Top Tips for Becoming a Better Pool Player

For the purposes of this article I am referring to the English 8 Ball Pool ‘old’ rules, which although are no longer used at professional levels are still in frequent use within pool leagues and in pubs and bars. However these tips for the most part will benefit novices playing either old or new rules, there are just a couple of instances where the tips will not work on new rules. Additionally, as this hub is based on my own experience of pool playing both for fun and in leagues as a member of various teams over a number of years, I have used reds and yellows for the balls as opposed to spots and stripes because these are in more frequent use in the United Kingdom.

The game is played on a rectangular 6-pocket table with 15 balls plus a cue ball which consist of two different sets of 7 coloured balls. Usually red replaces stripes (9-15), yellow replace solid (1-7) and a black (also known as the 8 ball). Balls in the two coloured groups are known as object balls.

The player or team pocketing all their group of object balls in any order, and then legally pocketing the 8 ball, wins the game.

You can find a complete list of the ‘old’ rules if you click here.

Please note that these tips will be most useful for those players who are currently playing at amateur level as opposed to professional, or who are fairly new to the game and simply want some tips to raise the standard of their game in order to begin winning frames on a regular basis.

The Cue

Choose your cue carefully, even if only using a pub cue. Check the tip is not loose or worn down unevenly. Lay the cue on the pool table and roll it across the table. If the cue is straight, (which is what you want), it will roll smoothly, if it is bent or warped it will quickly be obvious by the way the tip appears to move up and down as the cue rolls. If you prefer a heavier cue over a lighter one (or vice versa) then narrow down your final choices by weighing them off against each other holding one in each hand. If the shaft of the cue is highly varnished it may become ‘sticky’ when you play, so carry a fine grade piece of sandpaper with you at all times to sand down the shaft and remove the varnish, (rubbing some chalk on to the area at the base of your thumb and index finger can reduce any potential sticking of the cue also).

Correct Ways to Hold a Cue

Holding the Cue

The way each player holds a cue varies considerably, but in my own experience I find the most successful method is to treat the shaft of the cue like the sight of a gun. In other words when you are lining up your shot have the shaft of the cue virtually (or even actually) nestling on the bottom of your chin so you are looking right down the length of the cue. Too often I see novice players virtually standing straight or bolt upright when taking their shot, and then wondering why they miss the pot they were aiming for. Watch how snooker players take a shot and copy their body position. Keep the cue as horizontal as possible, it is not at all unusual to see players holding the butt end of the cue at a much higher level than the tip, and this can cause problems with accuracy, power behind the shot and tearing the cloth on the table with the cue tip.

It is also very important how you support the front end of the cue as you take your shot. Again, a common mistake (I am sad to say I see most often in lady players), is to rest the hand flat on the table and slide the cue over the thumb and index finger whilst these are still tightly pressed together. The ideal position is to spread your fingers and form your hand into a very slightly raised ‘cage’ on the table. Lift your thumb slightly into the air and use the side of the thumb as the rest for your cue to slide across, (see illustrations right)

The Chalk

This may be a personal preference to some degree, but I have to say few players I have ever met either in pool or snooker like to use blue chalk for their cue. Green chalk is far more popular it would appear (possibly because it stays on better), and although most pubs and bars seem to provide blue chalk on the table, most players bring their own green chalk and use it instead. For the few pence it costs to buy a cube of green chalk I highly recommend you always carry some with you in case there is none available at the venue when you arrive.

Remember to chalk your cue before every shot, making sure the chalk moves and not the cue as you apply it. It is incredibly frustrating to take a shot and hear that annoying ‘click’ as the cue tip slips off the ball commonly known as a miscue (usually mucking up your intended shot completely or even giving two shots away to your opponent if it results in a foul), especially when this can be easily avoided by remembering to use your chalk constantly.

Breaking

Not something I am personally very fond of, but when I have to I try to use a heavy cue with a large tip, (as opposed to my personal cue which is light with a 9mm tip). I always place the cue ball just to the right of the of the D, and then, keeping the cue as horizontal as possible, I take a few warm up backward and forward movements of the cue across my left hand, before hitting as hard as I can on the centre of the cue ball, whilst aiming at the top, central and therefore nearest coloured ball in the rack. Usually if I am lucky this pays off and I pot a ball or two. At the very least I split the pack and rarely put the white (cue ball) in off the break. Given the choice I tend to let my opponent break though, my thoughts being to ‘let them make a mistake first’ or at least leave me with the choice of colours hopefully.

Note: This is very different to the standard snooker ‘D’ break where you aim to hit a red on one of the furthest corners of the triangle and then come off cushions in order to bring the white back up the table into the ‘D’ area.

Assess the Balls on the Table

Before you go rushing in to your next shot, always walk right around the table at least once. Look at the position of the balls on the table, and if you can, try to think which ball is the best to go for based on the following shots you plan to take (or what you are likely to leave for your opponent if your shot goes wrong). In other words, as a novice try to be thinking at least two or three shots ahead as this will enable you to plan the speed you hit the cue ball and whereabouts on the ball you strike it, (especially if you are planning to pot several balls in a row).

If you have any doubts as to if you can ‘see‘ the object ball you plan to hit, then crouch down until you are at eye level with the table and look at the line of your shot from the white (cue) ball through to the object ball. If you can’t see the object ball either choose another or plan an alternative way of striking that ball, e.g. off a cushion or by deliberately colliding with another of your balls first.

You might NOT want to pot this even if you are playing reds!

This shows the player on reds is snookered as they cannot directly hit any of their balls.

Choosing Your Shot

Novices are frequently tempted to always go for the obvious pots, e.g. the ball hanging over the pocket. Unless you are confident that there are enough pots you can follow this one with to put you way ahead of your opponent or even clear up, then leave your ball over the pocket to ‘cover‘ it. By covering the pocket with your ball you are preventing your opponent from potting one of their balls into this pocket. If they accidentally do pot your ball during the game you will at least gain two shots from the penalty they receive as a result. In an ideal game you will end up with all your balls either over or near the pockets and can then clear up, (although the frame rarely pans out exactly like this in practice).

The game plan that works best for me (and many other players), is to play a safety game until you are confident you can clear up, or at least have gained two shots from your opponent in order to give you a better chance of clearing extra balls until you run out of shots, and then you can play a further ‘safety‘ shot, or snooker them by placing the cue ball in a position where the opponent cannot ‘see‘ any of their own colours and will have to play off one or more cushions in order to hit one of their colours and not give you two shots. Naturally you want them to give you two shots so the advantage is in your favour. What I am trying to say here is that the ‘slowly slowly catchy monkey‘ approach is best unless you are a naturally fantastic and confident potter.

This is advice that mostly only works in the English 8 Ball Pool Old Rules because innew rules you can’t simply roll the cue ball up behind one of your own colours so it just touches and snookers your opponent on their own ball. In new rules this would be a foul based on the fact no ball hit a cushion during the shot.

How Hard to Hit the Cue Ball

A frequent mistake I see on the pool table is the player whacking the ball far harder than the shot requires. If you don’t know where the cue ball is going to end up you put yourself in a dangerous position. Only use as much power as you need for the shot you are taking, otherwise the white ball may end up in the pocket, may hit an opponents ball and pot that too, or you could put the black down halfway through the frame and lose the match as a result.

