How to Shoot Bank Shots in Pool

So you're playing a game of 8-ball pool and, suddenly, find yourself trapped behind one of your opponent's balls. Don't despair! Bank the shot off the wall and make your shot. Here's how.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Understand the phrase "Angle in equals angle out." In pool, the angle that the ball hits the wall at is equal to the angle it bounces away from the wall. For example, if the ball hits the wall at a 30-degree angle, it will bounce away at a 30-degree angle.

2. Know how cue-ball speed affects a bank shot. The harder you hit a ball, the shallower an angle it will bounce at. "Angle in equals angle out" is really an approximation. A harder shot will bounce out more perpendicular to the wall than a softer one.

3. 

   Learn how to set up a basic shot. When shooting in pool, you want the cue ball to hit a spot on the object ball so that, if you draw a line from the center of the cue ball at the point of impact through the object ball, it will go directly into the desired pocket.

4. Plan exactly where you want to hit the object ball.

5. Use the cue stick to plan out the shot. Hold it in a straight line from the cue ball to the wall.

6. Draw an imaginary line bouncing away from the wall in the same way. Observe whether or not it hits the object ball at the targeted spot.

7. Adjust the angle of the cue until the reflected line hits the object ball just right.

8. Line up your shot at the angle you just calculated.

9. Using a relaxed and moderate stroke, shoot the shot.