Rules of Thumb in Pool

Saturated Fats said:

While reading through some older Bob Jewett BD columns, I noticed that Bob uses a number of "rules of thumb". I find them very helpful and decided to gather as many of these together as I could. Below are fifteen rules of thumb that I gathered from various places. The names that I have credited for these represent the first place I saw them - not necessarily an original source. I don't really know the original sources for these.

If not stated clearly, please correct them as you see fit or ask for clarification, if necessary. I hope you find them helpful too. Would you like to add any to the pool of knowledge?

90 Degree Rule – Dave Alciatore
The first and most well-known reference line is the tangent line predicted by the 90 degree rule. For a stun shot (aka a “stop shot at an angle”), where the cue ball is sliding with no top or bottom spin at object-ball impact, the cue ball will head exactly in the tangent line direction, which is perpendicular to the object-ball direction.

Avoiding Double Kisses – Freddie The Beard
When the balls line up on a straight line to the middle of the FACING of the corner pocket (the facing on the long rail), the bank is a dead kiss. It is extremely difficult to beat the kiss when the balls are on a line to the middle of the FACING.
When the balls line up on a straight line to the MIDDLE of the back of the POCKET, there is no kiss.
When the cue ball and an imaginary ball at the contact point for the bank are on a line to the center of the pocket, there is a dead kiss if you use follow with no English.
These kisses are usually easy to evade by using English or draw to send the cue ball on a non-kiss path.
The aim on the object ball must be adjusted to allow for the ball action needed for a non–kiss bank.

Throw When Balls Are Close – Bob Jewett
If the balls are a quarter-inch apart, there is no throw or cut, no matter how you hit them.

6:1 Rolling Cue Ball Ratio – Bob Jewett
The ratio of about 6:1 is a useful rule of thumb when playing soft position. Suppose the object ball is six diamonds from a pocket, and you want the cue ball to follow straightforward not more than about one diamond after the collision. If you just get the object ball to the pocket — six diamonds of travel — the (rolling) cue ball will roll forward about one diamond. Another way to state this is that on a full, soft follow shot, the cue ball will go forward one ball for each diamond the object ball travels. At a later time, Bob gives the ratio as 7:1.

Ball in Hand – Bob Jewett
With ball in hand, you should never place the cue ball for a draw shot.

Two Rail Banking – Bob Jewett
If a ball is sent along roughly a 45-degree angle between the short rail (first) and the long rail (second) it will go close to two rails into the corner.

45 Degree Rule – Dave Alciatore
If the CB rolls into the short rail at roughly a 45-degree angle, it will head fairly close to the center of the table after contacting the long rail.

Importance of Rolling Cue Ball Through the Center of the Table – Danny Basavich
A cue ball rolling through the center of the table for position cannot scratch unless coming directly from the direction of a pocket (or first hitting at least one more rail). Stated differently, unless the cue ball is rolling straight from a pocket, it cannot scratch directly in a pocket after passing through the center of the table.

Banking Frozen Object Balls – Bob Jewett
If the cue ball is straight out from the frozen object ball, the ball has to be at least one diamond up the rail from the target pocket for the bank to be possible using all techniques.

Half Ball Carom (30 Degree Rule) – Dave Alciatore
If the object ball cut angle is anywhere from 15 degrees to 45 degrees, a rolling cue ball is deflected by very near 30 degrees from its original path.

Equal Distance – Bob Jewett
After a half ball hit with a rolling cue ball, the cue ball and object ball will travel a similar distance.

Shortening Banks By Hitting Firm and Full – Bob Jewett
Banks that are dead using a mirror system (for example from diamond 3 to diamond 1.5), can be shortened by hitting full and firmly (for example, diamond 3 to diamond 1). The idea is if you can get the shot to match the mirror system by subtracting 1 from the cue ball's location, the bank is "on" for the system. So, if you subtract 1 from cue ball's 3, you get 2-to-1, which is a standard mirror bank. Therefore it is “on” for a full, firm bank.

