Feather Shot Billiards

Setting up your next shot is an important billiards strategy if you want to win at pool. Cut shots allow you to position the cue ball anywhere on the table after your shot. Positioning the cue ball with a cut shot will ensure that you have another shot to take or that your opponent is left with an awkward shot. With a cut shot the object ball moves along the desired line directly into the pocket, but instead of following the object ball the cue ball moves away from it at an angle. This allows you to direct where the cue ball goes and position it better for your next shot.

To make a cut shot you have to first asses the position of the cue ball and object ball in relation to the pocket. You need to hit the object ball at the point that will make it move toward the pocket, usually with a glancing blow. This type of hit is harder to achieve accurately than a straight on shot but is essential if you want to make a successful cut shot.

The speed of the cue ball will determine how much speed the object ball will have but will not affect the angle of the cut. The cue ball’s momentum is determined by the cue stick when it strikes the cue ball and the object ball will only have as much momentum as you give the cue ball. Cut shots require more finesse and accuracy than straight shots and usually less power. Only hit the cue ball as hard as you need to get the object ball to the pocket, too much power can mess up your shot.

The most important part of a cut shot is hitting the right spot on the object ball. When an object ball is struck precisely in the middle by the cue ball it will move in a straight line and at the same speed as the cue ball. When the cue ball is struck at an angle it is deflected at an opposite angle from the path of the cue ball. The goal in a cut shot is to strike the object ball so that its deflected angle is directly in the path of a pocket. Always calculate your cut shot by looking at the angle of the path of the cue ball and remembering that the angle that the object ball will take is the opposite of the cue ball’s angle.