Iam an experienced player and make a decent percentage of my bank and kick shots. But I have always played on my instincts and experience...until now. I am using your diamond system as a check point and am very pleased how it compliments my game...this stuff is a game changer for me. You rock!
thank you young man. i as a fairly new player, i appreciate all i have learned from your video lessons.i think you are pretty sharp. p.s.----- i am Nicks attorney. so don't worry about him.
I like this kid. I am 65. I have been shooting for about 55 years. I never got that "technical" about pool, but I like it. I watch these videos, and others, to help me learn how to teach younger people. BTW, I recently, for the first time in my life, restored a few cue sticks I haven't used in years. The tips were about as squished as they could get. When I was younger, that didn't seem to matter. I could make the cue ball do whatever I wanted. Now, older, weaker, not so much. BUT, when I restored these cues, I went from a hard to med-hard and med and am shooting again like I did when I was 25. Ok, man. Laminated, multi-level pig's ears. I never knew. Absolutely love shooting again. (LOL - And that might be a sign I need to get my fat ass in shape.)
Hi Jaden, well done. Just an FYI, The adjustment is 1/2 the distance of the parallel shift. I've had to explain this to pros as well. Many will just hit it harder to shorten the angle or softer to widen it. But with the same speed, the shift is 1/2 the distance of the parallel shift. If you are at all familiar with "spot on the wall" aiming, if I parallel shift, I'm no longer aiming at the spot on the wall. However, if I go 1/2 the distance of the parallel shift, I AM still aiming at the spot on the wall (which is the true line back to the object ball). Spin, with a medium speed is also predictable. For every 1/2 tip of spin (cross table only, not length of table), you should aim the cueball 1/2 diamond down table from your original point (running spin and more of a follow stroke) or 1/2 diamond down table (reverse spin with a stun stroke (don't allow the cue ball to turn over just prior to hitting the rail. It is a much firmer stroke). If you need to adjust a diamond away, use 1 tip of spin (two widths of your stick edge from center). If you have to use reverse spin, add draw as well (at 8 o'clock or 4 o'clock depending upon which is reverse, and again, hit it firm so the cue ball still has both the draw and reverse on it when it hits the rail. For many people, they don't hit it firm enough and the cue ball actually turns into a rolling ball after it hits the rail which will cause a miss. FInally, I'd had to be corrected on my terms for spin years ago by some old timers. What you (and I used to) refer to as 1 tip of spin, is really called 1/2 tip. Because the tip sits in the middle of the cue stick. So 1 width of your stick to the right or left of centerball is really 1/2 tip of spin. Two widths of your stick from center is actually called 1 full tip of spin. So a player can actually get about 1 1/2 tips of spin -either running or reverse on a cue ball and not really risk miscuing. This also means you can actually aim up to 1 1/2 diamonds away from your original aim point across table and still make the hit on your object ball. Again either with follow or reverse spin. If you use reverse in this instance, aim your draw lower on the cue ball to about 5:30 spin or 6:30, whichever is reverse). FInally, If you use this method for table length kicks using spin the ball will react twice the distance coming back down table. So you should think of the object balls path as if you cut the table in half across table at the side pockets. Example: if viewing the object ball as two diamonds away down table, it's really only 1 diamond away if viewed from the side pockets angle. So every 1/4 tip of spin will adjust 1 diamond to the object ball. 1/2 tip will adjust 2 full diamonds away, etc. Spin is much more sensitive moving table length. Easiest to just view the path back to the object ball on the same half of the table from where that path crosses at the side pocket to side pocket line. Then if viewed from that perspective the objectbal is at the 1/2 diamond point, you know you'll need 1/2 tip of spin to get to it. Essentially cutting the table in half to match how spin reacts in the cross table kick scenario.
You explain things in such easy to understand ways. You make it look so easy. I have been practicing all of the tips and drills you show and my game has improved leaps and bounds. Thank you so much for sharing your talent and knowledge.
That was the very best lesson on angle shooting !!! It just made me a better pool player, simply by watching how to improve your pool game. Nova Scotia appreciates your teachings!!!
I’ve been playing pool now for about six months and watching lots and lots of different demonstration videos I’ve seen quite a few on kick shots and banking, guys pulling out two three different cues to try and demonstrate all these angles and the diamonds and this kid in about 10 minutes has taught me more about the banks Then some of these RU-vidr pool experts and champions you really can’t beat simplicity and the rest will all be practice. Good job dude 👍
Thank you very much , I’m from Saudi Arabia and I do like the way how you teach and that very useful, and I always learning very good stuff from you, and you have a very good explanation in details in short time, not like others .
