Center Ball Training - The Quickest Way to Improve Cue Ball Control

in this video we're going to discuss center ball training and how it can absolutely transform your game faster than any other type of training we're going to go through several drills you can perform and then we'll go through 15 different center ball patterns breaking down each shot and along the way we'll be learning several principles of position play that will absolutely help elevate your understanding of cue ball control we're also going to go through a few patterns with ming eng ming is a professional player who just won the texas open she recently stopped by for center ball training and full table training with sidespin so if you're ready let's get started [Music] center ball training is being taught in billiard academies around the world specifically in china where more and more world champions are being created it's one of the reasons i started the 14 days experiment several years ago i wanted to bring this type of training to as many players as possible and when it comes to taking your game to that next level nothing will get you there quicker than center ball training and just by going through several of the drills in this video you're going to see an improvement in how you move the cue ball around the table for instance in the northwest i worked with a young woman named juliana who wanted to reach a high level in pool but had never received any pool lessons and wasn't familiar with center ball training her biggest issues were fundamentals cue ball control and ball pocketing but before we begin the center ball training we first had her perform two thousand stroke drills to strengthen her fundamentals and straighten her stroke once we finished the stroke drill we then moved on to center ball training she averaged 8 to 10 hours per day of training her ability to roll and stun the cue ball had improved to the point that by the second week she was able to run several patterns she had much better control of her cue ball and her cue ball speed and just two weeks after training she won a master's tournament when i work with students who have gone through center ball training we then move on to side spin training and full table pattern play by completing center ball training they now have a solid foundation to build a complete positional game when we talk about center ball training we're talking about working on these different parts of the game everything from finding center on the cue ball to drills for maximum draw and maximum follow the first drill would be finding the center on the cue ball if the student doesn't know where true center is on the cue ball they may struggle when it comes to ball pocketing and cue ball control next the student goes through a series of drills for rolling shots learning where the cue ball is going off an object ball with a rolling cue ball is a major part of position play next we have several stun drills that cover stop shots sliding cue ball shots off the tangent line stun draw and stun follow these drills are tough but the benefits are enormous next we have several drills that cover maximum high this is an extremely important part of the center ball training and i have a whole video dedicated to maximum high on youtube i'll put a link to it in the description next we have drills and patterns for maximum low maximum low is all about learning how to hit the sweet spot on the cue ball on the xerox website we have several videos covering center ball training that will help get you to that next level but you don't have to use our drills you can create your own drills just by following along in this video we also recommend finding a local pool coach that specializes in center ball training as with all students of the 14 days experiment before we begin any center ball drills we spend 15 to 20 hours working on a stroke drill this is a great drill for straightening your stroke since a student has to keep their cue above the stroke line for up to 2000 times to learn more about this i'll put a link in the description so once i feel the students fundamentals have improved we then move on to center ball training when working with students we first make sure they know where center is before we begin any drills one drill that we use is to place the nine ball and object ball fairly close to each other we'll then make sure number nine is at the very top now we'll strike the center of the nine ball using a firm stroke if we strike center there should be minimal cue ball movement the number nine should still be at the top of the ball if the night ball is coming back a little bit that means we're striking just below center if the cue ball is rolling forward then we're striking above center also make sure the nine ball isn't spinning after striking the object ball if it is that means your tip is just left or right of center depending on which way the ball is spinning when we talk about stun shots we're talking about controlling the amount of roll or low spin on the cue ball if any by the time it strikes the object ball this is what allows players to play a stop shop from different distances from this distance i need just enough low spin to last until this point here then before the cue ball begins to roll forward there will be a brief moment where it is sliding it is at this moment that we need the cue ball to strike the object ball full in order to stop the cue balls now from this distance in order to stop the cue ball the low spin has to last all the way to this area before it begins to slide this means i'll need to use a firm speed along with striking very low on the cue ball by the time the cue ball gets here the low spin is completely gone now before it starts rolling forward there will be a brief moment when the cue ball is sliding so that's when we needed to strike the object ball and if it strikes the object ball full the cue ball should come to a complete stop here's a similar shot except this time the cue ball won't be striking the object ball pool when i shoot this shot just like the previous stop shot i'm going to use enough low spin to last all the way to this point now when the cue ball strikes the object ball it should be sliding which will send it along a 90 degree path [Music] on this shot i'm going to pocket the four ball and send the cue ball around the nine ball if the cue ball is sliding when it strikes the object ball it's going to travel at a 90 degree angle around the 9 ball now if the 9 ball is here i can make sure that when the cue ball strikes the object ball it has some low spin on it which will send it farther down the rail a cue ball that is rolling when it strikes the object ball will be sent in this direction now in order to send the cue ball around the 9 ball we have to make sure both speed and where we strike the cue ball are in sync so if i strike the cube on the same spot but increase my speed now there is much more low spin on the cue ball which results in a dramatically different cue ball path as your center game improves you won't worry as much about scratching on shots for example on this shot a sliding cue ball heads toward this spot on the side rail if the cue ball has a small amount of roll on it by the time it strikes the nine ball it may head toward the corner pocket but if the cue ball has a lot of roll on it by the time it strikes the nine ball then it's going to head toward the end rail a cue ball that has low spin on it by the time it strikes the 9 ball will strike well above the corner pocket on this shot the sliding cue ball path heads in this direction toward the side pocket so i can use a rolling cue ball to send the cue ball here or if the cue ball has low spin on it by the time it strikes the object ball it will head in this direction or on shots like this if he knows where a sliding cue ball will go he now knows that he can use this sliding cue ball path with left spin so when the cue ball strikes the cushion the left spin will send the cue ball around the five ball and to the end rail for shaping the four ball and through proper center ball training he not only will know where the sliding cue ball path will go but he's going to have the skills needed to properly execute the shot or as in this shot where