Expert: Dan Werner - 11/4/2009

Question
 My question is ok im shooting a ball on a long distance shot and the ball is sitting dead in the pocket about to fall and u can't play the rail whats the best way to shoot this without scatching or what type english to put on cueball. please let me know.

Answer
Great question.  If the ball is deep into the pocket and you cannot go rail first, then you have to hit the ball.  How you hit it will depend on what position you need to get.

Some options include:
1.  Shoot it straight in as a stop shot or draw shot.
2.  A draw shot may be better than a stop shot to ensure that the cueball still has some backspin by the time it reachs the object ball.
3.  Best choice, if position allows, is to cut the ball.  Do that, and you have no chance of scratching since the cueball would follow off at an angle away from the pocket.

Please keep in mind that if you shoot this shot hard with a ton of follow and hit the object ball too thin, then the cueball will glance off, hit the rail, and then all the follow will take over and keep the cueball down table.  If that is what you want, then that is OK.  Just keep it in mind for position.

If you need to get the cueball back up table, then your best option is to hit a medium to medium soft speed and hit the object ball as thinly as possible.

You need to practice them.  Making the object ball is a no-brainer for a 2-year old, but that doesn't mean you don't have to concentrate on the shot.  If you don't plan the shot carefully, you will make the ball, but not get position.

I hope this helps!
--Dan