Seems like the numbers make it unecessarly complicated... You just need to know that the incident and resultant angles are always equal, so you just need to bank halfway between the cue and object ball.
Thank you for cleaning your room, and putting some shoes on. Now I can pay attention to what your saying. Just some friendly positive criticism. From an OCD subscriber. I heard you say in one of your videos that this was your only source of income right now. I would say, Look at it from our point of view. Be your own critic, demand the best from yourself. A little OCD goes along way. Great video Thanks 🧐
I am one of the fortunate that really never practiced and made it to a Master player just a notch of being a Grandmaster but would like to teach I just payed attention on what the cue ball does.knowing the diamond system will make any body that much precise
Parallel shifts to get over the object ball (like you showed at 8:48) on kicks or banks are not very accurate simply because a one increment shift on the short rail equals 2 increments on the long rail, however it should get you close enough to easily recalibrate your line with math. Also, if you use high center on the cue ball instead of running english and aim AT the diamonds (or increments in between the diamonds) it should work on most tables.
Yes. The adjustment is 1/2 the distance of the parallel shift. I've had to explain this to pros as well. Many will just hit it harder to shorten the angle or softer to widen it. But with the same speed, the shift is 1/2 the distance of the parallel shift. If you are at all familiar with "spot on the wall" aiming, if I parallel shift, I'm no longer aiming at the spot on the wall. However, if I go 1/2 the distance of the parallel shift, I AM still aiming at the spot on the wall (which is the true line back to the object ball).
A very great simplistic method to acquire some knowledge about kick shots and bank shots. If you have the time you can learn to rhyme, but how much leasure time does anyone have at this day and age. Most are consumed by gaining any decent career.
@Bill Pii dude why are you so heated? Lol he never said he makes them 100% everytime, this method is actually very easy and it almost guarantees you'll make it more than you miss it
just for the record there a lot of versions of the diamond system. the zero-x system is one version, there are many others. and to answer some of the questions i see on here, if the system in this video doesn't answer your need, another system will, just find the right one. there are 2 rail, 3 rail, 4 rail and even systems like jimmy whats-his-face that just ends with the sixth diamond every time.
pgale - same exact concept. Look and draw in your mind an imaginary line from the rail/diamonds through the ball to where you want the object ball to go and shoot. Given no side spin/English a ball will leave a rail at the same angle it struck the rail - generally but with some slight exceptions based on how hard the ball hit the rail and compressed the rubber cushion.
Thank you for clearly explaining this in a way I better understand. Your videos are great! I've hit subscribe and can't wait to roll balls across a felt soon and try this out! I've always just seen shapes and probably got lucky. 😂
There are different grades of rails. You need to find the right speed for the table you are playing on. At one point the speed will shorten the angle. It has always been the Diamond System. Only someone playing in their parents basement would call it otherwise.
cz1mmt I’ve played pool for 35 years and I’ve found there’s only 2 kind of rails, live and dead. That appears to be a fairly nice table, and the rails seem live (no dead spots) I know several different kicking systems but he may help someone become a better Pool player from watching his video- no sense in bashing the young man, even if he is in his parents basement
alot peopel dont know pool is a game of math after a certina point i used to play laot of pool and got tired of missing bank shots and just by chanc ei figured the diamonds out myself..now im watching videos again and they use the same system and confirming and making it cleaer than wha ti learned in my head..
I don’t do numbers. I do aiming and it’s lots easier then doing his mathematics. As I use the cue stick for aiming sometimes when needed. And I make every bank shot. 🎱 Lets Play pool. 😀
Why do these videos only explain when object ball and cue ball are along the rail, putting the cue ball in the center of the table will change the angles, right?
My question is when the cue ball is further away from the rail to start. Like a quarter or halfway in the middle of the table. I’ve noticed you have to modify these diamond rules. They work great if your cue ball and object ball are both nearly against the same rail, but the majority of kicks will not be set up in this idealized position.
The first step is finding the line from the cue ball to the nearest pocket then from there you do another simple calculation to modify this line to the object ball. For that you should buy Tor Lowry's DVD on the Zero-x kicking system its the best money I've spent on pool.