the sliding cue ball path heads toward an object ball now we can simply alter the cue ball path with low spin and at the same time he can use right spin to send the cue ball two rails toward the top side rail stun shots are all about feel since speed and where you strike the cue ball have to be in sync and feel is a result of repetition so when working with students we shoot shots like this over and over again so they can develop a feel for speed and where they need to strike the cue ball now we're going to go through a few stun drills just spending a little practice time every week working on these drills will really sharpen your cue ball control and speed for each of these drills i'm going to show you where i'm striking the cue ball but remember that stun shots are speed sensitive so if you're striking the cue ball in the same location but you're getting a different cue ball path that just means you need to adjust your speed in this first rail we're going to pocket the object ball and send the cue ball around the second ball we're going to try to keep the cue ball within two diamonds of the end rail this shot requires a sliding cue ball as with all the drills i'm going to show you we won't be using side spin as you improve try to keep the cue ball within a diamond and a half of the end round try to land near the second ball's pocket line the goal is to have a nice shot on the second ball and when you first attempt a shot your cue ball may go too far if this happens try cutting your speed in half and this leads to our next principle of stun shots when performing stunt shots as a general rule as your speed decreases you're going to be hitting lower on the cue ball so if you're hitting softer on the cue ball but your cue ball is striking the second ball or traveling in this direction then you'll need to strike much lower on the cue ball if you're striking the cue ball with maximum low and you're still striking the second ball then start increasing your speed as you improve start moving the cue ball farther away when i work with students it usually takes them a little while to develop a feel for this shot try to perform at least three successful shots in a row from each cue ball location eventually you should be able to execute this shot 10 times in a row from each cue ball location if you're struggling with the shot then move the second ball to the end rail and just practice drawing the keyboard off the android position start with the second ball here until you have the shot down then move the ball to this location once you get the shot down go back to the original drill in this drill we'll be pocketing the object ball and sliding the cue ball over to the other side rail for shape on the eight ball we can see that the sliding cue ball line heads in this direction so when the cue ball strikes the object ball it needs a little low spin to pull it back sending it toward the third diamond as with all stun shots lock in your speed first and then determine where you need to strike on the cue ball as you improve at this drill move the cue ball farther away this is a great shot once you have it down it allows you to put that cue ball in some very tight [Music] areas also try moving the eight ball to different locations for instance in this shot you'll need to strike the cue ball a little above center to force it toward the target area [Music] this shot is similar to shot one in this shot we're going to stun the cue ball around the second ball for position the goal is to end up with a nice shot on the second ball you'll be keeping the cue ball within this area for position keep moving the cue ball farther away as you improve at this shot [Music] next move the second ball to the next location this time you'll be keeping the cue ball within this area keep an eye on the cue ball when performing the shot to make sure you're not putting accidental side spin on the cue ball finally move the second ball to the final location you'll be keeping the cue ball within this area for position in this shot we're going to try to land the cue ball on or very close to the target area the goal is to get position on the 8 ball challenge yourself to shoot this shot three times in a row successfully before moving the cue ball to the next location with some players it may take quite a few shots before they have three good shots in a row and it may not even happen during their first training session but if you practice this shot at least for 10 minutes each time you train it won't be long before you're executing this shot consistently from each cue ball location when this happens you'll start to notice an improvement in your cue ball control when playing in tournaments and leagues this shot is an excellent example of really locking in on your cue ball speed in this drill we're going to be sending the cue ball off the side rail and into our position area the cue ball should be striking between the second and third diamond of the side rail on this shot really focus on locking in at what speed you're going to need then make note of the cue ball's path if the cue ball is striking near the side pocket you need to strike slightly lower on the cue ball and if the cue ball is striking too low on the rail then aim slightly higher and remember your speed and where you strike the cue ball have to be in sync so when you change where you strike the cue ball keep the speed consistent from shot to shot so you can really lock in on where you need to strike the cue ball as you improve in this shot start moving the cue ball farther away this is another powerful shot that makes it easy to move the cue ball from one end of the table to another in this shot we're going to stun the cue ball toward the 8 ball this is a shot that comes up quite often in both 8 ball and 9 ball where the tangent line of the object ball will send the cue ball toward the next ball being able to recognize when this happens along with executing the shot correctly will take your positional game to a new level as you improve with this shot start moving the cue ball farther back if you can land on the target that is excellent but keeping the cue ball on the path toward the eight ball is still very good in this drill we're going to pocket the object ball and play shape for the 8 ball in the bottom right corner pocket we're going to start with the keyboard fairly close to the object ball and then as we improve in this drill we'll start moving the cue ball farther away and this leads to our next principle of stun shots the farther away you are from the object ball the more accurate your speed is going to have to be so if you're in a game and you have ball in hand and if you're going to play a stun shot you'll want to keep all fairly close to the object ball about this distance here let's say you're going to play a snapshot with ball in hand start with putting the cue ball fairly close to the object ball and shoot center on the cue ball at this distance as long as you shoot center your cue ball will stop regardless of your speed as opposed to being farther away where now the shot becomes much more speed sensitive letting up on your speed even a little bit from this distance will result in the cue ball rolling forward as you progress through this drill try moving the eight ball to different locations now the cue ball is further down the rail so the cue ball needs a small amount of roll on it when it strikes the object ball even though the cue ball needs to be rolling when it strikes the object ball we're still going to be striking below center and controlling the cue ball's roll using speed on this shot a rolling cue ball heads in this direction so if a player had a play position here all they would have to do is play a nice rolling shot and they would have their position but if the player thinks a rolling cue ball is going to travel in this direction then they may use right spin when pocketing the object ball which will send the cue ball away from their position area set up your own shots like this and mark the cushion on the second rail with a piece of chalk where you think the cue ball will hit then shoot the shot and see how close you are to hitting this mark developing a feel for where a rolling keyboard is going to track is