1/4: near cornerThe cue ball is in the lower left area, the red to its right, the yellow in the upper area. Hit the left half of the red with a 1/4 ball fraction, two tips of left (running) spin and medium speed. The cue ball reaches the yellow via the right long cushion, the left long cushion and the top short cushion. The red touches the right long cushion and the bottom short cushion and stops in the bottom right corner. The advantage of the thin hit: ball 2 travels a short way, so where it stops is easy to predict. Typical mistake: hitting thinner without adding spin; the cue ball reaches the left long cushion too early and misses the yellow.
Controlling ball 2 · Drill cards
3/8: middle of the short cushion (avoid)Same layout. Hit the red with a 3/8 ball fraction and one tip of left spin; the point is still made. The red touches the right long cushion and goes to the middle of the bottom short cushion. This is the hardest place to reach after three cushions; the next shot becomes difficult. Recognize this ball fraction and either hit a little thinner (corner) or a little fuller (opposite corner).
1/2: opposite corner (reference position)Same layout. Hit the red with a 1/2 ball fraction, half a tip of left (running) spin and medium speed. The red touches the right long cushion and the bottom short cushion and reaches the bottom left corner; after the third cushion the cue ball reaches the yellow and stops next to it. Result: ball 2 in the opposite corner as a big target, the cue ball near ball 3. With this ball fraction, speed is the most important variable.
5/8 and too much speed: past the cornerSame layout. Hit the red with a 5/8 ball fraction, one tip of left spin and harder. The red goes from the right long cushion to the left long cushion, then to the bottom short cushion, comes back out of the corner and stops near the middle of the short cushion. Because the cue ball hits the yellow full, the yellow also moves from its place. Lesson: on a full hit the path of ball 2 gets longer and the margin of error grows.
1/2 but soft: does not reach the cornerSame ball fraction and spin as s3, but a softer stroke. The cue ball still reaches the yellow; the red, however, touches the bottom short cushion and stops in the left half of the short cushion before reaching the corner. Speed is as important as ball fraction: ball fraction decides the direction, speed decides the distance.