Kicking Systems

LastTwo

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Who here uses systems to kick balls? I use the mirror system for 1 rail kicks. Another "system" which is not really a system, is on some kicks that are hard to visualize where to aim, I get behind the object ball like it's the cueball and aim at the rail as if I were kicking at the cueball. This doesn't work on all angles but for some it does help. The mirror system is quite simple to judge, using your cue as the measuring device. From the rail you are kicking from, put your cuetip all the way up to the OB and put your finger on the cue where the rail is. Keep your finger on that spot and bring your tip back to the rail. From where your finger is, imagine a line from it to the cueball, and where that line crosses the rail is your target. Obviously you have to make minor adjustments, but it puts you in the ballpark. For rail-first shots to pot the ball, I use that same system, but it's called doubling the distance. For those particular shots, I double the distance between the rail and the object ball, and aim the inside edge of the cueball at that line. That puts me on the line to strike the front half of the object ball, sending it in the direction of the pocket. I also like "marking the room" which comes in very handy for 3-rail kicks to a pocket.

I have never learned the diamond system, I think Deadaim made a thread a long time ago on that system. I should go back and read it. Please feel free to share your methods.
 
LastTwo said:
Who here uses systems to kick balls? I use the mirror system for 1 rail kicks. Another "system" which is not really a system, is on some kicks that are hard to visualize where to aim, I get behind the object ball like it's the cueball and aim at the rail as if I were kicking at the cueball. This doesn't work on all angles but for some it does help. The mirror system is quite simple to judge, using your cue as the measuring device. From the rail you are kicking from, put your cuetip all the way up to the OB and put your finger on the cue where the rail is. Keep your finger on that spot and bring your tip back to the rail. From where your finger is, imagine a line from it to the cueball, and where that line crosses the rail is your target. Obviously you have to make minor adjustments, but it puts you in the ballpark. For rail-first shots to pot the ball, I use that same system, but it's called doubling the distance. For those particular shots, I double the distance between the rail and the object ball, and aim the inside edge of the cueball at that line. That puts me on the line to strike the front half of the object ball, sending it in the direction of the pocket. I also like "marking the room" which comes in very handy for 3-rail kicks to a pocket.

I have never learned the diamond system, I think Deadaim made a thread a long time ago on that system. I should go back and read it. Please feel free to share your methods.


Please do not use the word "SYSTEM" on a thread ever again.
They don't work and are only for beginners. Once you hit 10,000 balls or more, it's all done intuitively and by feel. Now, get on that table and hit your 10,000 balls and don't come back here again talking of systems!! :rolleyes: ;) :D
 
drivermaker said:
Please do not use the word "SYSTEM" on a thread ever again.
They don't work and are only for beginners. Once you hit 10,000 balls or more, it's all done intuitively and by feel. Now, get on that table and hit your 10,000 balls and don't come back here again talking of systems!! :rolleyes: ;) :D

DM you said by feel, what omg Nah lol. Cole
 
drivermaker said:
Please do not use the word "SYSTEM" on a thread ever again.
They don't work and are only for beginners. Once you hit 10,000 balls or more, it's all done intuitively and by feel. Now, get on that table and hit your 10,000 balls and don't come back here again talking of systems!! :rolleyes: ;) :D

Damn you are right. I didn't mean kicking systems, I meant feeling up on the table, but not to the point of sexual table harassment. :D
 
I like Danny Basavich's kicking system it's easy and I even seen Alison Fisher do the same thing! Jimmy Reed also has a nice system but it's a little slow for me to use
 
Kicking System = Angle In/Angle Out(Feel+Experience)

Learn it. Love it.
 
I use a few systems but the final touch for the aiming is done by feel. I use the mirror system for 1-rail kicks (described in Winning 1-Pocket, the "mirror" is not on the rail, it's in the rail gutter). For 2-rail kicks I use parallel lines -system and sometimes corner five -system. Also sometimes I use kind of ghost imaging system... don't know the official name for it though.

I've noticed that systems aren't accurate in pool because different tables have different rails. In billiards systems work much better and I use some different systems in billiards.
 
drivermaker said:
Please do not use the word "SYSTEM" on a thread ever again.
They don't work and are only for beginners. Once you hit 10,000 balls or more, it's all done intuitively and by feel. Now, get on that table and hit your 10,000 balls and don't come back here again talking of systems!! :rolleyes: ;) :D


I use a 3-rail kicking SYSTEM/TECHNIQUE/METHODOLOGY/DECODER RING outlined by Jimmy Reid in his tapes. It works great.

Also I'm willing to bet that most proficient 3 cushion players use Diamond System calculations on a lot of shots. The math becomes very quick with practice and it's far better than guessing ("feeling" = educated guessing).
 
Since starting to play 9 ball I have used and still use the diamonds on the table to work out the angle of my kick shots and it works every time, it also gets my mates frustrated as when they try to do it they can't and that leads to them wanting to slap me every time I get out of a tough position.
 
