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Billiards science

Why does the ball slide, why does it curve, and why can the route change even at the same thickness? Read the ball's motion in diagrams and observe it yourself.

Read in this order: a simple explanation → diagrams of the ball's motion → drills that compare one condition at a time → evidence from papers. We do not turn pool or snooker research into fixed corrections for 3-cushion; we separate shared principles from the conditions where they apply.

01 · Understand it in pictures

Does a ball roll right from the start?

Moving and spinning are different motions. Use whether the bottom of the ball slides to tell center, top and bottom hits apart.

Explanation and observation drill →

02 · Understand it in pictures

Same thickness, so why a different direction?

Separating the moment right after the collision from the travel on the cloth afterwards connects stun, follow and draw shots with the separation angle.

Explanation and observation drill →

03 · Understand it in pictures

How do squirt, swerve and throw differ?

Split them in time order: the launch error at the hit, the curve during travel, and the change of direction when the balls collide.

Explanation and observation drill →

04 · Understand it in pictures

Why doesn’t a cushion reflect like a mirror?

On top of the geometric reference of equal angles in and out, spin, friction, restitution loss and cushion deformation come into play.

Explanation and observation drill →

05 · Understand it in pictures

How to watch your shots in slow motion

Recording ball positions and time intervals separately turns a “feel” into an observation you can compare.

Explanation and observation drill →

Further reading: papers and teaching material

Each article's sources summarize what the research covers and its limits. The links below go to the original, a public version or the publisher's page.