Cue Ball Deflection On Nearly Full Shots – Bob Jewett
If you cut the object ball just a little to one side (3/4 ball or fuller), a rolling cue ball will be deflected about three times the angle to the other side. For example, a five degree cut to the left will result in the cue ball being deflected to the right about 15 degrees.

Path of Rolling Cue Ball After Hit – Shawn Putnam
This is a system to predict the direction the cue ball will go on a rather full hit (about ¾ ball or fuller) after rolling into the object ball with follow. To send the cue ball in a particular direction, visualize the spot on the far side of the object ball that points to where you want the cue ball to go and then aim the cue ball to that point on the far side of the object ball.

Sidespin/Squirt Ratio – Bob Jewett
Two tips of English will produce twice the squirt angle of one tip.

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BC21 said:

Too much thinking.

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I wouldn't muddy it up by saying I am "aiming thinner" to account for throw because I'm using inside spin.

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Patrick Johnson said:

It improves your "aiming instinct" to have worked through the details in practice.


I think when most players say "aim thinner" they mean "aim to hit the OB thinner" - it avoids all the qualifications about squirt/swerve/throw details.

pj
chgo

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cue4me said:

Thought this might still be of interest, especially for those relatively new to the site and haven't had the opportunity to see it.

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Saturated Fats said:

While reading through some older Bob Jewett BD columns, I noticed that Bob uses a number of "rules of thumb". I find them very helpful and decided to gather as many of these together as I could. Below are fifteen rules of thumb that I gathered from various places. The names that I have credited for these represent the first place I saw them - not necessarily an original source. I don't really know the original sources for these.

If not stated clearly, please correct them as you see fit or ask for clarification, if necessary. I hope you find them helpful too. Would you like to add any to the pool of knowledge?

90 Degree Rule – Dave Alciatore
The first and most well-known reference line is the tangent line predicted by the 90 degree rule. For a stun shot (aka a “stop shot at an angle”), where the cue ball is sliding with no top or bottom spin at object-ball impact, the cue ball will head exactly in the tangent line direction, which is perpendicular to the object-ball direction.

Avoiding Double Kisses – Freddie The Beard
When the balls line up on a straight line to the middle of the FACING of the corner pocket (the facing on the long rail), the bank is a dead kiss. It is extremely difficult to beat the kiss when the balls are on a line to the middle of the FACING.
When the balls line up on a straight line to the MIDDLE of the back of the POCKET, there is no kiss.
When the cue ball and an imaginary ball at the contact point for the bank are on a line to the center of the pocket, there is a dead kiss if you use follow with no English.
These kisses are usually easy to evade by using English or draw to send the cue ball on a non-kiss path.
The aim on the object ball must be adjusted to allow for the ball action needed for a non–kiss bank.

Throw When Balls Are Close – Bob Jewett
If the balls are a quarter-inch apart, there is no throw or cut, no matter how you hit them.

6:1 Rolling Cue Ball Ratio – Bob Jewett
The ratio of about 6:1 is a useful rule of thumb when playing soft position. Suppose the object ball is six diamonds from a pocket, and you want the cue ball to follow straightforward not more than about one diamond after the collision. If you just get the object ball to the pocket — six diamonds of travel — the (rolling) cue ball will roll forward about one diamond. Another way to state this is that on a full, soft follow shot, the cue ball will go forward one ball for each diamond the object ball travels. At a later time, Bob gives the ratio as 7:1.

Ball in Hand – Bob Jewett
With ball in hand, you should never place the cue ball for a draw shot.

Two Rail Banking – Bob Jewett
If a ball is sent along roughly a 45-degree angle between the short rail (first) and the long rail (second) it will go close to two rails into the corner.

45 Degree Rule – Dave Alciatore
If the CB rolls into the short rail at roughly a 45-degree angle, it will head fairly close to the center of the table after contacting the long rail.

Importance of Rolling Cue Ball Through the Center of the Table – Danny Basavich
A cue ball rolling through the center of the table for position cannot scratch unless coming directly from the direction of a pocket (or first hitting at least one more rail). Stated differently, unless the cue ball is rolling straight from a pocket, it cannot scratch directly in a pocket after passing through the center of the table.

