The Escape Kick: One Rail Into a Hanger
You're snookered, but your ball is hanging in the pocket. Kick off one rail using the mirror method and knock it in.
White dashes: cue ball path. Yellow dashes: object ball path.
Setup
- Put an object ball in the jaws of a corner pocket (a "hanger") and a blocking ball between it and the cue ball.
- Put the cue ball on the far side of the table, so a one-rail kick off the long rail is the way to reach the hanger.
How to shoot it
- Picture the table mirrored on the other side of the rail you will kick off. Aim the cue ball at the hanger's position on that mirror table.
- Hit center ball at medium-soft speed. You only need to touch the hanger, so a big target makes this one easy.
Why it works
The cue ball leaves a cushion at about the same angle it arrived, so aiming at the mirrored ball sends it to the real one. It is the same idea as the bank trainer, with the cue ball instead of the object ball.
Common mistakes
- Hitting hard. A firm kick comes off the rail at a shorter angle; medium-soft keeps the angle true.
- Using side spin. Spin changes the angle off the rail. Learn it with a center hit first.
In a real game
Being snookered is not the end. A good kick to a hanger, or just a legal hit that leaves your opponent safe, wins a lot of games. Practice the angles in the free kick shot trainer and read how to kick in pool.