This time I’ll introduce you a classical masse shot played in the trick shot championship. In the WPA program this shot is rated as a 7/10 regarding its DOD (degree of difficulty).
This might look hard at the first sight but it’s actually very realistic for any good/medium pool player. A good thing too is that it’s possible to do that shot without a masse cue. Of course it’s easier with a masse cue but it remains possible with a normal one!
Also, this could actually happen in a 9-Ball game so why not practicing it?
Let’s see the setup first: The One ball is hanging as diagrammed [see featured image], two to five mm away from the rail and just before the point of the pocket. The Nine ball is hanging in the corner pocket as you can see. The cue ball is in the half diamond box; once again the shot is easier if the cue ball is not frozen to the rail. Freezing it is possible but I wouldn’t advise it, the shot will become harder and there is a risk for you to damage the cushion if you hit the ball too much to the left.
Now let’s speak about the stroke.
I’d advise a nearly vertical stroke, about 85°— a medium to hard masse shot is required. Remember, with all those extreme shots the cleaner the ball is, the easier you will get action on it. On the cue ball I suggest a hit around seven or eight o’clock.
You can do the shot without any left spin of course but using a little bit of left will make your ball “stick” to the rail and the cue ball won’t leave the good path.
Another very important thing is the position of your body.
People use different ways to shoot it mostly depending on their physical features. I personally put my knee on the table to gain stability but doing it standing up seems to do well for most people.
Lastly, there is one very common problem that can occur on this shot. It is when you hit the rail too close to where the cue ball is positioned. This is due to a wrong position of the cue, which means you are aiming with the cue “into” the rail direction.
If you can’t solve the problem, just ask someone to watch your stance and make him move your cue until it is parallel to the cushion. If you are parallel to the rail it should be piece of cake.
As usual, if you have any questions feel free to reach me on my email address or Facebook!
Sponsored by POV Pool and Jacoby Custom Cues
Florian Kohler grew up in Easter France and did not start playing pool until the age of 18 when he received a six foot pool table from his parents. Florian started watching exhibition videos online and trying to imitate shots in them. He began experimenting with his own versions of trick shots, and eventually developed many new concepts, such as ball jumping, massé-ing with multiple cues simultaneously, executing jump and massé shots on moving balls, and executing very high jumps. He has set a record for highest jump shot on a moving ball, at 23 inches. He speaks 3 languages, is a licensed Optometrist and holds a black belt in Judo. You can learn more about him by visiting hiswebsite or connecting with him on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Photos: provided by author Editor: Hannah Blue