important once we move on to side spin training so if we look at this shot i can use just a touch of left spin and send the cue ball here or just by using a touch or right spin i can send the cue ball here my cue ball control is more precise using size spin since everything is now based off the accurate rolling cue ball path one thing to remember about rolling shots is that when the optic ball is close to the cushion as in this example an angle like this will send the cue ball to the other rail near the same area as the angle starts to flatten now the cue ball will be sent below this area on the other rail and at this angle the cue ball will track here between the first diamond and corner pocket so if this was your shot in a eight ball game right away you know that if you pocket the three ball the cue ball will strike the other rail in the same area in this eight ball game if we can pocket the two ball we know that the cue ball will track toward the other end rail near the same area knowing where rolling angles will take the cue ball is vital before the student can begin their side spin training in this game of 8 ball we're on the 3 ball we need to play an angle on the 4 ball that will take the cue ball to the other side rail for position on the eight ball if we end up here at this angle we know that the cue ball will probably be sent in this direction after pocketing the four ball so at this angle a player would have to use right spin to send it toward the target area what we're looking for is a natural angle that doesn't require side spin then if we don't get our exact position we can use side spin to get on the eight ball and sidespin training is all about knowing exactly how much side spin you need to send the cue ball half a diamond a diamond or two diamonds away from the natural rolling path but a side spin shot like this has to be based off the proper natural rolling path of the cue ball there are many players who play general areas knowing that they can use side spin to get back in line but this way a plane is making the game harder than it needs to be on this shot we're going to first find our natural angle and try to land near this target at this angle we should be able to pocket the four ball and the cue ball should naturally float toward our position area when working with students we had them throw balls out on the table and just set up various rolling shots the goal of each shot is to predict the path the cue ball will take off the object ball you can use a piece of paper to indicate the path you think the cue ball will take and the target only represents the path of the cue ball so you don't have to land the cue ball on this target later though as you improve at this drill you can try to land the cue ball onto this target when you're standing place the target on the table and then when you're examining the shot you may have to adjust the target location don't shoot the shot until you're satisfied with where the target is if you shoot a shot and your cue ball path isn't close to where you place the target then set the shot up and shoot it over and over again to develop a feel for this type of angle and where it's taking the cue ball center ball training is about learning how to control the cue ball off the object ball and send it along a predetermined path side spin training is about learning how to control the cue ball with a sign spin once it strikes a cushion so when you combine center ball training along with side spin training you'll develop the skills needed to put that cue ball anywhere you want [Music] we're going to place a ball in the jaws of the corner pocket and create two rows of balls extending from the pocket the goal is to pocket the object ball and draw the keyball back between the first two balls which in this case is the one and nine ball the goal is to get any part of the cue ball into this area here as you perform this drill you want to avoid striking the balls on either side keep going until you can successfully draw the cue ball back three times in a row now try to draw the keyboard back to this area between the two and ten ball once again see if you can perform this successfully three times in a row once you complete this shot three times in a row change your target area to the next two balls the three and eleven keep working your way up the royal balls until you get to the last row next move the cue ball farther away once again try to draw the cue ball between the first two balls three times in a row after you work your way through the drill from this cue ball location move the cue ball to here at this distance this drill becomes extremely difficult you really need to take your time since the slide error in aim can cause the cue ball to go off course recently ming stopped by for three days of training ming is a professional pool player who just won the texas open while she was here we put in almost 40 hours of training in three days ming informed me that her first coach taught her center ball training back in the 1990s before she joined the women's tour although her center ball game was very good she still had a few issues that we had to correct but the main issues were full table pattern play with sign spin which we'll take a look at in a later video but for now let's examine a few of our half table patterns the rules for half table pattern play are fairly simple you can pocket the balls in all six pockets but the cue ball can't cross half table you also have to shoot the balls in order and call the pocket for each ball before you begin the run and there is no side spin allowed in order to be successful at half table pattern play you need good table management along with very good speed control when you play half table pattern play just grab five random balls and throw them out on one half of the table anywhere you want let's examine this pattern from ming's training here are the pockets she has chosen for each ball and remember she has to shoot the balls in order since it may be difficult to land here with the cue ball she chose to pocket the three ball in the top left corner pocket when she shoots the one ball she needs to land close to the three ball pocket line since she's playing the seven in the bottom side pocket when she plays position on the three ball she's not going to roll into her position area since she won't have her position until the very end of the cue ball pass instead she's going to send the cue ball off the end rail and toward the 3 ball this opens up her position window for the 3 ball she ended up with a little more angle than she would have liked now she's going to have to perform a kill shot on the 3 ball using maximum low and a soft speed she ended up below the 7 ball pocket line so now she's going to have to perform a power draw shot sending the cue ball off the side rail and back out landing on or across the 14 ball pocket line here she's landed on the pocket line so she's just going to roll forward and take a longer shot on the 15 ball when she shoots this she needs to keep the cue ball from crossing half tables removing side spin and the other half of the table takes away a player's safety net so their speed control and angles have to be right on with half table pattern play you'll sometimes get fairly easy patterns along with very difficult patterns it's important that you still focus when you get a run out that looks fairly easy since it doesn't take too much to create an awkward angle jeopardizing the run out here are the pockets she chose for each ball when choosing side pockets in half table pattern play you really need to be aware of the pocket line since your cue ball can't cross half table and you can't change your pocket once you start your run out so if ming shot the 10 ball and landed here her run would probably be over when she plays the 8 ball she needs to make sure she creates a natural rolling shot on the 10 ball that will take the cue ball across the 13 ball pocket line so an angle like this on the 10 ball wouldn't be a natural angle at this angle since we're hitting a lot more of the 10 ball we're going to need to use a firm stroke to move the cue ball off the side rail and toward our target area at this angle she can softly roll in the ten ball and the cue ball