POSITIONAL PLAY: Straight Black / Screw Back / Off Cushion / With Reverse Side

Here we cover a shot that most players below regular 100 break standard really struggle with.
A very gratifying shot to play as the professionals do, we break the shot down into the 4 simple skill layers you need to play it well:
1. -4 screw shot speed
2. -3 stun screw shot speed
3. Aiming compensation with side spin
4. How to generate the correct amount of side spin
We welcome your comments below!!!
For more snooker tips like this join our YouTube channel,
and join your free 'Beat Your Highest Break' membership here:

[TheSapanone]

I wish I could do this shot at 5:38!
But on behalf of all the amateur snooker players around the world I want to say thank you Mr. Barrow for helping us. I contacted you three years ago and now I still get your emails and christmas gifts. That impresses me much! Thank you very much, you good man!

[trevorharrison]

Hi Nic, the room's looking good since I was there in September 2012.
The training ball & practice routine is very helpful.
All the best for 2015...

[jezmcm]

Great tutorials, can we see more ones with the cut out? As it gives a very good indication on where to be hitting the cue ball for certain shots.

[SoTwarPi]

this lesson will help me a lot to do more side spin screw shot

[alanburke]

Nice, easy to understand technique. Thanks. Happy New Year from Cyprus.

[dragospuri]

But Nic, how do you know how much to compensate? I assume the deflection depends on the cue you're using.
Any drills or exercises to help you learn this?
Worst thing is, if I'm not mistaking, it also depends on the speed of the shot and the distance to the object ball. Which makes things very difficult to estimate.
Snooker is a very hard game... :(

[Q-Audio]

Thank you! This shot is the magical shot on tv to me ;-) When I try this shot, I still don't know exactly where to aim, because of the offset. Can you film this shot again from the player's point of view? So I can see how much offset you have to correct.

[paulofrazao]

Hi you show us how to aiming correctly wen i use side spin????
Thank you

[RaferJeffersonIII]

Nic - I struggle to understand - you can play -3 hard, or - 4 softer. I understand with rev side you can't play -4, but in a straight line, you can play either power with -3 or softer with -4. Over distance, you need power as the screw will be lost. Is the general rule play -4 softer when you can, or is deep screw more difficult - I hope you understand what I'm getting at!

[jonathanhawkins]

Hi Nic. Great Video, I have learned a lot from watching them.I have a question, as a pool player when I screw back I try and keep my hand as flat as I can to keep the cue as level as possible to get the screw back I need which works for pool, as soon as I apply this to snooker it doesn't work. Do I need to raise to hand slightly.

[duncanworth]

I'm confused about the compensation of adressing the cueball. Do you decide on line of sight before or after? How do do you assess from -3 or -4? on your aligntment and or contact. Can you explain how much allowance is to be made for 'throw off' for 1 or 2 ? I cant get it. Sorry.

[Csads]

I've Seen and learned a lot from your coaching videos
i never ever learned one shot..
If u Remember the shot from Sir Alex Hurricane Higgins Against Dennis Taylor And Steve Davis
The one in which he pots black by hitting the side cushion. and black travels along the 3 cushions and the pots in Pocket along the black's spot

I Am Player With A Reasonable Skill
80-100 Break On 15 Red Pack

Last Shot in This Video

[MrWozOSRS]

He knows how to talk a lot, unfortunately can't play any good 😂

[GMBETTE]

ok ok ok ....i cant say this guy doesnt know what he is talking about but his condecending attitude to this guy is just unbelievably wrong... coach or no coach .. just unforgivable