6 i n c h e s a s l o w l y r o l l i n g c u e ball a n d n o t s c r a t c h . t h e c u e ball i s p l a c e d s o m e w h e r e w i t h i n a b o v e t h e foot s p o t . F o r t h e p u r p o s e s T h e e x a c t p o i n t m i g h t be a little for- t h e D a n d p l a y e d w i t h s m o o t h , r o l l i n g of play, t h i s m e a n s t h r e e t h i n g s . If t h e w a r d o r b a c k f r o m t h e i l l u s t r a t e d s p o t , follow w i t h a half-ball hit off o n e s i d e or o b j e c t ball i s o n t h e o t h e r s i d e o f t h e b u t t h e r e i s s u c h a p o i n t . T h e last t h i n g t h e o t h e r of t h e object ball. arcs ( o n t h e foot s p o t , for e x a m p l e ) , it to n o t e is t h a t if t h e o b j e c t ball is on t h e G o t o a t a b l e n o w a n d find w h e r e y o u i s h a r d t o s c r a t c h a s l o n g a s y o u s h o o t c e n t e r l i n e o f t h e t a b l e b u t o n y o u r s i d e h a v e t o p l a c e t h e c u e ball of t h e p o i s o n e d p o i n t , it o n t h e h e a d s t r i n g t o easily i s a g a i n h a r d t o s c r a t c h s c r a t c h off a ball on t h e foot w h i l e m a k i n g t h e o b j e c t s p o t . If O g d e n ©s d i a g r a m is ball, a s t h e c u e ball will r i g h t e n o u g h for a p o o l table, a l w a y s l a n d o n t h e s i d e t h a t s p o t s h o u l d b e w i t h i n a c u s h i o n . few i n c h e s o f t h e h e a d s p o t . Try c o n s t r u c t i n g y o u r At E n g l i s h Billiards, o n e o w n s c r a t c h i n g arc, w a y t o r u n u p a lot o f p o i n t s say, for t h e c u e b a l l w a s to s c r a t c h off a ball in n e a r a h e a d p o c k e t a n d t h e s c r a t c h area a n d d r i v e t h e s c r a t c h i n g i n t o a foot ball off s o m e c u s h i o n s b a c k p o c k e t . R e m e m b e r t o i n t o t h a t a r e a . T o p p l a y e r s a l w a y s try t o h i t t h e o b - g o t v e r y g o o d a t d o i n g t h a t j e c t ball h a l f full a n d let repeatedly, a l w a y s b r i n g i n g t h e c u e ball roll o n t h e t h e o b j e c t ball b a c k t o t h e c l o t h w i t h j u s t a little s a m e s p o t , s o t h e r u l e s w e r e c h a n g e d s l o w l y a n d t h e c u e ball i s r o l l i n g w h e n i t m o r e s p e e d t h a n r e q u i r e d t o get t o t h e t o r e q u i r e s o m e o t h e r s h o t from t i m e t o gets t o t h e o b j e c t ball. T h e c u e ball will p o c k e t . T h a t will e n s u r e a t r u e half-ball t i m e . g o t o t h e foot rail. T h e s e c o n d i s t h a t c a r o m a n g l e . In D i a g r a m 3 is a s i m i l a r s i t u a t i o n for if t h e object ball is at t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n , K n o w i n g t h e arcs a n d a n g l e s for t h e s e a p o o l table. T h e c u e ball i s o n t h e h e a d m a r k e d a s t h e " p o i s o n e d p o i n t o f d o u - n e a r l y c e r t a i n s c r a t c h e s w i l l h e l p k e e p s p o t . T h e "arcs o f d i s a s t e r " for s c r a t c h - ble d e a t h , " t h e r e i s n o w a y t o m a k e t h e y o u Ð a n d y o u r c u e ball Ð o u t of t r o u - i n g in p o c k e t s A a n d B are m a r k e d a n d object ball i n e i t h e r c o r n e r p o c k e t w i t h ble.

N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 7 B I L L I A R D S D I G E S T 3 3 + T E C H T A L K +

BY Bob Jewett TRICKY TICKY TACTICS See new safes using a shot borrowed from carom billiards.