should track toward her target area since she has to play the 15 in the side pocket when she shoots a 14 ball she needs to land on or very close to the 15 ball pocket line here she ended up a little short of the pocket line now she has to pocket the 15 ball with a very soft stroke to keep the cue ball from crossing half table in this pattern here are the pockets main chose for each ball the key shot here is landing on or close to the six ball pocket line since she needs to shoot the 14 ball in the top left corner pocket when she shoots the two ball she wants to create an angle on the 3 ball so she can send the cue ball closer to the 5 ball so she ended up here on the five at this angle she'll have to shoot softly to hold the cue ball for the sixth ball when she shot the fireball she went a bit too far so now she's going to have to softly roll in the sixth ball and take a tough cut shot on the 14 ball half table pattern play is tough especially when you get up to four five and six balls getting out of line even a little bit makes it very difficult since you can't use sine spin and the other half of the table to get back in line i'll set up a half table pattern with three balls and i recommend starting with three balls until you get the hang of it here are the pockets i've chosen for each ball so when i play position for the two ball i'll need to land on or just short of the two ball pocket line if i end up too short of the pocket line i may have to start the run over remember you can't use side spin to get back in line and you also aren't allowed to change the pockets for the balls once you begin the run playing half table pattern play really gets you thinking about angles and cue ball speed this is a great training drill for those players who tend to play large general areas for their cue ball position if you practice half table pattern play there are a few things you need to keep in mind recently when working with a student we came across this pattern when practicing half table pattern play the student's first instinct was to pocket the one ball and roll forward landing here so we can send the cue ball to the side rail for shaping the three ball but if we examine the position window he would have to land in for the two ball to send the cue ball to the side rail it's not very large ending up an inch too far or an inch too short will make it very difficult to get his position for the three ball so a speed control would have to be extremely precise before beginning your run out always examine the position window you need to land in try to give yourself a couple different options for playing position the better option here would be to change the pocket of the three ball to the bottom left corner pocket now we can pocket the one ball and roll forward a few inches which gives him a natural angle on the two ball to roll it in and send the cue ball off the end rail and toward the three ball try to choose patterns that minimize cue ball movement in this pattern we can choose the pocket the tubo in the bottom side pocket by landing on or near the pocket line the danger in playing the pattern this way is that ending up a little short will end your run since the cue ball can't cross half table and going a bit too far makes position on the three ball extremely difficult so playing position for the two in the side pocket means your speed control would have to be very precise a slightly better option is to pocket the one ball and draw back a few inches since we're not traveling too far with the cue ball we have a very good chance of getting our position on the two ball as you work your way through patterns be aware of which side of pocket lines you should favor for instance landing below the four ball pocket line still leaves me in good position to pocket the four and play the five in the bottom right corner pocket the danger area would be on this side of the pocket line which would require much more work to get back in line so let's begin the full table patterns when going through each pattern the goal is to run out three times in a row i've chosen a specific run out for each pattern that will really test your center ball game these are the same types of patterns that my students go through and i guarantee you that nothing will improve your game quicker than building a strong center ball game so i'll first show you the pattern along with what pockets each ball is going into as i shoot each shot i'm going to show you where i'm striking the cue ball along with any principle of position play that may come up here is the run out and here are the pockets each bulb will go into this is an extremely difficult run out if you can run this pattern out two or three times in a row that is excellent in this runout we need to create an angle on the two ball that will send the cue ball across the three ball pocket line and when we shoot the three ball the goal is to send the cue ball off the side rail between the four ball and side pocket for our position find your ideal angle on the two ball and try to send the cue ball to this area off the side rail this type of shot where we're using maximum high to send the cue ball to a target on a rail is an extremely important part of center ball training it's important that students not only can consistently strike maximum high but that they also know what angle to use on the object ball to send the cue ball toward their target once they develop a feel for this type of shot then in a real game situation they are going to have a better feel for where their cue ball is going for instance in this game of ten ball my opponent left me here on the two ball and my next ball the three ball is over here if i use maximum high i know that the cue ball will travel in this direction toward the side round since i know where maximum high will go i now know that i can strike about a tip lower on the cue ball which will send the cue ball higher up on the side rail for my position on the three ball or as in this 8 ball game i was left here on the 3 ball and the 8 ball is over here maximum high was in the cue ball in this direction so if i can strike a little lower in the cue ball it now becomes a stunned final shot which changes the cue ball path sending it in the proper direction in this game of 9 ball i was left here on the 5 ball and i need to get shape for the 6 ball and players who don't have the proper center ball training may think that the cue ball will head toward the eight ball or a six ball but players who are familiar with maximum high and where angles will take the cue ball we'll know right away that the cue ball will bypass the six ball and come off the end rail for position so on the one ball shot you first pick out your cue ball target then try to determine what spot on the side rail will send the cue ball toward the target when shooting the two ball you really need to visualize the target area for the cue ball take several practice strokes while standing to try to create the speed you'll need for this shot on this three ball shot we can see that the sliding cue ball path heads toward the side rail between the side pocket and third diamond so if you run this pattern three times in a row you'll undoubtedly end up at various angles on the three ball which means you'll have to learn how to slide the cue ball off the three ball from different angles and distances for instance at this angle we're going to need maximum load to pocket the 3 and send the cue ball off the side rail and the reason for maximum low on this shot is due to how softly we'll have to strike the 3 ball due to the angle at a soft speed the low spin should be gone by the time the cue ball strikes the three ball sending the cue ball along the sliding cue ball path at this angle we're going to be using a firm speed and shooting just below center when you shoot the three ball your cue ball isn't allowed to cross the second diamond line here is the run out and here are the pockets each bulb will go into the key shot here is landing on the correct side of the two ball pocket line so we can send the cue ball over to the side rail for shape on the three ball on this first shot we'll be using maximum high to send the cue ball to the side round toward the two ball at the