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Darren Appleton


Instruction Articles:
• February 2025
Look, no rails!


• January 2025
Workin’ On the Rail Road


• December 2024
Options


• October 2024
A Different Line-up


• September 2024
Negotiating traffic


• August 2024
Drill Variations


• July 2024
V for Victory


• June 2024
Circle the wagons


• May 2024
Rehearse Your Lines


• April 2024
Lucky Seven


• March 2024
More for the Road


• February 2024
Four for the Road


• January 2024
Corner the Market


• December 2023
Look Ma, No Cushions


• November 2023
We’re in the Money


• October 2023
Four-level Drill


• September 2023
More Money Ball


• August 2023
No rails, part II


• July 2023
Look Ma, No Rails!


• June 2023
Triangle To Triangle


• May 2023
Zone Blitz


• April 2023
Money Ball Drill II


• March 2023
Money Ball Drill


• January 2023
The Dreaded Shootout


• December 2022
Alternate Universe


• November 2022
Close Quarters


• October 2022
Corner to Corner


• September 2022
Diamond in the Rough


• August 2022
Draw Bridge


• June 2022
I Detect A Pattern


• June 2022
Stay Close to Work


• May 2022
Amateur Approved


• April 2022
Two for One


• March 2022
The Straight Secret


• February 2022
The Correct Shot


• January 2022
End Game, Part II


• December 2021
Buying Off The Shelf


• November 2021
Look, Ma! No Rails!


• October 2021
The Oval Drill


• September 2021
Getting In Shape


• August 2021
Corner-To-Corner


• July 2021
V For Victory


• June 2021
More Pattern Drills


• May 2021
Patterns and speed


• April 2021
See a pattern?


• March 2021
Blind Man


• February 2021
Five Up, Five Down


• January 2021
Don’t Lag Behind


• December 2020
Head games


• November 2020
Life on the Edge


• October 2020
The Family Tree


• September 2020
A Dip of the Tip


• August 2020
The Big Diamond


• July 2020
Nine-Ball One-Hole


• June 2020
You’ll Kick Yourself


• May 2020
Tight Quarters


• April 2020
Cue Ball Control


• March 2020
Straight Cueing


• February 2020
Saddle up!


• January 2020
9-ball Crossover


• December 2019
Ride Those Rails


• November 2019
Up and Down


• October 2019
Money Balls


• September 2019
Captain Zig-zag


• August 2019
15-Ball, No Rails


• July 2019
One Extra Ball


• June 2019
Two-Pocket Drill


• May 2019
Up and Down


• April 2019
Ultimate Rotation


• March 2019
In A Good Spot


• February 2019
Center Cut


• January 2019
Breaking Bad Habits


• December 2018
Monster!


• November 2018
X marks the spot


• October 2018
Striking It Rich


• September 2018
So Many Options


• August 2018
Put Hangers On Rail


• July 2018
Mirror, Mirror II


• June 2018
Mirror, Mirror


• May 2018
“V” for Victory


• April 2018
Up and Down


• March 2018
Kick Into High Gear


• February 2018
Up and Down


• January 2018
Up To The Challenge


• November 2017
Taking A Break


• October 2017
End Game Safeties


• September 2017
Get Comfortable


• July 2017
Shape Up For Summer!


• June 2017
The Selection Process


• May 2017
Two For One


• April 2017
A Ghost of a Chance


• March 2017
Banker’s Holiday


• February 2017
Great Eight


• January 2017
Getting Into Shape


• December 2016
Hocus, Focus


• November 2016
Kicking Into High Gear


• October 2016
More Drill Bits


• September 2016
Hand Model


• August 2016
Breaking Tradition


• July 2016
Drawing On Experience


• May 2016
Proper Practice


• April 2016
Drilling For Improvement


• March 2016
Mind Games


 
More Pattern Drills
November 2024

Sticking with these drills will dramatically improve your game.

If you’ve been following my drills and getting close to completing them, that’s great. It shows you’re seeing the benefits of doing drills and better understand their importance.

I really like this drill because it places the 3 ball in the middle of the table. It will test your cue ball skills. There’s no real right or wrong. It will depend on where the cue ball lands. As always, the plan can change at any moment.

Set up the drill as shown (Diagram One). Start with ball in hand and run the 1-9 in rotation. No bumping balls.

The first shot is tricky, so make sure you spot the cue ball where you’re most comfortable. I like to use the long rail above the side pocket to slow the cue ball down. I also want to avoid snookering myself behind the 5 ball. I use a little punch draw. If you practice this shot enough, you will see the benefits.

If you land properly on the 2, a simple follow with a tip of right English is good. Just stay under the 3 ball. You can play a one-rail shot here, but I like to use two rails with a punch draw and a little left because I can let my stroke out and it guarantees the right angle.



The 4 ball (Diagram Two) is big because the cue ball must travel the length of the table. The options are dependent on the angle. I used high ball to let the cue ball take itself just below the side pocket. Avoid getting straight on the 5.

I found the perfect angle to float up the table for the 6, but would have liked more angle here so that I could play the natural two-rail follow shot for the 7. With less angle, I played one rail. Better to land short here than long.

You could go forward from the 7 to the 8 (Diagram Three), but if you hit this wrong you can scratch or underhit it. I chose to punch draw here because it guarantees that I’ll be close to the 8. I played it with a touch of left English.

With a little angle on the 8, a simple punch draw over for the 9 will do it. Do not roll the cue ball on the 9. Punch this nice and firm to avoid bad contact.

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