Rails/cushions system for hitting snooker

[poolqjunkie]

In pool, there are diamond systems and many 3 rails systems and so on that players use.

What about in snooker, do you use any system to negotiate snooker?
Could you explain your system if you do, please?

Also, when you hit a two rail (adjencent rails)kick, do you expect the angle off the cushions to remain constant, or to widen up a bit on the second contact? Do you feel that the ball would pick up some running side on this type of shots as it hits the cushion?

How about on a two rail zig-zag kick shot, where the ball hit the opposite rails. Do you think the angles are constant, or do they change as the cue ball hits the cushion? What do you do to adjust?

[totlxtc]

Do you ever have time to play inbetween thinking all this up?? lol

[poolqjunkie]

This topic is very often discussed in great length in pool forums. It is something i have always wanted to ask snooker players.

What I am asking I suppose is for those who can hit a 3 rails escape consistently how they aim the escape. Even if it looks instintive to them, but is it because they have learned some system at one point before, which allows them to analysis the angles in a more systematic manner?

[poolqjunkie]

How successfully you are with this zig-zag rail kicks?

Do you just divide the rails in 4 equal portions, what happens when you do that, does the cue ball go where you want?

[poolqjunkie]

How about this? Do you just guess it? If you need to make this kick in a finals of the most important tournament in your life, how confident are you? Do you have a system that you can count on, at least as a reference?

[poolqjunkie]

I was told this is supposed to be quite easy for someone who knows a 3 rail system. Do you find this to be a straight forward shot?

[mister_e]

personally i just "see" the shot. i dont remember parts of the rail to hit.i can see that imaginary white line that the commentators put up. this one also helps me - think how easy it is to miss the ball, all of us can miss when escaping, so imagine missing the snookered ball either side and go with the point on the cushion between the 'missing' angles.

the rubbers are different on a proper match table. depending on how hard you strike the ball, amounts of side and how much the cushion will absorb the cueball as to the angle it will come out of the cushion.

[poolqjunkie]

personally i just "see" the shot. i dont remember parts of the rail to hit.i can see that imaginary white line that the commentators put up. this one also helps me - think how easy it is to miss the ball, all of us can miss when escaping, so imagine missing the snookered ball either side and go with the point on the cushion between the 'missing' angles.

the rubbers are different on a proper match table. depending on how hard you strike the ball, amounts of side and how much the cushion will absorb the cueball as to the angle it will come out of the cushion.

Thank you so much for your reply.

I am just wondering if you think you can see the lines because you have been learning some kind of system perhaps long time ago, or just from playing many many years and have hit many snookers?

Say, when you try to hit a zig zag cushion escape, do you just see the line. I have found this to be especially hard since I cannot see one of the two cushions (like playing a double when I cannot see the pocket), and the angles do not seem to be the same-- not sure if that is true but sure does feel that way.

[mister_e]

Thank you so much for your reply.

I am just wondering if you think you can see the lines because you have been learning some kind of system perhaps long time ago, or just from playing many many years and have hit many snookers?

Say, when you try to hit a zig zag cushion escape, do you just see the line. I have found this to be especially hard since I cannot see one of the two cushions (like playing a double when I cannot see the pocket), and the angles do not seem to be the same-- not sure if that is true but sure does feel that way.

for me its experience and knowledge, so many years of playing.

yes when im going twice across i usually see a line in my mind, but if unsure just come round and look at the point of the cushion i want to hit.

[bongo]

Of course on 'normal' snooker tables, there is no Diamond system like on the good old american pool tables, so there isn't really a 'system'. For a standard snooker escape that doesn't require side or swerve, I strike the cue ball just above centre (about 1 tip, sometimes more), to make sure I get a 'natural' rebound from the cushion and it doesn't rebound narrower than expected. I don't strike the cue ball too hard either as this can rebound narrower then you want. If I do the above then I would have done all I could to get a natural rebound from the cushion and not a strange unexpected one. As for judging where to strike the cushion, that comes with practice and experience, but I ask myself where is the general area then 'narrow' the aiming point down until I get a place where I think I need the cue ball to hit on the cushion to escape successfully. When I need to strike harder to get the object ball safe, that's where it gets complicated!

[poolqjunkie]

I have tried some system but they only get close to the balls, there has to be some adjustments on table conditions, speed, and so on.
Bongo and Mister_e, thank you for sharing how you hit your snooker escape. I just wasn't sure if the good players in the UK use some kind of system to make things easier.
Is there anything you would suggest for me to get better at kicking other than just experince. Like, what would you suggest I do to help me to see that white line on the table other than playing for years? Anything specific?

[bongo]

If you miss one snooker and you are put back under the miss rule, play the same escape! Stick your eyes on where you hit before and adjust very slightly considering your last results.