correct angle as a general rule when sending the cue ball to a rail like this you're going to want to use maximum high striking the cue ball at maximum high helps propel the cue ball to the cushion and back out and once you get the hang of it striking at maximum high gives you a nice consistent action on the cue ball if you strike the shot below maximum high you may end up with a dead cue ball which doesn't have quite the same energy this way playing position opens up your position window on the two ball as opposed to traveling this way where you won't have your position until the very end of the cue ball path when playing position for the three ball we have to be aware which side of the pocket line is the danger area in this pattern we're not allowed to send the cue ball off either and rail when playing shape for the four ball ending up too short of the pocket line will probably end the run the goal is to land on the pocket line or just across the pocket line so we can roll forward for position on the four ball [Music] here is a run out and here are the pockets each bulb will go into in this pattern when we pocket the three ball we have to land in this area for shaping the four ball also when we shoot the three ball the cue ball isn't allowed to go off the end rail or other side wrap so when we pack into one ball we can create a high angle around here on the two ball we can send the cue ball off the end rail and toward the middle of the table if we end up with too high an angle we can use a low stun shot to send the cue ball off the end rail and sign rail for shaping the three ball now that we know where we need to be for the two ball let's examine the one ball as a general rule when playing eight four nine ball and you have a ball hanging in a pocket try to play close position for it if you examine this layout in nine ball we're on the three ball and the four ball is in the jaws of the corner pocket we could play the three ball this way ending up here for the four ball and try to roll it in and send the key ball back up table for shaping the bible but at this distance if we strike a little too much of the four ball or we strike it too thin it dramatically changes the cue ball path off the end round the better option when we played the three ball is to send the cue ball off both side rails landing closer to the four ball now we can be much more accurate and how much of the four ball we're striking making position on the five ball much easier i ended up a little flat on the two ball if i use maximum high the cue ball will be sent in this direction so on this i'm going to use a stun follow shot similar to the shot i showed you earlier when playing position for the 8 ball i'm going to strike just below maximum high with a firm stroke now if you shoot the shot with a firm stroke and your cue ball heads in this direction then try it again but keep the speed the same just make sure you strike a little higher on the cue ball and remember when we shoot the three bow we need to land in this area for the four ball here is the run out and here are the pockets each bulb will go into one of the main benefits of center ball training is developing a feel for where angles will take the cue ball whether you are using a stun shot or just rolling the cue ball on this shot we're going to be using maximum high to send the cue ball off the side rail and toward our target area for the two ball when you try the shot you'll soon realize that this shot is angle sensitive the more angle you have in the one ball the farther down table the cue ball will be sent as the cue ball gets closer to the one ball pocket line now the path starts to head in the proper direction this is why it's so important to run these patterns three times in a row after completing the final run you're going to have a much better feel for what angle you're going to need on this one ball shot along with the proper speed understanding shots like this one ball shot will also benefit other shots that are similar when we shoot the two ball we need to cross the three ball pocket line so we can use the sliding cue ball to send the cue ball to the side rail for shaping the four ball now when we shoot the two ball we want to create a little distance between the cue ball and side rail that way it makes pocketing the three ball and getting our shape in the four ball a little easier when the object ball is a quarter diameter less from the cushion you can play it off the cushion at a soft speed which allows you to change the cue ball path in this layout we're on the 5 ball we need to end up in this area for shaping the 6 ball the problem is that we're straight in on the 5 ball just like the previous shot if the object ball is near the side rail you can cheat the pocket by brushing the object ball along the side rail around here this creates the angle you'll need to move the cue ball away from the side rail when you shoot this shot it's not about power it's about applying a good smooth stroke to the cue ball and you won't be cheating the pocket very much instead of aiming straight at the cushion here you'll be changing the aim slightly to here and it won't take much to send the cue ball away from the side rail when you practice this shot first try placing two blocker balls here and try to draw around them once you become consistent at this place another blocker ball on the line and try to draw the cue ball around them keep adding blocker balls to increase the difficulty once you get to around six balls you may have to reduce the speed of the keyboard to move the cue ball around the balls so on this shop i'm going to softly play it off the point which moves the cue ball away from the side ramp on this shot i'll first examine the sliding cue ball path off the 3 ball which heads toward this area by the third diamond this is the type of shot that we spend a lot of time on with students we need to send the cue ball along the sliding keyboard path but we're also going to be using a soft speed to hold the cue ball before the second diamond line if you try the shot and your cue ball is taken off on you take your speed way down and strike much lower on the cue ball the softer you need to hit the cue ball when trying to slide the cue ball off the object ball the lower on the cue ball you'll need to strike here is the run out and here are the pockets each bulb will go into in this first shot we're going to be using maximum high to send the cue ball to the end rail and toward the two ball this is similar to previous shots where we were sending the cue ball to a target on the side rail first find your position area for the cue ball then determine what target on the end rail will work to send the cue ball toward this position area before shooting the one ball let's examine the three ball the goal in this pattern is to land in this area for the four ball if the cue ball doesn't land in this area for the four ball you have to start the run over if we end up hearing the three ball we can use a soft rolling shot to land in our position area as the angle starts to flatten we can no longer softly roll in the three ball now we have to use a little more speed to control the cue ball spin up until contact with the three ball at this angle we're going to have to use a firm stroke shooting near center what you'll learn is that having a play position into this area is much easier when you're rolling the three ball into the pocket as opposed to using a stun shot you can test this out for yourself by setting up this shot and trying to hit these targets along the other side rail you're going to be using a rolling cue ball along with side spin to control the cue ball's pass now move the cue ball to this location and try to hit the same targets you'll notice right away that trying to hit specific targets using a stun shot is very difficult and the same is true for this shot where you need to hit these targets on the bottom side rail first try it from here using a rolling shot and side spin now flatten the angle and try to hit the same targets and when you're shooting these shots try to land within a half diamond of each target once you get both shots down you'll notice much more consistency with the rolling shots when you're down on the table