The Jump Shot: Hop Over a Blocker

Trick shot #8 of 15Difficulty: ★★★Teaches: Elevated stroke and when jumping is legal

A ball blocks your path. Elevate the cue and hit down so the cue ball hops over it and still makes the shot.

White dashes: cue ball path. Yellow dashes: object ball path.

Setup

1. Put a blocking ball about one diamond in front of the cue ball, and an object ball 2 diamonds further on, lined up with a pocket.
2. Use a jump cue if you have one; it is shorter and lighter and makes this much easier. Many tournaments allow jump cues, but check first.

How to shoot it

1. Raise the back of the cue to about 45 to 60 degrees. Hit the cue ball slightly above center with a short, quick stroke, like throwing a dart.
2. The cue ball bounces off the slate, flies over the blocker and lands before the object ball.

Why it works

Hitting down drives the cue ball into the slate, which bounces it into the air. The steeper the cue and the faster the stroke, the higher it jumps.

Common mistakes

• Scooping under the cue ball. That is a foul in nearly every rule set. The jump must come from hitting down.
• Following through into the cloth. Keep the stroke short to protect the table and the tip.

In a real game

When you get ball in hand behind a blocker, a jump can be better than a kick. But know your event's rules and practice before trying it in a match.