General Points

Take your time to set the shot. It is not sufficient just to set for the basic white loser as you will need to adjust the setting angle to play a thicker or thinner contact (normally within the half-ball latitude) to drop the white behind the spot. You can also adjust the angle even more if you are confident of using side on the shot. The side will throw the white and help make the shot, if it is not quite on.

Once you have the shot correctly set, just concentrate on the correct pace to leave the white above the spot.

Ideal angle

The best angle for this shot is when you can set it for the thick half-ball. The thicker that you hit the white, the more momentum you give it and the easier it is to judge the pace. The white needs to be away from the middle of the table to have this angle.

Getting to the Top

A 'drop white pot red' method is the safest way to get to the top and the risk of you breaking down is much less than if you play a drop cannon. There is virtually no risk with the white loser; the only problem you may encounter is that the position of the white after the loser may not be ideal. If you drop the white to one side of the red (near the top cushion), this is no problem. If the red is already set for the pot into the middle pocket, an advanced technique is to drop the white slightly to the side that the red is on; this makes it very easy to get good position for the red to white cannon after you have potted the red into the middle pocket. If you play the white loser too hard and the white ends up between the billiard spot and the pyramid spot, you will have an easy cannon from most cue ball positions at the top.

The drop white shot is not on from all middle pocket loser positions. When the white is close to the D or in the centre of the table, the shot may not be on. In this case, do not force the position, play something else.

Standard Shot

Set the white in line with the edge of the D and towards the pocket, for the easy loser. Practice this from both sides of the table.

Thick contact

Move the white more to the centre of the table and now concentrate on a thicker contact in order to send the white behind the spot

Thin contact

Move the white closer to the pocket and concentrate on a thinner contact

Seeing when the shot is not on

Move the white close to the D and see that the shot is not on

Practice Targets

Remember

• Set the cue ball carefully
• Concentrate on the pace
• Play something else (normally a standard middle pocket loser) if the shot is not on

Common Mistakes

• Not adjusting the contact correctly
• Incorrect pace
• Playing the shot when it is not on