A R T O F l e a r n i n g h o w t o p l a y w e l l of 8-ball. T h i s t i m e it's t h e o b j e c t ball y o u r c o n d i t i o n s . I've s h o w n t h e b l o c k e r is d e v e l o p i n g a r e p e r t o i r e of s h o t s that's d e s t i n e d for t h e p o c k e t , g o i n g i n t h r e e - f o u r t h s of a d i a m o n d f r o m t h e Pa n d s h o t c o n c e p t s . T h i s m o n t h s off the b a c k o f o n e o f t h e b l o c k e r s . H e r e p o c k e t . Is t h a t t o o far for c o n s i s t e n c y ? s u b j e c t is t h e "ticky," w h i c h is a s h o t y o u c a n n o t u s e r u n n i n g E n g l i s h o n t h e S h o t C is a s l i g h t l y different 9-ball sit- largely b o r r o w e d from c a r o m billiards. o b j e c t b a l l , b u t y o u c a n u s e follow o n u a t i o n . You c o u l d try t o t i c k y u n d e r t h e In a ticky, the c u e ball s t r i k e s a c u s h i o n it to h e l p it h u g t h e c u s h i o n . To get fol- 1 ball to p o c k e t t h e 8; a n d h a v i n g p r a c - j u s t before i t h i t s a n object ball a n d t h e n low, j u s t s h o o t fairly softly. As t h e o b j e c t t i c e d S h o t A , y o u w o u l d b e r e a d y a n d w o n d e r f u l t h i n g s h a p p e n . ball s l i d e s a c r o s s t h e c l o t h o n t h e w a y a b l e . T h e p r o b l e m i s p r e d i c t i n g w h e r e S h o t A in D i a g r a m 1 is a s e l l - o u t at t o t h e c u s h i o n , i t will n a t u r a l l y p i c k t h e 1 will e n d u p . I t d o e s y o u n o g o o d 9-ball. Your o p p o n e n t left y o u n o d i r e c t u p s o m e f o r w a r d roll. T h i s w o r k s b e t - t o u s e y o u r n e w t o y ( t h e t i c k y ) i f i t j u s t s h o t at t h e 1 ball, b u t it is e a s y to hit ter from f a r t h e r b a c k s o t h e o b j e c t ball g e t s y o u i n t o t r o u b l e . u s i n g o n e o r t w o c u s h i o n s . T h e p a t h h a s m o r e t i m e t o g e t r o l l i n g , b u t e v e n a I n s t e a d , a i m to hit the 1 ball full w h e n s h o w n h a s t h e big a d v a n - t h e c u e b a l l c o m e s off tage of p o c k e t i n g t h e 9 ball. t h e c u s h i o n . T h e c u e T h i s s h o t l o o k s h a r d t o b e - ball s h o u l d s t o p d e a d , g i n n e r s ; b u t w i t h t h e balls or if it h a s s o m e follow, in t h e p o s i t i o n s h o w n , t h e 9 it will s t i c k to t h e rail as b e c o m e s n e a r l y a u t o m a t i c , if it w e r e g l u e d . F o r this w i t h t h e c u e ball h u g g i n g s h o t , t h e 4 ball b e c o m e s t h e c u s h i o n o n t h e w a y t o a n a s s e t s i n c e i t will like- t h e s c o r e . T h e i m p o r t a n t l y b l o c k y o u r o p p o n e n t ' s p a r t s o f t h e s h o t a r e t h a t t h e s h o t i f y o u kill t h e c u e 1 ball m u s t be a little m o r e ball as p l a n n e d . t h a n a ball from t h e c u s h - I find t h a t on old, i o n , a n d t h e c u e ball s h o u l d s t i c k y c l o t h , S h o t C is c o m e i n t o t h e rail a t a n a n - q u i t e a bit h a r d e r , b e - gle o f 3 0 t o 4 5 d e g r e e s . c a u s e t h e c u e ball l o s e s T o get c o n s i s t e n t a c t i o n all its follow w h e n it hits on t h e c u e ball, p l a y it fairly t h e c u s h i o n . T h i s m e a n s softly w i t h follow a n d r u n - t h a t y o u will n e e d t o try n i n g ( r i g h t ) s i d e s p i n . A t h e s h o t u n d e r different h a r d s h o t will t e n d t o m a k e t a b l e c o n d i t i o n s a s w e l l , t h e c u e ball r i c o c h e t off t h e o r a t least b e p r e p a r e d c u s h i o n a n d a w a y f r o m t h e for a s l i g h t s u r p r i s e if 9 . F o l l o w k e e p s t h e c u e ball y o u try t h e s h o t o n a o n t h e c u s h i o n a n d t h e r u n - t a b l e s t r a n g e t o y o u . n i n g E n g l i s h h e l p s t h e c u e S h o t A in D i a g r a m 2 b a l l c o n t i n u e t o w a r d t h e is a s i m i l a r safety s h o t , target if it r e t u r n s to t h e b u t t h e p r o b l e m i s t o l o n g rail. k e e p t h e c u e ball f r o m P r a c t i c e S h o t A u n t i l y o u f o l l o w i n g its n a t u r a l are c o n f i d e n t w i t h g e t t i n g a n g l e . W i t h t h e b l o c k e r t h e r i g h t a c t i o n . Try vary- as s h o w n , there's a g o o d i n g t h e a n g l e o f the c u e ball a n d t h e d i a m o n d o r s o g e t s u s e f u l follow o n t h e c h a n c e of h i t t i n g t h e 1 ball t h i n a n d d i s t a n c e of t h e 1 b a l l from t h e c u s h i o n . object ball. s l i d i n g i n t o t h e c o r n e r p o c k e t w i t h t h e T h e r e are s y s t e m s for a i m i n g t h e h i t o n A g a i n , y o u n e e d t o p r a c t i c e S h o t B s o typical t i c k y a c t i o n . T o a v o i d t h a t p o s - t h e 1, b u t try to d e v e l o p s o m e feel first. y o u h a v e s o m e i d e a o f t h e p e r c e n t a g e s sibility, p l a y t h e c u e b a l l w i t h full d r a w M o s t s y s t e m s w i l l b e r e n d e r e d i n a c c u - i n v o l v e d . C h a n g e t h e a n g l e a n d t h e d i s - a n d a s o m e w h a t firmer s t r o k e . You c a n rate b y t h e follow, the r u n n i n g E n g l i s h t a n c e o f t h e b l o c k e r off t h e c u s h i o n , b u t get t h e c u e b a l l to p u l l to a s t o p from a n d t h e fairly soft s p e e d o f t h e s h o t . a l s o v a r y t h e s p e e d . T h e g o a l i s t o find s u r p r i s i n g l y s t e e p a n g l e s . A s y o u p r a c - S h o t B s h o w s an e x a m p l e from a g a m e w h a t m a k e s t h e s h o t t h e easiest u n d e r tice t h i s s h o t , n o t e t h e p a t h s y o u c a n get