One of the most annoying things I see are players who are already ‘on ‘ the black, go for the pot, wallop it in at full pace (apparently because they think it looks flashy), and then the white ball merrily bowls its way into another pocket, so losing them the frame. More often than not a gentler touch would still have potted the black and although the ‘pizazz ‘, cheers and adulation from other players or onlookers might not have been as exciting, the frame would have at least been safely won and ‘in the bag‘. Remember, only use as much power as you absolutely need to unless you want to bring the white back up the table for your next shot, e.g. screw back, side, top etc.

Don’t ‘Hit and Hope’

Many novice players have a bad habit, and this is that in the event no other obvious shot is available, they go down the ‘hit and hope‘ route. Basically they whack any ball of their own colour as hard as they can and simply hope the result is a good one for them. Unfortunately this is very risky, and not an advisable course of action. The far better choice would be to play a safety shot such as a snooker, or at least a shot that reduces the chances of your opponent getting a chance to clear the table on their next visit.

Use the Cross Rest

If you encounter a shot you are struggling to reach for, use the rest. This is far more likely to be successful than you teetering precariously on your tip toes and attempting to make a good contact with the cue ball. The rest is not that difficult to use as long as you remember it is only replacing your thumb as the support for the front end of your cue. Treat the rest as a spare arm. Place it in the desired position on the table, leave the butt end laying on the baize (cloth) whilst you hold it in place with your left hand (assuming you are a right handed pool player). With your other hand carefully place your cue in the ‘cross’ on the end of the rest. Adjust the direction of the rest with your left hand, line up your shot and take it as normal. When you do use the rest remember to quickly lift it vertically from the pool table after you have taken the shot. This will ensure you do not find another ball on the table makes contact with it after the cue ball is in motion, nor will you inadvertently hit another ball with it as you remove it from the baize.

Watch Your Opponent

This won’t change your game, but it might increase the number of games you win. Whilst you might be like me, honest, and therefore admit it if you accidentally touch a ball with your hand when lining up your shot, (so giving away two shots to your opponent), they might not always be so honest, and if you aren’t using a referee then it is down to you to point out or ‘remind’ your opponent they have fouled and claim your shots. Most players will at least have the good grace to agree they fouled and give you the two shots, even if they claim not to have realised they did it. Remember even if their tee-shirt or their long hair touches a ball they have fouled and should give you two shots. I knew one girl who was quite large breasted, and therefore sadly for her, giving away two shots happened to her quite frequently as a result…. seemed a bit unfair really… but that’s the rules.

On the Black

Assuming you get as far as the black ball and it isn’t an easy pot, e.g. it is sitting on the cushion, then don’t think, ‘What the hell, I’ll give it a wallop as it might just go in a pocket by accident’. This is such a risky strategy it is crazy. The most likely result is that it won’t go into a pocket and you will leave it over a pocket where your opponent will quickly take advantage and clear his remaining balls and then put down the black. The safer option is to leave the black on the cushion where the onus is then on the other player to ‘make a mistake‘ when they attempt to pot it later on. With a bit of luck they might end up giving you two shots, in which case you have two attempts on the black and will most likely pot it and take the frame.

iba’t ibang laro ng bilyar

Ito ay isang kakaiba na ang cue sports ay madalas na nilalaro sa mga
bar, dahil ang mga kaswal na manlalaro ay nangangailangan ng lahat ng
kanilang mga pandama tungkol sa mga ito upang sabihin kung ano ang
nangyayari. At hindi iyon isinasaalang-alang ang lahat ng iba’t ibang
uri ng mga laro ng billiard na talagang naroroon. Alam mo ang karaniwang
walong-ball variety, at marahil narinig mo ang salitang snooker bago,
ngunit malamang na hindi ka malalim na pamilyar sa kung paano maglaro
ng pool sa mga di-pangkaraniwang uri nito. Kung ganoon nga ang kaso,
basahin sa upang makakuha ng mababang-down sa limang iba’t ibang mga laro
ng pool table, at magpakita sa iyong lokal na pool hall o pool room ng
kaibigan na may bagong yaman ng cue-game na kaalaman.

1. American-Style Eight Ball Bilang ng mga Balls: 16 (7 guhitan, 7 solids, 1 walong bola, at 1 cue ball) Paano Mag-play: Pagkatapos ng pahinga, ang bawat manlalaro ay itinalaga
sa alinman sa mga guhit o solidong kulay na mga bola. Ang layunin ay
upang bulsa ang lahat ng mga bola sa iyong kulay, pagkatapos ay lababo
ang walong bola sa isang tinatawag na bulsa. Saan Makahanap Ito: Tulad ng sinabi namin ng mas maaga, sa lahat ng mga
bersyon ng mga laro ng billiards, ito ang iyong pinaka-malamang na
makahanap. Magagawa mong i-play ito sa anumang pool hall at maraming
mga dive bar at pub. 2. Straight Pool Bilang ng mga Balls: 16 (7 guhitan, 7 solids, 1 walong bola, at 1 cue ball) Paano Mag-play: Ginagamit ng mga manlalaro ang cue ball sa bulsa ng
anumang bola sa talahanayan, anuman ang kulay
(kailangang tawagan ng mga manlalaro ang bola at bulsa sa bawat shot).
Ang bawat bola ay nagkakahalaga ng isang punto, at ang isang laro ay
maaaring i-play hanggang sa 100 o 150 puntos. Dahil dito, ang mga bola
ay kadalasang sinasalakay sa buong laro, na maaaring tumagal nang mas
matagal kaysa sa karaniwang mga tugma sa walong-bola.

Saan Mahanap Ito: Dahil ang tuwid pool ay nilalaro sa parehong mesa
bilang American eight-ball, maaari mong technically i-play ang dating
sa parehong mga lugar na mahanap mo ang huli. Mag-ingat sa anumang
idinagdag na mga gastos ng muling pagsugpo sa lahat ng mga bola kahit na.

3. Carom Bilang ng mga Ball: 3
(1 puting cue ball para sa bawat kalaban at 1 pulang bola ng bagay)
Paano to Play: Ang Carom ay nilalaro sa isang pocketless table na may
pinainit na ibabaw (na nag-aalis ng kahalumigmigan, na tumutulong sa
pagpapabilis ng pagkilos). Ang mga manlalaro ay tumuturo ng mga puntos
sa pamamagitan ng rebounding ang kanilang cue ball mula sa parehong
bola ng bagay at cue ball ng kanilang kalaban sa parehong shot.
Saan Makahanap Ito: Ang mga mesa ay ilang at malayo sa pagitan,
ngunit ang palakasan ay lumalaki sa pagiging popular sa mga nakaraang
taon. Ang Carom Café Billiards sa Flushing, New York, ay isa sa ilang
mga puwang sa bansa na nakatuon sa laro.

