Try the Ultimate Might X Challenge!

The mighty drill is one of the best-known practice drills in pool. It’s excellent for developing stop shots, checking your stroke, and making sure you’re cueing in a straight line.

I add a twist: see how many balls you can pocket without the cue ball touching a rail. This turns a classic stroke drill into a cue ball control challenge.

Set up four balls on the spots as shown in the diagram. They can be any four balls, as long as they’re positioned correctly. On each shot, pocket any ball you choose, then immediately re-spot it before selecting your next shot. The only rule is that the cue ball cannot contact a rail.

You’ll need soft stop shots, kill shots, slight follow, and slight draw to keep the cue ball under control. While the original drill allows a small margin for error, this version forces you to recover when you’re slightly out of line and think several shots ahead.

The goal is to beat your personal best. A run of five or six is solid, 10 is very good, and 15 or more is approaching professional-level cue ball control.



For the opening shots, use a smooth half-stroke with the cue ball struck about one tip below center. There’s no need to hit the balls hard. Let the cue ball die naturally after contact. As the pattern develops, the shots become less straight, requiring you to use slight draw, kill shots, and careful speed control to hold position.

As the drill progresses, you’ll also need to cheat the pocket by pocketing balls on one side of the opening to improve the cue ball’s path. Learning when to pinch the pocket and when to play a true stop shot is a valuable skill that carries directly into match play.

This drill develops more than just stroke mechanics. It improves cue ball control, touch, shot planning, pocket cheating, and concentration. You’ll face these shots regularly in competition, making it one of the best exercises for building confidence and precision.