The idea of a Billiards Nirvana, or the perfect aiming system is almost as extinct as the Dodo bird and that's a good thing. This article is excerpted from "Billiards Basic Blueprint", an e-Book I authored to provide casual billiards players with a thorough grounding in this game.

There is no practical aiming system that will take you to the top other than "feel". Systems slow you down. They take you out of rhythm and this can cause more problems than just missing the shot.

It is just as important to know where the cue ball goes after impact. You must have a second shot you can make.

Aiming systems are used as a crutch to help newer players learn where to aim on the OB, eventually developing feel. They can, however, hurt a player more than they help.

Watch billiards on TV. You will see that no top player uses an aiming system, they use feel. Years of experience do the aiming for them.

The best aiming system: LEARN TO SHOOT STRAIGHT. Shooting a straight on shot is the same as shooting a cut shot. Shoot straight at where you are aiming to, and if you are a somewhat decent player, the ball will drop.

The straight shot is your most important tool. You will rely on it over and over. It is what it takes to get a center ball hit on the cue ball. And that is what gets you to the impact point on a cut shot.

Once you can consistently hit a straight, you will find aiming is suddenly easier.

Feeling is not Guessing

Feeling only develops after consistent practice. It comes from shooting shots over and over again to provide you with an instinctive pattern and stroke.

I have been guilty of guessing for months and telling myself it was feeling. But even a good guess will not offset months of practice.

IMPORTANT! Set up a practice schedule to can maintain. It is nice to say I'll practice two hours a day, but if you can't keep that schedule, even if you settle on 10 hours a week, make it something that fits your schedule. Five hours a week is a lot better than shunting your practice aside.

We do this by letting things get in the way, like a good night's sleep, a special program on television, even too long writing and doing computer work.

Set a specific time for your appointment with the table and keep it. Make it a part of your daily schedule like brushing your teeth. It is that important to the future of your game.

Take the guessing out of your game, start developing feel.

A Mantra to Repeat

While addressing the ball, separate your warm-up into three parts.

1. Survey the table and decide what you are going to do and get yourself into position.

2. Begin to address the ball by thinking aim, aim, aim. Really think about your aim.

Then pause and start the next phase stroke, stroke--actually change from thinking about your aim to thinking about your stroke.

3. Follow through as you strike the ball.

Separating thoughts of aiming from those related to your stroke will make your stroke smoother and more direct without last second adjustments.

Of course the follow through is the key to all shots.

Doing this little chant--aim, aim, aim, and stroke, Stroke, stroke as you prepare will make you focus on each aspect before striking the ball.

Half a ball better than none

The half ball follow angle is one of the most important tools for position play. Any time you have a close to half ball cut shot and the cue ball is rolling smoothly on the cloth when it hits the object ball, the angle at which the cue ball is deflected is very nearly constant. Knowing that single angle takes a lot of the guesswork out of such shots. Learn this angle through practice.

Physics too late at trigger time

Physics and systems may be useful for understanding and planning shots, but when it comes time to pull the trigger, trust your instincts. During practice, a careful, analytical approach will help you sort out what does and doesn't work for you, once you're in a match, the intense analysis must be put aside. Feel the shot and then make it happen.

Nix the Grazing

When playing a combination shot on a hanger, and that hanger is any ball but the nine-ball, try to keep the first object ball from grazing the rail on the way in. it greatly increases your chances of leaving the first shot in front of the same pocket, and enhances cue ball control.

For more help on aiming refer to "Aiming Secrets of The Pros" (Addendum III to "Billiards Basics Blueprint".