Bob Jewett Thin Hits Learn this to psyche out your opponents.

Do you feel good about your thin hits? would be a half-ball hit.) an inch of the object ball, it will be driven Would you like to play them better and The vertical axis is how far the object ball about 18 inches along the end rail. If the smarter? If so, read on. will roll for a shot that just brings the cue cue ball or table is not quite right, and you If you play any pool game, you will often ball 8 diamonds back to the end cushion get a tenth of an inch of roll-off, you could find yourself in a situation like Diagram 1. you start from — use the "Start long" curve get no hit at all or the object ball would be The cue ball is a mile from the object ball, for this. For example, if you hit a tenth of driven 35 inches or about 3 diamonds. That and you need to both make a would be very bad for your good hit on the object ball and safety, as it would leave the leave no shot. Is a thin hit — ball in front of the corner just nudging the ball so it pocket. moves as little as possible — So, how good are your thin the right shot for you? hits? In Diagram 3 are a cou- In the extreme position ple drills to test and improve shown, you should probably them. Shot A is the same sort shoot something else if it's of safety as in Diagram 1, but available, but let's look at the arranged the short way on the thin hit a little closer. The goal table. Play the thin hit to see is to get a hit, come off the far how little you can move the end rail, and bring the cue ball object ball. Start with the back to its starting point, more object ball near the side pock- or less. There is a problem on et, and leave it in position for each side: If you miss the ball each following shot, but move entirely, you foul and give up the cue ball so you will be ball in hand or a point or shooting directly across the worse; if you hit too much of table each time. How many the ball, you give up an easy times does it take you to get shot to your opponent. the object ball to the end The first considerations are cushion? On each shot, you the table and the cue ball. If have to bring the cue ball you are familiar with both of back at least close to the side them, you know whether to rail you are starting from. expect roll-off. Some players When you have mastered are able to allow for the the short way for this drill — "windage" due to table slope, or at least improved — put the but you might also run into a cue ball at C and the object cue ball that's slightly lop- ball at O and try it again, with sided, and might roll left or the requirement that you have right unpredictably. I've seen to return the cue ball to near balls that might be off by as the head rail. As you progress, much as a tenth of an inch by move the cue ball's starting the time they reached the point farther back. To avoid object ball for the shot in problems from table roll on Diagram 1. these drills, be sure to play Diagram 2 shows how accu- the shots to both sides. For rate the hit has to be to control example, after you have the distance the object ball is worked the object ball to the driven. The fuller you hit the left with the drill shown until object ball, the farther it will it is almost to the rail, work it travel. Along the bottom is back the other way. Is your how full the ball is struck in table flat? Is your cue ball inches of overlap. (Think of round? how much the edge of the cue In Shot B of Diagram 3 is a ball overlaps the edge of the different thin-hit situation. object ball from the tip's-eye This time you are close to the view. Overlap of 1.125 inches object ball, so the hit is much

24 BD-JANUARY 2004 Bob Jewett

easier, but you still want to drive the cue speed — this comes through practice — to for banking. ball eight diamonds for the safety. It turns leave the object ball near O and the cue ball Thin hits are not just for defense. In out that the object ball is also not driven near C. This may leave a bank for your Diagram 4 are two shots useful in one- nearly as far for a given thickness of hit as opponent, but it's not a nice angle, and if pocket that require very thin hits. In Shot A for the long safety in is a common leave Diagram 1. This is with the object ball because it doesn't on the spot and the lose a lot of energy cue ball on the bad in the cushion right side of the table — after the ball contact. your pocket is P. A The thickness/drive thin hit can make the curve for this case is ball. Do you under- shown in the lower stand why it is plot in Diagram 2. almost impossible to Hitting a tenth of an scratch if you make inch of the object the object ball from ball should be duck the spot? In Shot B, soup from this dis- you are banking the tance, so the object spotted ball to pocket ball should only P. The cue ball will move 5 inches if you hit at Bl for its first just barely get to the cushion, and B4 for end cushion. its fourth cushion, You can set up a drill based on Shot B; both balls are near the cushions it's tougher and if you are lucky, end up down by the keeping in mind that you should be able to still. A subtle point is that a half-ball hit Shot A cue ball for the safety. While there nudge the ball at least six times before it causes the cue ball and object ball to move are less aggressive alternatives for both of reaches the end rail. almost the same distance off the end cush- these shots, if you have your thin hits per- If your thin hits aren't working, or you ion. Fuller, and the object ball moves more fected, these shots can be psychologically don't know how the table is rolling, you than the cue ball; thinner, and the cue ball devastating to your opponent. You'll know need to have alternatives. In Diagram 1, a moves more. If they move the same you've won the mind game when you hear standard fuller-hit safety is to hit about half amount, the balls will be left straight across him muttering, "How can he make that of the object ball on the right side and use a from each other, which is a nasty situation shot?"

2 6 B D -JANUARY 2004 Bob Jewett Where's Your Elbow? Do you want to be a piston or a pendulum?

In sports such as golf, swimming, and Ed's last joint is his wrist/hand at the grip elbow as its center and Ed's forearm as its track and field, there is a lot of recent on the cue. Again, we simplify the situa- radius. The tip contacts the cue ball when activity applying new technology to under- tion by assuming that Ed is not into wrist- the stick gets back to its starting point, at standing how the body can achieve maxi- flipping to get that special action on the which time the forearm is straight up and mum performance. When sports science cue ball, and that the wrist acts as a simple down and perpendicular to the cue stick. appears on TV, you might see a wired-up pivot point. The stick follows through the ball with the swimmer in an aquatic treadmill or a golfer We're also going to take the rails off the hand continuing its circular arc. The elbow with glowing spots taped on each of his table so that Ed's stick can be horizontal at has not moved an iota. joints and in front of a computerized cam- the instant it hits the cue ball. In reality, Successive positions of this action are era that catches each arc and acceleration nearly every shot must be played with sig- shown in Diagram 2. The main thing to and hitch. note here is that the stick does I'm sure the funding will not move in a straight line soon start rolling in for such either before or after it hits the projects with billiard players, ball. At the end of the back- but in the meantime we have swing, the butt of the stick has to study billiard biomechanics risen considerably, and at the and carom kinesiology with end of the follow-through, the simpler and cheaper methods. butt has risen again. This is a What is a good stroke? What simple consequence of the do you want in a "correct" pendulum motion — a pendu- stance? How does the body lum is obviously lowest at the actually move the stick, and bottom of its swing. how can the typical player While the stick is wobbling improve the motion? What up and down during nearly all should you spend your time of the stroke, it is going working on, stroke- and straight forward at the instant stance-wise? it hits the cue ball. This is Let's begin by looking at a illustrated in Diagram 3, very simple model of the play- which shows the path of just er. We're going to ignore mus- the tip during the stroke. As cles and tendons and even the it's drawn back to the bridge third dimension for the time hand, it first drops a little as being. In Diagram 1 is a side the back hand rises, then it view of our model player. comes back to the address- He's simply three dots and two straight ing/contact point, then as Ed follows lines connecting the dots, plus a pivot point through, the tip drops again with the rising representing his bridge hand. Call him Ed. of the grip hand. Later we'll try to give him more personali- At the instant of contact, the path of the ty- tip has no up or down component; it is If Ed has the unfortunate habit of jump- traveling straight forward toward the ball. ing up and raising his whole body during What are the advantages of this simple the shot, just run a long pole through his form of stroke? Just the simplicity is shoulder to both walls, so his shoulder important; remember the KISS principle does not move during the shot. By not (Keep It Simple, Stupid). The less there is, moving the shoulder, I mean the dot which the less there is to go wrong. represents the shoulder stays in one place. A second advantage is that you will hit Maybe the upper arm moves, and this nificant elevation because of the presence the cue ball exactly where you address it. requires a rotation at the shoulder joint, but of the rails. Is it useful to know where you hit the ball? the shoulder can rotate to move the upper The resulting motion is the classic "pen- Many think so. arm without moving itself. dulum" stroke. Ed addresses the ball in the A minor advantage is that it takes the As the next simplification, let's assume position shown with the tip close to the least amount of effort to hit the ball this that the upper arm doesn't move. We'll ball, then swings his hand and the stick way — just pull the pendulum back and relax this requirement soon, but for now, back moving just the lower arm and pivot- gravity does the work until the bottom of just the threat of another pole will get Ed to ing at the elbow. The hand swings forward, the arc, and then gravity starts slowing the keep his elbow in one place. following a perfect circular arc, with the stick. A fairly common principle in

