The Wing Shot: Pocket a Moving Ball
Roll a ball across the table and shoot it into a pocket while it is still moving. The classic exhibition shot.
White dashes: cue ball path. Yellow dashes: object ball path.
Setup
- Put the cue ball near the middle of the table, a little toward one side.
- Stand ready in your stance. Have a friend roll an object ball by hand from near a corner, across the table toward the middle (or roll it yourself with your bridge hand and get down fast).
How to shoot it
- Pick the spot where you want to meet the ball and wait for it, rather than chasing it.
- Shoot when the ball is about one ball-width before your spot, firmly, aiming at the ghost ball for the pocket you picked.
Why it works
It is all timing. The ball rolls at a steady speed across the middle, so if you shoot at the same moment every time, you can learn it like a rhythm.
Common mistakes
- Shooting too softly. A firm hit means less time for the ball to move while the cue ball travels.
- Changing the spot. Pick one meeting point and stick with it.
In a real game
It won't come up in a match, but the focus it needs makes everything else feel slow and easy.