Risky: half-ball, balls leaving at the same speedThe cue ball hits the left side of ball 2 at half-ball (high hit, right running spin 3, speed 3) and goes to ball 3 via the left long, top short and right long cushions. Ball 2 goes up to the top short cushion and comes back. Because at half-ball the two balls leave at about the same speed, while the cue ball is going from the left long cushion to the top short cushion, ball 2 is coming back off the top cushion to the same point: they collide in the red area.
How a kiss happens · Drill cards
Safe: full hit, ball 2 passes firstThe same position is played with 3/4 ball and one step harder (speed 4). On a full hit ball 2 leaves fast; the paths still cross, but ball 2 reaches the crossing clearly before the cue ball and goes past. The green area is the kiss zone of the risky version; here the two balls are never there at the same time. Because on a full hit the cue ball's departure angle and speed change, the spin is taken to left (reverse) 1 to reach ball 3 with the same three cushions.
Risky: short cushion first, ball 2 heading to the top cushionThe cue ball hits the left side of ball 2 at half-ball (left running spin 2, speed 3) and comes down to ball 3 via the top short, left long and bottom short cushions. Ball 2 goes from the right long cushion to the top short cushion. While the cue ball is coming back off the top cushion, ball 2 also comes off the right cushion and reaches the same area: the red area is about one diamond from the top short cushion.
Safe: thin hit, the cue ball passes firstThe same position is played with 1/4 ball; spin left running 2.5, same speed. On a thin hit the cue ball keeps its speed and ball 2 travels slowly: it takes the right and left long cushions and stops near the top short cushion. Although the paths cross, the cue ball passes the crossing before ball 2 gets there. The green area is the old kiss zone.
Risky: ball 2 near the cushion, kiss-backBall 2 is very close to the top short cushion. The cue ball hits it on the left side with 5/8 ball (right running spin 2, speed 3). Ball 2 hits the cushion and comes straight back; the cue ball, moving toward the left long cushion, has not yet got away from ball 2: the collision happens right after the first contact, next to ball 2. A full hit on a ball near the cushion is the most typical cause of a kiss.
Safe: hit thin and take ball 2 away from the cushionThe same position is played with 1/4 ball and right running spin 2.5. Ball 2 hits the cushion at a narrow angle and comes down the table along the left long cushion; the cue ball passes the kiss-back point before ball 2 gets there. The path stays the same: left long, top short, right long.