32 I BD-FEBRUARY 2004 Bob Jewett

mechanics is that the easiest way to do be called the "perfect piston" motion, with up. something is often the most accurate. the stick moving just along its axis without But enough of this arm-chair hypothesiz- Now you may jump up and say — any teeter-totter from the pendulum. ing; let's do a little lab work. The first part remember what we do to people who jump My main objection to this motion is that of your homework is to watch players' up — "Wouldn't it be better to have a it requires correct timing of two motions. elbows — be discreet, as elbow oogling is stroke that didn't get the wiggly tip path in The elbow's drop-then-rise must be syn- still illegal in some jurisdictions. First note Diagram 3, but instead brought the stick chronized with the forearm's back-and-for- if their shoulders are moving during the straight back and shot. If so, watch straight through?" someone else who Diagram 4 shows seems to have better the successive posi- basic form. Note how tions of Ed's elbow and when the elbow needed to achieve moves. Does it move this motion. Note both before and after that as the stick the shot? For each comes back, the player that you watch, upper arm must be sure that you catch rotate down, letting both fast and slow the elbow drop so shots, as some players that the stick is not seem to have more raised at the end of the back stroke. As the ward movement. For example, if Ed's than one style of stroke. If you have tapes stick comes forward, the elbow rises to its elbow has gone up too much at the instant of professional matches, the pause button peak position at the instant of contact, and of tip-ball contact, Ed will hit too low on will help, but the camera angles are not then must drop again to maintain a straight the cue ball. As drawn in the diagram, always ideal. path on the follow-through. Of course, you which is nearly to scale for a normal play- The second part of your homework is to could also get some of the up-and-down er, if the elbow is raised by 3 mm, Ed will try to figure out what your own stroke is motion by moving your whole body, but hit 1 mm lower than intended on the cue doing. If you don't have a video camera, Ed can't because of the pole. ball. Is 1 mm important? For most draw enlist a friend. You might also need a long This is clearly a more complicated shots, it will mean you are about 10 per- pole. motion for the body, but it can be learned. cent off on the spin. Is 3 mm a lot of accu- Next time I'll go over my own observa- In fact, there are stroke-training devices on racy to expect in dynamic elbow position? tions, some of which I'll be making at the the market that will teach you what might It's the thickness of two pennies stacked 2003 Mosconi Cup in Las Vegas.

3 4 BD-FEBRUARY 2004 Bob Jewett Where's Your Elbow Now? It takes all kinds (of strokes) to make a Mosconi Cup.

Last month, I started a discussion of bil- I conducted my field work in December shot. I need to study some slow-motion liard stroke mechanics. My hope is that at the Mosconi Cup in Las Vegas. This was video to be sure, but my suspicion is that eventually some serious scientific research the first time in its 10-year history that it the drop is a simple mechanical result of will be done in the area, but for now we was held in the U.S., and I'm sorry for the forearm closing on the biceps. It seemed have to settle for armchair (bar stool?) those who weren't there. The format con- to me that most of the strokes in the 9-ball analysis and table-side observations. sists of six-man teams, the U.S. vs. Europe, competition were in this category. It is interesting to note how instruction with the first to win 11 short matches the The second stroke I'll call the "orthodox has changed over the years. In Figure 1 is victor. Europe led going into the fourth and simple stroke." Here, the upper arm moves a drawing from Kentfield's 1839 book, "The Game of Billiards," which was print- ed until the 1880s. If anyone wants to try me some 9-ball with that stance and wear- ing a long coat and tie, they've got the wild 8. At least the player is shown holding the correct end of the cue, which was a fairly recent innovation in those days — 50 years before, most players shot with the blunt end of the stick, which was called a mace. Note that the forearm of the player's back arm is vertical at the moment of contact with the ball, but Kentfield doesn't explic- itly mention this. He does say that the body should not move until the shot is over, so that only the arm moves, but he doesn't specify which part or parts of the arm. Figure 2 is from a 1948 booklet by the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America, and shows the progress in stance over the intervening century. At least we got rid of the long coat. The text recommends that the forearm should "hang almost perpendicu- larly" without really explaining what that means. The player's hand as shown in the picture will actually be a hand's-width or two forward of perpendicular at the instant of impact, which I'd call considerably off final day, but Team USA pulled out the vic- perpendicular. tory. (For more info, see the cover story in Figure 3 shows a modern stance with the last month's issue or visit the Mosconi chin nearly on the stick. Almost all top Cup's Web site: www.mosconicup.com.) players use this stance or one very near it It was not so easy for me to watch elbows on long shots that require accurate aiming. during the matches; I'm programmed to It is interesting to read even some recent pay more attention to the balls and situation instructional books that say such a stance on the table than the players' mechanics. I cramps the stroke, and then to watch a play- hope you had an easier time with your er draw the cue ball a table length and a half homework. I did manage to make some with chin-to-cue. You can't believe every- useful observations of four different types thing you read. of arm motion. But you can believe much of what you The first stroke is what I will call the almost not at all, so the motion is confined see. Your homework assignment was to "standard power stroke." The elbow is to just the forearm. Even for some players observe what players' arms, including your essentially motionless until the end of the who often use the first motion, this simpler own, actually do during the stroke. While forward stroke when the forearm starts to stroke is used for soft shots. I'll have to do this is not guaranteed to tell you the single close against the biceps, and the upper arm some more field work at straight pool and best way to play, if you observe good play- drops about its own width, or roughly four one-pocket events, where a larger fraction ers and bad, you can probably start to fig- inches. This is the arm motion you will of the shots are delicate ones. One player ure out what seems to work well. probably see in the above-mentioned draw who used the orthodox simple stroke even

32 BD-MARCH 2004 Bob Jewett

on the faster shots was Tony Robles, who is have this technique was Nick Van den Berg technique, I was fascinated by an on-air known for his straight-pool prowess. from Holland. I have not yet figured out interview with Earl Strickland after his A third type of stroke is the "perfect pis- any possible advantage for this stroke. It fourth-day defeat of the Dutch player. Earl ton stroke," which I described last time. seems to me that it doesn't get any more certainly raised some hackles when he said The elbow goes up and down in that his apparent easy win was such a way that the stick moves not surprising against someone in a perfectly straight line. While who did not know how to play, this sounds simple, it requires a that he would be surprised if fairly complicated motion from Nick's game held up until he the arm. The elbow must drop as was as old as Earl is now, and the stick is drawn back, rise as that if Nick were required to the stick comes forward to con- "break from the box" (with the tact, and then drop again during cue ball in the middle of the the follow through. The only table rather than against a side player of the twelve at the rail) he would probably break Mosconi Cup that I saw with this his hand. I wonder how many in action was Jeremy Jones. The the audience understood that only other player I've seen use Earl was referring to Nick's this stroke is Hall-of-Fame mem- elbow. I think young Van den ber Loree Jon Jones. If you notice Berg would do well to try to get any other adherents to this past the put-down and under- method — especially one not stand Earl's point. named Jones — please let me Finally, in Diagram 1 is an know. illustration of what the elbow is The fourth and final type of doing on each of the four kinds stroke is the "over drop." In this stroke, the power into the ball, since the motion of the of strokes described above during the final elbow comes down much more than with upper arm drives the butt down rather than forward stroke. Along the horizontal axis is the first type, so that the tip of the stick forward toward the ball, and it would seem the position of the cue tip; back at the ends well above the level of the ball. In the to be a disaster for consistency due to the bridge hand, at the cue ball, at the end of extreme form of this, the stick will actually timing required to get an accurate hit on the the follow-through. Along the vertical axis hit the rail, making a clacking sound. The cue ball. is the up-down motion of the elbow. Which only player in Las Vegas that seemed to Having noticed this anomaly in Nick's do you like? Which is like you?

34 | BD-MARCH 2004 Bob Jewett Not So Simple Look, Ma! No rails! Jewett plays a little "Run This Rack" of his own.

