💠 Diamond System Calculator
Count the rails, not the angle. Enter the cue ball's diamond and your target diamond and get the aim number — corner-5 for pool or system-8 for 3-cushion. An estimation aid to speed up your kicks and banks.
🎱 Aim Kicks & Banks by the Numbers
💠 Aim point
How the aim number is found
The hardest part of a kick or bank is judging the rebound angle. The diamond system replaces that judgment with counting: give the cue ball's rail position a number and your target a number, and the diamond you aim at is simply the difference between them. Strike the far rail there and running english carries the ball home.
This calculator does the subtraction for corner-5 (pool) or system-8 (3-cushion) and flags when the aim falls off the numbered rail so you know to reposition. It is a proven aiming framework, but the diamonds are an estimation aid — speed, english, and cloth all move the real result, so calibrate it to your own table.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the diamond system?
The diamond system is a way to aim kick and bank shots by counting the diamonds (the inlaid markers) on the rails. Each diamond is assigned a number, and the shot reduces to simple arithmetic instead of eyeballing the angle, which makes multi-rail shots far more repeatable.
How does the aim number work?
In the corner-5 and system-8 methods the aim point is just the cue ball's starting number minus the target's number: aim = origin − destination. You send the cue ball to strike the far rail at that aim diamond, and with natural running english the ball reflects on to the destination.
What is the difference between corner-5 and system-8?
They are the same subtraction on different number lines. Corner-5 is the common pool kicking/banking system where the corner counts as 5 and aim points land on the short-rail diamonds 0 to 4. System 8 is a 3-cushion billiards numbering built around 8. Pick the one that matches how you were taught to count the rails.
Will the diamond system always pot the shot?
No — treat it as an estimation aid, not a guarantee. The numbers assume a specific speed and a smooth stroke with running english, and real cushions, cloth speed, humidity, and ball condition all shift the rebound. Use the calculated aim as a starting point and adjust from experience on your table.