4. Snooker Bilang ng mga Balls: 22
cue ball, 15 pulang bola na nagkakahalaga ng 1 punto bawat isa, at 6
na magkakaibang kulay na mga bola na nagkakahalaga ng pagtaas ng bilang
ng mga puntos) Paano Mag-play: Sa halos 12’x6 ‘, isang talahanayan ng snooker ay
medyo mas malaki kaysa sa isang karaniwang pool table, ngunit mayroon
ding anim na pockets. Ang mga laro ng snooker ay nilalaro ng mga manlalaro
sa simula ng pagbawas ng isang pulang bola, pagkatapos ay tinatangkilik
ang iba pang mga bilang ng bola sa pataas na pagkakasunud-sunod.
Ang pangalan na “snooker” ay tumutukoy sa isa sa mga pangunahing
estratehiya ng laro: kapag ikaw ay “snooker” isang kalaban, lumikha ka
ng isang sitwasyon kung saan hindi nila maaaring pindutin ang kanilang
bola sa isang madaling, tuwid na linya. Saan Makahanap Ito: Mas karaniwan kaysa sa carom ngunit rarer kaysa sa
walong bola ng Amerikano, ang snooker ay maaaring maging isang maliit na
nakakalito upang mahanap sa Unidos (Ito ay lubhang popular sa UK, kung
mangyari sa iyo na pagkuha ng isang paglalakbay doon sa lalong madaling
panahon.). Ang mga bulwagan tulad ng 147 Snooker Club ng Houston ay
maaaring matagpuan kung ikaw ay mukhang mahirap sapat, bagaman. 5. Mga English Billiards Bilang ng mga Ball: 3 (1 white cue ball, 1 yellow cue ball, at 1 red
object ball) Paano Mag-play: Mayroong tatlong mga paraan upang puntos sa mga
bilyong Ingles. Ang isang “in-off” ay nangyayari kapag ang iyong cue
ball ay nakakakita ng isa o higit pang mga bola at pagkatapos ay bumagsak
sa bulsa. Ang isang “palayok” ay nangyayari kapag ang iyong cue ball
ay tumama ng isa pang bola sa isang bulsa. Ang “kanyon” ay nangyayari
kapag ang iyong cue ball ay pumupunta sa parehong mga bola. Ang mga
kanyon ay nagkakahalaga ng 2 puntos, ang mga marka ng bola ng iyong
kalaban ay nagkakahalaga ng 2 puntos, at ang mga marka ng pulang bola
ay nagkakahalaga ng 3 puntos. Saan Makahanap Ito: Tulad ng lahat ng bagay sa Inglatera, ang mga bilyet
ng Ingles ay mahalagang isang mas sopistikadong bersyon ng kanyang kamag
-anak sa Amerika. Para sa mismong dahilan, magkakaroon ka ng napakahirap
na oras sa paghahanap ng nakalaang lugar upang maglaro.
Sa kabutihang-palad, ang isang talahanayan ng English billiards
ay eksaktong kapareho ng mga dimensyon gaya ng mesa ng snooker,
kaya maaari mong tiyak na i-rig ang isang solusyon sa pamamagitan
ng paggamit ng ilang re-appropriated snooker balls.

CUE SPORT

Ang Cue sports (minsan isinulat cuesports), na kilala rin bilang sports billiard, ay isang malawak na pagkakaiba-iba ng mga laro ng kasanayan na karaniwang nilalaro gamit ang isang cue stick, na ginagamit upang hampasin ang mga billiard ball at sa gayon ay maging sanhi sila upang ilipat sa paligid ng isang tela-sakop billiards talahanayan bounded sa pamamagitan ng nababanat bumpers na kilala bilang cushions. Sa kasaysayan, ang payong termino ay billiards. Habang ang pamilyar na pangalan ay ginagamit pa ng ilan bilang isang generic na label para sa lahat ng naturang mga laro, ang paggamit ng salita ay pinagputul-putol sa mas eksklusibong nakikipagkumpitensya na kahulugan sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng mundo. Halimbawa, sa British at Australian na Ingles, ang “billiards” ay kadalasang tumutukoy lamang sa laro ng mga billiards ng Ingles, habang sa American at Canadian na Ingles ay minsan itong ginagamit upang tumukoy sa isang partikular na laro o klase ng mga laro, o sa lahat ng mga laro ng cue sa pangkalahatan , depende sa dialect at konteksto. Sa iba pang mga bansa, ang terminong “billiard” ay maaaring gamitin sa colloquially upang sumangguni sa pool. Mayroong 3 pangunahing subdivision ng mga laro sa loob ng sports cue: Ang Carom billiards, na tumutukoy sa mga laro na nilalaro sa mga talahanayan na walang bulsa, kadalasang may 10 talampakan ang haba, kabilang ang balkline at tuwid na tren, unan na mga carom, three-cushion billiard, artistic billiards at four-ball Ang pool na sumasaklaw sa maraming mga bulsa na laro sa billiard na karaniwang nilalaro sa anim na bulsa na mga talahanayan ng 7-, 8-, o 9 na haba ng paa, kasama ang iba pang walong bola (ang pinakalawak na larong cue sport sa buong mundo), siyam na bola (ang dominanteng propesyonal laro), sampung ball, tuwid na pool (ang dating dominanteng pro laro), isang bulsa, at bank pool Snooker at English billiards, ang mga laro na nilalaro sa isang talahanayan ng billiards na may anim na pockets na tinatawag na snooker table (na may mga dimensyon lamang sa ilalim ng 12 ft by 6 ft), na kung saan ay ganap na naiuri na hiwalay mula sa pool batay sa isang hiwalay na makasaysayang pag-unlad, pati na rin ang isang hiwalay kultura at terminolohiya na nagpapakilala sa kanilang pag-play. Ang mga tulay ay isang pangkaraniwang item ng pool na ginagamit upang makatulong sa pagbaril. Ang mga tulay ay hindi maaaring gamitin upang mag-shoot sa siyam na bola pool. May iba pang mga variant na gumagamit ng mga obstacle at target, at mga game table-top na nilalaro gamit ang mga disk sa halip na mga bola. Ang bilyaran ay may mahaba at mayamang kasaysayan na lumalawak mula sa pagsisimula nito noong ika-15 siglo, sa pambalot ng katawan ni Maria, Queen of Scots, sa kanyang billiard table cover sa 1586, sa pamamagitan ng maraming mga pagbanggit sa mga gawa ni Shakespeare, kabilang ang sikat Ang linya ng “ipaalam sa mga bilyaran” sa Antony at Cleopatra (1606-07), at sa pamamagitan ng maraming sikat na taong mahilig sa sport tulad ng: Mozart, Louis XIV ng France, Marie Antoinette, Immanuel Kant, Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, George Washington, presidente ng Pransiya Jules Grévy, Charles Dickens, George Armstrong Custer, Theodore Roosevelt, Lewis Carroll, WC Mga Patlang, Babe Ruth, Bob Hope, at Jackie Gleason.

A Brief History of Billiards: a Pictorial Chronology and Timeline of the Continuing Evolution of Pool

A detailed chronology of billiards and pool follows a brief pictorial introduction to the games and how they evolved. If you’re short of time and looking for something in particular, please try using CTRL-F to find it.

