A drill that looks easy but has its traps if you are not focused.

I’ve long contended that pocketing the balls is the easiest part of poo, if you play good patterns and have good cue ball speed.

Here is a cool little 10-ball pattern drill. It is not that difficult but tougher than it looks. But, again, my practice drills are primarily about patterns and cue ball control, which make the game so much easier and less stressful. You will play these types of shots in every rack of pool you play.

There are two ways to practice this drill. If your FargoRate is over 500, you start with ball in hand and have to pocket the balls in rotation. The cue ball must contact at least one rail but must not contact another ball. If your rating is below 500, start with ball in hand and shoot the 1-4 in rotation and the 10 ball last. You can shoot the 4-9 in any order. The cue ball is not required to contact a rail, but it still must not contact another ball.

Let’s take a walk through the drill for over-500 players.

Starting with cue ball in hand, I like to stay close to the top rail and one or two feet from the 1. I would play this with a tip of low right English.

Believe it or not, the 2, 3 and 4 are the toughest shots in the drill because of the distance the cue ball will cover and getting the speed right. Play the 2 a little fuller and, given that the cue ball is further from the 2 than it was on the 1, maybe a touch more draw.

For some reason, the 3 ball is the toughest shot because you need to get all the way down the table without touching another ball. This is also the money ball because if you get good shape on the 4, the rest is there for the taking. Low on the cue ball, left English and a smooth stroke are the keys. Hit the 3 a little thicker to avoid the 7 ball.



Bottom left English and a nice easy stroke is used on the 4 ball because you’re not going all the way up to the opposite end rail. You want to land short for the 5. There are two options on the 5, one rail for the 6 in the side or firmer for the corner. Your angle on the 6 will determine your choice.

If you take the 6 in the side, just use a touch of high right English to go one rail. The last thing you want to do is draw the cue ball to the side rail and risk leaving yourself straight in on the 7. The 7 is pretty much the same shot as the 5, and the 8 is the same shot as the 6. Your angle and comfort level will dictate the path. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

Pocketing the 9, you can use two rails to come in line for the 10 or play it with straight follow and use only one rail, depending on the angle. But you always want to land on the high side of the 10 ball.

Remember, if your rating is above 500, you must contact a rail. From this shot on the 10, I just draw back to the side rail because it eliminates skids that can happen when you try to roll the money ball with slow to medium speed follow.

Again, this is a really nice drill. Trust me, the 2 to 3 and 3 to 4 will get many of you! Grind through it and reap the rewards of your hard work.