Everything should be made as simple as crooked, or sticky beyond belief. If you placing the cue ball at A, with a slight cut possible, but not simpler. never visit them, they can't hurt you. A to the left on the 1 ball. For position on the — Albert Einstein hidden reason is that if you don't go to a 2 ball, you want to get close to straight — in rail, there is almost never any reason to use along the dashed line through the 2. Many In last month's column, I urged you to sidespin. (If you're not already convinced players overlook the no-rail way, and place keep the mechanical part of your game as that sidespin has many traps to avoid, the cue ball at B for the first shot, figuring simple as possible, applying the KISS there's little I can do to help you.) to spin back from the cushion. principle — Keep It Simple, Stupid. Many It's best to run slightly past straight — in on endeavors are ruined by complication. the 2, so that you can stun over to D. Using I had the pleasure of taking a few lessons rails, you should leave yourself more angle from the great player Jimmy Caras. He on the 2, so you can go to the rail near C recounted the times when he and Babe and bounce over toward the 3. From D, the Cranfield — another Hall-of-Famer-to-be Cranfield revealed main objective is to get to the straight — in — would watch Ralph Greenleaf play line on the 4. Note that D gives you a slight 14.1. Cranfield had an uncanny knack for the secret to his angle to get over to that line. If you don't predicting the order that Greenleaf would quite reach the 4-line, it's okay, since you shoot the balls, rack after rack. can draw over for a shot to pocket P with In his book "The Straight Pool Bible," clairvoyance: Greenleaf the 5. If you do get a little past the line, Cranfield reveals the secret to his clairvoy- which is best, you can stun the cue ball ance: Greenleaf played every rack as sim- played every rack as over to E, leaving a slight cut to the right ply as possible. In the book, Cranfield on the 5. Now for the hardest shot of the gives examples of how to simplify your series. You have to play the right amount of runs, but he also shows when you might simply as possible. speed and draw for the angle you've left to want to add some flourishes for straight- bring the cue ball to the line between C and pool strategy. D for the 6. Then, stun over for the 7. Another author who promotes simplicity If you get straight — in on the 7, just follow is George Fels, in forward past B for his "Advanced a draw shot on the Pool." Early in 8. Note that a far the book, he more common introduces nine play for the 7-8-9 "whenever possi- sequence, and one ble" principles, that requires less such as not using precision with English, not hit- speed control, is ting rails, not to go about bumping balls, all halfway from the whenever possi- 7 to B, for about a ble, or "WP." half-ball cut on In Diagram 1 the 8 ball, with the we have nearly a cue ball coming best-case situa- off F with a little tion at the start of left English to a 9-ball game. help it down to the Your opponent 9. has scratched, Similarly, if you there is no bother- end up with a shot some cluster, and from C for the 3 it looks like you can get through the rack When I'm playing in tournaments, if I ball, you can spin off the cushion above the without touching a cushion. Do you see encounter a table as friendly as the one in side with right English to run toward the 4. how? Diagram 1, I'll go for the no-bumper solu- Here is a drill you can try, which is a There are several advantages of not using tion. Here's how I would approach this modification of Ron Shepard's "progres- the cushions during your run. The main is particular layout, along with alternative sive 9-ball" drill. Put two balls on the table that the cushions can be surprising: sur- shots. randomly, and see if you can run them in prisingly dead, strangely fast, remarkably With ball in hand, you have the luxury of order without touching a rail. (The harder

32 I BD-APRIL 2004 Bob Jewett form permits no cushion even after the one-cushion option becomes much harder, pointed that you didn't put the cue ball at final ball.) If you do two, try for three, then even though it remains the simplest way to A so the shot would be a simple roller. four, and so on. If you fail to run the table do the shot. From C, or even B, many play- However, if you want your game to be with the "use no rail" requirement, ers prefer to use either the follow path with complete, you need to have all of these decrease the number of balls you're trying right English, or the draw path with left shots in your repertoire. for. A good way to make sure you get a English. Do you work to simplify your game? If random set of ball placements is to break If you ever have shot D, you shouldn't be you need examples, I'll recommend you the full rack and then remove the lowest mad for not having perfected your draw- not study Efren Reyes, but instead check balls to leave your current number. with-English stroke; you should be disap- out Buddy Hall's minimalist techniques. In Diagram 2 is a typical shot for position to get from the 1 to the 2. For the various cue ball positions shown (A through D), which path would you use? (If you had ball in hand, I hope you would be anxious to try the no-cushion option by putting the cue ball down by the short rail.) For the positions shown, I think A is the sim- plest shot. If you just let the cue ball roll after it strikes the 1, it will bend forward a little after the cushion from the natural follow, and take the path along Al. If you use a little outside English, the ball will come over to A2. As the cue ball gets closer to the cushion at B, C and D, the

BD-APRIL 2004 Bob Jewett Short Kicks Learn to use the mirror system to makes these shots less tricky.

When you have to play the cue ball to when it hits the cushion. Mike Hilden, a hit the long rail. The reason for this is that bank off one cushion to hit an object ball math professor at the University of Hawaii, when the cue ball is played softly along the several feet from the rail, the most you can recently pointed out to me that the only cushion, the angle of reflection is closer to count on is to hit the ball, or, with a little geometrically consistent way to diagram a the rail than expected, due to the follow on luck, to hit the ball on the correct side. With ball's path for cushion contacts and ball- the cue ball. Bud Harris, a former U.S. tremendous luck, you might actually pock- ball contacts is to draw the path for the cen- three-cushion champion, showed this to me et the ball. ter of the ball. Think on this a while, if a long time ago. Bud pointed out that the When the object ball is close to the cush- you're not convinced. If you remain uncon- angle off the cushion is only about 70 per- ion, your odds improve tremendously, to vinced, you should look up Mike Shamos' cent of the angle expected, and this holds the point where even beginners can count BD article on accuracy in billiard diagrams. fairly well for all kinds of side spin. That is, on making some short shots. With a little If you see a diagram with ball paths actual- even with reverse side spin on the rolling more experience, you can count on control- ly touching the noses of the cushions, cue ball, for a very shallow contact with the ling the cue ball after contact. Let's go over please realize that the diagram is inaccurate cushion, you still get about a 30 percent some systems and practice techniques that and misleading. reduction in the outbound angle. will help you perfect this part of your game. OK, philosophy mode off and practical Well, how can we compensate for this In Diagram 1 you'll find a typical situa- mode on. This means that you need to get fact? The first is to play with a combination tion where the object ball is blocked from a to a table to study the shot carefully. But of speed and spin that doesn't require any direct shot, but is still eminently makeable. first, you need to do a little preparation. compensation for the perfect mirror sys- Shown is the path of the cue ball to the Make a round target out of paper 2.25 inch- tem. Ron Shepard has pointed out that if object ball, along with several other clues es in diameter. A small jar lid may be a suit- the cue ball has no draw or follow when it for aiming the shot, including the locations able template, or go to the the San hits the rail, and just enough side spin to of the cue ball at the moment it contacts the Francisco Billiard Academy Web site roll rather than rub one way or the other on cushion and when it hits the object ball. the nose of the cushion, then the minor idea The cue ball at the instant it hits the object has the best chance to work for a large ball is referred to as the "ghost" or "phan- range of shots. Try this sort of stroke, espe- tom" ball. cially with no follow or draw. (By this point In addition, the "mirrored" object ball and in your career, I hope you know that to get ghost ball are shown. These are the posi- the cue ball to arrive "dead ball" at any dis- tions of the two balls as they would appear tance, you need to start it with at least some in a mirror that was held up near the cush- draw.) ion. Why is this mirror idea important? Can you get the shot to work with Ideally, the cue ball will "reflect" from the (www.sfbilliards.com), and in the "miscel- Shepard's "dead ball on the cushion" tech- cushion making the same outbound angle laneous files" section, you'll find a file of nique? While it can be made to work, it's as the inbound angle. This is the same way ball outlines that you can print out and not always the best way to play the shot for that light behaves when reflecting off a mir- make targets from. The other item you'll position, and you are not always close ror — the angle of incidence is equal to the need is something to precisely position and enough to the cushion to get stop action just angle of reflection. Let's not worry for now re-position the object ball. I recommend as you hit the rail. Let's try to use Bud's about the fact that cushions are not perfect donut-shaped self-stick paper hole rein- idea to modify the mirror system for soft, reflectors; let's just see where this idea forcements for binder paper, which you can rolling hits. Clearly the target has to be far- takes us. get at any office supply store. ther from the nose of the cushion to land Also shown is the mirrored path of the Place the 1 ball exactly a ball off the cush- farther out on the 1 ball. How much? cue ball, which is a straight-line extension ion, on its reinforcement. Place a target on Experiment. Since the target as shown is of its path into the cushion, and the mir- the cushion even with the 1 ball and also about a ball and a half from the mirror (cen- rored path of the object ball. It turns out even with the nose of the cushion, as in the ter of target cut-out to the rail groove dis- that the center of the mirrored pocket is, diagram. Do you see why the target is the tance), try increasing that distance by about amazingly, in the same place as the center reflected object ball? If you want, also a third, which when decreased by Bud's 70 of the real pocket: the center of a ball on the place a second target, at the reflected ghost- percent factor should be back to the right brink of the pocket. ball position, so that you will have a direct point on the real object ball. A major point to note is that the cue ball sight line for the cue ball. There is no rea- When you have the target in the right is not reflected from the nose of the cush- son yet to place the 2, 3 and 7 on the table; position for the shot shown and for a softly ion, as some authors imply. The ball is real- they just complicate things at the start. rolling cue ball, try placing the cue ball in ly reflected at what I call the "rail groove," Try the shot with just enough speed to get different locations to see if the same target which is the line half a ball from the nose of the 1 ball to the pocket. If your setup is cor- — which we can call the "reflected ghost the cushion that often shows wear on old rect, and your stroke true, you are almost ball with Harris' compensation" — is still cloth. It is where the center of the ball is certain to hit the 1 ball too full, and it will valid. I think you will find that for nearly

