How Would You Play This? Kick To Win

[Patrick Johnson]

You have failed to factor in the angle of approach - it DOES make the ball bigger because now, there are two angles that will result in the cueball hitting the correct contact point. Your goal here is not just to make contact but to pocket the ball and get shape.

Well, as I've said, I don't think shape is a big factor here. You have to get within a diamond of the 2 ball on the wrong side for shape to be a problem.

When kicking, your angle of approach is the greatest determinant for difficulty.

I'm not sure what this means, but I strongly disagree with it when your preferred angle of approach makes it necessary to juice up the cue ball.

Fact is, I kinda like your shot and might take it more often than not, but for me it's in the "fun but ill-advised" category. For those who actually think it's the better shot objectively, I suspect it's a combination of fun-but-ill-advised, overrating the shape factor, and misperceiving the "bigger ball" principle.

I could be wrong. I'm told that happened once in the 60s but I don't remember that decade.

pj
chgo

 

[Patrick Johnson]

To put it another way, by taking the angle of approach I suggest, you are utilizing a mirror image that is wider than any other. The two-rail approach virtually has no mirror image since if you contact the rail first, it is unlikely you will then cut the 1-ball in (although it IS possible). Going one rail and using left spin has a similar problem (once again, still possible). Your margin of error is all but limited to a direct hit on the 1-ball.

The problem with this, Jude, is that the mirror image you're relying on doesn't increase the target size from the size of a ball in the middle of the table - because the ball is frozen to the rail. This is true of rail-frozen balls no matter what your angle of approach. In fact, it's inside the pocket a little, which makes the target smaller than a ball in the middle of the table, and this problem increases as your angle of approach gets shallower.

pj
chgo

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

The problem with this, Jude, is that the mirror image you're relying on doesn't increase the target size from the size of a ball in the middle of the table - because the ball is frozen to the rail. This is true of rail-frozen balls no matter what your angle of approach. In fact, it's inside the pocket a little, which makes the target smaller than a ball in the middle of the table, and this problem increases as your angle of approach gets shallower.

pj
chgo

Okay, this is the best I can do right now. I barely have the time and patience to explain this to you since it's so simple to show on a pooltable and yet difficult to convey via a forum.

CueTable Help

Now, as you stated in another thread, a frozen ball is no wider than any other.

HOWEVER, the angle of approach will have an impact here. Let's say you are going to kick at the 9-ball going 1 rail from either contact point A or contact point B. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to ascertain that B is by far an easier shot. The angle of approach is easier to judge AND because it's a small angle, your target represents a greater percentage of the margin of error.


In the original kick-shot pertaining to this thread, you are using a smaller angle where the target represents a larger percentage.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

The angle of approach is easier to judge

I think this potential advantage is overwhelmed by the fact that you have to juice the CB to get that angle.

AND because it's a small angle, your target represents a greater percentage of the margin of error.

This is true (and interesting), but it's not what you said earlier:

by taking the angle of approach I suggest, you are utilizing a mirror image that is wider than any other

Regardless, you've given me some useful insights. Thanks.

pj
chgo

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

I think this potential advantage is overwhelmed by the fact that you have to juice the CB to get that angle.



This is true (and interesting), but it's not what you said earlier:



Regardless, you've given me some useful insights. Thanks.

pj
chgo

Patrick, I don't know what else to say to you about this subjet which is now spanning two threads. You're not "juicing" the cueball. You're just using bottom-right. If you're comfortable doing that, you can execute this shot.

As for "angles of approach", this is the backbone of good kicking.