by Joshua Henry

Created on: August 21, 2007   Last Updated: December 14, 2007

You have a straight-in shot, 7-ball corner pocket. The only ball left on the table after this is backed up on the opposite rail, the 8. Your cue has to travel backwards? Well, at this angle it's doing no good to go forward, a scratch and the game is over. What do you do? It's time to use good old snap-draw.

Drawing the cue-ball is one of the most effective and popular ways to get position on the pool table. It is also one of the easiest things to learn how to do. For a shot straight-in as described above, it's as easy as following through. The first thing you want to do is chalk your cue tip, making sure its good and covered. Now, separate the cue-ball in your mind. Cut it in half and picture it as a little white bowl. You don't want to hit the very bottom, lest your cue goes flying off into the jukebox. This wouldn't sit well with the owner. Plan to hit the cue halfway up the bottom, or just under where you cut it in half with your imagination.

You locked in on your shot? Good. When you hit the cue, make sure to follow through with your stick. This ensures that the ball has received the maximum reverse spin. When it collides with the object ball (the 7 in this case) its forward momentum will stop and begin to come back towards you. Now, the distance it travels all depends on how hard you hit. However, make sure not to his the ball overly hard. Doing so will throw the cue off of its track, and cause it to lose all spin.

A good tip for making the cue-ball travel a longer distance in reverse. Hitting the cue just a touch lower, while being sure to chalk well and follow through, will increase the spin. This shot cannot be hit hard. Hit it stiff with plenty of follow-through, you'll be surprised how far and fast it returns. Draw english on the cue comes in handy. It's the perfect way to get back up the table on shots of the straight-in nature.

Some shots you'll need to use draw english on won't be straight-ins. For example, if the 7 were on the rail in between the side and corner pocket. The cue-ball is up nearer the 8 this time, around the middle of the table. You can use the same principle of spin to bring the cue right back up. Only directional. Hitting the middle of the cue-ball brought it straight back for the straight in shot, but we'll need something different for this. Whichever rail the object ball is up against, you'll want to hit on that side of it on the cue-ball. Object ball on the right rail, we're going to use bottom-right (draw) english to bring the cue back up towards the 8.

The shots on the table vary with position. But just like any good shot in Pool, practice makes perfect. Make sure your cue-tip is well chalked at all times, not just for draw-back. Make sure to take your time, follow through and stay down on your shot. Do not hit the ball at the very bottom. The idea is to push the cue-ball forward, but while spinning in reverse. Drawing the cue-ball back is a great tool once mastered. One of the essentials in good Pool shooting english. Position is the key for making easy shots on the table. And drawing the cue effectively will definitely increase your chances of making short work of all your racks.

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