32 I BD-MAY 2004 .Bob Jewett

any rolling cue ball that comes in more or "fiddle factor" like the one-third adjustment just even with the nose of the pocket. Table less along the cushion, your target will still mentioned above for Bud's observation. designs differ, so you will have to experi- be valid. In Diagram 2 is a common situation from ment with exactly where the target is on Now, let's try a different goal. Often you a game of one-pocket in which you can use your table. have to hit a ball as in Diagram 1 without this "reflected target" idea with great effec- At straight pool, there is a two-cushion- any intention of pocketing it, but rather tiveness. Your pocket is A, and your oppo- first safety to brush the side of a full rack with safety in mind. In the position shown nent has a ball close to his pocket on the that uses the same aiming idea. It was used from a game of 9-ball, it would by Willie Mosconi, Irving be a bad idea to pocket the 1 Crane and Eddie Kelly, but ball with the 2 ball so infelici- even you can do the shot if you tously disposed. A very effec- have this aiming trick and a lit- tive solution is to hit the 1 ball tle control of spin and speed. nearly full with nice soft draw At one-pocket, the shot — but not too hard — and try should usually be played at a to draw back onto the cluster. speed that returns the cue ball The 1 ball, if it has a lick of to the head cushion for the sense, will scoot up the table to safety. More running English an inaccessible position. or more angle into the first Set up the target again, but cushion will generally give the this time you need only the object ball more speed. As with reflected 1 ball and not the any shot, you need to practice reflected ghost ball. Try to aim it before you need it. When you full at the target, and move the have it down, it is easy to make target closer to and farther from the cushion short cushion. The idea is to play the cue small changes, for example to hit an object nose until you get a full hit on the 1 when ball off the side cushion and knock the ball ball that is farther from the pocket. aiming at the reflected target. Is the target toward your pocket. The delicious secret to In a future column, I'll cover more shots at the ideal mirror position? Does it work playing this shot is that on many tables, the based on the mirror idea and the required for different approach angles for the cue pocket iron provides a reflected target that corrections. If you have a favorite shot or ball? I'm not going to answer these ques- will land the cue ball on the first ball-width system that is similarly based, please send tions for you; you have to see how the sys- of the flat part of the end cushion. By this, it in. My e-mail address is on the SFBA tem works on your table and for your I mean that the cue ball, when it hits the end Web site, or you can send it addressed to stroke. Maybe you will need to figure out a cushion, will have its edge near the pocket me in care of this magazine.

34 BD • MAY 2004 Bob Jewett More Aiming Systems Here's how to separate the bogus from the brilliant.

In this column in June of 2000, I looked tions I've seen on aiming is a book called ward, the ferrule would just graze the edge at the defects of some common aiming sys- "The Secret of Aiming," self-published by of the object ball, as shown in Diagram 1. tems, Since then, quite a lot of new mater- Randy Lee Kukla (P.O. Box 108, A last target is added by having the ferrule ial has come into circulation, so it's time to Essexville, MI 48732). The main point is miss the cue ball by "a little bit." The revisit the topic. It's one of the most com- to give the shooter specific targets to aim angles not yet covered on the face of the mon items discussed in the various Internet at. Half-ball is an obvious one. A little cue ball are filled in by adding other "little forums, since every beginner wants a way more nebulous is the point where the base bits" to the previous aiming targets. to know where to point the As a practicing geometer, cue stick. I'm not entirely comfort- There are a lot of bogus able with these construc- ideas being passed off as aim- tions, but I can see how the ing systems. It's clear that the non-geometers among us proponents of such methods might take to them. and the students who seem to Personally, I'd like to see a find them useful are not capa- table of targets and angles. ble of the basic geometry that Kukla does provide a table reveals the flaws. You might of ball positions and the say, "If it helps them, why appropriate target to use. point out that their beliefs are blasphe- Kukla mostly leaves uncovered cut my, geometrically speaking?" There is angles that require the stick to be the additional danger that, as with many pointed outside the object ball. He beliefs, if the believer thinks you're a does offer the thin-cut system shown non-believer, you may get a violent in Diagram 2. His description may be reaction for your meddling. the first appearance in print of this While some system-promoters tout system, although it was independent- falsehoods, others have the irritating ly discovered and discussed on the habit of ignoring systems that are Internet discussion forum already in circulation. In the new litera- news:rec.sport.billiard, and I dis- ture I surveyed, two different authors cussed it here briefly in November described as "new" a system that was 1999. published more than 25 years ago and may of the ball joins its shadow. I suppose: you In the diagram, you have a thin cut shot well be much older than that. It's hard to need to practice this with a certain intensi- on the ball, and the shot is shown from the believe an author who can't do basic ty of light on the table. tip's-eye view. Note the contact point. If homework. (I hope you are already thoroughly famil- you are trying the shot, use the 1 ball, and On the other hand, I think any system, iar with the fractional ball description of turn the numeral so it is vertical and at the method or technique that puts aiming into the fullness of hits/cuts, such as "half- contact point. If you imagine the cue ball some kind of framework and provides a ball." If not, see any of many and the object ball as two way to categorize shots is useful, because pool and billiard books that equal circles or discs, and it allows you to more easily relate the cur- cover it, or see page 20 of the act of shooting as pro- rent shot to shots you've taken before. the Basic Clinics Handout jecting the cue ball's circle Most beginners just bang balls around on the Web site www.sfbil- onto that of the object ball, without the benefit of a method that would liards.com.) there will be a lens-shaped allow such connections to be built up. With the full, half-full and overlap that is thinner So, if you are going to try to adopt a sug- three-quarters-full aiming according to the thinness of gestion for improving your aim, first mea- points established, four the cut. sure its bogosity by looking at the geome- more are set by spots The amazing result is that try involved. If it passes, remember that halfway between those. So the contact point is at the you have to practice with it for a long time far, all of the aiming points center of this lens-shaped and under many conditions before you can are within the span of the area. Another way to say really rely on it. Further, you have to be cue ball. Two more are the same thing is that if prepared to be flexible; if, on a particular added by imagining where from your aiming position, day or table, the system has you driving the side of the ferrule is pointed and mak- you see the edge of the object ball sticking balls into rails rather than pockets, you will ing the projected ferrule just touch the out- out to the side of the contact point by a lit- have to modify the system or abandon it. side of the object ball. That is, if the cue tle bit, you have to aim so the edge of the One of the most interesting new publica- ball vanished as you stroked straight for- cue ball is going that same little bit to the

32 | BD-JUNE 2004 Bob Jewett

other side of the contact point. Frankly, I thought such "lights on the windows that are bright during the day. This thin overlap aiming system is geo- balls" systems were totally useless until You may have a beer sign or some such metrically equivalent to the ghost ball sys- Ron forced me to really think about the available — the light over an adjoining tem, which is the golden standard for sys- geometry. A warning: The reflections are table may be too low. Standing by a pock- tems, if you include the effects of throw. In not useful on all shots. et, line up the object ball and the cue ball theory, it works even for full hits, Here is a simple example of how to use so they are straight towards the light, as but usually it's harder to aim with the reflections of a light to help you find shown in Diagram 4. the edge of the cue ball when it is the centers of the object and cue balls. Now, when you are down on the shot, the lined up so far from the contact pocket, the object ball, the cue point. ball, your stick, and the light Another new vision of how to should all be in a straight line. You aim has been developed by Ron should be able to see the reflection Vitello of New York. I had the of the light on both the cue ball pleasure of discussing his methods and object ball. Because of the with him for most of a day when I symmetry of the situation, the visited Santa Barbara, Calif., spots will be very accurately in the where he was giving a clinic. He centers of the balls, and any mis- has developed a workbook pro- alignment, especially of the stick fusely illustrated with pictures of on the cue ball, will be immediate- shot alignments. Diagram 3 is an ly apparent. example. This shows another way Vitello hasn't published his to use the ferrule to aim. In this workbook, since it is intended case, the projection of the stick only to be used in a hands-on clin- forward, which is what the picture ic, but you can contact him at shows, has the side of the ferrule again This is especially useful for players with [email protected]. Finally, a new book touching the edge of the object ball, but vision problems who cannot accurately see by Gerry Kanov and Shari Stauch, "Pool now the ferrule is inside the object ball. where the center of the cue ball is. Yes, Player's Edge," has a fairly detailed section Note also that the picture shows reflec- there are a lot of such players, and a symp- on various things you can fiddle with to tions of lights visible on the object ball. tom of their malady is frequent unintended improve your aiming. I especially like their Vitello goes over situations in which those sidespin. final item for players with a lot of experi- reflections — whether on the cue ball or Find an elevated light easily visible from ence, which is to give up systems and rely object ball — can be used for alignment. the table. Where I play, there are some tall on your feel for angles.

BD-JUNE 2004 3 3 Bob Jewett Long Kicks All you'll need for this handy system is a bar stool.

