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CUEING ACADEMY · PRACTICE SHEET

Hide-Behind-the-Blocker Safety

Defensive decisions · Intermediate · 15 min
HideTB

Contact the target (T) softly to the rail; finish the cue ball behind the blocker (B). Paths are illustrative.

Cue ballObjectBlocker

Objective: Contact the target ball softly and leave the cue ball hidden behind a blocker ball.

Setup: Place the target ball about half a diamond off the top long rail, near the foot-end side of the table. Place a blocker ball roughly one diamond from the target, toward the bottom rail. Place the cue ball about three diamonds up-table, with a clear line to the target ball.

Scoring: 2 points for a legal shot that leaves the target fully hidden, 1 point for a legal shot with a partial hide, 0 otherwise. Ten attempts.

Success standard: 12 or more points in a set.

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Category
Defensive decisions
Difficulty
Intermediate
Duration
15 min

Hide-Behind-the-Blocker Safety

Good safety play is a speed-control skill. This drill trains you to hit the target ball and finish with no direct line for your opponent.

HideTB

Contact the target (T) softly to the rail; finish the cue ball behind the blocker (B). Paths are illustrative.

Cue ballObjectBlocker

Setup

  1. Place the target ball about half a diamond off the top long rail, near the foot-end side of the table.
  2. Place a blocker ball roughly one diamond from the target, toward the bottom rail.
  3. Place the cue ball about three diamonds up-table, with a clear line to the target ball.

Execution

  1. Hit the target ball fully and softly, so it travels only a short distance toward or onto the rail.
  2. Aim to finish the cue ball in the shadow of the blocker, with no straight line from cue ball to target.
  3. After each attempt, check legality: a ball must reach a rail after contact.
  4. Check the result from the opponent's view: can the cue ball see any part of the target ball?

Scoring

2 points for a legal shot that leaves the target fully hidden, 1 point for a legal shot with a partial hide, 0 otherwise. Ten attempts.

Common mistakes

  • Hitting too firmly and sending the cue ball past the blocker.
  • Forgetting the rail requirement, which makes the safety a foul.
  • Thinking only about the cue ball and leaving the target ball in an easy spot.

Progression

Move the blocker farther from the target so the hide window becomes smaller.

Terms this drill trains

Easier variation

Use two blockers side by side to create a wider hiding area.

Harder variation

Require the target ball to finish frozen to the rail as well.

Drill objectives describe what the exercise trains. Results depend on the player, the table and the quality of practice; no drill guarantees a specific improvement.

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