The Power Draw: Two Rails Back

Trick shot #6 of 15Difficulty: ★★★Teaches: Draw stroke, follow-through and cue ball control

Pocket the ball and pull the cue ball back off two rails. A test of a straight stroke that impresses everyone watching.

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

Setup

1. Place an object ball about one and a half diamonds from a corner pocket, and the cue ball about a diamond and a half behind it, close to straight-in.
2. A slight angle is fine; it gives the cue ball a path back across the table.

How to shoot it

1. Use a firm bridge and chalk well. Aim low on the cue ball, about one tip below center (not lower, or you risk a miscue).
2. Use a smooth, accelerating stroke and follow through. Stay down until the cue ball comes back.

Why it works

Backspin keeps spinning after the cue ball stops moving forward at contact. With enough spin, it grabs the cloth and pulls back hard enough to travel off two rails.

Common mistakes

• Jabbing at the ball. Draw comes from a long, loose follow-through, not from hitting hard.
• Raising the back of the cue too much. Keep the cue as level as you can.

In a real game

You won't need two-rail draw often, but practicing it builds the stroke for every short draw shot you will use.