Realize that you can use any diamond that's closes to the cueball (not perpendicular to the rail, but along the shot line). When the cue ball is near diamond 2 on the rail and near the rail, it corresponds to diamond 1 across table, diamond 3 corresponds to 1.5 across table, 4 to 2, 5 to 2.5, etc. They will all take you to the pocket at 0. As long as it sits along that line, anywhere along that line the 2 to 1, or 3 to 1.5 or 4 to 2 or 5 to 2.5 etc.. Even from the middle of the table. If it sits OFF anyone of those lines, simply finding the closes line that you know to be true (those above). Then there is an additional adjustment needed. That adjustment is 1/2 the distance of the parallel line. For example: If my cue ball isn't on the 2 to one line, but just to the right of it (either from near the rail or from the nearer the center of the table), the adjustment is 1/2 the distance of the parallel. If the line near the rail is at diamond 2.4 instead of on line 2 to 1. the parallel line is 2.4 to 1.2. But the adjustment is HALF that distance between the cueball and 1.2, meaning at 1.1. So aiming at 1.1 from the position of your cue ball will take you to the pocket (if your object ball is sitting in the pocket. If your object ball is NOT sitting in the pocket, then a second adjustment needs to be made. (There are 4 possibilities for any shot: You object ball and your cue ball could be sitting on the direct diamonds listed above. Or your cue ball might sit off of those diamonds and your object ball is still on. or your cue ball might be on the lines listed above but your object ball isn't OR BOTH are not directly on the diamonds. SO you might not have to make an adjustment for both balls sitting perfectly on diamond lines, or you might have to adjust for the cue ball only. Or you might have to adjust for the object ball only, or you may have to adjust for BOTH! The adjustment is ALWAYS. 1/2 the distance of the parallel line.
Example 1: The object ball sits in the pocket at 0, your cueball sit on the 3-to 1.5 line (anywhere along that line!), no adjustment is needed. Example 2: Your object ball still sits at pocket 0 but your cue ball parallel shifting now sits on the 3.4 to 1.7 line. Where you need to aim at on the first rail is the 1.6 spot (1/2 the distance of the parallel line). Example: 3: Your cue ball sits on the 3 to 1.5 line, but your object ball does not. Ii sits about .4 of a diamond off( to the left of) the 1.5 to 0 line. So the shift to get to the object ball is not .2 further off the cue balls line (1/2 the distance of the 15 to 0 line). So instead of the cue ball now aiming at 3 to 1.5, the adjustment needed now tells you to aim from anywhere along the 3 line to 1.3. You've now made the needed adjustment. Keep in mind, in another example the object ball might be sitting, .4 of a diamond to the right of the of the 1.5 to 0 line. In that case, 1/2 the parallel position from the cue ball position along the 3 to 1.5 line would be UP table more, so the .2 adjustment for the object ball is 1.5+.2=1.7. So from the cueballs position, aiming at 1.7 will now hit the object ball. Example 4: Neither the cue ball or the object ball are sitting exactly on a diamond to diamond line. The cueball is sitting on 4.4 and the object ball is sitting on the long rail near the pocket at diamond .8. So two adjustments need to be made.... 1 for the cue ball position, and one for the object ball position. Both would be 1/2 of parallel shifts back to the known closest diamonds. So for the cue ball on line 4.4, the 4.4 to 2.2 line takes you to the 0 pocket (half of 4.4 or 44 is 2.2 or 22). But you don't want to go there. You want to get to the object ball, which isn't on the 2.2 to 0 line, it's .8 of a diamond off that line. So 1/2 the distance of the parallel would be .4. But it's .4 back up table!! So your first adjustment for the 4.4 took you to 2.2, then your 2nd adjustment for the object ball takes you another .4 back up table, so 2.2 + .4 = 2.6. If you aim at 2.6 your will hit the object ball at .8 to the right of pocket 0. For these examples, I've used the numbers, but they aren't really needed except for understanding. You can do the 1/2 the distance of the parallels with your stick.. Just put your stick on the 4--2 line and visualize where 1/2 of the parallel line from the cue ball is on the far rail putting you around 2.2 (about an 1.5 inch distance from the 2 diamond. Now do the same from the 2.2 to 0 line back to the object ball. 1/2 the distance of that parallel would be .4 or about 3 inches back up table. So if you aim 1.5 inches + 3 inches = 4.5 inches off the 4-2 line. You are aiming a little more than 1/2 a diamond off the 4-2 line (to the right of it)..
