40 in One
40 caroms in a single inning: the solution and the position play for the next position
Break (opening shot)
The cue ball (white) is played onto the red first; it goes into the right long cushion about half a ball from the corner and comes off the top short cushion and the left long cushion to the yellow (long–short–long).
Diamond theory: Start 29.5 (≈30) − Arrival 27.5 = Aim 2. On a table that plays normally, the arrival at the third cushion is about 27.5; it is best to think of the yellow as being at that point.
Spin about 3; 4 on worn cloth, 2 on new cloth. Do not change the ball fraction: its effects are less well known and it significantly affects the movement of ball 2.
Speed: the yellow should go to the corner area, and the red to the middle area or slightly above it, one diamond off the long cushion. In the game in the drawing, a correct break was played.
Side diagram (example position): why break from the left. After the break, in a bad position like this one, you can choose to play onto the opponent's ball or onto the red; if the break was played from the right and a similar position arises, you have to play with the opposite hand.
Introduction
Break from the left. The main reason is that, in some bad positions that can arise after the break, we can choose to play onto the opponent's ball or onto the red. For example, for the position alongside: the break is played from the right, and if a similar position arises you have to play with the opposite hand, which is a difficulty. What really matters is a good break; then it makes no difference whether you break from the right or the left. We play the break every day, and we usually play it by eye (a "photograph") or by feel. A proper study shows that, on a table that plays normally, the arrival at the third cushion is about 27.5; it is probably best to think of the yellow as being at that point. According to diamond theory, this means an aim point of 2, obtained by subtracting the arrival of 27.5 from the start of 29.5 (about 30). So we send the cue ball to the right long cushion, roughly half a ball from the corner. The spin is about 3; depending on the condition of the table it can go up to 4 (on worn cloth) or down to 2 (on new cloth). I do not recommend changing the ball fraction; its effects are less well known and it significantly affects the movement of ball 2. The force should be enough to take the yellow to the corner area, and the red to the middle area or slightly higher, one diamond off the long cushion. In the game in the drawing, a correct break was played. Every position after this one starts where the balls stopped after the previous carom; the 40 caroms are described in a single inning, each with the position play for the next position.
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