A great drill for amateur players.

Here is a nice one-ball pattern drill for amateur players. It was sent to me by an amateur player named Otto Olkkonen and I really like it. I’ve given this drill to my students because it forces them to learn the right angles and patterns, but it also affords them some breathing room if their cue ball control isn’t perfect. This allows for more recovery options.

It’s easy to set up and pretty straight forward. Keeping it simple is what I like about it. You could certainly make it more difficult by developing a pro version of it, but for amateurs this is a fun drill and can be a little tricky.

The tricky part of this drill, of course, is that you can’t bump another ball while negotiating your way through the rack.



Starting with the 1 ball, pocket the ball and play shape for any of the four balls closest to the 1 ball (6, 7, 8 or 9). After each shot you re-spot the 1, but now you must play the 1 ball in the opposite corner pocket. After pocketing the four balls at the close end of the table, continue the drill by getting position on the four balls at the top of the table (2, 3, 4 and 5). That’s when this becomes a little tricky. That part of the drill will require a bigger stroke and good angles to get back down for the 1 ball. Like all good drills, this will test your touch and speed control. You will need variations with a little English and maybe some slow-rolling the cue ball to complete the drill.

Of course, there are many ways to get through this drill, but the diagrams indicate how I would try to work through it. Different players will have different preferences, based on their strengths and weaknesses. The key is to give yourself more options and more room with the cue ball.

Take the 9 or 7 first (Diagram One). In this case, I opted for the 9 first (Diagram Two) and then played the same shot for the 7 (Diagram Three). Doing this opens the table nicely and gives you much more room to maneuver for the 6 and 8 (Diagram Four). Allowing yourself more room to move the cue ball is always a bonus.



The bottom four balls are not as difficult as the top four. After playing the 6 and 8 the same way and moving up table, take the side rail balls (2 and 4) first. It opens the table more for the 3 and 5 balls (Diagram Five). Play the 2 and 4 the same way, alternating the 1 ball to the opposite corner pocket. Finally, play the 3 and 5 following to the top rail and back down for the 1 (Diagram Six). Being able to go forward with the cue ball also improves your percentages.

It’s a nice drill that forces you to think about ways to open bigger lanes for cue ball travel. And that decision-making will come in handy under pressure.