How it works
Every pot comes down to one spot: the contact point. It’s the point on the object ball facing directly away from the pocket. Hit it, and the object ball heads for the pocket.
But you can’t aim the cue ball’s centre at that point: the balls touch at their edges, so the cue ball’s centre must arrive one ball-width behind the object ball’s centre, on the pocket line. That spot is the ghost ball: picture a ball touching the object ball exactly opposite the pocket, and send the cue ball to it.
A second way to see the same thing is by overlap. Seen from behind the cue ball, a straight shot is a full-ball hit. The thinner the overlap at contact, the bigger the cut.
Try it: drag the balls
Tip: on a phone, drag with one finger. With a keyboard, Tab to a ball and use the arrow keys.
Cut angle
30°
Aim the cue ball’s centre at the ghost ball’s centre.
Drag the object ball or the cue ball; the ghost ball, contact point and cut angle follow. “Hide ghost ball” lets you test yourself.
Step by step
- 1
Stand behind the object ball and look along the line from the pocket through its centre. Where that line comes out at the back of the ball is the contact point.
- 2
Picture the ghost ball: a ball touching the contact point, centred on that same line.
- 3
Walk back to the cue ball and line your cue up with the centre of the ghost ball, not with the contact point.
- 4
Get down on that line, check it once more, and stroke straight through at a medium, smooth pace.
- 5
Stay down until the object ball drops. If it missed, note which side — that tells you how to adjust.
Common mistakes
Aiming at the contact point
The cue ball’s centre goes too far and you hit the ball too full. Aim the centre at the ghost ball’s centre.
Undercutting slow cuts
Friction pushes the object ball slightly sideways, in the direction the cue ball is travelling (throw), so it cuts a little less than planned. Strongest on slow cuts around half-ball. Aim a touch thinner.
Steering the cue
Changing the line at the last moment. Decide the aim standing up, then trust it.
Looking at the cue ball last
Your eyes should be on the object ball as you strike.
Practice this
Exercise · Level 1
Real ghost ball
Put a spare ball where you think the ghost ball is, walk around to check the line to the pocket, lift it away, then shoot. Ten shots.
Exercise · Level 1
Cut ladder
Object ball one diamond from a corner pocket, on the diagonal towards the centre of the table, well away from the rails; cue ball about two diamonds away. Shoot full, ¾, ½ and ¼-ball cuts, five each, moving only the cue ball.
Check yourself: pot 7 of 10 half-ball cuts (30°) into a corner pocket: object ball one diamond from the pocket on the diagonal towards the centre, cue ball about two diamonds away, placed for a half-ball hit. Then you’re ready for the next lesson.