Another great drill that focuses on pattern play and cue ball speed.

Pattern play drills that focus on staying on the right side of each object ball are my favorite, and the 8-Ball V Drill is at the top of the list.

This drill is set up in a V shape, but don’t spend too much time trying to get the balls perfectly set like in the diagram. As long as each ball goes, the exact placement isn’t that important.

Again, this drill really focuses on pattern play and cue ball speed. You need to use the rails to slow down the cue ball and get into the right lines for position. Aside from the placement of the 8 ball, the other balls don’t need to be in any particular order. You’ve got to rotate from one side to the other after pocketing the 8 on each shot. You shoot in order from the top down.

You start this drill with ball in hand, and you are not allowed to bump another ball. The balls on the left side of the V must go into the bottom right pocket. After each shot on the left side, the 8 ball must go into the top right pocket. Balls on the right side of the V must go in the bottom left pocket, and the 8 ball must go into the top left pocket.



Trust me, this is going to be difficult at the start for many players, but that’s really the point, isn’t it? Don’t ever give in to the drill. It may take you weeks to complete, but if you’re getting a little better each time, you are on your way to taking your game to the next level. The benefits of sticking with this will be really apparent.

Starting with ball in hand, create a nice angle and punch off the rails to shape on the 8 (Diagram One). After pocketing the 8, it gets respotted on the head spot.

If you can leave the proper angle on each shot, it’s just a sequence of punch shots with outside spin. If the angle is bigger than anticipated, use follow with outside spin. Like all pattern drills, getting at least a little out of position is an almost certainty, which will require creativity to get the cue ball back on path. This will give you a better understanding of patterns and the importance of cue ball speed.



The great thing about this drill is that you are playing up table for the 8 on every shot. Most amateurs will struggle with the last few shots. This is not necessarily an 8-ball drill, because the shots to the 8 ball in this drill are very similar to shots to get on the money ball in 9-ball games.

Another thing I like about this drill is that you can’t switch if off for any of the shots if you intend on completing it. Cue ball speed and using the rails to your benefit are critical. Even though you are respotting the 8, this drill still forces you to play two shots in one — pocketing the object ball and getting the proper angle for the next balls. You have to think several balls ahead. The difference in skill level comes out with good planning and creativity when required.