Part I
The diamond system is usually calculated by assigning numerical values to diamonds but once you understand the parallel lines between the diamonds the math is not required. Just see the lines like we are all used to doing in aiming.
First, a quick explanation on the math. Determine the numerical value for the Cue Ball position diamond and a value for the target diamond of the first cushion to hit with the ball. The value of 2 is always subtracted from the cue ball diamond to determine the target diamond, that’s it. The problem is the balls are never at the exact location the books use as illustrations and they fail to properly detail how to determine the location for cue ball diamond when it is not in the exact location. Part 2 will discuss that part and the use of parallel lines instead of math.
I could not figure out in the diagram how to get numbers next to the diamonds so I placed the corresponding ball on the ‘cue ball diamonds’ (place 4 ball on diamond 4 etc.). I left the ½ diamonds blank so the diamond that is unnumbered between the 3 diamond and the 4 diamond is 3.5. I ran out of balls so there are no numbers for the target diamonds, but it is easy. For the target diamonds corner pocket on the opposite side (top left) is target diamond 0, the next diamond is 1, then 2, 3, 4 ( 4 is the center pocket), 5 ,6 with the last corner pocket being target diamond 7. There are no halves for the target diamond. Remember, all that is really needed is to memorize parallel lines. In the table chart the diamond for the cue ball is at cue ball diamond 5. Subtract 2 from 5 and the target target diamond is 3. That’s all there is to it, hit diamond #3.
NOTES:
- Each table is different and will not be the exact same as my diagram. The numbers shown are for my table, the book had the numbers a little different. In the book the cue ball diamonds were ½ apart (5, 4.5, 4, 3.5, etc) but with my table the first number is one whole number apart (5, 4, 4.5, 4, 3.5). This was determined by hitting the cue ball around the world several times at each location to determine its real point. The books tell you to do the same thing.
- When aiming at the diamond, you aim at the diamond and not the spot on the cushion edge as if the diamond were tattooed on cloth directly in front of the diamond. You aim directly at the diamond spot on the table. This probably accounts for some of the variance between tables. Also, standard table size specs allows for a variance so even though the table may be standard they will not be the exact same size, just as pockets sizes do change from table to table.
- All of this assumes no English. If you stroke off center or are inconsistent you will get different results. English can be used to change the angle to bypass balls or pockets etc but that is left to you to adjust. Part two will describe how to determine the cue ball diamond when it is not in the exact spot and to also to forget about the calculations.
