VNEA March 2010 Page 16

SPOTLIGHT

Understanding

The Tangent Line

What Is The Tangent Line?

First, let's use the engineers wording of the tangent line. The tangent line is a line
90º to the line of the center of the two balls at impact. Now let's say it so we can
understand it. The tangent line is the line between the balls when they touch. Any
shot you shoot with an angle, the cue ball always starts moving down the tangent line
after it collides with the object ball. If there is any overspin on the cue ball when it
arrives at the object ball, the cue ball will start out going down the tangent line and
then the overspin will cause it to curve away from you and the tangent line as in follow.
If the cue ball has back spin on it when it arrives at the object ball the opposite will
happen, the cue ball will start out down the tangent line but then the backpsin will cause
it to curve towards you off the tangent line as in draw. If you shoot either the follow or
the draw shot with more power, the power will cause the cue ball to stay on the tangent
line longer before it curves away from or towards you.

Now let's talk about keeping the cue ball on the tangent line. Many amateur players
think that the tangent line is where the cue ball goes on every shot.
This is not true. The only way the cue ball can
stay on the tangent line is if the cue ball
arrives at the object ball sliding with no spin as in a
stop shot. Some people refer to these shots as stun shots but
I like to refer to them as "stop shots with an angle".

Probably the most important shot in pool is the stop shot
whether it's straight in or an angle shot. Place an object ball
about 12 inches from the side pocket and straight out from
the side pocket. Now place the cue ball about 20 inches away
from the object ball and instead of making it straight in move
the cue ball about 3 inches off line to the right or left and
mark the balls. Now we know that the tangent line will be
parallel with the long rail and the trick is to see if you can
shoot a low stop shot so the cue ball only travels a few inches
down the tangent line and then try to move the cue ball fur-
ther and further down the table by shooting a little bit higher
and a little harder to keep the cue ball on the tangent line.

This is a shot that must be mastered and is one of the most
used shots by the professionals. If you have trouble, come see
me at the tournament and I will show you.

Good Luck - Jerry

Jerry Briesath

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8-Ball News & Views

· MARCH 2010

B I L L I A R D S

W I T H

Briesath

Learning Pool From

The Best!