THE SCIENCE OF
POCKET BILLIARDS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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CHAPTER PAGE
PREFACE............................................................................................. 1
Controlled Experimentation...........................................................................................
Speed control---Directional control---Alignment sight---Targets---Balls
Measurement Units.......................................................................................................
Ball Speed Terminology.................................................................................................
Estimating Angles.........................................................................................................
1. EQUIPMENT..................................................................................... 7
Pool Cue.....................................................................................................................
Tip---Ferrule---Shaft---Joint---Butt---Bumper---Stick length
Stick weight --- Balance---Workmanship---Cue care
Table.........................................................................................................................
Dimensions---Pockets---Height---Structure---Cushions---Cloth
Buying a table---Care of table
Balls..........................................................................................................................
Chalk......................................................................................................................
Talcum Powder.......................................................................................................
Glove......................................................................................................................
Ball Rack.................................................................................................................
Mechanical Bridge....................................................................................................
....
2. SHOOTING STANCE AND TECHNIQUE....................................... 25
Stance.......................................................................................................................
Foot position---Leg position---Grip-arm position---Grip-hand position ..
Head position--- Upper body position---Bridge hand ---Bridge distance
Stance summary
Technique.................................................................................................................
Stance adjustment---Preliminary strokes---Back stroke---Aim alignment
Follow-through---Post-shot-stance
3. POCKETING THE OBJECT BALL.................................................. 37
Basic Shots................................................................................................................
Aiming Technique......................................................................................................
Collision-Induced Throw............................................................................................
...
4. SHOT SELECTION.......................................................................... 43
Permissible Error........................................................................................................
Effective pocket size---Cut angle---Distance
Calculating Shot Difficulty..........................................................................................
Judgment and Skill....................................................................................................
5. CUE-BALL DEFLECTION PATH.................................................... 53
Ball Resiliency...........................................................................................................
Normal Roll..............................................................................................................
Cue Ball Response to Roll...........................................................................................
Cue Ball Path with Normal Roll...................................................................................
Estimating Cue Ball Path.............................................................................................
6. ENGLISH.......................................................................................... 59
Bottom English...........................................................................................................
Straight-in shots---Cut shots---Elevated cue stick---The drag shot
Top English...............................................................................................................
Straight-in shots---Cut shots---Cue ball jump
Side English...............................................................................................................
Stick alignment---English-induced throw---Cue-ball curve--- Rebound angle
Ball speed off cushion---Dissipation of side english
Combined English......................................................................................................
Other English Considerations.......................................................................................
Transfer of english---Cushion-induced english---Collision-induced english
7. POSITIONING THE CUE BALL....................................................... 87
Pre-shot Analysis........................................................................................................
Positioning Tools........................................................................................................
Speed control and english---English-induced throw---Cheating the pocket
Examples and Analysis................................................................................................
8. RAIL SHOTS..................................................................................... 99
No english---Ball-side english---Cushion-side english
Striking Object Ball First.............................................................................................
No english---Ball-side english---Cushion-side english
Striking Cushion First.................................................................................................
No english---Ball-side english---Cushion-side english
Influence of Cue Ball Speed.........................................................................................
Distance to Pocket.....................................................................................................
How to Shoot a Rail Shot............................................................................................
Cue Ball Reaction.......................................................................................................
Striking object ball first---Striking cushion first
9. COMBINATION SHOTS.................................................................. 109
Simple Combination Shots..........................................................................................
Permissible error---Aim and execution
Frozen-Ball Combination Shots....................................................................................
Throw---Accuracy required
Frozen-Ball Carom Shots............................................................................................
Accuracy required---Effects of english---Third ball complication
Object-Ball Carom Shots.............................................................................................
Variables---Accuracy required---Versatility of shot
Limiting the variables---Accuracy required
10. BANK SHOTS................................................................................. 119
Diamond System........................................................................................................
5-system---Plus system
Equal Angle System.....................................................................................................
Equal Distance System...............................................................................................
Crisscross System.....................................................................................................
Image Table System..................................................................................................
Parallel System.........................................................................................................
Single rail---Two rails
Rail Track System.....................................................................................................
Rote System.............................................................................................................
Variables Affecting Angle of Rebound..........................................................................
Cushion distortion---Roll---English
Determining Net Rebound Error..................................................................................
Correcting Angle of Incidence....................................................................................
Cushion Rebound Efficiency......................................................................................
Summary of Bank Shots............................................................................................
11. MISCELLANEOUS SHOTS........................................................... 147
Power Break Shots.....................................................................................................
Variables---Aim point---Cue ball placement---Cue ball action---Cue stick
Stance and stroke---Summary
Spot Shots................................................................................................................
Lag Shots.................................................................................................................
Jump shots...............................................................................................................
Execution---Aim adjustment---Getting position---Object ball jump
Curve and Massé Shots..............................................................................................
12. STRATEGY..................................................................................... 157
Shot Selection............................................................................................................
Three-ball sequence---Pocket selection---Estimating probabilities
Defense considerations---Key ball
Problem Balls............................................................................................................
Shape Concessions....................................................................................................
Clusters...................................................................................................................
Nudging Balls...........................................................................................................
Safeties....................................................................................................................
9-Ball Combinations...................................................................................................
Strategy Overview.....................................................................................................
13. PRACTICE...................................................................................... 173
Introduction................................................................................................................
Practice Drills.............................................................................................................
Speed control---Aim accuracy---English---Stun stroke---Rail shots
Bank shots---Kick shots---Carom shots---Spot shots---Power break shots
Clusters---Shape drills---Coin-operated tables
Drill Games................................................................................................................
Practice Play..............................................................................................................
Practicing Without a Pool Table...................................................................................
Stance, stroke, and bridge---Cue-ball deflection---Bank shots---Rail shots
Strategy
Practice Overview....................................................................................................
Good days bad days---Playing plateau---Practice equipment and conditions
Practice time
14. OVERSIZE CUE BALL................................................................... 207
Resistance to Movement..............................................................................................
Resistance to Stopping...............................................................................................
Cue Ball Deflection.....................................................................................................
Cushion Efficiency.....................................................................................................
Effects of English......................................................................................................
Aim Adjustment.........................................................................................................
Rail Shot Compensation..............................................................................................
Cue Stick..................................................................................................................
15. MIND AND BODY.......................................................................... 213
Motivation for Playing.................................................................................................
Psychological Limitations of Performance.....................................................................
Choking....................................................................................................................
Concentration............................................................................................................
Physical distractions---Mental distractions---Dead stroke
Psych-Out................................................................................................................
Mental Processes......................................................................................................
Shot analysis---Shot execution
Physical Condition.....................................................................................................
Exercise---Eating---Vitamin and mineral supplements---Rest and relaxation
16. TOURNAMENT POOL................................................................... 223
Round Robin Tournament............................................................................................
Scoring system---Playing order---Handicapping
Single Elimination Tournament......................................................................................
Scoring system---Bye positions---Buy-in positions
Double Elimination Tournament......................................................................................
Scoring system---Bye positions---Buy-in positions---Example tournament
Frame grouping charts---Comparative analysis
Combination Tournaments............................................................................................
Seeded Tournaments..................................................................................................
EPILOGUE............................................................................................ 243
INDEX AND GLOSSARY OF SELECTED TERMS............................... 245