What's the Move?

By Jimmy Reid

A New Three-Rail System

Sometimes you have to make a good three-rail kick. This three-rail system is virtually perfect and should adapt easily to your favorite table, from a bar table to a 6' x 12' snooker table and everything in between.  At 13 years old, this was the first diamond system I learned. It was taught to me by an old seafarer known to me in my hometown of Gloucester, MA, o­nly as "Lefty."

Lefty told me that he learned the system from Willie Hoppe. Years later I purchased Hoppe's book, and it was exactly as Lefty taught me. This is strictly a long-rail first, end rail second, long-rail third diamond system.  You'll find that this system works perfect when the object ball that you're trying to hit is closer to the third rail than the fourth rail.

FYI: When using diamond and kicking systems, please keep in mind that thick cloth plays longer than thin cloth. Good quality tables, whether for commercial or home use, usually play shorter than less costly tables because the rubber is firmer. They're built to stay truer and last longer. Heat or low humidity like Las Vegas makes a table play longer and easier. Cold or high humidity cause a table to play shorter and tougher. A table with new cloth will bank longer and play easier than when the cloth is worn.

Diagram 1

You must memorize the red cue ball diamonds. Object ball diamond numbers are in front of the red cue ball diamond numbers. Note: The top long rail must be our first rail when we count the cue ball diamond numbers from the bottom rail. The cue ball numbers are in red. All calculations are made at the rail rubber in front of the diamonds. The first rail contact point is at the rubber in front of the rail diamond number. The object ball diamond is at the rubber in front of the rail diamond number. The red cue ball diamond is at the rubber in front of the rail diamond number.  Naturally all of these red cue ball numbers would flip-flop to the top rail if we were shooting into the long bottom rail first, as you'll soon see.

Diagram 2

Find the object ball diamond. The 1 ball is at 10.  Find something o­n the first rail that when 10 is added to it, it adds up to the cue ball diamond.  Hold the cue over the cue ball and turn it at the first rail until you find a first-rail number that when added to the object ball number totals the cue ball diamond number.  Then subtract 10 from the cue ball diamond 25. As you can see here, we shoot directly o­n the first rail in front of 15. As with the plus system, you can't add wrong-the table won't let you.

Diagram 3

In 1980, I made this shot to win the final game of a match during o­ne of the middle rounds of "The World Classic 8-Ball Championship" that I went o­n to win, along with its $25,000 first-place prize. Instead of getting straight-in position o­n the 8 ball for this bottom-side pocket, I remember hitting the far-side pocket point at a steep angle, bouncing back and getting hooked o­n the 8 ball. What a brutal roll to get, but instead of going off the air and doing something crazy, I decided to use this perfect three-rail system for this two-rail shot. 

The 8 ball is in front of the third-rail black diamond number 35, and its contact point is 1.25 diamonds away from the rail. Remember, when kicking two rails we add these two numbers to find our third rail object ball diamond. In this case, 35 and 12.5 tenths equal 47.5 for the object ball diamond. The cue ball diamond minus the object ball diamond equals the first-rail diamond.

I recall walking up to the first rail and putting my finger o­n the rubber in front of 19.5. I marked the cue ball path just a little right of the 10 (first) diamond. This is the spot that by aiming at from the cue ball would cause the cue ball to contact the rail in front of 19.5. Since you can't mark the rail in front of 19.5, it is crucial to find something o­n the rail past 19.5 in line with the cue ball.  Stroking it medium speed with high left running english at 10:30 o­n the cue ball, the 8 ball hit the middle of the side pocket. Game, set, and match! In order of importance, thank you Lord, Lefty, and Willie Hoppe.

Diagram 4

Playing 8 ball, you have Yellow and it's your turn. What's the move? This is the same diamond system, o­nly flip-flopped to the top rail. Yellow's 1 ball is my choice for the object ball. It is at the rubber in front of 20, and if it's hit well, it could win Yellow the game. 

With the cue ball coming from in front of 42, subtract 20 and shoot from the first rail in front of 22.  Shoot softly with maximum high right english and a long smooth follow through at 1:30 o­n the cue ball.

Diagrams 5 and 6

Perfect outcome-Yellow, by learning this perfect three-rail system, has given himself a great chance to win this game. Learn and enjoy, your pool guru, Jimmy Reid.