3 4 B I L L I A R D S D I G E S T D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 o n t h e c u e ball. Reverse (left) E n g l i s h clearly. Ray M a r t i n , in h i s " 9 9 Critical "A P r a c t i c a l Treatise on t h e G a m e of Bil- will h e l p t o kill t h e c u e ball, e s p e c i a l l y S h o t s i n P o o l , " m o r e o r less s h o w s t h e l i a r d s . " W h i t e s e e m s t o h a v e lifted t h e if it g e t s b a c k to t h e c u s h i o n after hit- a c t i o n i n s h o t s 5 0 a n d 7 5 b u t d o e s n 't s h o t from a n earlier F r e n c h b o o k w h i c h t i n g t h e 1 ball. If n e c e s s a r y w i t h a fairly n a m e it as a s p e c i a l s h o t . M i k e S h a m o s , i s q u o t e d , b u t W h i t e d o e s n o t e x p l a i n t h i n hit, t h i s s h o t c a n b e u s e d t o p l a y i n t h e " t i c k y " e n t r y i n h i s " N e w Illus- t h e d e t a i l s i n E n g l i s h . ( F o r t h o s e o f y o u t h e 1 i n t o p o c k e t P w i t h o u t t h e r i s k of t r a t e d E n c y c l o p e d i a of Billiards," al- w h o w o u l d like t o h a v e a c o p y o f W h i t e 's a s c r a t c h or o b v i o u s s e l l - o u t . Your b e s t l u d e s t o B o b Byrne's " S t a n d a r d B o o k b o o k , t h e r e is g o o d n e w s : It has b e e n re- b e t w o u l d b e s e n d i n g t h e 1 off t h e s h o r t of P o o l a n d Billiards," w h e r e it is illus- p r i n t e d a n d will b e a v a i l a b l e s h o r t l y for rail, l o n g rail a n d t h e n u p - t a b l e , b u t t h i s t r a t e d b o t h i n t h e p o o l a n d c a r o m s e c - far less t h a n t h e $ 6 0 0 t o $ 1 , 2 0 0 t h a t i t i s d e p e n d e n t o n t h e l a y o u t o f t h e rest o f t i o n s . B y r n e also c o v e r s v a r i o u s ticky u s u a l l y sells for. K e e p a n e y e o n t h e s e t h e table. v a r i a t i o n s i n h i s " A d v a n c e d T e c h n i q u e " p a g e s for t h e a d s . ) O K , y o u h a v e a n e w S h o t B, or t h e C r e e p e r , is a 9-ball safe- b o o k . S h a m o s p o i n t s o u t t h a t 2 0 0 y e a r s toy. H a v e fun p l a y i n g w i t h i t a n d u s e i t t y t h a t n o t t o o m a n y p o o l p l a y e r s w o u l d a g o , t h e s h o t w a s s h o w n i n E . W h i t e 's w h e n a p p r o p r i a t e . t h i n k of, b u t it's a s t a n d a r d k i n d of ticky i n c a r o m b i l l i a r d s . I f y o u try t o c u t t h e 1 ball s l i g h t l y to t h e left to m i s s t h e 4 ball, t h e c u e b a l l w o n 't b e w e l l h i d d e n . T h e t i c k y t r i c k i s t o hit t h e c u s h i o n v e r y softly w i t h r u n n i n g E n g l i s h a n d follow. T h e 1 i s d r i v e n n e a r t h e s i d e p o c k e t , w h i l e t h e c u e ball r e t u r n s t o t h e c u s h - i o n , t h e r i g h t s p i n m a k i n g i t c r e e p u p t o n e s t l e a g a i n s t t h e 4 . R e m e m b e r t h a t y o u m u s t get t h e c u e ball b a c k t o t h e c u s h i o n ( s h o w n a t X ) , o r t h e s h o t i s a foul for l a c k of h i t t i n g a rail. If y o u r o p - p o n e n t i s t h e s o r t o f p e r s o n w h o i s u n - likely t o r e c o g n i z e g e n i u s , y o u s h o u l d alert h i m t o w a t c h for the rail c o n t a c t a t X after t h e hit.

