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massey

THIS FIRST shot is what I call "The Chattanooga Choo-Choo." One of my all-time favorites, it's a railroad shot - meaning it features balls rolling up and down cues placed on the table.

The Shot

The goal here is to pocket five balls in rotation, so the 1 will fall, then the 2, and so on. This shot is not simple, but it definitely looks more complicated than it really is. With a smooth stroke and a little trial and error, you should be able to pull off this showstopper.

Diagram1

The Setup

You will need three extra cues. Place two cues into the corner as so they are touching, as shown in Diagram 1. Take the third cue and place the butt into the corner pocket. This cue will be slightly opened up toward the table. The cue ball will roll up this track, so give it a test by rolling the cue ball into this area to see if it will turn the corner and roll down the two closely spaced cues. If the cue ball doesn't make the turn, adjust the third cue until the cue ball is able to roll up and down the cues without a problem.

Place the 3 ball up against the left side of pocket A. The 1 and 2 balls should be frozen together, so that the contact point is perpendicular to the left side of pocket B (as shown by the dotted line in Diagram 1). The cue ball and 4 ball need to be resting on the cues, so put a small piece of paper underneath the 4 ball to keep the balls in place

The Execution

Using a medium-speed stroke, aim for a half-ball hit on the right side of the 2 ball. While conditions vary from table to table, high left English is usually your best bet for your contact point on the 5 ball.

If everything goes as planned, the 1 ball immediately falls into pocket A and the 2 ball goes into pocket B. The 5 then travels three rails and up onto the cues. It will then drop onto the two touching cues. The 5 will knock the cue ball and the 4 over the little paper jam. The cue ball then rolls into the 3 ball, sending it in pocket A. It?s important that the cue ball hits the 3 on its right side, so it moves out of the way for the 4 and 5 balls, which are following the 3 into pocket A. Take a look at Diagram 2 to get an idea of what will happen at the end of the shot sequence.

Diagram2

Two Tips
  • The 5 ball should hit the first rail on a direct line through the right diamond on the bottom rail. Adjust the fullness of your hit on the 2 ball accordingly.
  • Because the correct contact point on the cue ball will vary from table to table, don?t be afraid to make slight adjustments if high left English isn?t working.



Mike Massey: The Chattanooga Choo-Choo
Andy Segal: The Banana Draw
Stefano Pelinga: Learning Curve
Nick Nikolaidis: Behind the 8
Tom Rossman: Snap, Crackle, Pop, Jump, Nip, Draw

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