In my May column, I covered some tech- you continue with the rest of this column. Probably not, because there is one other niques for aiming short kick shots, where Unless you have an amazing stroke and a factor, and that's the cushion rubbing side the object ball must be struck after the cue strange table, the system did not work for spin onto the ball. This will tend to make ball goes to a cushion, but the distance is most of your shots. For the angle shown, at the cue ball "go short" and hit at point B. short and the shot is fairly easy. The two slow speed, follow will bend the cue ball So, we need to apply a final correction, and main points to recall are that the mirror- after it leaves the cushion and it will hit at that's to put just enough running English on system target is reflected at the rail groove A. Shoot harder or with draw, and the cue the ball so that it rolls on the cushion rather and that for shallow shots with follow, the ball ends at B. You probably found that than rub in either direction. How much side ball lengthens by about 30 percent regard- when the cue ball was near the head cush- spin? That's for you to determine with less of any running or reverse side spin. ion, the system worked tolerably well, but practice, although Shepard has worked out This time the shots are tougher — or at up there it is easy enough to just guesstimate a formula for it. Fortunately, if you have the least longer. the angle. bar stool set up with your target, you don't Shown in the right half of Diagram 1 is The problem is that the rail is not a mir- have to count diamonds with each cue ball an ideal case where the object ball is hang- ror. To solve the problem, let's see what it position. Just pick a spot for the cue ball, ing in the jaws of a pocket. and aim at the mirrored All you have to do is find target. In theory, you where on the cushion to hit, should be able to play the and the shot is easy. If the shot at any speed and get cushion works like a mirror a perfect reflection with — the angle of incidence is this method, once you get equal to the angle of reflec- the spin perfected. tion — the following sys- In the left half of tem gives the perfect Diagram 1 are two shorter answer. kicks using the same cue Also shown are two props ball but a different object to help you calculate the ball (OB2). For each of angle. Place a "mirroring the two cushions that ball" in the jaws of the might be used, the mirror- opposite corner pocket. In ing ball and the mirrored general, it needs to be target are shown. See if touching the cushion the you can get a full hit from cue ball will bank from, each rail. and as close to the target In Diagram 2 is an ball as possible. extension to a two-cush- (Technically, if you drop a ion kick. Again, we're perpendicular from the object ball to the takes to make it work like going to assume that the mirroring cushion, the mirroring ball will one. This "make it like a rails are perfect and see be at the base of that perpendicular. Note mirror" system is based on a where it leads us. The that for the example shown, the ball is suggestion by Ron Shepard. \ «2| problem is to play the cue placed where it would touch the side cush- The first thing to note is that ball off the end and side ion if the cushion were longer.) any follow or draw on the cue rails to get to the object Now, you will need a bar stool and one of ball when it hits the cushion will ball. To construct the mir- the round paper targets you prepared in make it curve as it leaves the cush- rored target, place the May. If you've lost the targets, use a soda ion. This bending is easy to see on mirroring ball in the cor- pop can or an object ball, but those are less new cloth (or with a waxed cue ball), ner where the two banking cushions meet, likely to stay on the bar stool. Place the because the slippery cloth lets the action and then place the target on the straight line mirrored target so it is exactly in line with take longer in time and over a longer dis- that goes out from the object ball through the other two balls and so the two distances tance. So, shoot the equivalent of a stop the mirroring ball. Make sure that the two are equal, ball-to-ball-to-ball. shot at the cushion. To see what angle this distances are again equal. Now, no matter where the cue ball is, if gets us to, move the cue ball close to the This time, you should use a paper rein- you are going to bank off the side cushion rail and hit the ball right in the center. You forcement to mark the position of the object to sink the object ball, the mirrored target could shoot from farther back, but then you ball, so you don't have to remeasure for the ball gives you the exact target — if the mir- would have to judge how much draw to use mirrored target each time. ror system works for kicks. Try it from var- to have no spin at the rail. Can you find a stroke that's most consis- ious angles and at various speeds before Does angle in now equal angle out? tent over a wide range of angles? Trying to

32 BD-JULY 2004 Bob Jewett

apply the idea of "stun shot, roll on the ly far away, but 20 feet beyond the table seems never to come over parallel to the nose" from above is not practical, since we should do. Just shoot to the target with the original line. I guess it's an optical illusion are unlikely to get the perfect spin on both spin you have found that works. Do you see for me, but I tend to turn the stick toward cushions. I think you'll find that for many from the diagram why that target will give the corner. A second way is to find a rela- cue ball positions, tively near target along the "far follow and running target" line, and then take a new side give fairly con- target the same distance to the side sistent results. The as the cue ball is from the mid- spin will tend to point ball. For example, in make the cue ball hit Diagram 2, the cue ball line is near A on the second about a foot to the left of the mid- cushion, but the point ball. Find your "not so far" same spin will bring target, say the left side of A near- the cue ball out to by table. Now take a point, per- the object ball. haps in the air, a foot to the left Perhaps better is to of that target. A line from have the cue ball the cue ball to that arrive at the cushion new "offset" with no follow or target will draw, but plenty of be in the side. See what works correct best for you on your direction. table. If you're Also illustrated is a system that gives the you close to the same aiming line? Do you having trou- same aiming line but doesn't require a bar see why a target too near will give the ble kicking stool next to the table. To go two cushions wrong line? out of out of the corner to the object ball, first find There are two ways to compensate for not safeties, try these systems. Of course there a point that is half-way between the balls. playing in a large enough room to make the are lots of others, and there are many ways I've marked that with the "mid-point" ball. angle right. First, you can find the line from to calculate the ideal reflecting line, but Now sight from that point through the mid- the mid-point ball to the corner and then these are easy to use and experiment with dle of the pocket in that corner to a distant just shoot parallel to that line. I have a lot of and perfect once you have your mirrored target. Ideally, the target should be infinite- trouble with this method because my stick target set up.

BD-JULY 2004 33 Bob Jewett Shortening Banks Bob Jewett wipes the egg off his face.

In my July 2003 column, I covered sever- and the location of its ends were marked on ion is so the banking ball will be free from al loose ends and indicted some common the cloth. Then the three balls were placed the ball that hits it in the combination, and myths. I proposed some experiments for against the beam and moved up to another there can be no "funny business" while the you to try if you happened to still believe in mark on the cloth which set the amount of ball is actually on the cushion. any of the myths. This month I'll report on travel of the banking ball to the cushion. Similarly, the bank angle is less than 45 my own results from one of those experi- The balls were separated from each other degrees because that's the angle at which ments — results that were surprising. by a small amount to prevent the possibili- you start to risk a double kiss for a combi- The trek from my comfortable armchair ty of any funny interaction as you some- nation frozen on the rail. (In a recent col- to a table was precipitated by the rather times see among clusters of frozen balls. umn, Willie Jopling showed how not to kiss prominent repetition of the myth in ques- The beam was removed, and a cue ball was for a 60-degree angle in a proposition tion right here in frozen combo bank these pages. As Click shot, but the cue and Clack, the Tappet ball is not shot brothers would say, I along the line of the hope to distance combo.) The object myself from that arti- ball will sink into cle. the cushion for fast So, the question to shots and tend to be answered is: Does avoid the kiss, but more speed on a bank for softer shots, you shot shorten it, and if don't have as much so, under what condi- margin on the kiss, tions? (Remember so keep the angle that a ball is said to under 45 degrees. bounce "shorter" off Once I had mea- a cushion if it comes sured for fast and straighter off the slow shots with long cushion and "longer" and short distances if it goes more paral- to the rail, I waxed lel to the cushion.) the banking ball and The previous experiments that I had done shot directly into the combo with no spin. remeasured the angles. This is like playing were fairly rudimentary, and since there For the position shown, I measured the on new cloth without the cost of actually seemed to be knowledgeable players landing spot on the second cushion of the changing the cloth. The wax makes the weighing in on the side of the myth, I felt banked ball for two speeds: soft, which is ball-cloth friction lower. that more care and completeness was called just hard enough to bank off the second Once I had measured all eight cases on for. Many casual experimenters — some- rail; and hard, with speed at the high end of the pool table, I tried the same experiment times including me —• will take a couple of normal bank shots — maybe 12 MPH. To on a five-by-10-foot carom table and then quick shots and be satisfied with the measure the landing spot, I placed another on a six-by-12-foot snooker table, giving hypothesis. Not this time. object ball at the expected arrival point, and 24 cases in all. The main problem with testing bank shots repeated the shot until the banked ball con- The pool table was a Gold Crown III with is the difficulty of repeating the shot with sistently arrived for a full hit on the extra moderately worn Simonis 860 cloth on sufficient accuracy so that you vary only ball. From the distances on the table, it's a cushions that had been recently replaced. I the parts of the shot you want to vary. If you simple matter of trigonometry to figure out think it's fair to say this is representative of just shoot a bank shot in a couple of differ- the angles into and out of the first rail. the better tables most players will ent ways, it is too easy to subconsciously Once I had measured the angles with the encounter. Shown in Diagram 2A are the add a little English or take off a little speed balls starting back some distance from the results for a normal ball compared with the or change the cut a little to get the result cushion, I moved them up near the cushion ideal perfect reflection angle of 39.4 you expect. but not quite touching it, and measured the degrees. The five arrows coming out from The typical setup is shown in Diagram 1. angles again for hard- and soft-speed shots. the cushion are the ideal angle and the four A line of three object balls is set up along Balls for this part of the experiment need to cases of near/far fast/slow. Diagram 2B the bank angle to be tested. For this experi- be fairly close to the cushion, because any shows waxed-ball results. ment, that angle was about 40 degrees from follow the ball picks up on its travel to the For each of the two kinds of balls (waxed the cushion. To make sure that the balls rail may have some influence on the angle and unwaxed) only one of the angles really were aligned the same way each time, an off the cushion. The reason to leave a small stands out. That is the soft shot from a dis- aluminum L-beam was placed on the table, gap between the banking ball and the cush- tance. It is about 14 degrees "longer" (more

