+TECH TALK+ BY Bob Jewett GIVING & DECEIVING Take a second look at these four shots that appear Impossible. HE LONGER you study this game, the hit half the object ball on the side away similar "impossible" bank by the corner more shots you will see made that from the pocket and hit it hard. The pockets, but the facings there seem to Tappear impossible at first glance. In trick is the exact position of the object be far less effective at redirection. my June 2007 column, I offered a bank ball, which is with about a half-inch of In Diagram 2, the cue ball and object and a cut — both of which were beyond the edge of the ball out into the pocket ball are frozen together and pointed 90 degrees for cut angle and therefore opening. From that position, a half-ball straight up the table, with the object impossible according to simple physics. hit will drive the ball into the rubber of ball on the spot. The goal is to make Of course, when the important effects the rail and also into the object ball straight into ei­ are included — such as friction, which the back of the hard ther of the far corner pockets. causes throw — physics says the shots facing of the side I suppose you could call this are possible, depending on the condi­ pocket. The facing the "pick your pocket" shot. To tions. Here are four more impossible, or redirects the object make this shot, just aim the cue at least improbable, shots. ball to come straight stick straight at the intended The first is a bank shot that I learned across the table. De- pocket, use a little inside Eng­ from Hall of Famer Eddie lish to help the throw, Taylor, who was the acknowl­ and use moderate speed. edged king of bank pool. It To help the throw fur­ was among many shots he ther, since you are going demonstrated for the eye- to need more than you ballers at a BCA trade show. ever would see on a nor­ As shown in Diagram 1, he mal shot, arrange for the banked the ball by the side contact point between pocket one rail to the other the cue ball and object side pocket. The difficulty is ball to be chalked. A avoiding the kiss. You need deceptive person who to hit the ball nearly full to is able to chalk balls un­ get the right bank angle, but detected and is not fond then the cue ball will still be of his thumbs might in the way when the object propose a wager on this ball comes off the cushion. shot. 1 like the shot to A first guess on how to demonstrate why you make the shot work would want to keep the balls be to hit it harder. The ob­ clean and what "skid" or ject ball will sink farther into "cling" looks like. the cushion, allowing the Diagram 3 is a fairly cue ball to move to the side standard proposition and out of the way. But with shot. The object ball is the cue ball placed as shown, frozen to the middle of no cushion has that much the foot rail and the cue sponginess. ball is on the headstring. Mike Massey has another Cut the object ball along way — a jump shot. If the the end cushion straight cue ball is airborne when it into the corner pocket. hits the object ball, it will fly No, not the easy corner up into the air, maybe getting out of the pending on the softness of the cushion pocket, the other corner pocket. The cut way of the banking ball. Let's just say rubber and the hardness of the facing, angle is about 100 degrees. This shot is the shot requires a level cue — that also it's possible to overdo the shot, and usually shown with the cue ball on the eliminates the possibility of a masse bank back across on the hard side of head spot so the cut angle is only a little shot to change the incoming angle of the other side pocket. On such a table, over 90 degrees. Use inside English, and the cue ball. you can move the cue ball to an even hit the cushion first just a millimeter In fact, the shot is easy. Just aim to tougher location. I have tried to make a from the object ball. The cue ball grabs 32 BILLIARDS DIGEST January 2009 the rail and spins I was wrong. Af­ cations of the balls, and try variations over into the object ter working with from one position before moving on ball, sending it neatly it for an hour to other positions. Use side spin on and with surprising or two, I came the cue ball on the side away from the speed into the pock­ up with the dia­ pocket — this seems to give the object et. The remarkable grammed posi­ ball extra speed toward the pocket. Use thing is that depend­ tion as a good follow or enough distance that the cue ing on the stickiness example. ball will be rolling forward when it gets of the cushion and The goal is to to the object ball. cue ball, the shot make the ob­ Pick a fullness for hitting the object can be made from ject ball in the ball, such as full ball. If you aim too full the position shown. near corner — toward the pocket-side of the ob­ On most tables, no pocket — for ject ball — the 4 ball won't go as far as special preparation example, when the pocket. For such too-full hits, the is required. As a playing one- 4 should be knocked back to touch the proposition, 10 tries pocket or when cushion a second time. If not, you need is about right. the other pocket more follow or a different speed. Once The shot in Dia­ is blocked. The you have the follow OK on a hit that's gram 4 is one that method is to too full, try a slightly thinner hit. A hit I just learned on the shoot nearly that's too thin will get the object ball to Internet. A poster by straight at the the end rail but won't get it back to the the handle of "hemicudas" posted a link ball as if double banking it, but the cue rail and pocket. Adjust as needed. I can to a video of this shot, but in an easier ball will be in the way of the bank and hardly wait for this shot to come up in form closer to the pocket. 1 had never will kiss the object ball. With just the a game. I wonder how many times I've seen the shot played before and thought right angle and speed, you can kiss the overlooked it in matches. it might require a heavy cue ball or fun­ object ball back to the pocket. Do you have a shot that seems impos­ ny cushions. I figured it was probably After experimenting with this setup, sible but isn't? Send it in, and I'll include impossible with regular equipment, but I have a few suggestions. Mark the lo­ it in a future column. January 2009 BILLIARDS DIGEST 33 +TECH TALK+ BY Bob Jewett TAKE THE EASY PATH Understand a rolling cue ball and simplify position play. REMEMBER the first time I saw some­ on the cloth? A few months ago, I gave 30 degrees from its original path. (There one do weird and wonderful things a system you can use to find the follow is actually plus or minus five degrees I with the cue ball. It was just a draw angle for any cut shot. It's a little compli­ variation from that 30-degree line, de­ shot, but the cloth was brand new and cated to apply in general, but there are pending on how close the actual cut an­ the shooter was enjoying the wide arcs two other rules that you can use more gle is to 30 degrees, but the single angle you can easily get on slippery equip­ easily. will work for a start.) ment. Ever since I saw the cue ball dance The first system, which I showed here Armed with those two systems, you like that, it seems to call out, "Yo! Juice back in 1995, is for nearly full shots. If should be able to predict follow angles me!" and I can barely suppress the urge you cut the object ball just a little to one for most practical cut shots. to loop the cue ball or make it A second factor to con­ take impossible angles off the sider is how far the cue cushion. ball will roll forward after I'm here to encourage you to impact. In the shot shown, take the safe, sane and simple does it seem like the rolling path when you can. The sim­ cue ball can be stopped in plest way to shoot is often to time, or will it bounce off just let the cue ball roll. This the cushion too far for posi­ takes the least effort and can tion if the 4 ball makes it to give the most consistent re­ the pocket? This is a com­ sults. An example shot is in plicated thing to learn, and Diagram 1. The cue ball is there is no simple system nearly on the cushion for the that covers all shots, but 4 ball and you have to get there are two systems that to the 5.