Pool Shooting Banking Tips

In pool, there will be times when you do not have a straight shot at the ball you wish to sink. When this happens, your best option may be to hit a bank shot and sink the object ball in a pocket on the other side of the table. The best way to improve your pool bank shots is simply to keep practicing them. Instead of playing actual games, set up specific situations on the pool table where you are forced to try a variety of bank shots.

  1. Lining Up a Bank Shot

    • Visualize a line from the object ball to the rail behind it. Set your cue on the table so that the tip is at the point where your line meets the rail. Line the other end of the cue up with the pocket where you will be sending the object ball. Visualize another line running from the pocket opposite your target pocket to the center of the object ball. Find the point where these two lines cross. Make one last line from this intersection to the rail behind the object ball. This spot is your target for banking the object ball off of the rail.

    Understanding Speed

    • When banking a pool shot, the object ball will generally come off of the rail at roughly the same angle that the cue ball went into it. The harder you hit the cue ball, the closer the object ball will track to expected banking angle. If you hit the cue ball slowly, the object ball will drift away from this angle after it makes contact with the rail.

    Using Spin

    • Adding side spin, or "english," to the cue ball will change the path the object ball takes after contact. The object ball will spin in the opposite direction as the cue ball. For example, if the cue ball goes in with inside english, the object ball will have outside english, which decreases the angle it will take after banking off of the rail.

    Draw and Follow

    • Striking the bottom half of the cue ball gives it backspin, or draw, and makes it roll back toward you after contact with the object ball. Hitting the top half of the cue ball imparts topspin, or follow, which makes it continue to roll forward after striking the object ball. Adding draw to a bank shot increases the angle at which the object ball will bounce off of the rail, while adding follow will decrease this angle.