Standard Routes

Here are some standard position route drills. I selected these shots because they all return the cue ball to the center of the table. This is a very useful skill to learn because when you play 8 ball or 9 ball, if you can make an object ball and return the cue ball to the center of the table, you will usually have other makeable shots. The objective of each of these drills is to pocket the object ball and make the cue ball stop within the target at the middle of the table. I’ve drawn these diagrams assuming you want to hit a precise 12 inch target, but you don’t have to be that stringent. Once you master stopping the cue ball within these targets, experiment with different stopping distances. If you hit the ball a little harder, you can aim for targets further down table. These drills accomplish two objectives: (1) they teach you standard routes to get to the middle of the table, and (2) they teach you how to control cue ball travel distance.

Here are the 12 standard position route drills:

Shot 1: Stroke with a left running english. Make the yellow ball in the corner pocket, bounce the cueball off two rails, and make it come to a stop within the circle. The shot is not considered successful unless the cueball comes to a complete stop within the circle.

Shot 1

Shot 2: Stroke with a left draw. Make the yellow ball in the corner pocket, bounce the cueball off two rails, and make it come to a stop within the circle. The shot is not considered successful unless the cueball comes to a complete stop within the circle.

Shot 2

Shot 3: Stroke with right running english. Make the yellow ball in the corner pocket, bounce the cueball off one rail, and make it come to a stop within the circle. The shot is not considered successful unless the cueball comes to a complete stop within the circle.

Shot 3

Shot 4: Stroke with follow and maybe a hair of running english. Make the yellow ball in the corner pocket, bounce the cueball off one rail, and make it come to a stop within the circle. The shot is not considered successful unless the cueball comes to a complete stop within the circle.

Shot 4

Shot 5: Stroke with right draw. Make the yellow ball in the corner pocket, bounce the cueball off one rail, and make it come to a stop within the circle. The shot is not considered successful unless the cueball comes to a complete stop within the circle.

Shot 5

Shot 6: Sroke with low left draw. Make the yellow ball in the corner pocket, bounce the cueball off one rail, and make it come to a stop within the circle. The shot is not considered successful unless the cueball comes to a complete stop within the circle.

Shot 6

Shot 7: Sroke with low left draw. Make the yellow ball in the corner pocket, bounce the cueball off one rail, and make it come to a stop within the circle. The shot is not considered successful unless the cueball comes to a complete stop within the circle.

Shot 7

Shot 8: Stroke with left running english. Make the yellow ball in the side pocket, bounce the cueball off three rails, and make it come to a stop within the circle. The shot is not considered successful unless the cueball comes to a complete stop within the circle.

Shot 8

Shot 9: Stroke with low left english. Make the yellow ball in the side pocket, bounce the cueball off two rails, and make it come to a stop within the circle. The shot is not considered successful unless the cueball comes to a complete stop within the circle.

Shot 9

Shot 10: Stroke with right english. Make the yellow ball in the corner pocket, bounce the cueball off three rails, and make it come to a stop within the circle. The shot is not considered successful unless the cueball comes to a complete stop within the circle.

Shot 10

Shot 11: Stroke with right running english. Make the yellow ball in the corner pocket, bounce the cueball off three rails, and make it come to a stop within the circle. The shot is not considered successful unless the cueball comes to a complete stop within the circle..

Shot 11

Shot 12: Stroke with draw and right english. Make the yellow ball in the corner pocket, bounce the cueball off three rails, and make it come to a stop within the circle. The shot is not considered successful unless the cueball comes to a complete stop within the circle.

Shot 12

8 responses to “Standard Routes”

William | August 9, 2010 at 11:21 am | Reply

Hi Michael — I really love that you’ve put these together and put them online. I’ve found them so useful that I’ve put together a two-page pdf with just the table diagrams so I can print it out and bring it with me. I’d be happy to mail you a copy of it so you can use it or share it with others but I can’t find your email anywhere on the site. If you’d like a copy mail me at wwhyte@gmail.com and I’ll send it on.
- Michael | August 22, 2010 at 4:26 pm | Reply
  
  Hi William, thanks for the comment, and I’m glad that you find these diagrams useful. I also appreciate you pointing out that I didn’t have my email address anywhere on my site. (Duh!!). I’ve now added it to my About page. I’ll be adding many more shots and drills in the next few days, so stay tuned!
John Risner | April 25, 2011 at 1:45 pm | Reply

Really helpful stuff, you are right on the money I think if you can get back to the center of the table you are usually in good shape. Thanks.
Bill | May 2, 2012 at 1:03 pm | Reply

Would you please post that PDF. I would like to print these out to bring to the table.
- Michael | May 10, 2012 at 3:41 pm | Reply
  
  Hi Bill, unfortunately, I don’t know an easy way to make a PDF out of this. Just FYI, one of the primary drivers for me to develop this blog was create a respository for some of the drills and practice routines that I was using and store them on-line so that I could access them via my iPhone when I was at the pool hall. Thus, I could have access to them anytime without having to carry paper copies or diagrams with me. Sorry I couln’t be any better help here. Thanks for the comment though…maybe I should put together a book of practice routines or something???? 🙂
Vinh | September 5, 2012 at 2:33 pm | Reply

Thank you Mike for posting these awesome drills. My positioning has drastically improved… fyi, shot #4 was extremely difficult with that exact setup for me… how about moving that down the list for those of us that like to go in sequential order eh? hahaha
Vinh | September 5, 2012 at 2:35 pm | Reply

correction on my previous post… shot #2 is extremely difficult given that exact setup
Michael | September 5, 2012 at 5:42 pm | Reply

Vinh, sounds like you are a little OCD like me. Just skip shot 2! LOL!