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 When
Dr. Dave and I set out to film the Video Encyclopedia of Pool Shots
last year our goal was simple—to produce the most comprehensive
collection of shots ever published in any medium. After viewing
the finished product’s eight hours of video together we confidently
agreed that we met our goal and maybe then some. One thing viewers
do not see is the occasional dispute that arose between us, usually
over terminology, and the two shots shown here provide an example
of a disagreement that went unknown to the world—until now.
In my lexicon a carom shot is one where the cue ball rebounds from
one object ball to pocket another. And a kiss shot is one where
an object ball uses another object ball to direct itself to the
pocket. I like that distinction. Regardless of how we refer to them
however here are two important shots and techniques that will serve
to win many games, especially in the heavy traffic of a bar table.
In the diagram we see two shots where the 8 ball’s direct
path to the pocket is blocked by one of our opponent’s stripes.
However in both cases we have an excellent opportunity to win the
game by employing one of pool’s most important principles—the
fact that object balls behave the same as the cue ball when rebounding
off of other balls.
Shot A offers us an opportunity to employ Dr. Dave’s 30-degree
rule and his famous peace-sign method for predicting a rolling ball’s
path after hitting another ball. Also, we should remember that the
30-degree rule applies across a wide range of places to hit the
second ball, from a one-quarter-ball hit to a hit to a three-quarter-ball
hit with only slight variation across that range. After checking
the 8-ball’s path with the middle finger of our peace sign
and seeing that the index finger points to the pocket, we should
also see that we have a relatively easy kiss into the corner for
the game winner. To pocket the 8 ball aim the center of the 8 ball
at the stripe’s left edge and hit it with modest speed to
ensure that the 8 ball develops full forward roll before reaching
the stripe. After contact the 8 will proceed along the dashed line
into the corner pocket even if the 8 hits the stripe a little more
or less full than the aim point.
Shot B is a little trickier and requires a more accurate hit on
the stripe with the 8 ball. Since we know that a sliding cue ball
rebounds from an object ball on a path that’s 90 degrees to
the balls’ line of centers at the moment of contact, a sliding
8 ball will behave the same way. We refer to that 90-degree line
as the tangent line and a full understanding of it becomes one of
our first important position principles early in our learning. Here
we shall employ it to pocket a ball. If the 8 ball were frozen to
the stripe as shown with the shaded ghost ball we would have what’s
called a dead kiss into the corner because the 8 cannot develop
any roll before rebounding from the stripe. The same rule would
apply if the 8 were very close to the stripe with the tangent line
going to the pocket. In either case we could pocket the 8 by hitting
it almost anywhere to the left of the line of centers.
Here, although we face a somewhat more challenging shot than a
dead kiss, we still have a great opportunity to win the game. After
checking this shot with a peace sign we would see that a rolling
8 ball would fall short of the pocket, hitting the cushion at or
very close to the X. So we must hit that stripe where the shaded
ball touches it with a sliding 8 ball. To make the shot, aim the
8 ball to replace the shaded ghost ball with firm speed to prevent
the 8 from developing roll on its way to the stripe. Practice the
shot with focus on your aim and speed until pocketing the ball feels
second nature.
Because Dave provided the superb narration and editing for VEPS
he got his way with naming the shots in the video. And, since I
am in charge here, I get to straighten things out according to my
way. In reality however we know that pocketing the ball is what
really matters and how we refer to the shots means nothing when
we’re collecting our first-place money. You, of course, are
welcome to call them however you wish, and you are also welcome
to find 30 more excellent examples of both kisses and caroms on
Disc I of the Video Encyclopedia.
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