A solution layout is derived from a base layout. Where a base layout describes the shot setup, a solution layout describes how to execute it — specifically, where to strike the cue ball and what path it should take to reach the target.
What a Solution Layout Adds
A solution layout extends the base layout with two additional elements:
- Aiming Ball — indicates the tip position on the cue ball, describing the speed, top/bottom (follow/draw), and English (left/right) to apply
- Track Line — the desired path of the cue ball from contact through to the target
These elements introduce additional parameters that can be filtered:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Follow/Draw | Vertical tip position: Follow, Draw, or Center |
| English | Horizontal tip position: Left, Right, Center, Inside, or Outside |
| Number of Rails | How many rails the cue ball contacts along the track |
| Speed | How firmly to strike the cue ball ("1" equals one table length) |
| Level | Shot difficulty as rated by the author: 1 (easy), 2 (medium), 3 (difficult) |
| Stop/Stun | Whether the solution requires a stop or stun shot |
Two Types of Solutions
ICA Solutions
Target Practice comes with 140 solutions pre-loaded. Master Instructor Robin Dreyer has also created an additional 780 solutions to cover most layouts. These solutions represent generally the most straightforward path, though for many layouts the straightforward path is still demanding. ICA Solutions are provided in three purchasable modules — Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 — each containing approximately 260 solutions. They are available at icatraining.com/shop.
User Solutions
You can also create your own solutions for any base layout. Start from a base layout, add a track line and aiming ball to capture how you would execute the shot, then press S to save. Upon saving, your solution is automatically named and entered into the database and becomes fully filterable alongside ICA solutions. Up to 9 user solutions can be saved per base layout.
The full saving process is described in Saving User Solutions.