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Illegal Double Hit In 99 Critical Shots In Pool

© Copyright 1999, Jim Loy

This is shot #42, the "interference ball shot," in the book 99 Critical Shots In Pool, by Ray Martin and Rosser Reeves. You would like to make the blue ball, but the red ball is in the way. The cue ball is not frozen to the red ball, in the book. The authors say to sight along the line that the cue ball and red ball are on (the leftmost yellow-green line in this diagram), and aim at a point midway between that line and the blue ball. Then you shoot through the red ball, into the blue ball. Here is how they describe it:

Shoot the cue ball directly at this half-way point. The interference ball will be deflected out of the way, putting the cue ball on the proper course to sink the object ball.

The authors call this a carom shot. Instead, it is an illegal double hit (or push shot). In order to make the shot, your cue tip must hit the cue ball twice. This is a foul. Without the double hit, the cue ball will follow the red arrow. After that, it will curve, if you use follow or draw. The authors do not seem to know all this. Or, maybe they do know that this is an illegal shot. In the glossary, here is their definition of a push shot:

Push shot: Shoving or pushing the cue ball with the tip of the cue, or two contacts of the cue tip with the cue ball. The stroke is legal if the referee cannot see it, i.e. if it seems to be a flowing uninterrupted motion.

I am amazed. They seem to be saying that you should try to get away with an illegal shot. Of course, you give up ball in hand (and very likely you will lose the game), when the referee calls the foul. Isn't that a little risky, as well as unethical?

See my slow motion animation of this double hit at Double Hit Animation.

99 Critical Shots In Pool is a fine book, with much valuable material. It is easy to argue that many of their critical shots are not exactly critical, or that other shots should be included in the book. And their approach to shooting a spot shot is truly bizarre, even if it works. They need to cover the normal way of shooting spot shots, as well. But, I like the book. Most of it is excellent.

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