How to Jump a Cue Ball: Technique and Rules
To jump a cue ball, raise the butt of your cue to about 45 degrees, point the tip at the center of the cue ball along that raised line, and throw the cue down through it with a short, relaxed stroke. The ball is driven into the slate and bounces up over the blocker. That's the whole legal mechanism, and the WPA rule book describes it almost word for word.
Most people who can't get the ball airborne are making one of two mistakes: hitting the top of the ball, which pins it to the table, or muscling the stroke. Jumping is a finesse shot. Below is the setup, where to hit, how elevation and speed change the jump, the three ways to stroke it, how to do it with a regular cue, and what the APA, CSI and WPA rules allow.
How to jump a cue ball, step by step
- Pick the shot first. You need a clear landing zone past the blocker and a makeable ball after it lands. If not, kick instead.
- Build the bridge high and solid. Raise your bridge hand onto its fingertips (or tilt it onto your outer fingers) so the cue rests as high as it can go, and bend your bridge elbow to get your head over the shot.
- Move everything forward. As you raise the cue, slide your grip hand forward too, or you'll end up leaning over the table and unable to get the angle.
- Aim level, then lift. With the bridge set, lower the cue to aim along the line of the shot, then rotate the butt up to your elevation without moving the bridge.
- Line up on the vertical centerline. Missing the center left or right is the most common reason jumps spray sideways.
- Stroke short and loose. Relaxed grip and wrist, a quick throwing motion, and keep your head, shoulder and upper arm still.
- Freeze. Don't lift or steer after contact.
Start with the gentlest stroke that gets over the blocker, then add speed only if you need it.
Where to hit the cue ball (not the top)
The old advice to "hit down on the top of the ball" is the reason a lot of first jumps go nowhere. Dr. Dave Alciatore's guidance is a center-ball hit at about 45 degrees. At steeper elevations you need to hit at or a bit below center, because an above-center hit at a steep angle jams the cue ball into the cloth and it won't jump at all. Trick-shot pro Florian Kohler, writing for PoolDawg, aims slightly above center with a jump cue at around 45 degrees, so the safe rule is: at 45 degrees, center or a hair either side; steeper than that, never above center.
What makes it legal isn't the contact point anyway. It's that the cue is driving down into the table so the ball rebounds off the slate. Your tip is pointing at the ball, but the line of the cue runs on into the table bed.
Elevation and speed: what each one changes
| Change | What the cue ball does | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| More elevation | Rises sooner and lands sooner | The blocker is close to the cue ball |
| Less elevation | Lower, longer hop | The blocker is farther away |
| More speed | Jumps higher and travels farther | You need more height or distance |
| Less speed | Lower, shorter jump | You keep sailing past the landing spot |
Treat 45 degrees as your home base and move from there. A common error, as PoolDawg instructor Tom Simpson points out, is copying trick-shot players and going much steeper than the shot needs. Lower elevation is easier to aim and keeps more control of the spin.
Underhand, sidearm or dart stroke
| Stroke | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Underhand | Your normal stroke, arm in the plane of the shot, just raised | Most jumps at moderate elevation; one of the two most accurate |
| Sidearm | Arm rotated out to the side with a more open stance; keep shoulder and elbow still | Alciatore calls it the most versatile across elevations and reaches |
| Dart | Cue held up by your shoulder: middle finger under the cue, thumb and index finger on the sides, elbow planted, mostly wrist | Steep, short jumps and shots where you're reaching; easier for some people to learn |
With a three-piece jump cue, take the extra butt piece off for the dart stroke. Try all three on the practice table and keep whichever one puts the ball where you aimed most often. Accuracy is the deciding factor, not how the stroke looks.
How to jump with a regular cue
You can, within limits. Alciatore describes a "baby jump" over the edges of two balls with a gap between them: a normal playing cue, modest elevation and a firm stroke get the cue ball over, and you can still get stop, draw or follow much as usual. A full-ball jump over a blocker close to the cue ball is a different story. The playing cue is heavier, its softer tip absorbs energy, and Alciatore notes a jump draw over a full ball is difficult without a jump cue.
