Long rail (terminology)

C

Ched

"Hey ... I'm back"!
Silver Member
Long rail vs. short rail.

I've seen these terms used two ways:

1. Long rail is the "side rail" (short rail being the head or foot rails)

but I've also heard a few people refer to the "long rail" as ...

2. Long rail is the rail you're shooting towards. (short rail being the rail you're shooting from)

Have many of you heard of the second use? Mostly I've seen or heard it used when discussing bank shots - and "bisecting" the angle when discussing the number of diamonds.
 
Last edited:
bbb said:
........me either
Click to expand...

neither me!

However, top and bottom rail may change depending on the viewing angle when commentating on streamed matches. And to complicate things a little more: in snooker they call the area where they rack the balls the top and in pool the bottom ;)

but long and side rail are always the same.
 
Top/above, etc usually refers to the head end of the table (break end).

Bottom, below, etc, refers to the foot end of the table (rack end).

Short and long refer to the angles when the CB comes off of the rails. Short is a more acute angle, long is a more obtuse angle.

These terms are used when the pro player commentators are on the mic and describing position options.

This has been my experience.
 
There were a couple of "training" videos which used the second terminology. (yes I do watch those and try the "drills")

I'm glad I'm seeing things the right way, and that the second term is unusual ... but I will try to find where I saw it and post the links.

thank folks .. appreciate the feedback.
 
second usage of long vs short

The more common usage is exactly as has already been explained. That's typical pool speak.

The second and less common usage is in the context of running english bank shots. More commonly used in 1-pocket, bank pool, and especially in 3 cushion billiards.

Take the attached diagram of a natural 3 cushion bank shot with running english. If you scratch 3 rails in the corner when spinning the ball with natural spin, the table plays dead on. If it hits the side rail for the 4th rail, it plays short (regardless that it hit the longer side rail). If it hits the head rail for the 4th rail, it plays long (regardless that it hit the shorter head rail).

Another way to say it is that it is used to describe the banking angles of banks and not the length of the rails themselves and is relative the the ideal target.

Typically Simonis 860 plays close to dead on when new on good tables. It shortens up a bit as it ages.

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • diasys_simplified1.jpg
    diasys_simplified1.jpg
    16 KB · Views: 347
iusedtoberich and Reposado - thank you so so much, I was starting to doubt my sanity.
 
I've heard a lot of commentators misspeak, especially during one-pocket matches, where they say "long rail bank" when they mean a long, straight back. But yeah, you're first example is correct.
 
Huh? If the 3railer hits the right side rail- which is the end, or the foot rail- of the picture you used, it plays long. You make more confusing. To hit the rail in the top of the picture 4th, it would have to have gone to the foot rail third...which would mean the table plays LONG. And that rhymes with WRONG.

If one stands
Reposado said:
The more common usage is exactly as has already been explained. That's typical pool speak.

The second and less common usage is in the context of running english bank shots. More commonly used in 1-pocket, bank pool, and especially in 3 cushion billiards.

Take the attached diagram of a natural 3 cushion bank shot with running english. If you scratch 3 rails in the corner when spinning the ball with natural spin, the table plays dead on. If it hits the side rail for the 4th rail, it plays short (regardless that it hit the longer side rail). If it hits the head rail for the 4th rail, it plays long (regardless that it hit the shorter head rail).

Another way to say it is that it is used to describe the banking angles of banks and not the length of the rails themselves and is relative the the ideal target.

Typically Simonis 860 plays close to dead on when new on good tables. It shortens up a bit as it ages.

attachment.php
Click to expand...
 
Some Common References & Terms

kitchen: slang term for the area behind the head string from where the cue ball is shot during a break.

head rail: the short rail at the end of the table from where you break.

head spot: the spot (sometimes marked) in the middle of the head string.

head string: the imaginary line at the head of the table, behind which you must break

short rail: same as “end rail.”

foot rail: the “short rail” at the bottom of the table where the balls are racked.

foot spot: the point on the table surface over which the lead ball of a rack is centered. It lies at the intersection of “center line” and “foot string.

foot string: the imaginary line passing through the second diamonds closest to the bottom end of the long rails.

long string: imaginary line through the “head spot,” “center spot,” and “foot spot.”
 
Reposado said:
The more common usage is exactly as has already been explained. That's typical pool speak.

The second and less common usage is in the context of running english bank shots. More commonly used in 1-pocket, bank pool, and especially in 3 cushion billiards.

Take the attached diagram of a natural 3 cushion bank shot with running english. If you scratch 3 rails in the corner when spinning the ball with natural spin, the table plays dead on. If it hits the side rail for the 4th rail, it plays short (regardless that it hit the longer side rail). If it hits the head rail for the 4th rail, it plays long (regardless that it hit the shorter head rail).

Another way to say it is that it is used to describe the banking angles of banks and not the length of the rails themselves and is relative the the ideal target.

Typically Simonis 860 plays close to dead on when new on good tables. It shortens up a bit as it ages.

attachment.php
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, good point, that's probably what the original poster was talking about. And just to make it even more confusing, if you played that same shot one rail, hitting the short rail would actually be coming short, and hitting the long rail would be going long. :thumbup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top