Was Einstein Right About 6 Million Shots on a Pool Table?

[CJ Wiley]

Einstein said there were over 6 Million possible shots on a pool table, do you believe this is fact, or another example of urban legend?

How many shots do you believe are possible on a pool table and what formula did you use to come up with your estimation?

 

[randyg]

SIX

randyg

 

[slide13]

2. Good ones and bad ones.

In reality it would be tough to figure out. One could argue infinite but I'm guessing the referenced calculations involve taking pocket size into account such that a slight movement of one ball with the same "shot" would still go in. So, with the leeway taken into account and the space on the table divided up I suppose there might be a way to calculate the number of possible shots.

 

[ShootingArts]

a gazillion, to the third power

Einstein said there were over 6 Million possible shots on a pool table, do you believe this is fact, or another example of urban legend?

How many shots do you believe are possible on a pool table and what formula did you use to come up with your estimation?

I figure there are a gazillion to the third power shots on a pool table.

How many angels can fit on the head of a pin?

A mathematical point is infinitely small and in theory the center of the cue ball and object ball can sit on any of those points. Until a tolerance is defined as to what will be considered a different shot then there are an infinite number of shots.

If a tolerance is defined then what constitutes a different shot has to be defined also. Until then we are just talking about those angels on the head of a pin. On the other hand, in honor of Hal Houle I can also say there is only one shot on a pool table!

Hu

 

[CJ Wiley]

Pool has a theme of angles, distances, speeds, spins etc., with a variation .......

There's usually a way to calculate the possible number.

It would be like classical music where there are x number of themes and y number of variations. Pool has a theme of angles, distances, speeds, spins etc., with a variation on each one.

2. Good ones and bad ones.

In reality it would be tough to figure out. One could argue infinite but I'm guessing the referenced calculations involve taking pocket size into account such that a slight movement of one ball with the same "shot" would still go in. So, with the leeway taken into account and the space on the table divided up I suppose there might be a way to calculate the number of possible shots.

 

[CJ Wiley]

the formula for coming up with "a gazillion to the third power" remains unclear.

I would bet my life there's more than one shot on a pool table. ....and the formula for coming up with "a gazillion to the third power" remains unclear - maybe the number is even bigger and more complex.

I figure there are a gazillion to the third power shots on a pool table.

How many angels can fit on the head of a pin?

A mathematical point is infinitely small and in theory the center of the cue ball and object ball can sit on any of those points. Until a tolerance is defined as to what will be considered a different shot then there are an infinite number of shots.

If a tolerance is defined then what constitutes a different shot has to be defined also. Until then we are just talking about those angels on the head of a pin. On the other hand, in honor of Hal Houle I can also say there is only one shot on a pool table!

Hu

 

[poolguppy]

there is no way to calculate such a thing. Im guessing this is based on possible points for the QB and object ball. add another ball that can be used with combo's and glances then 6 million goes up exponentially. Then consider a real in game situation with balls spread throughout the table and bank and kick shots? forgetaboutit. im gonna say the answer is infinity -1

 

[Thomas McKane]

Einstein said there were over 6 Million possible shots on a pool table, do you believe this is fact, or another example of urban legend?

How many shots do you believe are possible on a pool table and what formula did you use to come up with your estimation?

It would depend on the definition of "shot". If it's simply "pocketing a single ball using the appropriate geometrical angle" then a calculation could probably be estimated without a huge amount of effort. If combo's, banks, caroms, english, etc is factored into the definition, it becomes mind bogglingly large rather quick.

 

[vasilios]

What about the hangers or blocking a hole ?
Are they in the mix ?




bill

 

[pt109]

There are far more than 6 million shots on a pool table.
There are not just subtle variations of shots but the physical condition of
your tip, the atmosphere,and the cloth ( chalk flies when you hit a ball).

And also, you are the sum total of your experience....I doubt anyone can
hit two shots alike...even your muscle tone changes.

"You can't step into the same river twice."


...besides, I could give Albert 23 to 4 at one-hole

 

[thepavlos]

Infinite. Not that complicated to think about.