This nice video explains banks and kicks when both cueball and object balls are close to the rails. But when one of either ball is farther off the rail towards the middle of the table this simple system doesn’t work well. I have to rely on visual guessing to find the right hit on the object ball. What do you suggest to find the correct angle to cut the object ball when, say, the cueball is center table and the object ball is on say the 40 diamond and your only open pocket is across the side rail?
First, this system using zero, 10 , 20 and stuff is rather complicated I think. Second, it actually works only if both balls are on a straight line parallel to the rail. As for me, this system helps me in about 50% of situations or less. That's sad but true)
Nah mate. You can do this just fine. All that matters is you cut the OB to follow the ideal line (40-20, 50-25, &c.) Cue ball doesn't matter. Just make the OB follow one of those lines with bottom+opposite running english.
All banking videos I've seen omit a critical piece of info, are you aiming at the diamond 10 or where 10 hits the rail? It makes an enormous difference.
William Coleman - Aim at the diamond itself. The cueball won’t make contact on the rail directly in front of the diamond, but then since the pocket is also considered a diamond, it will still sink the ball. Look at it this way: If both the side rail and end rail kept going and intersected at the center of the pocket, that point would reflect the exact angle as the angle of incidence when you shot at the diamond. Keep in mind the conditions of the table rails and surface cloth. They can distort the geometry used to calculate the shot, causing a miss. Personally I don’t use the diamond system. I use the X-System, which is a little complicated, but deadly accurate. RU-vid: ”X-System Secret revealed - Aiming Kick Shots - Exercise #23”. It also works for bank shots; all you have to do is shoot the object ball exactly where you would have shot the cueball on a kick shot. Hope this helps.
Do you recommend hitting high, low or center to get a true mirror angle bounce? I know speed effects the bounce angle as well, but I’m unclear on how the forward and backward spin affects it.
Wilwen one thing you need to realize is any kind of english will effect how this works. Of you hit center ball it is basically angle in = angle out. He is simply showing this by using the diamonds. If you noticed however many diamonds there were between the cue ball and object ball he cut that in half on the other side of the table. If you cue ball is at the side pocket(diamond 40) and your object ball is at the corner(diamond 0) you would want to kick hitting the rail where the 2nd diamond (diamond 20) is.
So I think my question could be a little clearer. If you're doing a 40/20/0 shot and you're aiming at the actual DIAMOND then the cue ball would actually be hitting the RAIL around 21 or 22. Correct? Like if you're drawing a straight line from the center pocket to the actual white spot of the 20 diamond then the line is going to intersect the rail at like 22. I just want to know if you're looking at the 20 diamond OR where 20 is on the rail for a 40/20/0 shot. There's a difference... haha. If you're aiming at the actual 20 diamond then the ball is going to hit the rail at like 21 or 22.
I have a question, what do you do when the object ball is not near the rail but rather in the mid section of the table? What do we do with the diamond numbers on the short rail if they add 20 to the equation? i understand the long rail numbering system but you mentioned short rail adds 20 each diamond which makes sense. My question is what do you do with the number 120 diamond in relation to the long rail number?
Dupree You explained the kick Video very good thank you I was just wondering do you read this mail much? Because if you’re do I would like to ask you to show us what certain English on the Q ball when hearing the object ball does after it hits the rail how do we get a hold of you?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it shouldn't really matter right? Whether they are the same or different, you line up for where your cue ball needs to hit your target ball and the path lines off the bank shouldn't change. Unless your target ball is so close to the bank rail that can't bring it back, in which case you probably should be going for a cut, not a bank back to your rail's 0.
Hate to say it kid but all tables are different in size, rails, felt and how often they are cleaned.. Great system as far as getting close but will not work the same on every table whether they are diamonds, Brunswick - new and old, valley, etc..
Does it matter if your white ball is in the middle of the table instead of right up against the wall? Like if you are going for zero and your white ball is at 40 but it is in the middle of the table do you still go for 20?
It's not if the cue ball is "at" 40 but it's whether or not it is on the 40 to 20 line. If your cue ball is in front of 40 then you move it out to the middle of the table you need to check which line it is on because it won't be 40 to 20 anymore.
I've been working on this system for about 6 months now. No problem going to zero from anywhere on the table, but there is a change in the interval from 10's to 5's or 20's for certain object ball kicks that keeps throwing me off. Have you had this problem too?
Hi I'm only beginner I subscribed to help my play, what if cue ball or ball your aiming for are in middle of table as opposed to being on the rail as in the vid is it still same ? And going the other way 80,100,120 etc can't get my head around that an explanation on those things would be great or a quick vid explaining those awesome . cheers