Plus 2 System Explained — Soft-Stroke Diamond Adjustment

TL;DR: The Plus 2 System adds +2 diamonds to your standard Diamond System calculation when you stroke softly. Developed by European 3-cushion players in the 1970s as a refinement of the original system.

When to use Plus 2

• Slow-stroke positions where you want to feel the cushion bounce
• Defensive positions where the cue ball should die near the next opportunity
• Around-the-table shots where natural deflection isn't enough

The math

Original Diamond System:  contact = start − arrival
Plus 2 System:            contact = (start − arrival) + 2

So if normal calculation gives contact = 6, Plus 2 gives contact = 8 — aim 2 diamonds further along the cushion.

Step-by-step example

• Cue ball at long rail diamond 4
• Object ball at long-rail-opposite diamond 12
• Required arrival on third cushion: diamond 14

Normal: 4 − 14 = −10 (mod 28 for 7-diamond table) = 18 on first cushion

Plus 2: 18 + 2 = 20 — aim 2 diamonds further

Why it works

A slow stroke loses ~5% of expected cushion bounce angle due to extra cloth friction during contact. The +2 diamond shift compensates for this systemic deviation. Pace = math.

When NOT to use Plus 2

• Fast-paced rip shots — use original system (no adjustment)
• Reverse english shots — Plus 2 + reverse english correction (subtract −1 to −2)
• Multi-collision (kiss mid-flight) — system breaks, use intuition