A 15-ball rotation drill that will challenge all levels.

If you want to really gain something from your practice sessions, you have to be willing to challenge yourself. This drill is a favorite because it requires creativity and problem solving, which are the cornerstones of any rotation game. The 15-Ball Rotation Tree Drill will challenge advanced and even pro players, but intermediate and beginners can give it a go as well.

The rules are straight forward. Position the balls as shown in Diagram One. Start with cue ball in hand and pocket the balls numerically. Object balls can be made in any pocket, but the cue ball is not allowed to touch another ball.

The drill offers several distinct challenges. From the 1 ball through the 8, you need to go up and down the table for proper position. This part of the drill requires good cue ball speed. You’re not always going to be on the right side of the next ball, so you’ll have to figure ways to get the cue ball back down table and into position. The final seven balls are on the rail, so the drill actually gets more difficult the further you advance. Those rail shots take focus. Pocketing the ball and playing position are key.

The first four shots are fairly basic. You will immediately start to see the pattern ahead and the importance of leaving angles and getting the cue ball more or less to the center of the table. That’s the beauty of rotation games.

The trickiest shot during the first half of this drill is getting from the 7 ball to the 8 ball (Diagram Two). Leaving the cue ball just off straight-in on the 7 will allow you to go to the bottom rail and straight back up table for the 8.

The angles really become essential and the hard work really starts at the 10 ball. From the 11 to the 12 you have the option to come underneath the 14 or the top side of the side pocket. You can let your stroke out more on this one.

Like most games, the key shot is the penultimate shot, the 14 (Diagram Three). Getting from the 14 to the 15 is a pressure shot and a good test.