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

Depends. There's the case for infinity on the one hand. On the other hand is soft-break, magic rack, pattern racked 9 Ball, where there are only a couple dozen different shots in a given set. :grin-square:

 

[Ron Swanson]

There are far more than 6 million shots on a pool table.
There are not just subtle variations of shots but the physical condition of
your tip, the atmosphere,and the cloth ( chalk flies when you hit a ball).

And also, you are the sum total of your experience....I doubt anyone can
hit two shots alike...even your muscle tone changes.

"You can't step into the same river twice."


...besides, I could give Albert 23 to 4 at one-hole

A more pertinent question would be, how many dimensions are there on a pool table?

 

[CJ Wiley]

I was more interested in what formula you'd use.

Of course it depends on many factors. A guess was all that was suggested. I doubt if there's a right and wrong answer, was more interested in what formula you'd use.

It would depend on the definition of "shot". If it's simply "pocketing a single ball using the appropriate geometrical angle" then a calculation could probably be estimated without a huge amount of effort. If combo's, banks, caroms, english, etc is factored into the definition, it becomes mind bogglingly large rather quick.

 

[CJ Wiley]

Of course, Bill, they are shots aren't they?

What about the hangers or blocking a hole ?
Are they in the mix ?




bill

 

[pt109]

A more pertinent question would be, how many dimensions are there on a pool table?

There are countless dimensions because our perception is part of the game.
I know what it feels like to start a session and see nothing but troubles...
....the table, the game, and my opponent is an enemy....
I have finished some of those encounters where the game and the table
are my friends....and sometimes the old vice-versa happens.

Most players are whacko....it's just a matter of how much.
When you finally hit 'dead stroke', I call it a sanity window.

 

[ceebee]

Having been an engineer I would say there are lots of shots. Take for for instance, the Spot Shot. As you rotate the cue ball around the object ball on the Spot, every little bit of angle difference requires some adjustment. One thing to remember is this, once you get to the straight in shot line, shots on the other side are just a mirror of what they were.

One could actually calculate the true amount of shots, in that quadrant of shots, but who cares, someone would say... Hey, at each point you have the Follow, the Stop & the Draw, so that makes the total number of shots be tripled. Then you have every shot being thrown one way or another, so that adds to the total as well....

Also every shot can be tried with a myriad of cue ball striking points, so that the cue ball ends up where you want it. Those shots may affect the object ball travel. That will be added to the total too. So get busy & count the shots you want to.

I like good position, so I only have a few selections.

Good Luck to all.

 

[Electech]

1 degree divided by 2 = .5 degree. Infinite divisibility would give you infinite possibilities. Continuing to divide 1 degree by 2 will never equal 0 and is infinite. So are the possibilities of the angle or shots to the angle. That is the formula I would use.


To each his own

 

[Bob Jewett]

Einstein said there were over 6 Million possible shots on a pool table, do you believe this is fact, or another example of urban legend? ...

If it were an urban legend, you would find it on Snopes. (If anyone here doesn't know what Snopes is, they are very naive in the ways of the interwebz.) This rumor has not risen to the level of urban legend -- it has a very minor circulation in a very small part of the population.

So far as I can tell, Einstein never said anything about billiards or pool at any time or in any way. If anyone here can provide a reference that shows otherwise, please speak up. (Your uncle Charlie is not a reference unless he was C. T. R. Wilson)

Further, any actual physicist who was forced to estimate the number of shots on a pool table would come up with a much larger number. Much larger. And that's not even including where you send the cue ball for position.

So, Einstein and the 6 million shots is just something someone says to impress others with something but I'm not sure why. Unless someone can provide a reference, that is.

 

[ceebee]

Depending on the length between the hole & the object ball, plus the variance of the hole's width might rule out the half degree, quarter degree & many more degree percentages on some shots, but some will be added back in, on longer shots, with smaller pocket sizes.

Pool & Snooker isn't an easy game, but the great players make it look easy for the audience.