The purpose of a running shot is to move a ball whilst keeping the played ball within the same area.

A shot is deemed to be successful if:

• it clears an opponent's ball out of a tactical position, typically away from the jack
• it removes a leading ball
• it stops your own ball in a good tactical position

A successful shot will need to:

• have a decent height when thrown so that the ball does not decelerate too rapidly by being in contact with the ground
• be weighted accurately so that it reaches the target ball with enough force to move it away
• be accurate in direction to make good contact with the target ball