Who was the first pool hustler? … The Dutch Baron, John Carr, Edwin “Jonathan” Kentfield, “Lookout,” or Marie Antoinette?
Who was the first road player? …. John Carr, John Roberts Sr., John Roberts Jr., Mary Queen of Scots, or Napoleon?
Who was the first American pool champion of a game that is still being played today? … Albert Frey, Gottlieb Wahlstrom, Cyrille Dion, or Alfredo de Oro?
Who was the greatest proposition gambler? … “Titanic” Thompson or “Minnesota Fats”?
Who invented “english,” draw (backspin) and the massé? … François Mingaud, John Carr, Mike Massey or Efren “the Magician” Reyes?
Who was the first person to mention billiards? … Anacharsis, William Shakespeare, Cleopatra, Edmund Spenser, Ben Jonson, Charles Cotton or Abbe McGeoghegan?
Who was the first person to spell “billiards” the modern way? … John Florio, Dr. Samuel Johnson, or the creators of the Oxford English Dictionary?
Who was the father of American pool? … Michael Phelan, George Washington, Ben Franklin, Lafayette, or Ralph Greenleaf?
Who was the best billiards and pool player of all time? … Harold Worst, Willie Hoppe, Alfredo de Oro, Johnny Layton, Willie Mosconi, Mike Sigel, Earl Strickland, or Efren Reyes?
Who was a famous “pool nut”? … Shakespeare, Mary Queen of Scots, King James I, Mozart, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Napoleon, Josephine, John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth, Wild Bill Hickok, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Vincent Van Gogh, Charles Darwin, Queen Victoria, Pope Pius IX, Teddy Roosevelt, Neville Chamberlain, Al Capone, Babe Ruth, Cap Anson, Jackie Gleason, Paul Newman or Tom Cruise?

The last is a trick question, because they were all nuts for pool!

Another interesting player to consider as the best ever is Albert M. Frey, who was winning nearly every match almost as soon as the first native American pool games had been invented. According to Michael Phelan, the father of American pool, the first national pool championship took place in 1878. Albert Frey the “blonde boy” wonder and darling of the crowds, made his public debut on December 30, 1880. He won the first professional eight-ball tournament at Republican Hall, NYC, in May 1882. He became the world champion of another new game, fifteen-ball or 61-pool, also in 1882. By 1884, Frey was “almost invariably winning” according to Phelan, while competing against stars like George F. Sutton, James L. Malone, Cyrille “The Bismarck of Billiards” Dion, Alfredo de Oro and Jake “The Wizard” Schaefer. From 1881-1887, Frey won every fifteen-ball championship match or finished second. In 1888, Frey won the first continuous pool (straight pool) tournament, beating Malone in a playoff. In 1889, Frey was tied for first place in the national championship tournament, when he died suddenly of pneumonia. At the time of his death, he had been dominating the American pool scene, whether the game was fifteen-ball, eight-ball or continuous pool. Frey was “widely known as the champion pool player of America,” according to his obit in The New York Times. Malone had a crown delivered to the funeral, a touching tribute since he had been Frey’s greatest and most determined obstacle to the crown.

If we can look northward, another fascinating player is Cyrille Dion, a French-Canadian born in Montreal in 1843. Dion was the billiards champion of Canada in 1865, at age 22, with a high run of 138 and a grand average of 12.76. He won the 1866 Tournament of State and Provincial Champions, again going undefeated with a high run of 127 and a grand average of 11.28. In 1870-1871 he won a series of four-ball championship matches against stars who included the French champion A. P. Rudolphe and Americans Frank Parker and Melvin Foster. Dion won the American four-ball championship in 1873, with a high run of 127 and a grand average of 11.28. He won the straight rail championship in 1875. In 1876 Dion won the four-ball championship by such a wide margin, 1500-392, that The New York Timespredicted there would never be another four-ball championship match. In 1878, Dion won the first American National Championship pool tournament. He died just six months later, at age 35, from severe lung congestion that had plagued him for years. He was the undefeated champion of the first major Canadian billiards tournament, the undefeated champion of the last American four-ball billiards tournament, and the undefeated champion of the first major American pool tournament. He had nerves of steel and was ready, willing and able to play anyone, as reported by the Fort Wayne Daily Gazette on July 18, 1871: “Cyrille Dion has issued a notice in which he challenges anyone in the world to play him a game of three-ball or French carom billiards, the amount of stakes to be not less than five hundred dollar a side. It is thought in billiard circles that an International contest will be the result of this challenge.”

In the modern era, Efren “The Magician” Reyes may well be the best all-around player. Reyes is a master of eight-ball, nine-ball, ten-ball, rotation, one-pocket, straight pool, snooker, 18.1 balkline and three-cushion billiards. And he claimed the richest purse in pool history, $163,172 in the 2001 Tokyo Nine-Ball Championship. But whether he’s better than Worst is a matter of speculation, if you’ll pardon the pun.

A Brief History of Billiards and Pool

But where, how, when and why did billiards originate? Would it surprise you to know that billiards is closely related to golf and croquet? Think about it … Why was pool table cloth historically green? Because grass is green. Why the term “bank shots”? Because billiard table “banks” (now more commonly called rails) resembled river banks. Why were the pockets of early billiard tables called “hazards,” as on a golf course? Because billiards originated as an outdoor ball-and-stick game related to croquet and golf. This “ground billiards” game later migrated to indoor tables in England, Scotland and France, probably due to long periods of inclement northern European weather (i.e., cold, damp and dismal). We know the game is truly ancient because it depicted in works of medieval art. For instance the woodcut engraving below, circa the 1600s, was based on a medieval tapestry commissioned by the St. Lo Monastery of France, circa the 1500s. The images on this page will help us see and understand the evolution of billiards from an outdoor game played with cudgels, to an indoor game played with maces with tapering cues (the French word queue means “tail”), to the modern games we call billiards and pool.

10 Rules You Should Know if You Want to Play Pool Like a Pro

billiard balls, ready for the break

Photo credit: Bigstock

If you want to hold your own and play pool like a professional, there are a few key things you should always keep in mind.

1. Work on Your Form

Proper form is one of the many important parts of pool that many novice players overlook. One of the most important things that you need to focus on is keeping your neck straight, for example. Keeping your neck straight will give you the proper amount of perspective that you need to be able to visualize exactly where the ball is going to go before you strike it.

You’ll also want to secure your bridge hand, which will help you execute a wider array of shots with maximum efficiency. Finally, you’ll want to keep your backswing smooth and slow to help yourself stay coordinated while taking shots.

2. Learn From Your Mistakes

One of the most important things that a person can do in life is learn from his or her mistakes. This advice goes for all aspects of life, from your personal life to your professional life and even to the world of pool. If you consistently miss the same type of shot or freeze up in the same situation, take the time to stop and think about what is happening.

If you always approach a shot from the wrong angle, identify your weak points and learn how to turn them into positive attributes. Doing so will help make sure you’re ready for any event that is likely to happen and you won’t make these same types of mistakes again.

3. Always Stay Relaxed

Staying as comfortable as possible is one of the key parts to success in many different forms of life.

