Set Up:
Place the cue ball on the rail at the middle diamond between the side pocket and end rail. Freeze the 1, 2, and 3 ball to the cue ball on the rail. Now freeze the 6 ball to the cue ball and the 4 ball to the 6 and 1 ball. The 7 through 15 ball are all frozen to each other exactly a balls width away from the long rail. The easiest way to accomplish this is to place the 5 ball next to the cue ball and freeze the 7 in place. Then take the 15 ball, freeze it to the 5 and then freeze the 8 to the 7 and 15. Carefully move the 5 ball to the other side of the 15 and freeze the 9 to the 8 and 5. Continue this until you freeze the 15 to the 14. Then place the 5 ball in the side pocket as shown below.
Execution:
Now.. how to shoot this shot. Notice the english I've indicated on the cue ball. This is a masse shot, so this view of the cue ball is directly from above!!! Notice the piece of chalk I've placed on the table. This is approximately where you are going to hit the cue ball. You will be holding the cue at about 80 degrees vertical. The stroke needed is a hard hit. You MUST smash the cue tip through the ball into the table. DO NOT PULL UP your stroke. But with that said.. once the cue hits the table, you have to pull the stick up quickly because the cue ball will be rocketing back in your direction. Obviously the 'bottom' english brings the cue ball back, the slight left allows the cue ball to 'stick' or bounce back to the rail. If done correctly, the 3 ball goes in the corner (although it doesn't have to), the cue ball comes back and starts bouncing off the rail into the 7, rail, 8, rail, 9, rail, 10, rail... etc... finally making the five. So... turn down the house radio and have everyone listen to the tick, tick, tick.. hence the name.. Machine Gun Masse!!!!
How to fix errors on this shot:
You know that every time the cue ball runs into anything, rail or ball, it loses speed (transfer of energy), so if you aren't quite getting to the 5 ball... hit it a little harder. If the cue ball is jumping off the slate... you're actually hitting it too hard!
If the balls kind of go bllaaaahhh... most likely the cue ball, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6 aren't frozen. If the balls won't stay frozen and move slightly.. tap the ball in place. Hold the ball where you want it to stay, take another ball and LIGHTLY tap the other ball- let it go, if it still moves, tap a little harder.
If the 4 and 6 go flying out towards the other long rail along with the cue ball, the angle of your cue is incorrect, you are pulling your cue into your body. Your cue needs to be parallel with the long rail held vertically to 80 degrees (or 10 degrees shy of straight up.)
If the cue ball basically goes no where and your hand hurt after hitting the shot, you are hitting the cue ball too 'full'. Masse shots are basically at the edge of the ball. If you are doing all of the above... it could be your aim is wobbling all over the place. Which really means your bridge hand isn't steady enough. Your bridge arm should be held tightly.. I MEAN TIGHTLY.. against your rib cage. You have to use a closed bridge hand. Your bridge hand should be tight... tension will be running though your arm into your hand. Your hand will be 'floating' over the cue ball- but again your arm will be tight against your body. This type of masse bridge is commonly called an 'air bridge'. If you are tall enough you can place your knee up on the rail and sit on your foot (your shin is sitting on top and along the rail.) Then place your bridge hand on the side of your thigh over the cue ball. This is the most stable bridge for masse's... however watch that your leg doesn't interfere with the cue balls path- you might have to get off the table quickly. If you are sitting there going "what the hell is she talking about???!!!" Here is my husband Stefan using this bridge:
I taught my friend Mike Hayner this shot in about 10 minutes.
And he had never shot a masse shot before! It is easier with someone standing over you to correct problems, however... have faith!! Good luck and tell me if you hit it!!
Here's the video of Hayner hitting the Machine Gun masse:
Ok... so there's a funny story about the first time I ever shot this shot in competition, it was at the 2007 US Open. I had just finished my Jump and Masse disciplines and was outside yapping with some of the players. The MGM was one of the first masse shots I ever learned and when I get asked to shoot it, I almost never miss it. Oh boy did I miss it at the Open!! I was talking about it with the guys and called it the 'Shotgun Masse', hey... I was nervous still!! lol So Andy Segal looks at me, tilts his head, and says.. "You mean the Machine Gun Masse?" And Jason Lynch (not missing a beat) looks over at Andy and says "Have you ever seen her shoot it? BANG!! (he spreads his arms out) She's right, shotgun." I think that really was the official ice breaker! I was laughing so hard tears were on my checks! Everyone was rolling. It was really great... I wasn't used to being able to talk to players, nine ball players are different, trick shot players are more my style. They help, they calm, they joke, they play, they compete, and every once in a while they lean in during a match and tell you to breathe.. right when you need it.