32 BD-AUGUST 2004 Bob Jewett

along the rail) than the other bank angles much lengthening as on the other for the normal ball and about 15 degrees tables, but for the close ball, shooting longer for the waxed ball. softly shortened the shot by 3 to 4 There is only a small separation degrees. This is directly contrary to the between the three other bank angles myth, and is a very significant change (slow and near, fast and near, fast and in angle, amounting to nearly three ball far) for both the waxed and normal balls. diameters in where the ball lands on the In fact, in Diagram 2, it's hard to tell second cushion for this angle and table. them apart. The conclusion is that the One explanation for this large change bank angle is nearly constant except if with speed on the snooker table is that the ball is allowed to acquire roll before the L-profile cushion is thinner than the it gets to the cushion. Looking more K66 profile on the pool table. If the closely at the results, it turns out that for rubber is compressed so far on a hard the unwaxed ball starting close to the shot that it loses its rebound, the speed cushion, the hard shot banks 0.9 degrees coming off the cushion will be reduced, shorter than the soft shot. That's about an while the speed along the cushion will not inch difference in the distance across the change as much. This will lead to a longer table. However, for the waxed balls, the angle off the rail. Of course, until more harder shot actually banked longer by 0.3 exact measurements are made, perhaps degrees, exactly contrary to the myth. In with high-speed cameras and accelerome- Diagram 3, I've put together a table show- ters, this explanation is just speculation. ing the numerical results. The shots that are My conclusion from this experiment is represented by larger angles are "shorter," that on bank shots, speed changes the angle smaller number mean "longer" rebound mostly by changing how much follow is put angles. on the banking ball — if the ball is sliding On the carom table, the results were sim- degrees you pick up from letting the ball into the cushion, speed changes the angle ilar with the three angles clustered close roll with follow into the cushion. only slightly. Furthermore, with new (or together, but for both the normal and waxed The largest surprise for me was what hap- maybe slippery) cloth, you might see the balls near the cushion, the hard shot banked pened on the snooker table. This was a opposite effect, in which a harder bank shot about 2 degrees shorter than the soft shot. British-style six-by-12-foot table by BCE, actually goes longer than a soft shot. With While this is in the direction of the myth, it with napped cloth and L-profile cushions. L-profile rubber, the lengthening of hard is a very small effect compared to the 15 Follow on the banking ball caused about as shots is very significant.

BD-AUGUST 2004 33 Bob Jewett Short Banks Sink 'em with this target-point system.

In my last article, I showed some results it straight back along the centerline. This is a single target point for all cross-side from an experiment that studied how speed means that if the magic point exists, it is on banks. causes banked balls to go "shorter," or more the centerline. Now you only have to find If you are familiar with "spot on the wall" perpendicular to the cushion they strike. A the aiming line for one shot, for example A, systems, this is similar. The big difference major point to note from the measurements to find the target point for all the cross-side is that the spot for this system is at a pre- is that the banking angle for a ball without banks. cise, fixed location close to the table. I've spin was nearly independent of speed. This When shooting the shots, it's important to seen an instructor try to use a spot on the suggests the following system. remember that the object ball must be slid- wall for this kind of bank that was 10 feet In the ideal mirror banking system, one of ing when it hits the cushion. If the ball back from the table. While that might work the very useful and amaz- for a couple of shots that ing features is that the are close to the correct reflected pocket is always line to that far point, it is in the same place. If you guaranteed to fail for have set up a marker at that most cross-side banks. place — which is out in The main point to learn space — you are not here is that not all system required to count diamonds concepts apply to all situ- or construct crossing ations, and a deeper isosceles parallelograms or understanding is often drop mutually orthogonal needed to see the limita- perpendiculars. You just tions and extensions of a shoot toward the target. system or concept. The problem with the Because any system ideal mirror system is that requires practice before it it usually doesn't work. As can be added to your shown by the measure- arsenal, here are some ments last month, the actu- drills. At first, shoot the al angle is usually either shots with the target on a more or less than the ideal bar stool at the correct reflection angle, depending distance for your table on the shot's roll and dis- that you found earlier. For tance from the cushion. a variety of shots close to Now suppose that there is the cushion, like the ones a similar target for banks shown, see how many for sliding balls. If such a you can make in a row, target existed, it would have all the benefits starts very close to the cushion, the speed is starting close to the side pocket. As we will of the mirror target with the added big not important, but if the ball starts farther see below, you need to be very careful advantage of working for a large class of away from the cushion, say two diamonds, about keeping sidespin off the cue ball, hit- shots. Where might such a target be? How you have to use enough speed to make sure ting straight along the aiming line, and could we find it? that the ball doesn't pick up much follow making sure that the object ball is sliding In Diagram 1 is an outline of how to find before it hits the rail. when it hits the cushion. the target, if it exists. Shown are three shots If you do use the fast one-shot method of Next, try banking without the target pre- — A, B and C — all to the side pocket. The finding the target point, it's important to sent. You can find the line by using your aiming lines are extended off the table, and test the point with the other shots. Note that cue stick. For my stick, if I place the tip they are shown all meeting in a point, more the bank shots from the other half of the against the side-pocket iron pointed straight or less. This suggests a way of finding that table, such as AA, have the same target at the side pocket I'm banking to, the butt- point: just shoot bank shots from these point. Everything is nicely symmetrical. side of the joint is exactly the right distance locations until you find the correct aiming The target point can be given by a single out in space. Looking back at the cue and line for each starting position. Then draw distance: how far the target is from the nose object ball, I can get a feeling for the line of the lines, maybe by placing cue sticks on of the banking cushion, shown as X in the bank. bar stools, and see where they intersect. Diagram 1. On the two 4.5- by 9-foot tables In Diagram 2 are some extensions of the There is a faster way if you use a trick. I tested, that distance is close to 35.5 inch- system. You will still need the target on the Imagine that the side pocket P is not there es. This is just a little less than three dia- bar stool for the setups. In Shot 1, the idea on the first rail, so that if the object ball monds and close to 70 percent of the width is that the angle is off for the simple bank, were on the centerline C/L, you would bank of the table. And on the tested tables, there and you need to do something special to

32 BD-SEPTEMBER 2004 Bob Jewett

move the angle back to the side pocket. As used donut-shaped reinforcements before, A final extension is Shot 4 to pocket R. I shown, the normal angle would go wide of this will be easy. Shoot from B directly at didn't have particularly good luck with this the side pocket, and just cutting the ball to the front object ball. Where does the second one, probably because the shot is much the right is dangerous because of the kiss. A ball bank to? Try the same shot from C. harder, but a first guess for the location of little "hold up" English, in this case left, What I think you will observe is that a shot the target is 70 percent of the length of the will change the angle back in two ways. from B will bank short (landing on your table away and along the line of the side First, throw will move the object ball to the side of the side pocket), while a shot from cushion. right, but more signifi- This system is so simple cantly, the spin transferred and so much more accu- to the object ball will take rate than the standard mir- on the cushion and bring ror system that I would be the ball off straighter. surprised if it hadn't been Try Shot 1 with the discovered before, so I angle set up wrong in both will hold off on claiming directions, and see how its invention. much you can correct the On another note of dis- angle with sidespin. covery, it turns out that the Alternatively, place the "lens-shaped overlap" two balls lined up straight aiming system that I cred- toward the target, and see ited to Randy Kukla in my how far to either side of June column had been pre- the pocket you can take viously described in these the object ball but still very pages by Robert have a full hit on it. Byrne in December 1989, Another kind of throw at which time he gave on bank shots is shown in credit to Paul Hahn, who Shot 2. First, set up the two object balls C will bank long. I think you'll be surprised had sent it to him. That column is available straight toward the target, and place the cue by the size of the effect. in Byrne's "Wonderful World of Pool and ball at A, also on that line. Hit the shot In Shot 3 is an extension of the system for Billiards." My oversight would have been straight-on and firmly to make sure the cross-corner shots. Do you see immediate- less embarrassing if I hadn't chided aim- bank goes into the side. Now set the balls ly where the target should be to get to pock- ing-system authors for not doing their up again in precisely the same spots. If you et P? homework.

BD-SEPTEMBER 2004 33 Bob Jewett Useful Strokes Add these to your arsenal.