Tips for the playing-cue version: raise less than you would with a jump cue, hit firmer, aim at center or slightly below, and start with a wide gap before you try anything tight. Low-deflection and carbon shafts can still handle small jumps reliably, per Alciatore. If you want real jump-cue range, see best jump cues, or get a break/jump cue if you also need a breaker. In APA league play the regular cue matters: below Masters, it's the only cue you're allowed to jump with.
Controlling the landing
- The cue ball picks up topspin every time it bounces, so follow is easy and draw is hard.
- For draw, hit well below center and keep the bounces to a minimum. The most draw comes from hitting the object ball on the fly.
- For stun on a small jump, hit slightly below center to cancel the topspin the bounce adds.
- Aim a little fuller than normal. Kohler notes a cue ball that has just landed tends to over-cut the object ball.
- Land early on long jumps. A cue ball that's still airborne at the far rail can leave the table, and that's a foul under every rule book.
Is jumping legal? what the rule books say
A properly struck jump is legal under all three. Where they differ is on scoops and on which cue you can use.
| Rules | Legal jump | Scoop | Which cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| APA (Team Manual) | Striking the cue ball with the tip in a downward fashion to jump an impeding ball | Intentionally scooping the cue ball over another ball is a ball-in-hand foul (Game Rule 15) | Regular shooting cue at every level; jump cues, and jumping with a break or jump-break cue, only in Masters. You can't break down your shooting cue to jump (General Rule 29) |
| CSI / BCAPL | A downward stroke that makes the cue ball rebound off the bed of the table (definitions; rule 1-34) | Intentionally "digging under" or "scooping" is a foul; if it's unintentional it's a miscue, not a foul in itself | Jump cues allowed in 8, 9 and 10-ball; One Pocket, 14.1 and Bank Pool require jumps with your playing cue (5-15, 6-19, 7-9). Any cue must be at least 40 inches |
| WPA | Raising the cue and driving the cue ball down into the playing surface (2.9) | Treated like a miscue (2.11); an unintentional one that jumps the ball counts as a legal jump, but an intentional miscue is unsportsmanlike conduct (3.16) | You may switch to a jump cue during a match (1.4); cues must be at least 40 inches long |
Two more things. Driving the cue ball off the table is a foul in all three, so a jump that clears the blocker and flies onto the floor still costs you ball in hand. And house rules win: APA's manual says that if the room bans jump or masse shots, the room's rule stands. In WPA blackball (English pool), jumping over any ball is a foul outright.
Jump or kick?
Jump when the landing zone is clear, the object ball is makeable or safe after the landing, and the distance suits your cue. Kick when the cue ball is frozen or nearly frozen to the blocker, when balls crowd the landing area, or when a one-rail hit gives you a decent contact. A missed jump tends to leave a wide-open table; a decent kick usually leaves something awkward. Our kick shots guide covers the rail side.
Jumping isn't only for scoring. A jump can be the better safety because you're hitting the ball directly instead of through a rail. And in 9-ball, if you get a push out after the break, you can use it to leave yourself a jump you like (rules in 9-ball rules). Curving around the blocker instead is a masse; see how to masse the cue ball.
Jump shot drills
The shrinking gap (from Alciatore's jump handout): put two object balls a ball-width apart in front of the cue ball. Jump through the gap and scratch in the far corner. Each time you make it, close the gap a little. When you're jumping over a solid wall of two balls, you've got it.
Jump humps (from Simpson): stack a few books or magazines to different heights and lengths on a practice surface and jump them. It trains elevation and speed without risking a real table's cloth.
The partner check: have someone stand off to the side and tell you whether your tip points at the center of the cue ball from their angle. Off-center contact you can't see from behind the cue shows up right away.
For more practice routines, see pool practice drills.
