How to Aim Rail-First Carom and Kiss Shots

dr_dave

dr_dave

Instructional Author
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FYI, I just posted a video that discusses and demonstrates how to accurately aim shallow-angle kick shots and rail-first carom and kiss shots. If you learn and practice the technique and systems in this video, you will be able to execute these types of shots with confidence. Check it out:


Contents:
0:00 - Intro
0:38 - Contact Point Mirror System
2:02 - 30° Rule Peace Sign
3:20 - Intuitive Approach
4:26 - Accurate Approach
5:54 - Estimation Approach
7:11 - Room for Error
8:10 - Speed Effects
8:59 - Angle Adjustments
10:00 - Tangent Line Alternative
11:13 - More Info

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!
 
Good video.

For direct shallow kicks, one method I like to use is to imagine the line from the center OB to the pocket. You can then do a parallel shift of this line to the rail. Try to hit the CB into the rail on this parallel line. It's not as scientific or anything but it becomes deadly accurate if you use this visualization technique and actually practice with it. It's a starting point, is really easy to see, and it becomes easy to adapt depending on the hit/speed/position considerations. It's probably not mathematically correct due to pesky physics and all, but it works very well as a visualization technique.

Basically you're looking at the ideal pocketing line for the ob then striking it in a way that sends the ob on this line.

I can appreciate the mathematical aiming but personally I often find visualizing things like parallel lines, tangents, mirrored angles, etc easier to do. It's also nice to not have to do/show the calculations while in a match. Better to keep them guessing and think you're some kind of natural than let them see how you calculate stuff. We have dogs and you can tell when one of them is thinking about doing something she shouldn't. We always say we can see the wheels turning in her head. I'd rather not let my opponent see any wheels turning in my head. Better they think they are running into a brick wall. 😉

It's not a weakness to be seen calculating things but you never know in this game. It may be a mental boost or something to your opponent, thinking oh, he is a mere mortal like me. I know this is a silly way to think but a lot of this game is played off the table inside each player's head. Poker face and leave them guessing. Even on a miss, if you show no emotion or unbothered that can sometimes be enough for them to second guess or look at what kind of traps you sat up.

At higher levels this is all but a moot point, but you'd be really surprised the kind of self induced mistakes you see at say pool league. If you act unbothered by a miss a decent percentage of players will overthink it and imagine all kind of scenarios. People often shark themselves if you give them no info to work with. 🤷‍♂️

Absolutely great info for training/practice and to figure out how it's calculated but I'd rather be caught dead than to show my cards in a match! 😇
 
boogieman said:
Good video.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

boogieman said:
I can appreciate the mathematical aiming but personally I often find visualizing things like parallel lines, tangents, mirrored angles, etc easier to do. It's also nice to not have to do/show the calculations while in a match.
Click to expand...

The good thing about the systems in this video is there are no “calculations” (no diamond numbers or formulas), only simple and fast measuring and visualization.

I have no problem at all using an obvious system while playing, especially when it helps me win. I don’t really care what the opponent thinks in their chair.
 
Great and informative video. I personally use the mirror system similar to the one presented in the video, but 0.5 ball widths away from the rail, or in other words, where the ball truly hits the rail. I understand the benefit of doing it your way (on the rail instead of 0.5 ball widths away), nicely compensaring for the bend at a relatively large range of speeds and angles for shallow-angle kicks. Obviously you have to be able to adjust properly either way, I just prefer my method since it's more simple and generalizable in a sense, not having a pre-built compensation.

I do the same for all types of one and two-rail kicks, compensating from the mirror point. It builds the expertise for knowing how much to compensate very effectively compared to having different starting points for different types of kicks. Only at 3+ rails I sometimes use different kicking systems.
 
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Oikawa said:
Great and informative video
Click to expand...
Thanks.

Oikawa said:
I personally use the mirror system similar to the one presented in the video, but 0.5 ball widths away from the rail, or in other words, where the ball truly hits the rail. I understand the benefit of doing it your way (on the rail instead of 0.5 ball widths away), nicely compensaring for the bend at a relatively large range of speeds and angles for shallow-angle kicks. Obviously you have to be able to adjust properly either way, I just prefer my method since it's more simple and generalizable in a sense, not having a pre-built compensation..
Click to expand...

The contact point mirror system is very reliable for slow-to-medium speed, shallow-angle kicks, especially when the OB is about a ball off the rail.
 
Oikawa said:
Great and informative video. I personally use the mirror system similar to the one presented in the video, but 0.5 ball widths away from the rail, or in other words, where the ball truly hits the rail. I understand the benefit of doing it your way (on the rail instead of 0.5 ball widths away), nicely compensaring for the bend at a relatively large range of speeds and angles for shallow-angle kicks. Obviously you have to be able to adjust properly either way, I just prefer my method since it's more simple and generalizable in a sense, not having a pre-built compensation.

I do the same for all types of one and two-rail kicks, compensating from the mirror point. It builds the expertise for knowing how much to compensate very effectively compared to having different starting points for different types of kicks. Only at 3+ rails I sometimes use different kicking systems.
Click to expand...
One benefit of using the base line instead of the cushion is you always know the exact path of the ball. It's easier to judge obstructions that way. A player though, should incorporate a variety of aiming references to structure the guesswork.
 
Haven’t watched the video yet, just the contents list. Surprised I don’t recall any instruction re: steering a caromed OB with high or low english (?). When the balls are dirty, you can work miracles.
 
DynoDan said:
Haven’t watched the video yet
Click to expand...

I know a good way to fix that problem. :geek:

DynoDan said:
Surprised I don’t recall any instruction re: steering a caromed OB with high or low english (?). When the balls are dirty, you can work miracles.
Click to expand...

The video in this thread has a specific purpose that does not include this effect; although, that topic is covered in the video below. Even with clean balls, the effect is obvious and useful. But you will need to watch the video to see it for yourself. :geek:

 
dr_dave said:
I know a good way to fix that problem. :geek:



The video in this thread has a specific purpose that does not include this effect; although, that topic is covered in the video below. Even with clean balls, the effect is obvious and useful. But you will need to watch the video to see it for yourself. :geek:

Click to expand...
OK, will do.
 
dr_dave said:
The video in this thread has a specific purpose that does not include this effect; although, that topic is covered in the video below. Even with clean balls, the effect is obvious and useful. But you will need to watch the video to see it for yourself. :geek:

Click to expand...
All the carom-steering OBs start out frozen though. The force-steering segment WAS instructive. Something I’ve always done instinctively, but (upon reflection) never thought much about.
 
dr_dave said:
FYI, I just posted a video that discusses and demonstrates how to accurately aim shallow-angle kick shots and rail-first carom and kiss shots. If you learn and practice the technique and systems in this video, you will be able to execute these types of shots with confidence. Check it out:


Contents:
0:00 - Intro
0:38 - Contact Point Mirror System
2:02 - 30° Rule Peace Sign
3:20 - Intuitive Approach
4:26 - Accurate Approach
5:54 - Estimation Approach
7:11 - Room for Error
8:10 - Speed Effects
8:59 - Angle Adjustments
10:00 - Tangent Line Alternative
11:13 - More Info

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!
Click to expand...
Reminds me to english-steer the CB to avoid a scratch when target-directing a kicked OB. Thanks.
 
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