Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
- Light Fixtures
- Bridges For Pool
- Cue Stick Chalk
- Pool Balls
- Pool Cue Carrying Cases
- Pool Cues
- Pool Table Covers
- Pool Table Horsehair Brushes
- Pool Tables
- Pool Triangles
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Step 1
Bank a shot against a rail when you cannot hit a ball directly into a pocket.
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Step 2
Consider the route the ball will have to take. Is it clear?
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Step 3
Determine where the ball will need to hit the rail to deflect it into the pocket or another ball. Remember high school geometry: the angle at which the ball travels to hit the rail is the same angle by which the ball will move after it has banked off the rail.
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Step 4
Mark the ball's path mentally and put your cue in line. The tip and handle should line up exactly with the point where the ball will hit its target.
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Step 5
Use a smooth stroke and strike the ball squarely.
Comments
Strokinon said
on 11/22/2008 The distance the ball is from the rail also affects the angle at which it will leave the rail. This is because the further the ball is from the rail the more forward roll it picks up prior to hitting the rail.
Strokinon said
on 11/22/2008 The distance the ball has to travel before hitting the rail will afect how it comes off the rail as well due to the amount of roll the ball picks up. Personaly I'm not very big on the geometry of bank shots because as noted in the comments above there are many variables that affect the outcome.
Anonymous said
on 3/2/2006 When a ball strikes a rail, it behaves as if it reflects off a mirror plane that is one ball radius from the cushion. This can be seen as a "wearline" on pool table felt top
running around the entire table. Geometric measures should be made off this "wearline" not the bank itself.
Also, speed and English will greatly effect angles since as in all mirrors, any error of incidence angle is doubled in the reflected angle. Speed diffuses a shot by introducing a lateral position shift at point of impact.
Anonymous said
on 2/20/2007 The speed of your stroke will also change the angle the ball will come off the rail. The harder your stroke, the sharper the angle. The lighter your stroke, the wider the angle.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 The angle of attraction/reflection is not true on a pool table. The bumpers absorb shock and diffuse the angle of reflection. Instead, imagine the ball reflected in a mirror on the closest rail (double the distance from the ball to the rail) and shoot it.