When you start to get uncomfortable and begin to stress out, you are more likely to make quick decisions just to get yourself out of a certain type of situation.

If you don’t leave yourself the proper amount of time to think things through before you move forward with your actions, you are much more likely to make a mistake.

The same is true in pool. Always make sure that you’re staying as calm as possible and that you’re giving yourself the appropriate amount of time necessary to make the best possible strategic decisions.

4. Look at the Entire Table

One of the most important things that you can do in pool is walk around the entire table and strategize before you make your shot. Playing pool on a professional level is a lot like playing chess. You shouldn’t just be thinking about the move you want to make.

You need to be thinking about the next three moves that you’ll make, as well as the moves your opponent will make, before you move forward. Taking a look at the entire table will allow you to do that, because you’ll be able to see the ramifications from the shot you’re thinking of making.

5. Don’t Get Fancy

When you watch pool professionals play on television, you are likely to see people making “trick shots” and doing other types of flashy moves to get attention while they’re winning. Keep in mind that in the world of professional pool, these types of actions are exceedingly rare. When you start trying to make “trick shots” is when you start slipping up and making mistakes.

The people on television are only making these types of moves because they’re on television and they know that millions of people could be watching. You’re not on television, so relax and take your time.

6. Never Forget Your Opponent

One of the most interesting aspects of the game of pool is how a decision that you make directly influences the decision your opponent has to make. The game is much more focused on strategy than a lot of people realize. Right before you take a shot, always stop to think about what your opponent will be forced to do next.

Even if you sink a ball, for example, you could be setting them up for an even better shot. Likewise, it may be better to pass up on that easy shot if you can block your opponent’s next move in the process.

7. Practice Makes Perfect

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Photo credit: Bigstock

Though it should go without saying, the idea that you can’t play pool like a professional without a great deal of practice bears repeating.

Practice makes perfect in nearly all aspects of life, but it is especially true when it comes to the world of professional sports.

When you watch a professional play pool, you aren’t watching someone who is picking up a cue for the first time.

You aren’t watching someone who plays casually with friends a few times a month. You’re watching someone who has practiced for hundreds of hours before they ever set foot near that professional table.

8. Focus on Your Break

One of the biggest moments in any game of pool is the break. The success of a game can live or die based on how well you executed the break at the beginning of the process. If you begin to work on your break technique, you can start to develop strategies for how to get into a power position on the table before the game even truly begins.

You may also get lucky and hit the coveted “eight ball break,” which is a move so rare it allows you to win a game of pool automatically.

9. Brush Up on Your Geometry

One element of pool that people might not realize involves just how heavily success in the game depends on the idea of geometry. If you know how to bank balls off the wall, you can get yourself out of tricky positions when you don’t have a direct shot at one of the pockets.

By learning more about the basics of geometry you’ll be able to look at the table and have a better idea of the types of shots you should be making at any given moment. Doing so will definitely help you play like a professional.

10. Learn How to Hit a Ball Indirectly

Another important element of playing pool has to do with learning how to hit a ball indirectly. It is common knowledge that hitting the center of a ball will largely cause the ball to move straight. If you hit at an angle, however, you may be able to cut the ball diagonally across the table.

If you master hitting the ball indirectly, you’ll quickly find that there are few situations that you won’t be able to get yourself out of with skill instead of luck. Once you master that technique, you’ll have complete control over the table at all times.

The biggest tip and “secret” of them all is: Practice, Practice, Practice!!!

Fundamentals

A session with an experienced and qualified instructor can be very helpful to players at all levels.
Make sure your stance is stable, provides clearance for the stroke, and is comfortable.
Keep your grip relaxed during the entire stroke (see grip technique advice).
Make sure you bridge is stable and still during your stroke (see bridge technique advice).
Use a bridge length appropriate for you and a particular shot (see bridge length advice).
Keep your cue still and eyes quiet when checking your cue alignment and aim (see reasons for pauses).
Don’t rush the transition between the final back stroke and forward stroke (see stroke technique advice).
Don’t drop your elbow during the stroke into the ball (see elbow drop).
Stay down on the shot … don’t move your head or body during the stroke (see stroke technique advice).
Don’t use more speed than is appropriate for a given shot.

Aiming

Use a consistent and purposeful pre-shot routine.
Make sure your vision center is always aligned properly.
Ghost-ball aiming can be a useful visualization tool.
The contact-point-to-contact-point or parallel-lines system can be a useful visualization tool.
The double-the-distance or double-the-overlap aiming system can be a useful visualization tool.
Your cue can be used to help you aim (see NV 3.2 and NV D.9).
Make sure you are sighting shots consistently and purposefully.
Be leery and suspicious of exaggerated claims concerning some cut-shot aiming systems. Having said this, these systems do offer benefits to some people.
With good technique, HAMB (“Hit a Million Balls”) is the best “system” for aiming success.

Cue Ball Control

The 90 degree rule predicts the CB heads down the tangent line for stun shots.
The 30 degree rule predicts a rolling CB heads in the natural-angle direction.
The Dr. Dave peace sign can be very useful in applying and making adjustments to the 30-degree rule.
The trisect system predicts the angle the CB direction changes for a good-action draw shot is 3-times the cut angle.
For a fairly full hit, with a ball-hit-fraction greater than 3/4, the CB will deflect about 3-times the cut angle (see where the CB goes for different cases).
For a fairly thin hit, with a ball-hit-fraction less than 1/4, the CB will deflect about 70-75% (about 3/4) of the angle between the aiming line and the tangent line (see where the CB goes for different cases).
With all shots, more speed shifts the cue-ball farther down the tangent line before curving to the final direction (see CB path speed effects).

Speed Control

The optimal tip height for speed control is 20% of the radius above center (see optimal tip height for speed control).
With a full-hit rolling CB shot, the CB travels about 1/7 the distance of the OB after impact (see ball travel distances).
With a rolling-CB half-ball hit, the CB and OB separate at close to same speed and same angle (see speed control article).
With a 45-degree-anlge stun shot, the CB and OB separate at the same angle and distance (see speed control article).

Draw Shot

Make sure your tip is well chalked, keep your grip relaxed, keep your cue as level as possible, accelerate smoothly into the ball (see draw shot technique advice).
In general, for best draw distance control, use more spin with less speed (see physics-based draw shot advice).
For a stun-back shot, with a small and controlled amount of draw, a firmer hit closer to center offers better CB distance control (see physics-based draw shot advice).
Elevate the cue only when you need quick draw.
Don’t push the miscue limit so much with long power draw shots.
The trisect system can be used to predict final CB direction with a good-action draw shot.
Draw is a lot easier on slicker cloth (or with a CB treated with Silicon spray) and with a lighter CB.

English (sidespin)

The miscue limit is half of the cue ball’s radius from the center, which is the width of the stripe on a striped ball (see “tips” of english articles).
A solid understanding and feel for squirt, swerve, and throw effects is critical to being able to use sidespin effectively.
back-hand english (BHE) and front-hand-english (FHE) can be used to compensate aim for squirt and swerve when using sidespin.
Outside english can be used to eliminate throw, and this can be useful in clingy conditions (see gearing outside english).
Running english can greatly reduce the difficulty of rail cut shots.
Going ball-first or cushion-first with sidespin on rail cut shots makes a big difference in CB control (see NV B.72).
A drag shot can be used to increase the effect of sidespin off a cushion (see maximum sidespin effect).

