Adding the swerve shot to your game will prove to be of immense value. It allows
you to escape from snookers which could otherwise be almost impossible, and will
occasionally let you pot a ball that you might otherwise leave for the next player.
To play a swerve shot you must raise the back of the cue and
strike down on the cue-ball to the left or right of centre -
depending on the direction that you want the cue-ball to take.
By striking down, most of the power that would have become
forward motion is absorbed by the table, and this gives the spin
more time to grip the cloth and pull the cue-ball away from its
original line of aim.
As you raise the back of the cue the central line of the cue-ball
also changes for the purpose of playing with top or bottom. It is
above centre or below centre from the direction of the cue. You
should practise individual shots using side and top and then side
and bottom and watch the cue-ball as it travels to discover the slight differences that will add to your knowledge and control of the shot.
The diagram shows a swerve shot played with left-hand spin,
played around the right-hand side of the blue. This doubles
your chance of success. You may still hit the red even if you strike the side cushion first.
Playing around the left-hand side of the blue would be too
risky, you may foul the green if you don't use enough side.
To play the shot you must first find your point of aim (shown
flashing) and this must be fairly close to the blue as less spin
is then required - but aim too close and you'll increase the
chance of striking it.
You must also raise the back of the cue so you are striking
down on the cue-ball. You will find this much easier if you
hold the cue a little further away from the end than normal.
Strike the cue-ball on the same side that you want it to curve
and play the shot quite firmly, but with little follow-through of
the cue - you don't want to mis-cue or damage the cloth !
The 'secret' of the stroke is to always play at a speed that allows the spin
enough time to work - don't make the mistake of playing the shot too fast !
Shot A in this second diagram gives three positions of the
cue-ball. With the cue-ball in the centre the swerve is a
very difficult proposition, and one that most experienced
players would probably avoid. The back of the cue must be
raised well above 45°, and even if the red is struck there is
a great danger of following-through for an in-off and a foul.
The swerve is much easier from the other two positions and
you should practise these until you are able to play them confidently.
Stroke B from the corner pocket, although a full-ball snooker
is a little easier than the one across the centre of the table
because it's over a slightly longer distance.
But it does require some thought. Play around the left-hand
side of the pink and you will probably hit the red even if you
strike the cushion first, but you'll have little chance of potting
it. If you play around the right-hand side of the pink there is
less margin of error, but you stand a very good chance of potting the red if you play it correctly.
All the above shots should be practised seriously until you become confident enough to
play them in competition. They are easily set up and you will learn a great deal if you
haven't yet mastered this particular shot.
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