The massé is a way of curving the ball in a more dramatic arc — basically a half circle. Some call this a megacurve or supercurve. Again, because this is an extreme shot, it should be used only when a kick shot, jump shot, or curve shot are not options. You would use it when you need to move around a blocking object ball to pocket a ball on the opposite side, but you don't have too far to go.

Like the curve and the jump shot, the massé requires an elevated cue stick. How elevated? Try at a 90-degree angle to the table. The angle can vary slightly depending on how much of a curve you want to give the ball. This shot is hard because the butt of the cue stick is up in the air. You may find that you'll have to reposition your back hand in order to get a good grip on the cue.

To shoot a massé you will have to maneuver your body to get the correct angle. Your cue stick will be elevated high in the air.

You wouldn't use the massé when the cue ball is in the middle of the table — that isn't even physically possible. You would use it when the cue ball is fairly close to a rail, where it is easier to reach from an elevated position.

Here are some procedures to follow in order to make the massé:

• Looking straight down at the cue ball, picture the new horizontal axis and the vertical axis crossing through it.

• Shoot the massé as an extreme version of the curve shot, and you will be able to arc it in a 180-degree semicircle if you choose. The key here is the extreme cue stick elevation with the right amount of sidespin and speed.

The massé is a shot that will get you out of a sticky situation, but as you can see it requires a good deal of skill and practice.