Grady's Grad School

By Grady Mathews

More Cue Ball Jump Shots

Here are three interesting plays in o­ne-pocket that are often overlooked. They are aggressive, modern shots that will sometimes win a game. The technique for executing this type of jump shot can be easily learned with practice.

In the first example, my pocket is "A," and I need all the balls. The correct shot here is to o­ne-rail the 1 ball toward my pocket, but it appears that I cannot do that without the cue ball running into other balls. To avoid this, it is necessary to hit down o­n the cue ball at about a 45-degree angle. Use medium speed, and the cue ball will jump over the 4, 5, and 6 balls.

I don't want the cue ball to be more than about a foot away from the object ball o­n this shot, or it's difficult to control both balls. This shot comes up a few different ways in o­ne-pocket. I suggest that you practice the concept a little, in case the situation arrives in o­ne of your games.

I need two balls in Diagram 2, while my opponent needs six; however, I'm in trouble. I'm corner-hooked, and the 8 ball is dead in his pocket from anywhere up table. I can't hit the right side of the 3 ball or the right side of the 12 ball. But there is a way out of this quagmire.

With an elevated cue, left-hand english, a thin hit o­n the right-hand side of the 1 ball, and a firm speed, I can make the cue ball jump over the 12, 3, and 6 balls and go four rails to end up at about Point "X" in the diagram. I want the cue ball to hit before the side pocket, because then it travels at the natural angle to go four rails and end up safe, where my opponent cannot make the 8 ball.

In Diagram 3, I need all the balls. I have a shot o­n the 1 ball but no reasonable way to get position o­n anything.  To make matters worse, the 6 ball is dead for me if I can avoid disturbing it as I pocket the 1 ball.

Again, with about a 45-degree elevation of the cue stick and high right-hand english, I'll pocket the 1 ball and make the cue ball jump over the 6 and 11 balls. Then the cue ball will continue o­n, three rails in all, and end up at about Point "X," where I'll have position for the 13 and 9 balls.

Note that if I wanted to, I could jump the cue ball over the 6 and 11 balls with left english and play position for the combination first. But, since I need all the balls anyway, I would just as soon try to get o­n the 9 and 13 balls first.  That way, if I get out of line, I will have a dead combination to shoot at.

Your grandfather didn't play o­ne-pocket using shots like this, but you may rest assured that the young, modern players know these strategies. We old guys have to work hard to keep up.

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