What is the scariest shot for beginning players — especially in pressure situations? That’s easy: the thin cut shot. And, really, it’s not just beginners that find these shots intimidating. A little fear creeps into everyone’s game when these shots come up, and that fear can make improvement a longer road.

And when you get down to it, thin cuts are made more difficult by a lack of confidence in the shooter. If you don’t trust yourself when you get down over a shot, your job is automatically tougher. Then you have the tendency to try to “steer” the cue ball, insead of using the natural, smooth stroke you use on the majority of your shots.

The best way to conquer that fear is through practice and repetition. Thin cuts are shots that you should practice all the time so that there isn’t any hesitancy when they come up.

Here is a practice drill that will help you not only get over your fear of thin cuts, but it will help you dramatically improve your percentage of success on thin cuts regardless of the distance.



Set up the shot shown in the diagram, a thin cut on the 1 ball with the cue ball approximately one diamond away. Starting close to the object ball will give you a really good feel for the cut. And the degree of difficulty is low, so you shouldn’t be lacking in confidence. (If you start by practicing this shot from distance, your percentage of success is likely to be low, and your confidence will plummet with your success rate.) The key here is to shoot this shot over and over, noting exactly where you are aiming on the object ball. As you develop an almost instinctual feel for the shot, the anxiety will disappear as if it was a straight-in shot.

Once you feel the first shot is virtually unmissable, move the cue ball a diamond further away, maintaining the same cut angle. Your sighting on the object ball will be the same. Just keep your stroke straight. Continue increasing distance as you gain confidence and efficiency. If you start to miss, move back to a closer shot and start over.

Increased confidence will make a world of difference. You’ll be more relaxed when you shoot, and you won’t have that tendency to squeeze your grip that you have when you lack confidence.