There are a lot of techniques that pool players need to know to become proficient at their sport. One of the most important things to learn is something called Running English, which is essentially English going towards the ball, hitting the rail slightly before coming into contact with the ball.

A great way to practice shots like this is to start an object ball relatively close to the pocket and work your way up, moving a little bit farther away with each successful shot. To begin, with the ball on your left side, you’ll want to use left English. Take your shot and hit the rail just before the ball. This way when the ball hits the rail, it will spin into the ball and transfer energy into it, which will send the object ball into the pocket. Keep practicing by working your way up the table, each time getting a little further away from the pocket.

Although Left English is useful for making a lot of shots it won’t work every time. To be a truly versatile player, you’ll want to learn how to shoot with Right English or Center Ball. Practice using Right English after you’ve mastered Left English and you’ll be unstoppable. The key is knowing how to spin the cue ball into the object ball. If you can do this, you’ll be able to pull off some shots that most players consider to be impossible.