Corner-5 SystemCorner 5 · the diamond system on a pool table

Cushion orderL→S→LDifficulty FREE🖨 Drill cards ✓ Exam on this system PRO 📐 Measure on your table PRO

ScalesReference linePath

Reference positionStart 5Arrival 2Aim 3

Spinside −1 · high

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Ball fractionNot specified

Speed3/5

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Start at the corner 5, aim at the 3rd diamond, 3. The ball comes to 2 on the 3rd cushion; on a carom table it goes from there to the corner on the 4th cushion.

This is the form of the diamond system used on the pool table, with a simple numbering in units of 1. The cue ball aims at a long cushion, passes the far short cushion and comes to the opposite long cushion (3rd cushion): long–short–long. It takes its name from 5, the value of the start corner. The calculation is a single subtraction: 3rd cushion = Start − Aim. The difference from the diamond system: the start scale has the same shape but is written on a scale of one tenth (corner 5, −½ per diamond on the long cushion); on the short cushion each diamond is +1 (6, 7, 8; in the diamond system 60, 70, 80 = 2½ diamonds, 90); the aim and 3rd-cushion scales are linear from end to end (1 per diamond, from 0 to 7) and do not tighten to half diamonds after the middle as in the diamond system. The spin is also smaller (about 1 tip of running spin, not maximum spin).

When? In 3-cushion (and 4th-cushion) kick shots off a long cushion on the pool table: the cue ball has to go to one long cushion, pass the far short cushion and come to the opposite long cushion. The same path is also played on a carom table; the numbering takes less memorising, but on the last diamonds of the 3rd cushion it does not discriminate as finely as the diamond system.

✓ 6/6 examples verified by the formula

Calculate

Aim = Start − Arrival

Start

Arrival

Aim3

Base: Start − Arrival3
Aim3

✓ Example: Reference position: 5 − 3 = 2

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Watch outA very slow stroke makes the ball run short after the 3rd cushion; the ball needs to roll as it travels between the cushions.

Watch outBecause the aim and arrival scales are linear, the error grows when an arrival is wanted on the lower part of the 3rd cushion (above 5); correct it in this zone by trying it on the table.

Watch outWhen going to a ball near a cushion, take the arrival at the point where the ball will touch the 3rd cushion; for balls away from the cushion, assume an exit of about 45° off the 2nd cushion and rotate the line over the cue ball.