Stroke, Draw & Follow Shots
Stroke shots, in particular, require good technique and control. It's where the cue ball is close to or even frozen to an object ball. Speed control and accuracy position shots would also be categorized in this discipline.
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Draw shots require the cue ball to be hit below center giving it backspin, so when it hits an object ball, it will draw back along its inital path.
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Follow shots are the opposite of draw, the cue ball is struck above center giving it top spin, so it continues along its initial path after it hits an object ball.
Spin Around
One of the most challenging trick shots on the internet. The shot was created by no other than Andy Segal "The Magic Man". He presented the shot for the UTS tour in Southington, CT at Shooter's Billiards where 10-ball champion Sal Conti runs the place. More importantly, the goal is to keep the object balls spinning as you pocket each ball around the whole table until you hit the cue ball to knock the 8-ball in with the 7 while it's still spinning. Also, no rail must be contacted during the shot, so have at it and try to make all 8 in if you can.
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Hood Variation
The shot came from the Joe Hood book and it's a variation of a famous shot from the early 1900s. It can be viewed in the shot book program for trick shot tournaments, and it's one of my least favorite shots to be honest. If you apply the right english and speed on the cue ball. The cue ball will knick right off the 2 ball and curve back to hit the short rail and hit the 8 and 9 ball to make the 9 ball fall in with the 1 ball. It's a keeper in our books for trick shots, but I think we need a more updated version just to keep the interest up on viewers seeing old trick shots be turned into new shots.
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Reverse Four Rail Kick
Another one I filmed at Michigan Union. For a shot like this it requires silicone spray for the cue ball as well. When applied and used for a trick shot, it removes the friction and allows the spin to last longer than without silicone. In fact, silicone should be used only when necessary in order to make the masse shots look more beautiful. Why not have everybody agree to using silicone? I think silicone helps us with making masse shots look great on film even on TV for ESPN. It's your opinion and you can agree with whatever you think is best for your performance on trick shots. It's not like we're cheating or anything.
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Silicone Follow
One of Andy Segal's inventions where he presented it for the UTS Tour Finale in 2010. In the video, I filmed this at the U of M's Michigan Union where the cloth on the tables there were fast and can work well with silicone shots. On one of the takes, I shoot the cue ball but it bounced off the long rail and flew high into the air and hit the glass window over in the corner here right by the chair! Fortunatly for me, the glass didn't break. Whew! After a couple more takes, I got the shot down on tape. So that's my story about this shot. Ha ha ha ha.
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Jump Fouette #1
There is another version of this shot featured on this website, but this is the one that started it all. Andy Segal created this shot as well where everything is set up as in the diagram, but the rack isn't propped up on dominos because I didn't had any with me at the moment. Instead, I used blocker balls which equals the height to about three dominos. I love this verison as well because right after I jump the cue ball over and the object ball is pocketed, the cue ball follows it in smoothly like it's making a final farewell before disappearing into the pocket.
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Pelinga's Response
The shot can be found both in the book program and on Tim Chin's Website at trickshottim.com. You strike the cue ball into the 1 ball and the cue ball rolls into the long rail and curves around the 9 to make the 5 ball in the corner. Stefano Pelinga is the orginal creator of this shot, but this shot has been around for so long that it's now a part of the Artistic Pool book program. Give it a try even if you are practicing for the next trick shot tournament.
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Florian's Response
The shot is similar to Pelinga's Response except this is done behind my back. Florian pulled this one out on the table, but nearly almost knocked the other object ball around the blocker ball. Somehow, Andy Segal managed to succeed and got a 2 point lead from Mr. Kohler. The first one is the original version from the tournament, and the last one is Florian's version from his Youtube videos. I got to say I am getting pretty good on some of his crazy shots, but I do know that I am improving almost every year for trick shots. Start off with trying it the normal way, or maybe if you feel confident than go straight on to doing the shot behind my back. Enjoy!
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Rail Draw Arc
The cue ball is pinched between the long rail and the blocker ball right here. With a bit of draw and right english, I compress the rail and curve around the blocker balls to make the hanging ball in the corner pocket. It's a prettier shot when you have the cue ball curve around those balls, it was so close that I thought the cue ball would knick off one of them before making the object ball. This is great for beginner's who are starting in trick shots so have at it, newcomers.
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Stroke Around The Rack
This is an oldie shot from the Artistic Pool Program, and was used by Nick Nikolaidis for Pool & Billiard Magazine October 2008 issue. It's the same setup from the video, and you have a very small gap for the cue ball to not only pass the rack, but through a small gap between the rack and the pool balls. I added a small butt stick at the end for the cue ball to pocket the hanging ball. I reccomend doing this shot without the balls if you are new to trick shots.
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Nick's Automatic Machine Gun
This is a Nick Nikolaidis special shot here, and it was used for the Pool and Billiard Magazine February 2009 issue. The key here is to have the cue ball carom off two object balls and follow through a 19 ball alley with a machine gun effect to pocket the hanger ball. 19 balls is really extreme, so that was the reason I wanted to film this shot because of how big the alley is for the cue ball to follow through. It's another one of my favorite shots on this page, and I always love to do a shot by an experienced trick shooter. Try to make this shot like how Nick did it here.
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