The Cross-Corner Bank: Use the Diamonds
Bank a ball off the long rail into the opposite corner. Use the diamonds to find the line and you will make it more often than you think.
White dashes: cue ball path. Yellow dashes: object ball path.
Setup
- Place an object ball near the middle of the table, a little off the rail, and the cue ball behind it for a fairly full hit.
How to shoot it
- Picture a second table on the other side of the far rail, a mirror image of this one. Find where the pocket would be on that mirror table.
- The spot where the line from the object ball to that mirror pocket crosses the rail is your target. Aim the object ball there with medium speed and no side spin.
Why it works
A ball comes off a cushion at about the same angle it went in, so its path looks like a straight line to the pocket on the mirror table. The diamonds on the rail help you measure the spot.
Common mistakes
- Hitting too hard. Firm banks come off the rail at a shorter angle; soft banks run longer.
- Using side spin. It changes the angle off the rail. Learn the straight version first.
In a real game
Banks win games when there is no direct shot, and they are the whole game in bank pool.