shooting the one ball if you need to move the cue ball use your ferrule to fine tune the angle really take your time to make sure you have the correct angle before shooting ideally we would like a little high angle on the two ball so we can send the cue ball off the side rail and back out for our shape on the three ball so i've ended up at an angle where i can roll in the three ball and the cue ball should naturally head toward the position area [Music] here is the run out and here are the pockets each ball will go into in this pattern the first three shots all require stunned draw shots on the first shot we're going to create an angle in the one ball that we can use to send the cue ball to the other end rail crossing the two ball pocket line we'll then use a stun draw shot to send the cue ball across the three ball pocket line and finally we're going to use the stun draw shot to send the cue ball a little higher up in the side rail to send the cue ball toward the four ball and when we talk about the stun draw shot it means we're striking the cue ball above maximum low earlier we talked about the stun follow shot for instance in this game of 8 ball we're on our last salad but our window for the 8 ball is very tight and if you use a very soft stroke the cue ball still rolls past our position area but if we use a stunned power shot with a firm speed the cue ball will strike the four ball and roll forward a couple inches for position on the eight ball you can either shoot the shot with center high with a very firm stroke or using a little less speed you can shoot center on the cue ball and by the time the cue ball gets to the four ball it has a small amount of roll on it pushing it forward the stun draw shot is similar here we have a shot where we need to draw back a couple inches for position on the eight ball you can either shoot the shot with maximum low and a soft speed or you can use a firm speed and shoot about a tip below center now when the cue ball strikes a 4 ball it has just enough low spin to bring the cue ball back for a position on the 8 ball in a slow motion you can see that the cue ball really doesn't have much low spin but it has enough to bring it back for position the stun draw shot comes up quite often in 8 ball 9 ball for instance in this game of 8 ball once again we have a small window for the 8-ball the tangent line was in the cue ball in this direction but if our speed isn't perfect we may end up behind the 10 ball and if we use maximum draw the cue ball will head in this direction so on this shot i'm going to strike the key ball just below center the goal in this shot is make sure the cue ball has a small amount of low spin on it when it strikes the four ball this will change the cue ball path sending it to the position area when we play the one bar we're going to give ourselves an angle that's going to help move the cue ball to the other end round if you're striking the one ball with a firm stroke and is still not reaching the other end rail then you need to give yourself a little more angle if we look at the tangent line it looks like a sliding cue ball is going to be heading in this direction so we need enough low spin on the cue ball to pull it back and send it along the correct path maximum load definitely won't work since it will pull the cue ball to the side rail when you shoot this shot it won't take much little spin to send the cue ball down table into our position area the goal in this shot is to cross the three ball pocket line on the shot once again we're going to be using a stun draw shot to send the cue ball further down the rail so we can send it toward the four ball as with the other stun draw shots we've discussed these shots are speed sensitive both speed and where you strike the keyboard have to be in sync otherwise the cue ball may be sent along a different path and when we shoot the three ball the keyboard needs to land in this position area here is the run out and here are the pockets each bulb will go into in this pattern the key shot is pocketing the two ball and landing on this side of the three ball pocket line from here we can use the stun shot to send the cue ball to the side rail for shaping the four ball before we shoot the one bulb we first need to find where the two ball pocket line meets the rail which is right here it's important that when you have shots like this where you have to stay in one side of a pocket line that you first find where the pocket line meets the cushion this now gives you a visual target that you can use when shooting the object ball for instance in this game of 8 ball i ended up here on the 6 ball i need to land on the 4 ball pocket line so i can roll forward for shaping the 8 ball if i end up with any kind of angle on the 4 ball it's going to be very difficult to play shape for the 8 ball so i'll first find where the pocket line meets the cushion and this now becomes my visual target so before i get down on the table i'm going to visualize the cue ball path toward this target visualizing a cue ball path is extremely important in that the path will tell you not only what speed you need but how much side spin if any is necessary in this game of 9 ball i'm on the 2 ball and i need to create a slight angle on the 3 ball for the bottom side pocket so i can get my position for the four ball so i'll first find where the three ball pocket line meets the cushion since i don't need much of an angle in the three ball i'll send the cue ball toward this spot on the side rail with a soft speed so when the cue ball comes off the cushion it should give me the angle i need to get on the four ball since maximum high will send the cue ball in this direction i now know i can strike a little lower in the cue ball to send the cue ball toward my target area when you shoot the two ball you'll be going two rails for position on the three ball the tangent line heads toward the second diamond so we can use a sliding cue ball when pocketing the two ball the cue ball should travel along this path putting us on the proper side of the three ball pocket lines now we'll examine the sliding cue ball path off the three ball it looks like it heads here between the first and second diamond when i shoot the three ball i'm going to use to touch a low spin which will send the cue ball a little higher up on the side rail and when we shoot the three ball we need to land in this area here for shaping the four ball [Music] here is a run out and here are the pockets each bulb will go into in this pattern the key shot is pocketing the one ball and landing on the right side of the two ball pocket line if we examine the tangent line of the one ball a sliding cue ball will be sent toward the corner pocket so if the cue ball is rolling when it strikes the one ball it will be sent toward the side rail this is why it's so important to not only see the tangent lines of object balls but also know how to strike the cue ball to alter the cue ball's path when working with students they will sometimes choose this way of getting on the two ball while this way will work it's a bit of a blind shot in that you can't see your cue ball target in your line of sight this shot also takes more speed to move the cue ball off the end rail and over to the other end round on this shot you can not only see your keyboard path and your line of sight while down on the table but at the proper angle it doesn't require much of a stroke to land in the position area so we've ended up here in the two ball the ideal angle would have been here which would have allowed us to roll in the two ball for our position on the three ball since it would have been a rolling shot it would have been a lot easier to control our speed on this shot we'll first figure out where the cue ball will go if we strike at maximum high and it looks like a maximum high shot will travel in this direction toward the side pocket so if we choose this path our speed would have to be extremely precise but we can widen this angle by using a stun follow shot so we'll be using a firm stroke and striking the cue ball just below maximum high now the cue ball will strike further down the rail which increases our position window on the three ball and when we play the three ball the cue ball