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by Jim Shovak Index: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SHOTS THAT I LOVE TO PLAY: These 4 shots are common shots that most players consider “safe” but are not. They are basically the same shot off the first ball, but since the last ball is in a different position, it is necessary to use 4 different englishes. The 2 object balls are far away near the top rail and your cue ball is coming from the opposite corner. Your cue ball can be anywhere along the same line unless you are very close to the first object ball.
In the first shot, use a lot of right center-ball spin (reverse), a 1/4 ball hit which means aim for a 1/8 ball hit because of deflection, and a hard snap stroke which means don't follow through. You are trying to hit the LONG rail first, not the top rail.
In the 2nd shot, use the same hit and aim, but use high right reverse English with the same stroke.
In the 3rd shot, use the same hit and aim, but use high English with just a hair of right spin (reverse) and the same stroke. If the cue ball goes BEHIND the last ball, you are using too much reverse English.
In the 4th shot, use a 1/4 ball hit and also aim for 1/4 ball since there will be no deflection on this shot. Use a high ball hit with no English and the same stroke. If the cloth is new, then you will need to adjust your English. First shot, use high reverse; 2nd shot, use 1 tip reverse; 3rd shot, use no English high; 4th shot, use a hair of running (left) English. If you have any questions, please contact me. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Simple, But Effective Short Angle “System” Take a look at the simple shot below. This shot should never be missed. However, most billiard players will still miss this shot all too often.
For now, ignore the numbers on the top rail. Just worry about the numbers on the bottom rail. In order to make the point, your cue ball needs to hit the 3rd rail 2½ diamonds from the bottom-left corner. So if we invent some easy “system” numbers, let's say that the proper point to hit on the 3rd rail is 25 (1 diamond from corner is 10, 2nd diamond from corner is 20, 2½ diamonds from corner would be 25). To make the shot, hit exactly one-half of the first object ball and use maximum left English (9 O'Clock on the cue ball - 4 tips). Here is the MOST IMPORTANT PART: THE STROKE. Don't HIT the cue ball: ROLL the cue ball softly into the hit and follow through on your stroke. Hit it just hard enough to score the point. If you are not making the point, then you are either not using the correct speed, your English is not right, you are not hitting ½ a ball or you are not following through on your stroke. I know that is profound, but it is accurate. Execute perfectly and you will make the shot look easy. If your table is slightly short or long and you are slightly missing you can move your English slightly lower to make your cue ball come longer or slightly higher to make it go shorter on the 3rd rail: as long as you are hitting very softly. If the last ball is in a different position than shown, I hit the shot the same exact way every time except I adjust my English. There are times when another adjustment besides English is necessary, but that's another chapter. Let's say in order to score a point, you need to bring your cue ball to 22½ (between 2 diamonds from the bottom-left corner and 2½ diamonds from the bottom-left corner). Hit the shot the exact same way, but this time use maximum high-left English (10:30 with the clock method). The point scores easily. If you want your cue ball to hit 20, use 3 tips of English (9:30 clock method). To hit 17½, use 2 tips; to hit 15, use 1 tip (11:00 clock method); to hit 12½, use no English high ball (12:00 clock method). Practice it for a while and you'll be amazed at the accuracy. Just make sure you execute properly or else it will not work. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Simple Short Angle System II A more in-depth look at my last article and more. First, let's examine the Englishes. There are many different variations of these englishes, but these are the basic ones I use. You may have different names for these englishes, but this is how I name them.
Now let's look at the shot we looked at previously, only with a lot more detail.
First, let's straighten some things out before you get scared. If your cue ball and the first object ball are lined up directly with the 2nd diamond on the long (top) rail, then the foundation shot is this: 4 tips of English, ½ ball hit, soft follow-through stroke. Your cue ball will hit 25 on the 3rd (bottom) rail. This is only true if your cue ball and the first object ball are separated by a distance of around 2 diamonds or more. When the balls are closer, it changes. That's another lesson. By looking at the numbers listed on the top long rail, you will see that this is the map whereby you will know where your cue ball wants to hit the 3rd (bottom) rail if the first 2 balls (your cue ball and the first object ball) are lined up directly with those numbers. For example, if the first 2 balls are lined up directly with the middle diamond on the top long rail, then your cue ball will hit 17 on the 3rd rail (bottom) if you use 4 tips of English, a ½ ball hit and a soft follow-through stroke. I prefer to use the numbers 7 and 2 all the time instead of 7½ and 2½ and 17½ and 22½. To keep it simple, I call it 22, 17, 32, 37, etc., This “map” comes in handy especially if the first 2 balls are lined up with the number 2 and you have a “difficult” shot where you need to go directly into the corner. The number 2 equals the corner. This “difficult” shot is now a “gimme”. Just remember to execute properly and the shot is made. The number 0 equals just shy of the corner. This comes in handy if you want to play a drop-in shot just missing the corner. It now becomes a much easier shot. The number -2 (minus 2) misses the corner even more and is ideal for many “difficult” drop-in shots in the corner area.
Alternate englishes may also need to be used if the last ball (3rd ball) is in the path of the first object ball shown throughout the diagrams. We don't want a kiss, so an alternate English and hit would be needed to avoid that. First, to get your cue ball to hit 10, use “minus 15” English, which is ½ tip English and a ¼ ball hit. For the diagrammed shots that may have a kiss, here are other alternate englishes and hits: Cue ball to 25: Same “foundation” result: One tip English, ¾ ball hit, slightly harder. I know this is a lot to digest. Practice it and you'll see. Most of the englishes work throughout the entire table (foundation, minus 2, minus 5 and minus 7 englishes). Others change depending on how far you get from the corner (the lower numbers on the “map”). Practice and you'll see what I mean. Hope this helps you to never miss this type of short angle again. However, make sure you miss it when you play me. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some Shots to Practice (PDF)
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