BUMP

My stomach doesn't feel right. I've gotta go to ....

And to answer the original question in two words: the rack.

freds said:

I surrender to our robot overlords.

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YES!!! Another sheep onboard. Welcome. Step that way to the slaugh... welcome area.

Some buy a new table.

KINGSCOURT905 said:

Fred, none of those — I don't use an aiming system at all, I just try to hit it clean and keep my head still. The reverse DeLuna one I've never even heard of, is that a real thing?

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I surrender to our robot overlords.

Poolmanis said:

When i play tournaments and want test table in warm up I shoot couple times 3 rail "opposite system shot" 3 rails. It is fast way to get read of rails and cloth.
It is close what Filler had, and i am sure he know that too so that shot. Use slightly less english than natural 3 rail kick and faster speed.
Here you can see me test it on last tournament before match. ...

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For those who are wondering what the "opposite" system is, an extensive discussion of it, including corrections for when the balls are not sitting quite right, is in Robert Byrne's "Wonderful World of Pool and Billiards", page 109. He credits it to US 3-cushion champion Ray Kilgore, who gave up the info for the "opposite 3 system" in an interview with Manuel Baukens around 1950. Byrne describes using somewhat less than the "standard" amount of running side spin to make the system work.

"Opposite" 3 means that you do not aim at the third diamond, you aim to contact the cushion as close as possible to the third diamond. That might be shooting towards 2.5, depending on the location of the cue ball.

A version on a pool table that allows you to use your normal amount of side spin is the "Magic Spot" system, which is shown in this video. The spot moves a little according to the cloth and cushions and speed. The great thing about this kind of system is that there is no calculation -- just point and shoot.

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KINGSCOURT905 said:

I came from wood too, though not for 50 years, and that warm feel was the thing I was worried about losing when I tried carbon. Of your three, the Jacoby is the one that felt closest to wood to me — the V4 I hit with had a softer, fuller hit than the Cynergy, which felt a bit firmer and crisper in my hands. I have not hit the SMO, so I can't compare that one fairly. One thing I would add: the tip will change the feel as much as the shaft will. I moved from a super soft to a medium when I switched, and that took a lot of the hollow feeling away for me. If you can, try the Jacoby and the Cynergy back to back on your Schon before you buy — that is what made the choice clear for me, and at around 12.4 the Jacoby felt right.

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The tip does change the feel significantly. Especially with breaking and follow shots.