How do you use the diamonds on the rail on a pool table?

Question

What would be helpful would be a link that teaches how to use those diamonds for bank shot, placement shots etc.. Thanks!

Answer 1

The diamonds represent an invisible line where the cue ball must lie behind the invisible line in order to break and after a scratch.

Answer 2

The diamond method, is a little complicated to explain with just words. Explaining pool techniques and strategies is best done through visual cues. However, a trick that tell my students is look at the diamonds to aid when you are figuring out angles for a kick shoot or bank shot. If you are using no english (hitting the cue at center ball) and stroking at a medium speed the angle at with you hit one of the rails is the same angle it will come off. Therefore if you use the diamond as the starting point of the cue ball (let's say the first diamond next to the pocket on the short rail and aim at any other diamond you will see that they will connect to each other in many different patterns, this will vary with the angle you are shooting at the diamond (i.e. if you hit the ball at a 45 degree angle it will come off at 45 degrees, then you can visualize the path). Many problems arise however from people that do not use center ball (they try to get fancy with english when it is not as necessary as you would think). English should be used to control where you want the cue ball to end up for position almost never to make the ball. I hope this was somewhat figuring out angle, referencing the diamonds :)

Answer 3

Markings, usually inlaid into the surface above the rail cushions, used as target or reference points. Three equally spaced diamonds are normally between each pocket on a pool table. Diamonds get their name from the shape of the markings traditionally used. Nevertheless, no matter the shape, rail markings are still referred to as "diamonds."