Position Control

It is important to know various useful CB-control reference lines when planning position.
It is much easier to control CB travel distance with natural-rolling follow shots (see follow shot accuracy).
Always try to leave an angle and come into the line of a shot.
When you leave yourself straight in, there are still options for position control (see NV B.30).
Pocket cheating can help create an angle.
Rail cut shots offer many position control options.
Coming off a cushion can increase your margin for error when targeting a position close to a rail.
The 45 degree rule, that predicts a ball rolling into an end cushion at close to a 45 degree angle heads close to the center of the table, if very useful for position play.
Practice positioning the CB to the center of the table. This comes in handy in many game situations.

Safety Play

Always play safe when it increases your chances of winning a game.
Use two-way shots where possible when faced with a difficult shot (e.g., a bank).
The 30-degree rule is very useful in safety play (see 30-degree rule examples).
When playing a safety in 9-ball, try to leave the OB away from a cushion (see “big ball” effect).
Come into the line of blockers when hooking your opponent.
With ball-in-hand, try to be strategic with combos, clusters, and problem balls (see 30-degree rule examples).

Strategy

Follow “best practices” concerning how and when to play safeties (see general safety advice).
Don’t bump into or disturb other balls on the table if it isn’t necessary.
Keep the CB away from the cushions to enable a wide range of tip positions without cue elevation.
Pocket or move balls that clear the way for other balls as early as possible.
Break out clusters and deal with problem balls as early as possible.
In 8-ball, choose stripes or solids wisely and identify key balls for the game (see 8-ball strategy).
In 8-ball, if you can’t run-out, play a safety early in the game.
In 8-ball, break out clusters when an insurance ball is available.
In 9-ball, break out clusters and problem balls at the right time (see 9-ball strategy).

Bank and Kick Shots

To bank and kick effectively, it is important to understand and have a feel for all of the bank and kick effects.
For rolling-ball kicks or banks, the through-diamond aiming system is very reliable.
Faster speed can help bank shot accuracy and consistency (see advantages of fast speed).
With shallow-angle kicks, the contact-point mirror system can be very effective.
For cross-corner bank shots, it is very important to know how to detect and avoid double kisses.
Sidespin can be used to alter bank shots (see spin transfer bank shots).
For aiming two- and three-rail kicks off a short rail, the Plus System is very useful.
For aiming two-, three-, and four-rail kicks off a long rail, the Corner 5 System is very useful.

Carom and Kiss Shots

The 90 and 30 degree rules are very useful for aiming carom and kiss shots (see carom and kiss shot aiming).
When two OBs are frozen, the combination direction can be changed quite a bit with throw (see frozen-ball throw).
Bob Jewett’s two-times-fuller and ten-times fuller systems are useful to aim frozen carom and kiss shots.

Throw

A solid understanding and feel for throw effects is important, expecially for combos and small-gap shots.
Maximum CIT, with no sidespin, occurs with slow speed at about a 1/2-ball hit (see maximum throw).
Maximum SIT occurs occurs with slow speed and about 50% sidespin (see maximum throw).
Maximum throw, under typical conditions, is about 1 inch per foot of OB travel, or 1/2 a ball per diamond on a 9′ table, which is about 5 degrees.
When the CB is fairly close to the OB, SIT can be used for a “hold” or “kill” shot to limit cue ball drift.
When balls are frozen, it is very easy to achieve maximum CIT of the 2nd ball (see frozen-ball throw).
Gearing outside english can be used to eliminate throw, but this might not be the best approach for all people and situations (see using outside english to prevent throw and cling).
Transferring spin from the CB to the OB is an important effects with some shots (see spin transfer for examples).

Break Shot

The optimal tip height for a lag shot is 20% of the ball radius above center (see lag shot).
Follow the “best practices” for an accurate, consistent, and effective break (see getting a tight rack and break technique advice).
Knowing where different balls tend to go in a 9-ball rack can be useful to know (see pattern racking strategy).
In 8-ball, a 2nd-ball break from side can be used to make the 8-ball on the break.
If you use a break cue with a natural pivot length well matched to your bridge length, stroking errors will not affect your accuracy (see pivot-length article).

Jump Shot

For best results, follow all of the recommended “best practices” (see jump shot technique advice).
For best jump results, aim between the center of the CB and resting point on the cloth (see jump shot article).
To jump higher and shorter, elevate the cue; to jump longer, use more speed and less cue elevation (see jump shot article).
With more cue elevation, the dart stroke will be more comfortable and effective for most people (see jump shot technique advice).
Jump shots are often over cut due to the CB hopping in the OB (see jump shot over cut effect).

Massé Shot

For best results, follow all of the recommended “best practices” (see massé shot technique advice).
The Coriolis aiming system for massé shots can be very effective.
After-collision massé shots can be very useful when you need to curve the CB path after contact with the OB.

The biggest tip and “secret” of them all is: Practice, Practice, Practice!!!

Billiard History

History

Cue sports evolved from ancient outdoor stick-and-ball games, generally referred to (retroactively) as “ground billiards”, a game similar in various respects, and closely related to, modern croquet, golf and hockey. Billiards has been a popular game since the 15th century which is evident through its many mentions in the work of Shakespeare, including the famous line “let us to billiards” in Antony and Cleopatra (1606–07), the wrapping of the body of Mary, Queen of Scots, in her billiard table cover in 1586, the dome on Thomas Jefferson’s home Monticello, which conceals a billiard room he hid, as billiards was illegal in Virginia at that time; and through the many famous enthusiasts of the sport including, Mozart, Louis XIV of France, Marie Antoinette, Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain and many others.

Carom billiards was long the most popular type of billiards, and remains an important international sport. Carom games, especially three-cushion, are intensely popular in many parts of Europe, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America. In former times, extremely complicated and difficult carom games such as 18.2 balkline were played in world championship bouts by players whose skill was so immense that the serious playing field often consisted of only 4 major players for decades at a time, some of whom could literally score over 1000 points, one shot at a time, in series. The carom world opened up in the latter half of the 20th century and grew to its current level of much broader international competition with the rise of three-cushion billiards and its greater difficulty (a run of only 25 points in a row is considered exceptional). Along with snooker and perhaps nine-ball (see below), three-cushion is expected to become an Olympic sport within perhaps a decade.

The most common pool game, eight-ball is derived from an earlier game invented around 1900 and first popularised in 1925 under the name B.B.C. Co. Pool by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company. The forerunner game was played with seven yellow and seven red balls, a black ball, and the cue ball. Today, numbered stripes and solids are preferred in most of the world, though the British-style variant (known as eight-ball pool or blackball) uses the traditional colors. Eight-ball, in one variant or another, is played world-wide, is played by millions of amateur league players, and draws intense competition at professional and amateur tournaments using the WPA World Standardized Rules. However, the most intense competition in pool is in the game nine-ball, which has been the professional game of choice since the 1970s, with the decline of straight pool (also known as 14.1 continuous). Nine-ball grew in popularity because of its speed, the increased role played by luck, and its suitability for television. Today there is some indication that the more difficult variant ten-ball may supplant nine-ball in pro play, but nine-ball is likely to remain the most popular gambling game for many years, and eight-ball the most popular recreational and amateur team one.

