The Science of Kicking and Banking

Inzombiac

Inzombiac

...
Silver Member
The other night was a great night for me. I finally beat my teammate, whom has been teching me for the past year. I beat him 3 times in fact, 2 of which in a row.

and then... he opened up a can on me and showed just how weak parts of my game really are. He started playing safe on EVERY single shot. And I couldn't keep up. So then we spent about 2 hours practicing methods of kicking and banking. For the first time I had someone actually show me methods of measuring to take most or all of the guess work out of the rail. By the time I had to go home I was burnt out mentally but I was happy that there was finally a way for me to analyze kicks and banks and take the guess work out.

Does anyone have any links to places that explain banking and kicking in more of a mathematical manner? I want to compile a knowledgebase so I can be ready for any situation that might arise on the table.
 
Look up the AZer Deadaim. He has his kicking academy. It takes a bit of focus to read it but it is the most extensive system I have seen. That said a friend of mine just got the book Banking with the Beard and he is going crazy about everything he has learned.
 
Hierovision said:
In addition to the first response, there's this archive:
http://www.sfbilliards.com/articles/BD_articles.html

I'm finally making sense of it all :D
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It hurts my head something aweful, bro. Plus it makes me all self conscious of my game because I start to doubt myself when I can't make a kick or bank. Then I start getting pissed and I want to learn it as fast as I learned everything else and that just makes my game worse. I need a way to reset.
 
I'm wondering, for you guys that use the diamond systems, do you calibrate a new table anytime you play? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems any system varies enough on different tables that they are pretty useless without learning the adjustments.
 
I always fire off a few three railers around the table to feel out and memorize the table as best I can. Diamond systems work great if the table lets you.

Around here there are some places with pretty brutal tables so many of us have adopted a new kicking system...line up as best you can, close your eyes, pray, shoot, open eyes. Takes less time to miss that way than to use a system, miss, and add to the penetrating frustation known as garbage table pool.

:D
 
Blackjack said:
By far, these are the best posts ever in the history of this forum!

Kicking Academy - Intro

Kicking Academy Part 1

Kicking Academy Part 2

Kicking Academy Part 3

Kicking Academy Part 4

Kicking Academy Part 5

Kicking Academy Part 6

Kicking Academy Part 7

Kicking Academy Part 8 - Finale

Kicking Academy - The End
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Anyone know how to get a hold of DeadAim? He hasn't been on since January 2006. I'd like to ask his permission to put these threads into a pdf file. If not, I'll just read them here like everyone else.

These are excellent threads Blackjack, Thanks for linking them up.

Thanks,
Craig
 
PKM said:
I'm wondering, for you guys that use the diamond systems, do you calibrate a new table anytime you play? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems any system varies enough on different tables that they are pretty useless without learning the adjustments.
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You are suppose to check each table to see if the rails run long or short. Its real simple and can be accomplished by taking a couple known diamond shots before you play. In my limmited expierence, the only real difference in new cloth VS old cloth. Especially brand new cloth. I rarely check if tables play long or short...
 
Irish634 said:
Anyone know how to get a hold of DeadAim? He hasn't been on since January 2006. I'd like to ask his permission to put these threads into a pdf file. If not, I'll just read them here like everyone else.

These are excellent threads Blackjack, Thanks for linking them up.

Thanks,
Craig
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If you look at one of the old threads, Colin Colenso made a word doc and DeadAim said it was fine. It was on one of those temporary download sites, so the file is no longer there.
 
PKM said:
If you look at one of the old threads, Colin Colenso made a word doc and DeadAim said it was fine. It was on one of those temporary download sites, so the file is no longer there.
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Got it.... thank you.
 
PoolSponge said:
I always fire off a few three railers around the table to feel out and memorize the table as best I can. Diamond systems work great if the table lets you.

Around here there are some places with pretty brutal tables so many of us have adopted a new kicking system...line up as best you can, close your eyes, pray, shoot, open eyes. Takes less time to miss that way than to use a system, miss, and add to the penetrating frustration known as garbage table pool.

:D
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I would like to expand on what the Sponge has added. Each rail at each diamond can be tested if you know the tracks. A single long rail may be good at 2 diamonds but dead on the remaining diamond.

Sound is a dead giveaway for a dead rail as well.

Also when you play on a really good table that plays perfect, pay attention to the height of the rail to the ball. Not all rails are the proper height to the ball. If the rails sound good and do not seem to be dead this can be the reason as it can change the angle off the rail.

How do you adjust? You have to shoot a lot of shots at different speeds and see if they are coming long or short. On top of that you have to shot different angles into the rail as well.

Break out the jump stick... ;)
 
36 page pdf file available.

The links to the kicking academy were so well put together, I put them into a word document and then converted them into a pdf file.

I am going under the assumption that this is ok with DeadAim from the post in this link. I would have asked him personally, but he hasn't been on in a few years.

The file is 36 pages and is packed with the exact unedited information from these threads. There is a lot of valuable info here and the intent of the original post was to help people in learning, so I want to continue that spirit.

I will send the file (Kicking_Academy.pdf) to anyone that pm's me with their email address. The file is 1.8MB in size, so be sure you have enough room in your mail box to accept it. Oh.. you'll have to bear with me if I don't get it to you right away this weekend, I have a busy one planned, so I'll be out much of the weekend.

Regards,
Craig

P.S. Thanks to Blackjack for posting the links and to PKM for letting me know about the thread where DeadAim said ok to use the info.
 
Lil Joe Villalpando

If you are seriously interested in improving your kicking game you can not go wrong with, Little Joe Villalpando's, Kick Shots video. The diagrams are easy to understand and Joe walks and talks you through the entire video. I highly recomend, Kick Shots as well as Joe's other video, Cue Ball Control. Joe does advertise here on AZ. Keep checking the ads in the top right corner.
 
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Any Grady Mathew's video on Kicking or banking or safety play has a lot of very useful information for intermediate to advanced players as well. He sets up some standard one, two, and 3 cushon shots, teaches adjustments and how to lengthen them out or shorten them up. His videos are great value and you can't go wrong with them.

Of course, you could learn the Efren way, which is to find a billiards table, learn some straight rail and balkline, then 3 cushion. If you want to go the 3C way, Robert Byrne's Standard Book has more than enough to get you started.
 
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