has to come off the side rail and land in this area here so let's first examine the three ball tangent line by sliding cue ball heads in this direction toward the side round which means it should end up in our position area for the four ball so when i shoot the three ball i'm going to make sure the keyboard is sliding when it strikes a three ball and i should end up in my position area here is the run out and here are the pockets each bulb will go into in this drill the goal is to use the side rails to play position for each ball if we can end up around here for the two ball we'll have a nice rolling angle to send the cue ball off the bottom side rail for shaping the three ball if we end up around here on the two ball we can no longer softly roll in the two ball and send the cue ball to our position area for the three ball so we'll first determine where maximum high will take the cue ball off the two ball at this angle maximum high is going to take the cue ball on this path toward the side pocket so this path will work as long as we control the speed we can alter the path slightly by striking just below maximum high with a firm stroke when we play shape with the three ball if we end up short of the three ball pocket line we'll have to start the run over as i mentioned in a previous pattern when we shoot shots like this one ball we're going to play it off the cushion so we can track toward the two ball at the correct angle this is a much better option than just trying to roll into our position area where we wouldn't have our position until the very end of the cue ball pass [Music] when we shoot the two ball we need to be aware of the three ball pocket line since we need to make sure we cross it with the cue ball when performing sun shots where we're sending the cue ball off a cushion like in this three ball shot the angle toward the cushion will be similar to the angle leaving the cushion so if we send the cue ball toward the third diamond it should track this way off the cushion which should work for position on the four ball and when we play the three ball the cue ball has to come off the side round land in this area here here is the run out and here are the pockets each bulb will go into the key to this run out is landing on the left side of the three ball pocket line from here we can use a rolling cue ball to send the cue ball off the end rail for shaping the four ball on this one bar shot we need to create an angle that is going to help move the cue ball to the bottom side rail for shape on the two ball this is a comma shot that you'll see strong players perform but it's a shot that many players are uncomfortable with due to the backward cut shot once you get this shot down however it doesn't take much of a stroke to move the cue ball across the table when players first try this shot they tend to flatten the angle in the one ball which requires more speed to move the cue ball over to the position area the key to this shot is creating an angle where the shot is still easy but the angle is helping move the cue ball over to the side rail if you're shooting the shot and your speed seems correct but the cue ball is tracking this way then keep the speed the same and start aiming a little lower on the cue ball once you get the hang of the shot you'll be able to make it over and over again while controlling the path of the cue ball the goal is to land on or just above the two ball pocket line before shooting the two ball we need to visualize the three ball pocket line the ideal angle is around here on the three ball from here we can use a rolling cue ball to send the cue ball off the end rail and back up for shaping the four ball if we end up closer to the three ball pocket line then we'll have to use a stun shot so if we examine the tangent line of the three ball we can see that a sliding cue ball will head to the side rail by the first diamond if the cue ball has a small amount of low spin on it when it strikes the three ball the cue ball will be sent higher up on the side rail when shooting the three ball we need to land the cue ball into this area [Music] here is the run out and here are the pockets each bulb will go into in this pattern the key shot is creating an angle in the three ball that will take the cue ball to this position area for the four ball since we know where we need to be for the three ball an angle like this on the two ball will work for sending the cue ball toward this target area if we look at the one bulb we can see that if we can hold this line toward the two ball we should end up with the correct angle playing shape this way means we don't need to have precise speed control since we'll be traveling toward the two ball at the correct angle when we play position for the three ball we have to be careful in that we don't create too much angle since we're not using side spin if we end up with too much angle in the three ball the cue ball will be sent toward the four ball making the shot on the four ball more difficult what we're looking for when playing shape for the three ball is a natural angle where a rolling cue ball will be sent in the proper direction now if we end up too flat on the three ball we can no longer use a soft rolling shot to get our position for the four ball at this angle we'll have to use a firm stroke shooting center or just above center which should send the cue ball along the correct path and when we shoot the three ball the cue ball can't go off the side rail and it has to at least cross the half table line here is a run out and here are the pockets each bulb will go into the key to this run out is landing above the three ball pocket line so we can send the cue ball three rails for shaping the four ball when we play the one ball we're going to send the cue ball off the end rail and side rail and toward the other half of the table creating a high angle on the two ball shooting the one ball is all about speed control since we're not using side spin ending up with too much angle in the two ball is going to make it much harder to cross the three ball pocket line and when we shoot the two ball we're not allowed to go off the other end rail if you shoot this shot and your cue ball is tracking this way you may need to give yourself a little more angle on the one ball and remember it's important that you use maximum high the cue ball has to drive off the end rail and toward the side rails and what you're going to learn when playing this pattern is that the closer you end up to the two ball pocket line the less low spin you're going to need to use if you end up a cue ball c you'll need maximum load to pull the cue ball back across the three ball pocket line the goal when shooting the three ball is to land in this area above the four ball pocket line if i shoot the three ball with center high the cue ball will strike too high on the other side rail sending the cue ball in this direction it's important that when i shoot this shot the cue ball has low spin on it when it strikes the three ball so it hits the end rail a little further down which should send it toward the position area here is a run out and here are the pockets each ball will go into the key shot here is pocketing the one ball and landing across the two ball pocket line this type of shot requires three different skills the ability to strike maximum high knowing one angle on the one ball will take the cue ball to our target on the end round and the third skill is having the correct speed control if we end up straight in on the two ball we can draw back off the side rail for shaping the three ball if we land on this side of the two ball pocket line we'll have to start the run over so we need to land around here for the three ball since we need to pocket the three and land on the left side of the four ball pocket line and when we shoot the four ball we need to land the cue ball in this area if we land outside of this area then we have to start the run over if we examine the sliding cue ball path off the four ball we can see that it heads in the right direction so it's just a matter of using proper speed here is a run out and here are the pockets each ball will go into the key to this run out is landing in this area for the three ball which will allow