Practice without damaging the cloth
Lay a scrap of old cloth under the cue ball when you drill. Alciatore points out it protects the table and actually makes jumping easier, because the extra layer compresses and helps the ball clear the tip. Thin or worn cloth makes jumping harder. Forceful scoops are what tear or burn cloth, especially loose cloth, so if your jumps are leaving marks, check your contact before blaming the table. Ask before practicing jumps on a room's table; many owners don't allow it.
Common jump shot mistakes
- Hitting above center at a steep angle. The ball jams and doesn't jump.
- Missing the vertical centerline, so the ball jumps off line.
- Gripping tight and jabbing. Alciatore's advice is a relaxed throwing motion, never a muscled one.
- Moving the shoulder or elbow, especially on the sidearm stroke.
- Lunging, which dips the tip, or pushing the bridge hand down as you stroke.
- Standing in your normal stance with the cue raised. Move the grip hand and body forward.
- Going steeper than the shot needs.
Sources
- Dr. Dave Alciatore, "Jump Shots Made Simple," Billiards Digest, October 2023
- Dr. Dave Alciatore: jump shot handout and drill
- Dr. Dave Alciatore, "Jump Stun/Draw/Follow," Billiards Digest, September 2015
- Dr. Dave Alciatore: jump technique FAQ and scoop shot FAQ
- APA Official Team Manual (General Rule 29; Game Rule 15; Glossary)
- Official Rules of CueSports International (1-34, 5-15, 6-19, 7-9; Equipment item 9)
- WPA Rules of Play (1.4, 2.9, 2.11, 3.1, 3.16, 8.13.3)
- WPA Recommended Equipment Specifications (item 17)
Our picks
Links open the current selection and price on Amazon so you can compare real reviews before buying.
RAGE Heavy Hitter Jump/Break Cue
Cheapest way to a real jump cueTwo Turbo Lock joints turn this 25 oz breaker into a short jump cue (or a shortie), with a stiff 14mm Bakelite tip that pops the ball off the slate far more easily than a soft leather playing tip. In APA play below Masters you can only break with it, not jump.
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Poison VX Jump/Break Cue by Predator
Learning jumps with a carbon shaftA three-piece jump/break cue with Predator's Venom carbon low-deflection shaft, a phenolic tip and a Radial joint. Take the third piece off and you have the short setup the dart stroke wants. Comes with joint protectors and a case.
Check price on AmazonFrequently asked questions
Where do you hit the cue ball to jump it?
At about the center of the ball along the raised cue line. At 45 degrees, center or a hair either side works. At steeper angles, hit at or slightly below center: an above-center hit at a steep angle jams the ball into the cloth and it won't jump.
What angle should the cue be for a jump shot?
Start at about 45 degrees. Go steeper when the blocker is close, because more elevation makes the ball rise and land sooner, and shallower for a longer, lower hop.
Can you jump a cue ball with a regular cue?
Yes, for small jumps. A playing cue with modest elevation and a firm stroke can clear the edges of balls with a gap between them. Full-ball jumps over a close blocker are much harder without a short, light jump cue.
Is scooping the cue ball a foul?
Intentionally scooping is a foul under APA and CSI rules and unsportsmanlike conduct under WPA rules. An accidental scoop is treated as a miscue under CSI and WPA, and WPA counts an unintentional miscue that jumps the ball as a legal jump.
Can you use a jump cue in APA?
Only in Masters divisions. In other APA play you can jump with your regular shooting cue, but not with a jump cue, a break cue or a jump-break cue, and you can't break down your shooting cue to make it shorter.
Why won't my cue ball jump?
Usually you're hitting above center at a steep angle, gripping too tight, or not raising enough. Aim at center, relax your grip into a quick throwing motion, and check that your tip is on the ball's vertical centerline.
Is it a foul if the cue ball jumps off the table?
Yes. APA, CSI and WPA all treat a cue ball driven off the table as a foul, so land long jumps early.
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