Today I’m going to show you the banana shot, a simple, very useful and powerful technique that in three-cushion billiards can completely change a shot that seems sealed.
Have you ever wanted to turn around the corner, but the third ball blocks you or the natural entry isn’t enough, and you feel like there’s no chance of a carom? That’s where the banana shot comes in. I see it as entering through the back door: my ball makes a small banana-shaped curve and finds a path that at first glance doesn’t seem to exist.
That’s not magic. It’s technique, control, and reading the table. And in this post, I’m going to teach you the system & technique so you can start playing banana shots with more confidence. Because when you understand this secret, you start seeing solutions where before you only saw problems.
Let’s watch the Banana Shot promotional video.
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Banana Shot Technique
Okay, now you know when to use it. Now I’m going to tell you exactly how to execute it. This is where many people fail, because they understand the idea of the banana shot… but they don’t master the banana shot technique. And without execution technique, the curve doesn’t appear.
First , the effect. You hit the bottom of the ball , in the center,
zero effect , as if you were going to make a clean backspin without any lateral spin.
Second , the hand position. The hand holding the cue is positioned
slightly further forward than usual . A small detail that changes everything, because it helps the tip of the cue point downwards at the moment of impact with the ball.
Third , the butt of the cue. Lift it slightly. Don’t overdo it, just enough so the cue enters at a slight downward angle.
Fourth , the stroke. Quick and semi-penetrating. It’s not a completely stop stroke (without penetration) nor a penetrating and advanced one, it’s something in between.
And fifth , why does speed matter ? Because it determines the exact moment the ball begins to curve. Too slow and the curve comes too soon . Too fast and you barely see it . Finding that sweet spot is what makes this shot a real weapon.
And that can only be achieved in one way: practice, sensitivity, and repetition until the body feels it on its own.
Banana System
Now comes the part that transforms this combination from intuition into a real system . I don’t play the banana shot randomly. I need a clear, precise, and repeatable reference . And this is where the magic happens.
The banana system precisely defines the first-rail attack point . To do this, we use the halves system as a reference and simply move the midpoint of attack forward by one diamond.
Así de fácil. Así de poderoso.
Banana System From Short Rail
You already have the formula for shots from the long rail. But what happens when your ball starts from the short rail ? Does everything change?
No. Only one detail changes. And that detail simplifies everything.
If I start from the short lane, I first use the Base 50 system as a reference to turn at the corner, but I don’t stay there…
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Do you realize how powerful this is? And you know what’s even better? That same rule also works for long-rail starts. A single adjustment that covers two different situations.
One system. One adjustment rule. All positions.