T h e r e are t w o t h i n g s y o u h a v e t o p r a c - tice for on t h i s s h o t . T h e first is t h e full h i t on t h e 1 ball. If t h e 1 is b e i n g c u t a w a y from t h e s i d e c u s h i o n m u c h m o r e t h a n s h o w n a n d t h e c u e ball i s r u n n i n g t h r o u g h t h e 4 ball w i t h m o r e s p e e d t h a n t h e 1 , y o u a r e h i t t i n g t h e c u s h i o n t o o close to t h e 1. A i m at a s t e e p e r a n g l e . T h e s e c o n d i s t h e s p e e d o n t h e c u e ball. S i n c e y o u w a n t t h e c u e ball t o m o v e o n l y a d i a m o n d o r s o after t h e hit o n t h e 1 ball, t h e s p e e d i s less t h a n y o u w o u l d n e e d to s h o o t t h e 1 ball to t h e far e n d of t h e table. Softly d o e s it: It a l m o s t s e e m s like c h e a t i n g to p l a y safe like t h i s .

Finally, S h o t C in D i a g r a m 2 is a slight m o d i f i c a t i o n of B w i t h a m u c h s t e e p e r a n g l e i n t o t h e c u s h i o n . F o r m e , i t i s m u c h h a r d e r t o j u d g e t h e c u e - b a l l hit t o m o v e i t a l o n g t h e rail a n d p u t i t v e r y close to t h e 4 ball. N o t e t h a t for t h e a n - gle s h o w n , t h e 1 i s n o t n a t u r a l l y h i d d e n after c o n t a c t as in S h o t B, so the c u e - b a l l s p e e d m u s t b e perfect. ( T h e e x c e p t i o n w o u l d b e i f y o u u s e d t h e r i g h t s p e e d o n t h e 1 to s e n d it b a c k a c r o s s t h e table to e n d o n t h e o n t h e o t h e r side o f t h e 4 ball. T h e n all y o u w o u l d h a v e t o d o — b e s i d e s j u d g e t h e s p e e d a c c u r a t e l y — is kill t h e c u e ball.)

T h e g e n e r a l c o n c e p t of t h e ticky h a s a l o n g history, b u t few a u t h o r s e x p l a i n i t

D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 B I L L I A R D S D I G E S T 35