First let’s understand what the tangent line is. Let’s use the engineers wording of the tangent line. The tangent line is a line 90 degrees to the line of the center of two balls at impact. Not let’s say it so we can understand it. The tangent line is the line between the balls when they touch. Any shot you shoot with an angle, the cue ball always starts moving down the tangent line after it collides with the object ball. If there is any overspin on the cue ball when it arrives at the object ball, the cue ball will start out going down the tangent line and then the overspin will cause it to curve away from you and the tangent line, as in follow. If the cue ball has back spin on it when it arrives at the object ball, the opposite will happen, the cue ball will start out down the tangent line but then the backspin will cause it to curve towards you off the tangent line, as in draw. If you shoot either the follow or the draw with more power, the power will cause the cue ball to stay on the tangent line longer before it curves away from or towards you.
Now let’s talk about keeping the cue ball on the tangent line. Many amateur players think that the tangent line is where the cue ball goes on every shot. This is not true. The only way the cue ball can stay on the tangent line is if the cue ball arrives at the object ball sliding with no spin, as in a stop shop. Some people refer to these shots as stun shots, but I refer to them as “stop shots with an angle”.
Probably the most important shot in pool is the stop shot, whether it’s straight in or an angle shot. Place an object ball about 12 inches from the side pocket and straight out from the side pocket. Now place the cue ball about 20 inches away from the object ball and instead of making it straight in, move the cue ball about 3 inches off line to the right or left and mark the balls. Now we know that the tangent line will be parallel with the long rail and the trick is to see if you can shoot a low slow stop shot so the cue ball only travels a few inches down the tangent line and then try to move the cue ball further and further down the table by shooting a little bit higher and a little harder to keep the cue ball on the tangent line.
This is a shot that must be mastered and is one of the most used shots by the professionals. If you have trouble — ask any instructor or top level player and they will shot you.
Good luck — Jerry
