How to Bank a Pool Ball

Pool Table Bank Shot

Whenever you are playing pool, there is a chance that you will not have a clear shot and will have to rely on a bank shot to get your ball in the billiard table pocket. Knowing the angles to use and the way your pool ball reacts at different shot angles can help you improve your game. By learning how to bank a pool ball, you can add many shots to your game, which will greatly improve your chances of winning.

Instructions

How to Bank a Pool Ball

1. Walk over to the pocket on the pool table that you intend to hit your ball in and visualize from the pocket to the point on the table that your ball needs to hit in order to bank the shot. Visualize a straight line from the pocket back to the bank point on the table.

2. Determine the angle that your pool ball is going to need in order to go into the pocket. The angle is going to determine where you are going to bank the pool ball on the bumper.

3. Locate a mark or spot on the pool bumper near the bank point that you have identified so that you can easily remember the bank point. The mark could be anything on the bumper, like a nick, stain or anything that can help you locate your bank point.

4. Stand behind the pool ball and visualize the path that you want the ball to follow into the pocket. Visually line up the ball with the cue ball and locate where you need to hit the pool ball with the cue ball to make it hit the bumper at your bank point.

5. Slide the pool cue back and forth through your hand a couple times to get used to the feel and then line it up behind the cue ball. Locate the point on the cue ball that you want to hit in order to start the ball in motion.

6. Draw the pool cue back slowly and then strike the cue ball with the pool cue smoothly and firmly.

Tips & Warnings

• You are not allowed to mark the bumper yourself, but you can use any existing marks on the table to identify the point you want to hit.

• Be careful that you do not move any of the pool balls while looking at the positions on the table.

References

• Pool table rules
• Easy pool tutor