How many different shots do you have no attraction whatever; but while this attention and get their money. A good idea know? Technically, even a simple straight- is perfectly true I can say unhesitatingly still. in shot has an infinite number of variations that in all my long experience I have never Diagram 1 is from his book, and shows if you include speed and spin, but psycho- met a solitary player who was not always one of his shots that you may have seen logically I think the number is much small- deeply enough interested in having any before. In the game Ritchie is describing, er. It seems to be a natural human tenden- specially useful stroke explained to him. It it's good to scratch, so the not-so-obvious cy to categorize similar things and put has occurred to me, therefore, that a col- play is to hit the black ball full, which them into pigeonholes. When I was clears out the other ball, and allows starting to learn to play, I had names the cue ball to follow forward into for shots like "a little off straight in" the pocket. Such clearance shots are and "a little backwards cut" and standard these days for trick-shot "real thin near the pocket" and shooters, and can be useful at 9-ball "pretty close to a spot shot." — imagine the 9 is by the side Putting shots into named groups pocket — or for safety play — helps the player to recognize the imagine that the cue ball will follow shots when they come up and to through to a spot where your oppo- remember how to play them. At nent will be very uncomfortable. first, you may have only a few (A brief aside: You may have "plays," but with more experience noticed that Ritchie's balls are too you might add such techniques as big to fit into the corner pockets. "thud the cue ball sideways," "run The pockets are drawn the correct around the corner with spin and fol- size for a 6-by-12 table, but the balls low," "slow kill on the rail," "soft have been magnified to allow the draw for no scratch," and "impossi- reader to better see how full the shot ble cut." is and what side spin is used. A Authors often mirror this natural much better way to do this is seen in learning method by giving us lists of Eddie Robin's books, where a mag- shots we should know. The most nified inset shows tip placement, recent is Robert Byrne's "Complete elevation and fullness of hit.) Book of Pool Shots," with 350 In the case of this clearance shot, items. Twenty-seven years ago, Ray the problem during play is often just Martin wrote "The 99 Critical Shots to recognize the possibility to play in Pool," and 63 years ago Willie it. If you have "two ball clearance Hoppe gave us "Billiards As It with a full hit and follow" in your Should Be Played," which included repertoire, maybe you'll remember several dozen "key shots," as Hoppe it the next time it comes up before called them, as easy examples of you settle for something worse. Or, classes of shots to try. Some authors that notion might even trigger an go on to link multiple "plays" extension with the cue ball follow- together to solve whole-table prob- ing at a slight angle and with spin to lems (like the new "Run This Rack" come off the cushion to a really feature on page 22), but for now nasty safety position. let's just consider individual shots. Not all of Ritchie's shots are so A century ago, prolific British bil- useful. In his day, it was OK to jump liard author Wallace Ritchie wrote a over a ball by scooping under the book called "Useful Strokes for cue ball. He recommends against Billiard Players." He thought that 50 the standard suggestion of that time shots would be sufficient for the purpose of lection of such useful strokes, with a clear to elevate the butt and "aim at the cloth an instructing most players. In his introduc- though by no means deeply theoretical inch in front of the ball," and instead pro- tion, after lamenting that only 1 percent of description of how they are to be made, poses to lay the stick flat on the table and the players of his time had ever read a book will be welcomed by a very large propor- just slide it along under the cue ball. Well, on billiards, he stated his hope for his list tion of those hundreds of thousands of maybe the shot is useful. Suppose you of shots: players who do not appreciate the study of need to play safe at one-pocket and the "For the remaining 99 per cent, theoreti- the more intricate treatises on the game." only shot available is to jump softly to cal dissertations on their favourite pastime Keep it short, keep it simple, keep their pocket a hanger in your opponent's pocket.

3 4 B D • OCTOBER 2004 Bob Jewett

Is there any rule to keep you from using Diagram 2. the ghost ball (cue ball at instant of con- Ritchie's method, given that you are ready Look at the shot along the path of the tact). The cue ball starts out from some dis- to take a foul for strategic purposes? object ball, for example to the pocket, tance "X" to one side of that line. It will Should there be such a rule? directly in the line of the object ball and draw back somewhere to the other side of One piece of his advice I do object to is that line. The splendidly simple system is his bogus recommendation, still parroted that it will come back twice as far to the by modern authors who should know bet- other side of that line, shown as "2X" in ter, to pocket an object ball frozen on the the diagram. For nearly full shots, this cushion by hitting the ball and cushion means that the angle the cue ball is deflect- simultaneously. If that idea is in your own ed to the side from its original path is three personal list of shots, erase it immediately! times the cut angle of the object ball, and A very useful shot — sometimes I over- sometimes angles are easier to think about look it myself — is the kiss-back. When than distances. But this "X/2X" system the object ball is on the cushion, can you works for all fullnesses of hit, provided control where the cue ball will kiss to if that you have lively draw on the cue ball. If you hit it full enough for a double kiss? you only have middling draw for the speed Ritchie shows several variations, including of the shot, the number 2 is bigger. How straight back, nearly straight back, and 45- much bigger is up to your stroke. degree angles. I think this shot is worth ten Is this universal system better than know- minutes of your next practice session. See ing three — or four or six — different draw if side spin changes the result. shots? Being a geometrical sort of person, For draw shots, he shows about three I think it is. For Richie's hypothetical kinds: right-angle draw for a half-ball hit, antitheoretical player, who may be straight back draw for a completely full hit, repulsed by even the simplest analysis, and something in between. I suppose you maybe it isn't. Which way of organizing don't want to clutter up a beginner's brain your shot concepts do you prefer? with complications, or as Ritchie might put If you like to think in systems rather than it "theoretical dissertations," but there is a unique shots, go back to your double-kiss- general system to find the cue ball angle back practice and see if you can come up for draw shots, and once the system is with some sort of rule that governs a wide understood, all draw shots fit into a single range of angles. If you do, let me know and category. That system is shown in I'll present it in a future column.

B D • OCTOBER 2004 35 Bob Jewett Stroke Straightening Would it do you good to iron out your swing?

Is it good to have a straight stroke? By the number in the stripe, turn that toward video.) The eye picks up small side-to-side "straight," I mean that the back of the stick you so that your tip is centered on the eye. movements fairly easily in this setup. Or may go up and down some, but there is no Instead of watching the ball or the far you could use lined note paper — lots of movement side-to-side. cushion when you shoot, try watching your lines parallel to the direction you want the There are lots of great players to point out ferrule. Does it come straight back and fol- stick to move. as contrary examples. Old-time carom low straight through? To help with this, you If you set up a shot so that the stick pass- players were particularly flamboyant. can use self-stick paper hole reinforce- es over the rail and your hand almost reach- Willie Hoppe had a side-arm stroke from ments. Place one for the ball to start in, and es the rail at the end of the follow-through, learning to play when small, and Bill place a second straight up the table at the you can put a piece of chalk on the cushion Hawkins, who held the U.S. high-run length of your normal follow-through. If on each side of the stick with just a little record for years, swerved to the outside on your stroke is straight, the tip should end clearance at the end of the stroke. If the every side-spin shot. centered on the farther white donut. chalk moves, your stroke is crooked. Out in But if you look at most of today's top If you can make the ball return to your tip the open table, tubes on end — empty toi- players at carom, pool, and espe- let paper rolls? — could define cially snooker, you will see sticks limits for your stroke. confined to a very narrow, vertical I think the stroke drills that plane during the final forward allow you to actually shoot a stroke. shot and make a ball are the How is your stroke? It is not so most useful. Being able to easy for a player to tell on his own. stroke the stick in a perfectly For many years, I had a very pro- straight line on your dining nounced and unintended left-to- room table does you little right swerve in my stroke. I sus- good if your arm (like mine) pect it developed because I had my takes over control when it's dominant eye in the wrong place, time to put a real ball in a real so I simply did not see the center pocket for glory and honor of the ball correctly — by up to a and maybe a little real cash. I whole tip. Through long hours of think your practice has to be practice, my arm learned to get the as close as possible to the final tip to the center of the ball when The StrokeTrainer's aim is a perfect pendulum swing. competitive situation for that needed, even though I had no practice to hold up under pres- awareness that my arm had taken over con- for a shot just hard enough to get back (six sure. Which of the above suggestions can trol of the stroke. diamonds up and six diamonds back), be cast into a game-like setting? The most standard practice to test your crank up the speed. Can you make the cue One of the problems with all of the drills stroke is the "over the spots" drill. Place the ball hit the center of the far cushion twice? above is that they don't provide much feed- cue ball on the head spot, and shoot over Can you make it hit the center of the cush- back during the stroke itself. There is a new the foot spot, hoping to return the cue ball ion you are standing by twice? Even as you product on the market called the to your tip. Here are some variations on this increase the speed, monitor the stripe wob- StrokeTrainer, shown in the photo here, that old standby to make it more effective. ble and/or the finish by the donuts. tries to fix this. It has two major parts. A Use a striped ball as the cue ball. Place it Once you are satisfied that you are hitting vertical board is positioned where your grip so that the stripe will roll like a tire with the cue ball in the center even at pretty high hand swings. This gives you immediate colored tread and a white hub. If you put speeds, here is a final test that's deceptive- feedback: Your hand moves away from or any sidespin on the shot, it will be immedi- ly difficult: Play the shot just hard enough runs into the board if your hand wobbles or ately obvious as a wobble in the stripe. Use to get back to your tip, but play it with your swerves side-to-side. The second part con- a dark color, so that you can see where the best (lowest) draw. Do you know why it is sists of two vertical rods which form a nar- tip hit the ball — there will be a small chalk so much harder to get the cue ball to come row goal for your shaft to pass through. spot on the ball. The special cue ball that straight back with this shot? Think on it for This gives you mostly visual feedback on comes with the Elephant Practice Balls set a while. the front end. The construction is quite holds this mark better because it is made There are some other easy drills for stroke solid, which means that it will stay in posi- from a more porous material than high- measuring and straightening. Just practice tion well in spite of your hand bumping quality object balls. (It also has a bull's-eye stroking with the stick up on the rail, align- into it, but repositioning is more effort. for centering.) ing the cue with the line between the rail Note that since the front-end alignment is The stripe also allows you to see whether cloth and the rail cap. (Or, you could draw set by vertical rods, your stroke is allowed your tip is centered on the "cue" ball. If a line on the table or use tape, as Bob Byrne to be like a pendulum rather than like a pis- your set is the kind that has the "eye" for suggests in his "Power Pool Workout" ton. (See my March 2004 column for why

