The Billiard Shot - Easy Pool Tutor

A billiard shot is a shot in which the cue ball strikes one object ball and then strikes another object ball to pocket it. To illustrate, look at the example diagram below. The cue ball strikes the 5-ball first and then strikes the 9-ball next, pocketing it.

Billiard Shot and the Tangent Line

When the cue ball is hit with stun, it will travel at a 90 degree angle from the direction of the object ball. This is the most predictable way of determining where the cue ball will travel after striking an object ball. You can use this information to better your skill at the billiard shot. Let's look again at the same shot above. The tangent line is represented by the green line. The cue ball is hit with center ball with a firm speed which results in a stun shot. This means the the cue ball will travel along the tangent line which is 90 degrees from the direction of the 5-ball.

Billiard Shot and Draw

When the cue ball is hit with Draw, it will travel at greater than 90 degrees from the direction of the object ball. How much greater depends on how much draw you apply to the cue ball. The example below shows a billiard shot where a stun will not work because the 9-ball is not along the tangent line. The 9-ball needs to be struck outside the tangent line that requires a little bit of a draw to pocket it. The green line in the illustration represents the tangent line.