Banking Frozen Object Balls – Bob Jewett
If the cue ball is straight out from the frozen object ball, the ball has to be at least one diamond up the rail from the target pocket for the bank to be possible using all techniques.

Half Ball Carom (30 Degree Rule) – Dave Alciatore
If the object ball cut angle is anywhere from 15 degrees to 45 degrees, a rolling cue ball is deflected by very near 30 degrees from its original path.

Equal Distance – Bob Jewett
After a half ball hit with a rolling cue ball, the cue ball and object ball will travel a similar distance.

Shortening Banks By Hitting Firm and Full – Bob Jewett
Banks that are dead using a mirror system (for example from diamond 3 to diamond 1.5), can be shortened by hitting full and firmly (for example, diamond 3 to diamond 1). The idea is if you can get the shot to match the mirror system by subtracting 1 from the cue ball's location, the bank is "on" for the system. So, if you subtract 1 from cue ball's 3, you get 2-to-1, which is a standard mirror bank. Therefore it is “on” for a full, firm bank.

Cue Ball Deflection On Nearly Full Shots – Bob Jewett
If you cut the object ball just a little to one side (3/4 ball or fuller), a rolling cue ball will be deflected about three times the angle to the other side. For example, a five degree cut to the left will result in the cue ball being deflected to the right about 15 degrees.

Path of Rolling Cue Ball After Hit – Shawn Putnam
This is a system to predict the direction the cue ball will go on a rather full hit (about ¾ ball or fuller) after rolling into the object ball with follow. To send the cue ball in a particular direction, visualize the spot on the far side of the object ball that points to where you want the cue ball to go and then aim the cue ball to that point on the far side of the object ball.

Sidespin/Squirt Ratio – Bob Jewett
Two tips of English will produce twice the squirt angle of one tip.

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ChrisinNC said:

I don’t necessarily agree that you should never set up for a draw a shot when you have a ball in hand. In my opinion in certain situations, it may present the best path for where you need to get the cue ball to go without risking running in to other balls. By being able to place the cue ball as close as you want to the object ball, it should make the draw shot quite easy to control how much you plan to draw it.

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Black-Balled said:

The 3railer can not be made if you start from less than 3 diamonds off the end rail!View attachment 591896

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Black-Balled said:

The 3railer can not be made if you start from less than 3 diamonds off the end rail!View attachment 591896

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Bob Jewett said:

Here you are shooting the cue ball from 3 diamonds from the end rail (2.5 in the corner-5 system) and you can barely get to the corner on 3 rails. This varies by table and if you jack up and use left draw you can go a little past 3.

View attachment 591994

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alphadog said:

Huh ?

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alphadog said:

Thanks I was thinking bank not kick

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easy-e said:

I also assumed bank.

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Antfarm said:

My Rules of Thumb.

1. If you don't make the shot, you don't keep shooting and therefore, no aiming system or knowledge of angles mattered anyway. Make your shots.

2. If you can't play defense, you will never beat good players.

3. When playing defense, the path/position of the cue ball is what you should be focusing on, not the object ball.

4. 75% of the time, you need nothing more than 1 tip of follow, draw or a straight center ball shot. Avoid left and right if you can.

5. If you can't get position off ball in hand, you shouldn't be playing competitively yet. Defense is position.

6. If you don't play the player, you are going to get beat by the player in the long run.

7. If you aren't comfortable with your equipment/environment, it is going to negatively affect your game. The same holds true to your mood.

8. If you suck, ask for help. Practice.

9. If you miss ball in hand on an open shot, you suck. (I have sucked in the past myself)

10. Play the game like it's a game, not life or death. Shake a persons hand after he/she beats you like a good sportsman should.

That's my rule of thumbs that I play by. The actual shooting to me is arbitrary. If I do these rules, I have fun and I enjoy playing. That's what playing pool is all about to me.... having fun and enjoying it because I love the game.

R,

Greg

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