Back-Hand English (BHE) and Front-Hand English (FHE)

Backhand english (BHE) and front-hand english (FHE) are aim-and-pivot methods used to adjust one’s aim for squirt and swerve (AKA “cue ball deflection”). The best resource for learning how and when to use BHE, FHE, and parallel english (PE) is the System for Aiming With Sidespin (SAWS).

For other information and illustrations, see “Squirt – Part IV: BHE, FHE, and pivot-length calibration” (BD, November, 2007), “HAPS – Part II: BHE and FHE” (BD, December, 2014), and the aim compensation when using sidespin resource page. For useful quick summaries, see the aiming with sidespin handout and the SAWS BHE/FHE calibration handout.

The phrase “back-hand english” is also sometimes used to refer to a swooping stroke, where the back hand is moved sideways during the forward stroke (see stroke swoop), but here the focus is on aim-and-pivot BHE, where the back hand is moved before the stroke, after lining up the shot for a center-ball hit.

Here’s a good overall video demonstration of BHE and FHE from Vol. II of The Video Encyclopedia of Pool Shots:

And here’s a video from Vol. I of How to Aim Pool Shots (HAPS), showing the basics of how BHE and FHE can be applied: