How to Hit a Combination Shot in Pool

Hit another numbered ball into your object ball to make a combination shot.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bridges For Pool
• Pool Balls
• Pool Cue Carrying Cases
• Pool Cue Wall Racks
• Pool Cues
• Pool Table Covers
• Pool Table Horsehair Brushes
• Pool Tables
• Pool Triangles

1. Make sure you have no better shot available on the table. Combination shots are difficult to make, so if you have another shot, you should take it.

2. Imagine that the second ball is your cue, and visualize how it will have to hit your object ball to make it go in the pocket.

3. Make a mental note of that spot on your object ball.

4. Imagine your object ball as your target, and visualize how you'll have to hit the first ball to make it hit your target.

5. Forget the pocket now, and concentrate on hitting the cue ball to make your first ball hit its target (your object ball).

6. Stroke normally.

Tips & Warnings

• Combination shots are very difficult and take a lot of practice. Don't be disappointed when you miss your first ones.
• Minute errors tend to increase exponentially on combination shots. That's why you're better off trying that straight shot if you have it.

[verklempft]

on 1/28/2008 I want to make sure I understand about using the 8 ball in a combination shot. From what I understand, it is never legal to pocket the 8 ball as the result of a combination shot. Also, once stripes/solids have been declared, the 8 ball cannot be used as the initial ball in a combination shot (ie, it is illegal to have the cue ball strike the 8 ball into the 13 ball to pocket the 13). I am assuming that the 8 ball could be part of a 3 ball combination (15 to the 8 to the 13 to pocket the 13). Please let me know if I am mistaken and where to find the rule.

[hazzie333]

on 5/23/2007 Myth-english will transfer from ball to ball
Truth-it will not!!

on 6/30/2006 First, is that unless this shot is the first shot after the break in 8 ball, you have to hit a ball from your declared group (stripes or solids) first. If this is the first shot after the break in 8 ball, or the table is still open, any set of balls can be used in combination, including the 8 ball, but the 8 ball cannot be the ball sunk.

Lining up the shots in a combination is important, as the original author stated. In a 2 ball combo shot, always look at the shot using the first ball you intend to hit in the combo, as if it were the cue ball.
Find the spot on the rail that you would need this first ball to hit if it were to pocket the wanted object ball and pass straight through it without deflection. This is the desired path you want the ball to travel toward, but of course when this ball makes contact with the next ball it will deflect accordingly, so this is an imaginary path used only to aim the shot.
Now when you line up on the cue ball, you need to aim at the first ball in the combo so as to make it hit that spot on the rail instead of trying to make it hit a point on the second ball in the combo.
This is the easier way to align a 2 ball combo shot. Rather than trying to hit the second ball in an intended spot, simply aim the first ball to a spot on the rail that you predetermined when you aligned the first 2 balls at the start. If this is done correctly, the first object ball should be driven onto a line that will cause the second object ball to be pocketed when it strikes it.

If the 2 balls are both in line with the intended pocket, simply shoot at the first ball as if you intend to sink it right in the heart of the pocket, and the second ball should be struck correctly.

If there are more than 2 balls in combination, you have to determine the desired path of every ball in the shot, starting with the ball you wish to pocket and the ball that will be the one striking that ball. Find the rail spot you want that second last ball to hit then move back to the next ball and determine where you need to hit it to make that ball hit that spot. This needs to be done for every ball in the shot until you determine where you need to have the cue ball drive the first ball struck, to have all the balls in the combination go to their intended target spot to make the second last ball drive the wanted ball to the pocket.

Once you practice it a few times, it is really easy. Just remember, you're not aiming to make the first ball strike the next ball at a certain spot, just aim to make the first ball travel directly to that spot on the rail instead. Once you do this, you'll find combination shots much easier to control.
Oh, and unless your name is Johnny Archer (Pro Player of the Decade for the 90's) never play English on combination shots!