Trick shot

Players use a long stick to hit balls.

These shots look hard to do. Some balls sit in a straight line. Players use extra things like coins or bottles. This is called artistic pool. Some people do this for fun. Others do it in big contests. They can win prize money for their skill. It is very cool to watch them play!

A trick shot is a special move on a pool table.

These shots look almost impossible to do. They take a lot of skill. Players often set up the balls in strange ways. They might put them in a long, straight line.

Artists use many props to make shots harder. They use things like coins, bottles, or even shoes. One famous shot is called the "up and in." In this shot, the ball jumps off the table. It lands in a shoe on the floor! Another shot is called the "butterfly." In that shot, six balls fall into different pockets at once.

People compete in big contests for these tricks. This sport is called artistic pool. Some contests are on TV. Players can win prize money for their talent. They must follow strict rules. They might only get two or three tries for each shot. Some players use special sticks to help them. They can even hit the ball with a lot of spin. It is a fun way to show off great skill.

A trick shot is a special move played on a billiards table.

Most people play pool or snooker in a normal way to win a game. However, trick shot artists use skill to make shots that look impossible. They often organize the balls in strange patterns, like a long straight line. They might even use extra tools called props to make the task harder. This exciting way of playing is known as artistic pool. It is a way for players to show off their amazing talent and creativity.

Performing these shots requires great care and specific steps. A player might use a cue stick to hit the cue ball with spin. This spin can be called draw, which is backspin, or follow, which is topspin. Some artists use a technique called a massé by tilting their stick at a steep angle.

They also use many different objects to change how the balls move. Common props include coins, drinking glasses, or even baskets. Some players even use a wooden shoe or a cowboy boot to catch a ball that jumps off the table.

This sport has a long and interesting history. Artistic pool was inspired by artistic billiards, which is played on tables without pockets. In the 1970s, international professionals began coordinating these trick shot competitions. A world champion named Paul Gerni helped lead the way with the World Trick Shot Artists Association. Later, in the year 2000, a new group was formed in Las Vegas. Since then, the sport has grown into a major international discipline with many different styles and rules.

Today, there are many ways to compete for prizes.

The WPA Artistic Pool Division is the main group that runs the sport. There are many big events, such as the WPA World Artistic Pool Championships. These championships have been held in many places like Las Vegas, Kiev, and Houston. Some contests, like Trick Shot Magic, are even shown on TV. In these games, players might get only two or three tries to make a difficult shot successfully.

Trick shots connect the game of pool to the world of art and performance.

For example, the "butterfly" shot uses six balls to create a beautiful shape. Another famous move is the "machine gun" shot, which makes a rapid clicking sound. These moves are not just about winning, but about the wonder they create. Whether it is a "snake shot" or a "bottle shot," these artists turn a simple game into something truly magical for everyone watching.

A trick shot is a highly skilled shot played on a billiards table.

While standard pool or snooker follows specific game rules, trick shots often appear impossible. Players organize balls in unusual patterns, such as long straight lines. They also use various props to increase the difficulty or visual appeal. When this practice becomes an organized competitive discipline, it is known as artistic pool. It allows players to showcase extreme precision, creativity, and technical mastery.

Performing these shots requires a deep understanding of physics and cue control. A player uses a cue stick to strike the cue ball, often applying specific types of spin. Draw is a technique where the player applies backspin to the ball. Follow involves hitting the ball with topspin to make it move forward. Some artists use the massé technique, which requires elevating the cue more than 10 degrees.

This method allows the player to curve the ball's path across the table.

Artistic pool is categorized into several distinct disciplines. The "Trick and/or fancy" discipline focuses on complex setups and multiple ball configurations. The "Prop/novelty and special arts" category includes shots using objects like coins, chalk, or even bridges. Other technical disciplines include "Draw," "Follow," and "Bank/Kick" shots. A bank shot involves hitting object balls into the cushions. A kick shot involves hitting the cue ball into a specific number of cushions before it strikes an object ball. There are also "Jump" shots and "Stroke" shots, where the cue ball is less than 1/2 inch from the first object ball.

The history of the sport is rooted in artistic billiards. Artistic billiards is a related discipline played on carom billiards tables, which have no pockets. In the 1970s, international professionals began coordinating trick shot competitions. Paul Gerni, a world champion, helped lead these efforts through the World Trick Shot Artists Association. In 2000, a new international group was formed in Las Vegas. Today, the WPA Artistic Pool Division serves as the world governing body for the sport.

Competition formats vary significantly depending on the specific event. In some exhibitions, a panel of judges scores players subjectively. In head-to-head competitions, such as the Ultimate Trick Shot Tour, players may challenge each other with custom parameters. In the WPA World Artistic Pool Championship, players often have three attempts per trick. They earn full points for a first-attempt success, with points decreasing for subsequent attempts. Each shot is assigned a difficulty rating that serves as its point value. A preliminary round of 40 shots is typically performed to determine the top players for the playoffs.

Many famous trick shots have become part of cue sports culture. The "machine gun" shot involves hitting a line of balls to create a rapid clicking sound. The "butterfly" shot uses six balls arranged in a shape that allows them to drop into different pockets simultaneously. Another famous move is the "up and in" shot, which involves jumping the cue ball off the table into a shoe.

The "dollar bill shot" is used as a tiebreaker in some contests. In this shot, a player must bank the ball off many cushions to land near a banknote.

Artistic pool connects physical skill with entertainment and media. The televised event Trick Shot Magic has seen high ratings in the United States. These performances turn a traditional game into a spectacle of precision. Professional players, such as 22-time World Champion Paul Gerni and Mike Massey, have turned this skill into a specialized career. Through these displays, the simple act of hitting a ball becomes a complex demonstration of human capability and art.