us to send the cue ball off both side rails when we play the one ball we're going to be sending the cue ball toward the 2 ball at the correct angle which opens up our position window whenever possible you want to send the cue ball toward the next ball at the correct angle since this really opens up the position window so you want to pocket the one ball and track this way for position since the angle is changing for the two balls you also wouldn't pocket the one ball and shoot the two ball from this distance one thing you'll find out is that stun shots are speed sensitive for example it's much easier to snap the cue ball from this distance than from this distance if you know your next ball is going to require a stun shot keep in mind the distance between the object ball and cue ball the farther away the cue ball is from the object ball the harder it is to control the exact speed and path of the cue ball before shooting the two ball really lock in on where you would like the cue ball to end up for the three ball the flatter the angle the less slow spin you'll need to use and the harder you'll need to strike the cue ball the more angle you have the more low spin you'll need to use the reason i have students perform patterns like this three times in a row is because they will undoubtedly end up at various angles on the three ball which will really test their ability to stun the cue ball when you play this pattern you need to send the cue ball into this area for shaping the four ball or you have to start the run over here is a run out and here are the pockets each ball will go into [Music] the key shot here is creating a rolling angle on the two ball that we can use to send the cue ball straight toward the three ball many players would travel this way with the cue ball but this may create a flat angle requiring more work to get on the three ball before shooting the one ball be real specific about where the cue ball needs to land for the two ball so we've ended up at a nice angle that will allow us to roll on the two ball and send the cue ball toward the three ball center ball training is all about learning how the cue ball moves off object balls and cushions without side spin with enough training a player will know right away that a rolling cue ball at this angle will give them shape on the three ball a player who hasn't had the same training may think that the cue ball needs left or right spin to send the cue ball toward the three ball and be left with a difficult shot on this shot the cue ball needs to cross the second diamond line otherwise you have to start the run over [Music] when shooting the three ball the cue ball needs to cross the third diamond line [Music] here is a run out and here are the pockets each bulb will go into as you play each pattern before shooting the one ball try to visualize the position area for the three ball by doing this is going to give you a better idea of where you need to be for the two ball for instance i'm going to need an angle on the three ball to get on the four ball so if i can end up around here on the three ball this angle should work for getting on the four ball now that i know where i need to be for the three ball i now know that i need an angle around here for the two ball so i can roll it in and get my angle on the three ball when i play the one ball i'm going to give myself an angle that will help move the cue ball toward my position area it's important that whenever you play position and pull that you try to give yourself angles that will help move the cue ball to your next position area and when i work with students they tend to give themselves flat angles like this which means they can no longer softly roll in the one ball and get their position on the two ball now they have to use a lot more stroke to move the cue ball to the other side of the table for shape on the two ball and remember we're not using side spins so ending up too short of your position area may make it too difficult to hold the cue ball for the three ball before shooting the two ball i'm going to find my target area for the cue ball i then need to make sure this target area is going to work with the angle i have on the two ball for example recently one of my students had a situation like this where they had a little cut angle in the three ball for the side pocket i asked them to place a target for where they would like to end up for the four ball they chose the target by the first diamond but the problem is they didn't have the proper angle in the three ball to get to this target area the only way they can land on this area with the cue ball is if they overcut the three ball at a soft speed which is exactly what happened when the student tried the shot they were so fixated on landing in their target area that they didn't stop to realize that they didn't have the proper angle to send the cue ball to this target the better target area is higher up on the side rail where he doesn't have to fight the cue ball the angle will naturally take the cue ball to this spot when playing the three ball you have to at least cross the third diamond line or you have to start the run over something to remember when shooting the final ball on eight ball nine ball or whatever game is being played is to select the speed of the shot before getting down on the table many of my students tend to quickly get down on the final ball before they mentally select what speed they're going to be using then when they're down on the table they have to quickly figure out the speed and it may not be in sync with their backstroke length here is a run out and here are the pockets each bulb will go into the key shot here is creating an angle on the three ball to send the cue ball to the bottom side rail for shaping the four ball when we shoot the one ball we need to create a flat angle on the two ball so we can pocket the two ball and keep the cue ball to the left side of the three ball pocket line if we end up with too much angle in the two ball it will be too difficult to hold the cue ball for the left side of the three ball pocket lines try to find your angle before shooting the one ball pick a target on the side rail to send the cue ball toward so on this shot i'll be using maximum high to send the cue ball to the side rail and whenever you send the cue ball to a rail always have a specific target in mind before shooting before shooting the two ball visualize the three ball pocket line and pick a target on the left side of this line for the cue ball to land in since we'll most likely be using a stun shot on the three ball we need to be aware of how far the cue ball is from the pocket line ending up too close to the pocket line means we'll have to use a very firm stroke to move the cue ball to our position area for the four ball ending up around here would be ideal since now this angle is helping to move the cue ball to our target area [Music] on this shot if we softly roll in the two ball the cue ball will be sent in this direction landing too close to the three ball pocket line so when we shoot the two ball we need to use a soft stun shot sending it along this path to do this i'm going to be striking softly with low spin when playing position it's always a good idea to first examine where a sliding cue ball will go then make any necessary adjustments on this shot the sliding cue ball will head toward the third diamond so if the cue ball has a small amount of roll on it when it strikes the three ball then it should hit further down the rail on this shot you have to land the cue ball in this area otherwise you have to start the run over [Music] you

Channel: Tor Lowry

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Keywords: tor lowry, pool tips, billiard tips, draw stroke, how to draw, pool instruction, free pool lessons, pool lesson, cue ball control, 8 ball, 8-ball, run more balls in 8 ball, pool stance, pool aiming, billiard lessons, pool fundamentals, pool stroke, stroke drill, pool stroke drill, create a professional pool stroke, how to draw the cue ball, low spin, deflection, center ball, centerball, tangent line, pool tangent, pool stop shot, stop shot, center ball training

Id: 8j5aBEzhgos

Length: 74min 18sec (4458 seconds)

Published: Wed Jan 27 2021