Top 5 shooting techniques in billiards

The first thing a billiard player learns is to get balls. The second, that it is useless to put them if you do not control the white. And for this we need to hit it at a certain point depending on the play we have in mind. In this week's article I bring you the five key shooting techniques to move the white to your whim. Have you put chalk already? Go for it.

1- Run (follow shot or top spin)

When we want the white to move forward after hitting the target ball, the run is our best friend. In the Anglo-Saxon world is known as follow shot or top spin, and basically consists of hitting the white at the top of the same for the rotation to force it to continue forward. It can be a smooth run (just tap slightly above the center of the white), a medium run (a bit higher) or a super run (if the white was a clock, you would shoot at 12 o'clock). In any of the three shots you have to accompany / penetrate the shot, if you hit a dry blow will not run the white.

2- Shock (stop shot)

When we want to stop the white where the target ball is, then we do a sting or stop shot. That is, hit the white in the center with a dry blow. The distance between the white and the target ball will mark the necessary force to stop the white. If they are very far away, you must pull harder and hit the white between the center and the bottom of it. If they are close, simply pull in the middle and relatively soft.

3- Streaking with a slight advance (stun shot)

With the stun shot, one of my favorite shots, this already gets interesting. Here we complicate the thing a bit because we want to stop the white but immediately afterwards roll forward the distance of 2 or 3 balls. For this we hit the white slightly above its center with a dry shot. The hardest thing about this beating is to control how far it will go after the break. It is a very useful play for when we need the white to move a bit forward and we want to do without the smooth running.

4- Drawback, back shot or screw

We come now to the retro that so much like certain billiards (I am also fan). When we need the white to run back after hitting the target ball, then we hit it down. As in the corrido, the lower down (at 6 o'clock) we hit it, the more it will come back. But eye, you also have to accompany / penetrate the blow, if not by much you give a chestnut the white will not run anything.

5- Side spin

And as a last resort (because we should not abuse them), the effects. The English call it side spin and is to hit the white on one of the two sides. If we hit him at 9:00 AM (left), when he plays the band he will move farther to the left than normal; If we hit him at 3 o'clock (right), when he plays the band he will march more towards the right than normal. From here, effects can also be combined with corridos, retreats or stun shots according to our needs. But, as I say, do not abuse them, as they alter the natural trajectory of the ball and cause many more failures.

Although many billiards players already know the five techniques, it is well to remember from time to time. I love stun and retro, and you?