I suggest that you find a good book in 3 cushion carom billiards, find a billiards table and start playing. Not only will you learn how to kick, you will learn correctly with the effects of applied english and learn to be more defensive in your kicks.

In order to play 3 cushion correctly you need to know where you cue ball is going after the kick. Additionally you'll have more fun learning.

Kicking is not just kicking.
 
AZ member Deadaim thoroughly covered Kicking Systems by posting at least 10 systems on some threads called "kicking Academy" He posted all these systems on Parts 1-8.Search the archives here for this wonderful info.
http://www.azbilliards.com/vbulletin/upload/search.php?searchid=246259
His systems have improved my kicking games immensley.

Dr.Cues (3 dvd set) called "the Foundation for Banking and Kicking",Grady Mathews"Only Kicks" and as earlier mentioned Jimmy Reid's DVD's are also packed with awesome info.


In my opinion systems are much more reliable than feel, although a few test shots need to be done to see if the table you are playing on kicks long or short.
RJ

Other Kicking Links:
http://www.billiardsatlas.com/atlas.html
http://www.jimloy.com/billiard/kick.htm
http://www.jimloy.com/billiard/kick3.htm
http://www.jimloy.com/billiard/kick1.htm
 
Last edited:
justabrake said:
I like Danny Basavich's kicking system it's easy and I even seen Alison Fisher do the same thing! Jimmy Reed also has a nice system but it's a little slow for me to use
I don't think Danny is the innovator of that system. I would bet that it's been around a lot longer than he has.
 
mjantti said:
I use a few systems but the final touch for the aiming is done by feel. I use the mirror system for 1-rail kicks (described in Winning 1-Pocket, the "mirror" is not on the rail, it's in the rail gutter). For 2-rail kicks I use parallel lines -system and sometimes corner five -system. Also sometimes I use kind of ghost imaging system... don't know the official name for it though.

I've noticed that systems aren't accurate in pool because different tables have different rails. In billiards systems work much better and I use some different systems in billiards.

Wow, this is almost exactly the systems I use for 1, 2, and long-rail-first 3 rail shots. I use a couple of others, and am working on several from DeadAims Kicking Academy. They make learning kicks much faster, but as has been mentioned, not all tables play the same so they need to be tested to learn exactly how long/short a particular table plays.

Dave
 
Hal said:
I don't think Danny is the innovator of that system. I would bet that it's been around a lot longer than he has.

most likey, I was just using it as an example, it's quick for 2 and 3 rail kicks! but for 1 rail kicks I have to go with Jimmy Rieds

Steven
 
What I always like about systems is the "disclaimer" saying, humidity,cloth,stroke,rail speed,IQ,mothers maiden name" will all affect the use of this system!

Why not just get on a table, shoot out of the corners at all the diamonds, see where the ball goes, try diffedrent spins to see the effect, then move up the rail 1 diamond and do the same thing, and so on....that will help develope your kicking, and as DM says, at least 10,000 kicks will be needed to get good at it!.......G
 
Gerry said:
Why not just get on a table, shoot out of the corners at all the diamonds, see where the ball goes, try diffedrent spins to see the effect, then move up the rail 1 diamond and do the same thing, and so on....that will help develope your kicking, and as DM says, at least 10,000 kicks will be needed to get good at it!.......G

Because it is much easier to have a single reference point (the system) and adjust from there (for humidity, rail-rebounds, and other table influences). Testing a table with no pre-determined reference point is reinventing the wheel each time you change tables. I use the System-of-5 3 rail diamond system and test the table I am about to play on. To do that I put the cueball in the jaws of a corner pocket and shoot at the third diamond up the long rail from the diagonally oposite corner. That SHOULD cause the cue ball to hit the second diamond on the third rail and proceed to the corner pocket (a short rail away from the starting pocket). Rarely does a table play exactly this way, and after one stroke you know if it's playing 1/2 or 1/4 diamond out.

Just as a matter if interest, when I practice, the last 1/3 to 1/5 of my session is spent with only one or two balls on the table, practicing kicks. You do have to hit lots of balls, going through the full process of determining the line for each shot, to get good at 'seeing the shot'. As an example, I use the parallel-line (in-out) for two rail shots. When I visualize the lines I will often pick out a line that takes the cue ball too wide. When I practice a lot I can pick out the correct line much better.

Dave
 
I agree with DaveK

I personally use systems and utilize compensating adjustments depending on the condition of the table on that day.

It's such a rewarding feeling that by the use of adjustments on less-than-perfect tables you can still use your systems a come out ahead of the guy who has no system and has no "system" to read the condition of the table.

A smart pool player knows how to read the condition of the table, just like a golfer know how to read a golf course. We're lucky we don't have to worry about that much green :)

Richard.
 
Back
Top