3 4 B D - NOVEMBER 2004 Bob Jewett you might refer to the latter as a "Jones tracks" which allowed the stick to move If any disciples of the New Yankee stroke.") If you really wanted to do the pis- only in a straight line. The construction pre- Workshop are out there, here is my sugges- ton thing, the rods should be replaced by a vented it from being placed on the table. tion for the "stroke forcer" device that I've ring. The idea is interesting, though: Force the envisioned. Make a cue stick with a narrow Is it worth the cost? There have been arm to move with a particular motion, and slot cut through its center over a large part unsolicited testimonials by long-time then when the restriction is removed, the of the middle of the length. This will be crooked-stroke sufferers who swear by its easier with a one-piece, but I suppose it healing powers. It's clear to me that for could work with just a butt on a jointed some players it's a major help. While it's stick. Make a thin plate several inches long simple enough that you could build one that will just fit through the slot and attach yourself, some of us tend to produce no it to a base so it will stand vertically on the more than sawdust when we get near power Do you have a good way table. Slide the slot in the stick down on the tools. I think the best customers for the vertical plate. If you now try stroking, the StrokeTrainer are instructors and pool to develop true cueing? plate will restrict your motion in two ways. halls, where many end-users can effective- First, only straight forward and back will be ly share the cost. Let me know about it allowed, as long as the base doesn't move. As an engineer, it's hard for me not to Second, you cannot twist the stick while make suggestions when I see a new techno- you stroke, or the slot will jam against the toy. While the hand is prevented from mov- so I can blab it to the plate. If anyone does make such a device, ing to one side or the other by the single please let know how it comes out. vertical board, why not have boards on world in a future column. I hear from a correspondent that an even each side? Maybe bumping knuckles or higher-tech tool is in the works. It will keep friction would be a problem, but a light track of your alignment electronically, and glove or padded sides might fix that. I think give audible feedback if you go off-line. the additional restriction might also reduce Providing that the inventor figures out how any tendency toward rotating the stick dur- improved motion will be retained. My to make this work for the majority of shot ing the shot. question about this — Where is a sports situations, while pocketing real balls, I I saw a higher-tech version of the psychologist when you need one? — is think this might be much better than the StrokeTrainer about 10 years ago when I whether forcing perfect motion is a more current tools for stroke straightening. visited Terry Baker, who did some of the effective training method than providing Do you have a good way to develop true technical drawings for Eddie Robin's mistake feedback, as with the cueing? Let me know about it so I can blab instructional books. He had built a "cue on StrokeTrainer. it to the world in a future column.

B D • NOVEMBER 2004 35 Bob Jewett Help With Aiming Some devices of the past still prove useful.

Did you do your homework from last colored alternately red and white in each ilar quality of draw. month? If so, your stroke is perfectly foot. The Colonel was very thorough. You may note that the device is patented, straight now. With that foundation, let's For draw shots, there is a simple calibra- but if you're handy with sheet metal you move on to a few devices that will help you tion for you to do with a half-ball shot that have my permission to make a Pointer, pro- perfect your aiming. might produce a number like 85. With this vided that you send me a copy. Remember Perhaps the most remarkable device ever single number, you can find the draw angle to number both sides so that it will work made to assist in lining up shots is shown in for any fullness you set up simply by run- for both left and right cut shots. Diagram 1. It is the "Pointer" developed ning the cord from P to 85, assuming a sim- Shown in Diagram 2 is a somewhat sim- by Colonel C. M. Western, and is pler device called "The Arrow" described in a 154-page book pub- from "The Straight Pool Bible" by lished in 1911. The list price for this Hall-of-Famer Babe Cranfield with Wonder of Victorian Science was co-author Larry Moy. It looks pretty under two dollars. For any cut shot on simple, especially compared to the table, you set up the "No. 1" arm Western's opus, but Cranfield says, (marked O-R) along the line of the "I seriously considered focusing this path of the object ball and the No. 2. entire book on aiming with the arm (S-A) along the line of the cue Arrow. It can teach new players, and ball. This will make the slider E move remind experienced ones, how to along O-R and indicate how full you aim the cue ball. I have never found need to hit the object ball. Note the a device or system that works better marks along the O-R arm which are for me or my students." labelled in eighths of fullness of hit, I can safely say that Cranfield ran although there are sub-marks down to over 200 balls more times than you 32nds of fullness. Point O is at the and I together will ever run 100, so center of the object ball and P is the you might want to consider his center of the cue ball at impact. In a advice. separate table, Col. Western shows all To use the Arrow, place the forked the cut angles so the student will be part under the object ball so that the aware that a 17/32 hit will give an Arrow points away from the pocket object ball cut angle of 32 and 1/12 (or other target) and the "interior degrees. (Western lists thinness rather point" is right under the edge of the than fullness of hit, which is more object ball. The tip of the Arrow will natural geometrically, but the rest of then be where the base of the cue ball the world does it the other way.) must be when it contacts the object But even more useful is the other ball, and you simply aim at the tip of arm of the Pointer. If you know what the Arrow. Cranfield also shows how sort of draw or follow you are going to use the Arrow to aim dead-ball to have on the cue ball caroms in the book. when it gets to the object The device is remark- ball, the numbers along ably simple, but it gets the the right arm give the job done. I hope you're direction of the cue ball as not put off by the lack of it comes off the object levers, pivots, pulleys and ball after its curve finish- silk cords. If you make es. For example, if you your own, don't bother to have #36 follow on the send me a copy, as I cue ball, which happens already have one. to be normal rolling, the The final device for this cue ball will follow a month is shown in string stretched from Diagram 3. It shows the point P past the number cut angle for a half-ball 36 on the right vertical hit, which is when the arm. Western provided cue stick is directed two 8-foot silk cords for through the center of the this purpose which were cue ball at the edge of the

3 2 BD-DECEMBER 2004 Bob Jewett object ball. It is made from paper or poster- given above or a table of tangents, but there 13.86 inches long. board in two parts: the circle and the trian- is an easier way. Go to the www.google.com Using this aid is as simple as it is single- gle. For the 2.25-inch circle, any drawing search engine on the Internet and type in minded. Place the circle where the ghost ball program should let you print one the right "tan(30 degrees) * 24" as the thing to search will be to pocket the object ball, and make size, or you can print out the example from for, and Google will figure out that you are one side of the triangle point straight the www.sfbilliards.com "miscellaneous trying to do trigonometry and will tell you towards the pocket. The cue ball must be files" page. The triangle is tougher, as you thai the other side of the triangle needs to be along the other side of the triangle, as shown need a little in Diagram 4. Unlike the trigonometry. I first two devices, this have it dimen- works only for one angle, sioned for cutting but I think that angle is out of 8.5-by-ll- important enough to have inch paper. If you its own special tool. use 11 inches as Here are two more exer- one side of the tri- cises. Using the half-ball angle, and the other tool, find out where on side is 6.3508 inch- your table you should es, then the angle place the cue ball to have a will be 30 degrees. half-ball spot shot. A half- I find that this is a ball hit will have about little small for two degrees of "collision- accurate sighting, induced" throw. so you might want On a spot shot, the to make your angle object ball travels 35 indicator out of a inches to the pocket. larger piece of How much error at the paper, say with the pocket will that result longer side 24 in? Hint: ask google inches long. about tan(2 degrees)*35. You could use the Is that much throw sig- same proportions nificant?

B D -DECEMBER 2004 33