
I got myself into a tough spot the other day, and thought it would be a good to explain how I dug myself out. I was playing 9 ball and wanted to fall straight on the 8. Well, I over hit the shot and went a little further than I wanted, getting stuck on the rail.
Now this doesn't look all that bad (See Below), but, when your cue ball is frozen on the rail, you can easily miss this shot. I'm sure a lot of you get a little antsy when you have to shoot one of these shots and really have to make the ball. I didn't like my chances of winning this game if I missed the 8.

Setting Up The Shot
Here are the things to do that will help you pocket more of these difficult shots. First make sure your cue tip is groomed and the edges are chalked. Take a bit of extra time to help settle yourself and get this right. Now as you get into your stance, you want to make sure your cue stick is really level. Hitting down on the cue ball will cause it to bounce and curve and you won't be very accurate.


Taking The Shot
Now once you have done all of this you are ready to swing. There are three keys to swinging at these shots. One is keeping your head still. You can do this by keeping your eyes on the cue ball when you swing or locking them on the object ball for at least a second before you swing. Either way, don't move your eyes during the swing as this will cause your head to move and you will miss.