Differences in Equipment

Balls

Billiard balls vary from game to game, and area to area, in size, design and number. Though the dominant material in the making of quality balls was ivory until the late 1800s (with clay and wood being used for cheaper sets) , there was a need to find a substitute for it, not only due to environmental issues but also because of the steepness in the cost of the balls. This search led to the development of celluoid, the first industrial plastic, and balls have been made of various plastic compounds ever since, from now-obsolete materials such as bakelite, to modern-day phenolic resin, polyester and acrylic.

Carom billiards balls are larger in size than pool balls, and come most often as a set of two cue balls (one plain white and one colored or marked) and a red object ball (or two object balls in the case of the game four-ball, known in Japanese as yotsudama).

Internationally-standardized (sometimes called “American-style” or “Kelly”) pool balls, used in any pool game and found throughout the world, come in sets of 16, including two suits of numbered object balls, seven solids (1-7) and seven stripes (9-15), a black 8-ball and a white cue ball. “British-style” balls (actually used in many areas outside of the UK, including Ireland, Australia and sometimes New Zealand, as well as various European countries) are slightly smaller, and come in unnumbered suits of reds and yellows. The balls are arranged differently depending on the game; usually in a triangular rack, although a diamond shaped rack may be used in the game of nine-ball. The pocket billiards offshoot snooker requires smaller balls, and several additional balls with special point values. Some unusual pool games such as baseball (named after the field sport) require additional balls, while other rare variants like poker pocket billiards, use an alternative ball set.

Tables

There are many sizes and styles of carom and pool tables. With the exception of some variants of bumper pool, and some novelty tables, all billiard tables are rectangles that are twice as long as they are wide. Quality tables have a multi-slab slate bed over which the cloth (baize) is stretched. Less rigid materials are prone to game-affecting changes due to humidity, and even permanent warping, as well as other problems.

The international standard for carom billiard tables is a playing surface (measured from rail cushion to rail cushion) of 2.84 by 1.42 meters (112 by 56 in., or 9.32 by 4.66 ft), +/- 5 mm, though many (especially American) tables for amateur use are 10 x 5 ft. The slate bed of profession-grade billiard tables are usually heated to stave off moisture and provide a consistent playing surface (a practice that has actually dated for centuries).

Most pool tables are known as 7-, 8- or 9-footers, referring to the length of the playing surface’s long side. The internationally standardized size for professional play is 9 by 4.5 ft. (274 by 137 cm). In former times, 10 by 5 and even 12 by 6 ft. tables were common, but today these are used only for the highly diverged pocket billiards variant snooker (a major international sport in its own right, and not considered a form of pool), the carom-pocket hybrid known as English billiards (“billiards” in British English almost always refers to this game), and some other regional variants, such as Russian billiardsand Finnish kaisa (both of which are played with balls even larger than carom balls, and very tight pockets). Ten-foot pool tables mostly date from the early 20th century back, but can occasionally still be found in older pool halls. Pool tables as small as 6 by 3 ft. are available for homes and cramped public spaces, but are not commonly preferred (nor are even smaller sets with miniaturized equipment).

Snooker (and English billiards) tables use smaller pockets, baize with a directional nap, and rounded pocket entrances.

Cloth

The beds and rail cusions of all kinds of billiard-type tables (carom, pool, and snooker) are covered with a tightly-woven, napless cloth called baize, generally of worsted wool, although wool-nylon blends are common and some 100% synthetics are in use. Baize is principally a Commonwealth term, with “cloth” being preferred in North American English. It is often erroneously referred to as “felt”. Blends and synthetics are more common in the bar/pub market (they are more durable, but slow the balls down, and many serious players eschew them). Faster-playing 100% woolen cloth is most commonly used on home tables and in high-end billiard parlours and pool halls. The cloth plays faster because it is smoother, thinner, more tightly-woven, and less fuzzy, providing less friction and thus allowing the balls to roll farther across the table bed. Billiard cloth has traditionally been green for centuries, representing the grass of the ancentral lawn game. Some have theorized that the color may serve a useful function, as (non-color-blind) humans allegedly have a higher sensitivity to green than to any other color. However, no known studies have demonstrated any noticeable effect of cloth color on professional or amateur play. Today, billiard cloth is available in a wide array of colors, with red, blue, grey and burgundy being very common choices. In recent years cloth with dyed designs has become available, such as sports, university, beer, motorcycle and tournament sponsor logos.

There is no core difference between carom and pool cloth. Serious players of both types of cue sports generally prefer fast cloth, as it requires less force when shooting, allowing a more accurate and “finessed” stroke, and better ability to control cue ball speed and thus position. Rebound angles off of cushions are also more accurate with faster cloth, and a tighter, thinner cloth retains less moisture. The principal difference is that the vast majority of pool tables encountered by the general public (i.e. in taverns and average pool halls) are considerably thicker, coarser and slower, with the result that average recreational players have little understanding of the finer points of the effects of fast cloth on the game, and tend to shoot too hard when on fast cloth.

Snooker cloth, on the hand, has a notable directional nap (except on most US-based tables, which use napless cloth), and compensating for the effect of this nap on ball speed and trajectory is an important element in mastery of the game.

Racks

Carom billiards games do not make use of ball racks. Depending upon the specific game in question, the balls may be released randomly, or set in very specific positions at the beginning of the game.

In most pool games, the object balls are tightly racked (placed within a usually wooden or plastic ball rack and moved into position) at a specific location on the table (which can vary from game to game). In internationally-standardized games such as nine-ball and eight-ball, the apex ball of the rack (the ball pointing toward the end of the table from which the opening shot will be taken) is placed on the foot spot, a spot (marked or otherwise) that is at the intersection of the lateral middle of the racking end of the table and its longitudinal center, and the game-winning ball is in the center of the rack. (In many games there may also be other racking requirements, such as the 1-ball at the apex). In some regional versions, such as the British eight-ball variant known as “eight-ball pool” (itself becoming internationally standardized under the new name “blackball”), the game-winning ball, again in the center of the rack (or pack, in British English), must go on the foot spot. Some pool games, such as “Chicago”, are not racked at all, but as in many carom games have specific spotting locations for the balls. Snooker makes use of both tactics, with the pack of 15 “reds” being racked much as in pool, and the special “colour balls” each having certain spots assigned to each.

There are two main types of racks; the more common triangular type which used in eight-ball, fifteen-ball, straight pool and many other games, and a diamond-shaped one, is used in a nine-ball game (for convenience; nine-ball can easily be racked up in a triangular rack, and most venues do not provides diamonds for racking). Special hexagonal racks are available for seven-ball, but the diamond rack can actually be used, sideways, for racking this game.

