Providing you have a well-maintained and chalked cue tip, you should be able to aim well below centre to really generate some ‘fizz’ on the cue ball.

As a brief aside, let’s watch the ‘Tornado’ highlight some of the different degrees of backspin that are attainable by varying the depth of aim, and the speed in the stroke.

Another factor influencing the successful execution of a screw shot - is the actual grip adopted on the butt of the cue.

A useful analogy is to imagine throwing a hoop and making it spin back towards you.

The same feel in the wrist and the slight tightening of the grip at the moment of release, or impact in this instance, is required to generate the desired backspin.

Take a look at the situation, shown here. (DVD shows from overhead)

The cue ball is on the black’s spot, almost in a direct line with a yellow about halfway to the nearest pocket.

Watch as the professional first pots this yellow plain ball, and notice the resulting resting place of the white.

If the object ball is then replaced, and the shot is replayed using backspin, the difference between the original plainly struck white and the second ‘screwed’ cue ball is obvious.

You should now be beginning to realise the advantages of cue ball control in the game of pool. 

Imagine Jason was playing for the black to win a match.  The first stroke would be no good at all, whereas the second ‘draw’ shot has left perfect position.

Conversely, if the black was in the position occupied by the red, then the plain ball strike would have been the correct option.

This type of shot selection will only come with experience, and it is vital if you have any aspirations of making regular winning clearances.

To increase the difficulty of these screw shot exercises, it is simply a matter of setting up some straight pots around the table and practicing them - gradually moving the white further and further away from the object ball.

Don’t forget the basics we have covered such as stance, sighting, bridging and grip.

Once you have mastered these full ball ‘draw’ shots, you can then begin to experiment with the effects of engaging backspin on angled pots, and the wide range of options this knowledge can bring to your game.

Screwing the white into a corner pocket, as Jason is demonstrating, is probably the best way to help beginners comprehend the basic principals of the angled screw shot.

By gradually increasing the distance between the yellow and the target, but still shooting the cue ball from the same position, a real understanding of the techniques required to generate backspin can be learnt very quickly!

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