How to Make a Combo Shot in Pool

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm Michael Lamendola with expertvillage.com and today we're going to shoot some pool. Moving on in our hit parade of different shots you might encounter when playing pool is the combination shot. Now what I've got here is a fairly simple example of a combination shot. We call it a combination or a combo because you've got more than one ball in question. Now here, what I'm going to try to do is shoot the 3 into the 7 to pocket the 7. Now, I'm not trying to make the 3, too, but if it happens I'm fine with that. So, everything we've been talking about...keeping low on the Q stick, looking down like it was a barrel of a gun, sticking that hiney out, keeping that elbow nice and static. Okay, up next is the split. Now, what I've got here is the 7 and the 3, and their touching. Now, in situations like this, if I look at it and think, well if I hit the 3 and the 7 at the same time I'm thinking that the 3 is going to go in the pocket. So, I call a split, and I going to hit them at the exact same time. That's close enough. But you saw what happened. The 3 ball went towards the pocket, kinda like I thought. Okay, now what I've got here is a pretty straight forward shot. Unfortunately, my name's not Stretch Armstrong and I can't reach the ball to hit it. Now, what same players do is, if their in a rush, they'll do this. Not good. I'm trying to keep the Q as still as I can and I really can't get any control over it. Well, have no fear because the bridge is here. Now, some folks call this the cheat stick because they think it gives you access to shots you shouldn't have. But, it wouldn't be here if you couldn't use it, so let's use it. Now, the bridge looks like knuckles. You can do it like this, and put the Q in the middle, or if you have to go around a ball on either of the sides. Now, if you've got a ball you've got to shoot over, no problem. You use this. But for our intents and purposes, let's use the middle of the bridge. Now, some folks like to hold onto the bridge while their using it. Don't. You don't need to. You want to steady yourself on the table. So, once you've lined up your shot, you want to take this hand, just hold yourself on the table. The bridge is not going to move, no sense in putting your hand on it. Now, when you're using your stick, hold it kind of like this: your thumb and then your hands around it. It just feels more natural this way. And then the same thing. All you're going to do is strike through the ball, and all I'm thinking about is making the 3 ball and not following it into the pocket. So, just like I've got a big long arm, into the pocket."