secret to long table bank shots

For me, eyeball the intended OB path and visualize it sinking. Then, if I can play my controlled but firm bank speed gear with a little outside english, I feel confident enough!
 
My method of banking and kicking (for 1 rail shots) is the 2 to 1 method. Its explained in this:
It is step 3 in the video.

But the same thing works for banking. I will find the closest natural 2 to 1 line (as if i was kicking the object ball into the desired pocket). If the ball is on the natural line then I use this line. If the ball is not on the line then I need to adjust. I find the closest natural line and see how far left/right of the line the ball is. If the object ball is 4 inches left of the natural line (from center of line to center of ball) then I want to adjust 2 inches left on the rail with my aim. So why 2 inches? The system is 2 to 1, and whatever distance we go on the 1st rail we only go 1/2 the distance on the 2nd rail.

The keys to all banking:
Speed - what speed is natural table speed for that table? Firm speed shortens the bank
Spin - NO spin on the cue ball
Aiming - if you are off an inch on your aim you will miss by 2 inches at the pocket
Collision Induced Throw - if you are shooting a cut shot for the bank, the object ball will not go exactly where you are aiming due to CIT. AND it will pick up a little spin. If you are cutting across the line (cue ball going towards the shot line - crossover bank) the shot will naturally want to go long/wide. If you are cutting away from the shot line (cue ball going away from the shot line) the shot will naturally want to go short.

Most players would just use a little spin to counter act the CIT but then you are also getting spin that you need to adjust for.

What do you do if the bank is not anywhere close to one of the natural 2 to 1 lines? You can use spot on the wall for 1 rail banks/kicks. Going from one corner pocket - through 2nd diamond on opposite short rail - to intended corner pocket. You aim through that 2nd diamond and find a spot - something 12-15 feet past the table. Use this reference as your new aim point.
 
Side-Pocket said:
It would be really nice to have a path to study one proven method that reallly works for all bank shots, or maybe to know that there isn't just one method that fits all.
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🤔🤔I think the sooner you can realize there is not only 1 perfected method for all banks the better....There are multiple methods for banking and pieces of each can be combined for your personal best method....I want to know "ALL" the methods

What was never mentioned (that I saw) in this entire thread is the speed of the bank makes a difference...hard narrows...soft widens......so unless you are hitting medium firm on all banks...you can throw out the "perfect angle" methods.......However you can use them all like tools in a tool box to help you get your feel.........There are multiple upon multiple methods for banks........Sometimes for a long rail bank..(or even short rail) simply hitting the OB square in the face with english to throw it into the pocket is all you need.....Sometimes you can line up the intended pocket side edges of CB/OB face to face square (forgetting the pocket or angle) and pivot your cue to center and it puts you on the perfect bank......Sometimes hard with "inside" english to shorten a bank that would naturally go wide....sometimes you need english to get the CB out of the way of a double kiss.......what "shape" do you need with the CB could influence the bank method....(especially one pocket where a lazy CB could be a sell out) .......so many banking variables.

Quite possibly....for banks....the actual 1 proven system for banks is the........HAMB method.
 
judochoke said:
but have no consistency at all.
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For me it's practice, practice, practice. I don't generally use diamonds for one rail banks. It's like muscle memory. I can bank a long shot easier than making a cut most times. In the early 90s I'd play bank the 8 with a friend to make the games last longer. Banking became easier than cutting for some shots. I'm just a barroom player with no fargo rate and only a few tournaments in my history. I feel, sometimes, I can "see" the bank automatically.
 
BRKNRUN said:
.... What was never mentioned (that I saw) in this entire thread is the speed of the bank makes a difference...hard narrows...soft widens......so unless you are hitting medium firm on all banks...you can throw out the "perfect angle" methods...
Click to expand...
It is not the speed itself that shortens/lengthens banks. Many players don't understand this. It is the spin on the ball hitting the rail that changes the bank angle. How much follow does it have going into the bank?

In some situations, hitting the ball hard versus soft will change the bank angle a lot. In other situations, the speed has no effect.
 
Bob Jewett said:
Another point for the OP to consider is that if you get spin on the object ball, it will change the bank angle and can be more than enough to miss (or make) the shot. Here is a demo of this idea. The eight ball is on the spot. The nine ball is exactly in the middle of the normal bank path. By using left or right side spin on the cue ball you can get right or left side spin on the object ball and then bank the eight ball on either side of the nine ball and still come back to the pocket.

Sometimes you get side spin on an object ball just by it being a cut shot. In the diagram, you put side spin on the cue ball to transfer some to the OB.

View attachment 517791
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Yes, this is the hardest part of banking.
 
Patrick Johnson said:
For the example on the left (kicking to the corner pocket):

- The CB is 2 diamonds "vertically" from the kick/bank cushion, and the kick/bank cushion is 4 diamonds "vertically" from the target - so the CB's total "vertical" travel to the target is 6 diamonds, and the CB travels 1/3 of that total distance to reach the kick/bank cushion.

- If the CB travels 1/3 of its total "vertical" distance to reach the kick/bank cushion, it must also travel 1/3 of its total "sideways" distance (parallel to the kick/bank cushion) to get there.

The fractions of the CB's "vertical" travel distance are dictated by the position of the CB and the target. The fractions of the CB's "sideways" travel distance are chosen to match the fractions of "vertical" travel distance.

Hope that helps,

pj
chgo
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I like your formula. Do you use it when banking or normally use intuition? Please do not consider this a negative question. I think most bank pool players use intuition...but I don't really know.
 
Tennesseejoe said:
I like your formula. Do you use it when banking or normally use intuition? Please do not consider this a negative question. I think most bank pool players use intuition...but I don't really know.
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For one- or two-railers I use intuition informed by parts of different systems/measurements. More rails than that and I'm just guessing.

The formula I described is just an interesting realization about how things work, but it comes in handy sometimes.

pj
chgo
 
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