Cues

All cue sports (with the exception of cueless offshoots known as finger billiards and hand pool) are of course played with a stick known as a cue (often redundantly referred to as a “cue stick”). A cue is usually either a one-piece tapered stick, commonly called a “house cue”, or a two-piece personal cue intended to be carried in a case. The butt end of the cue is of larger circumference and is intended to be gripped by the player’s shooting, while the narrower cue shaft, usually tapering to an 10 to 15 mm (0.4 to 0.6 in.) rigid terminus called a ferrule, where a leather tip is affixed to make final contact with balls. Cues can be made of different varieties of wood depending upon the cost factor; usually a cheap kind called ramin is used in lower-quality cues, while hard rock maple is one of the more common woods used in quality cues. Traditionally hand-crafted cues are often spliced with various decorative hardwoods, and further decked out with inlays of attractive and/or valuable materials such as silver, ivory (today usually harvested from mammoth tusks, as elephants are protected) and semi-precious stones. The basic nature and constuction of cues of all sorts is essentially the same, but due to the enormous increase in numbers of amateur league players since the mid-1980s, a large market has emerged, and continues to develop and specialize, for relatively inexpensive, mass-produced pool cues. In recent years, the array of available options has mushroomed, and cues are now available that look like hand-crafted cues to anyone but a collector, or with football team logos on them, or dragons and skulls, floral patterns, and many other options. Some have a high-tech appearance and are designed with modern materials and techniques in ways similar to high-end golf clubs.

There are various cue aids. Chalk, which comes in hard, often dyed, paper-wrapped cubes, must be periodically applied to the tip of the cue during every game to prevent miscuing, especially when attempting to impart spin to the ball. The mechanical bridge, or bridge stick, is a cue-like stick with a head on it upon which the cue can be rested in a groove or crook; this is used to give support to the cue in shots not reachable by or too awkward for the bridge hand. A tip tool or scuffer is an abbraisive or micro-puncturing hand-held tool that is used to prevent the tip from becoming too hard and smooth from repeated cue ball impacts to properly hold chalk. Hand talc (also sometimes mislabeled “chalk”) or a pool glove may be used on the bridge hand to keep the stroke smooth; this is especially helpful in moist environments.

Carom billiard cues are typically a couple of inches shorter, and thicker at the tip, than pool cues (and even more so than snooker cues), but the exact dimensions are a matter of player preference. Personal (non-house) carom and pool cues are both typically jointed at the half-way point in the piece, while snooker cues most commonly are 2/3 shaft and 1/3 butt, requiring a longer carrying case. Carom cue ferrules and tips are most often approximately 13.5 to 14.5 mm in diameter, while pool tips average around 12.5 to 13.5 mm in diameter, with snooker tips at typically 10.5 to 11.5 mm. Many skilled pool players prefer to shoot with a snooker-sized tip, but few professionals do so, including the former snooker pros who have long dominated women’s nine-ball. Carom cues most often have a ferrule of brass, although fiberglass is becoming more common, and fancy hand-made cues may have an ivory ferrule. Pool cues usually have a ferrule of fiberglass (or plastic, in cheap models), although metal was formerly very common along with ivory. Most snooker cues have a brass ferrule. Two piece carom and snooker cues usually have a wood-to-wood joint, often even featuring a wooden pin and threads, on the principle that this produces a better feel, while pool cues most often have a metal joint and pin, since pool games tend to involve considerably more force, necessitating reinforcement. Carom (and snooker) cues are more often hand-made, and are more costly on average than pool cues, since the market for mass-produced cues is only particularly strong in the pool segment. High-end hand-made but non-custom carom and snooker cues are largely products of Europe and Asia, while their pool counterparts are mostly North American products. The bulk of machine-made cues are sold by American brands, but are outsourced from non-US labor pools. It should be noted that in the extreme carom discipline known as artistic billiards (and its pool equivalent artistic pool and trickshooting, as well as in trick shot snooker), a master practitioner may have 20 or more cues, of a wide range of specifications, each customized for performing a particular shot or trick.

Aims of the Games

The aim of virtually all carom billiards games to amass a predetermined score (25, 50, 1000, etc.) before the opponent does so, or amass a greater score than the opponent within a predetermined about of time. In most such games, one successful shot earns one point, with no penality for a miss, but some games, such as Italian five-pins, provide various different scoring and fouling opportunities.

Some pool games work on the principle of a point per ball up to a pre-set score (14.1 continuous or straight pool, for example), while others have point-scoring systems based on the number shown on the ball, lowest-score wins systems, or last-man-standing rules. The most popular pool games today, however, are “money-ball” games, in which a specific ball must be pocketed under particular conditions in order to win. The most popular pool game in the world (but unfortunately the one with the least consistent rules from area to area) is eight-ball, in which each player attempts to pocket a particular suit of balls, and then finally the 8-ball. In nine-ball and its variant seven-ball, there are no suits, and each player must always shoot the lowest-numbered ball on the table first, and either attempt to eliminate all of them in turn to pocket the namesake money ball on the last shot, or use the lowest-numbered ball in some way to pocket the money ball early. A game increasingly popular among professionals is ten-ball, which is played with the same core rules, except that (in the internationally-standardized version) the 10-ball cannot be pocketed early for an easy win.

Some games combine aspects of both carom and pocket billiards. English billiards is played with carom balls on a snooker-sized table with larger pockets, and there various ways to earn different amounts of points. Russian billiards is played with even larger balls, pockets barely large enough to admit them, and the goal of pocketing the cue ballby caroming it off of numbered object balls into a pocket to earn the point value of the numbered balls struck.

Differences in Rules

The World Pool-Billiard Association in concert with the Union Mondiale de Billard(UMB) and various other governing bodies have established worldwide rules for a number of carom billiards games, including three-cushion, straight rail and five-pins. While there are, of course, locally popular games of various sorts that differ from region to region, the main games in the carom field are totally standardized.

In the realm of pool, there are many associations which have issued rules for the various games over the years. Eight-ball in particular is a thorny issue. WPA and its regional and national affiliates like the Billiard Congress of America (BCA), professional tournament series like the International Pool Tour (IPT), and amateur leagues like the Valley National Eight-ball Assocation (VNEA, which despite its name is multi-national) and the American Poolplayers Association/Canadian Poolplayers Association (APA/CPA) all have different rulesets. By far, most professional pool players use the WPA/BCA rules, and while some progress has been made moving league rules toward the WPA standard, some such as the APA/CPA have wildly diverging rulesets for eight-ball. Meanwhile, millions of individuals play informally using colloquial rules which vary not only from area to area but even from venue to venue. Nine-ball, on the other hand, has been the paramount gambling and tournament pool game for several decades, and has globally almost completely standardized on the same rules in both professional and amateur play. Snooker has long since also been completely standardized, as has been English billiards.

Billiards

Billiards, any of various games played on a rectangular table with a designated number of small ballsand a long stick called a cue. The table and the cushioned rail bordering the table are topped with a feltlike tight-fitting cloth. Carom, or French, billiards is played with three balls on a table that has no pockets. The other principal games are played on tables that have six pockets, one at each corner and one in each of the long sides; these games include English billiards, played with three balls; snooker, played with 21 balls and a cue ball; and pocket billiards, or pool, played with 15 balls and a cue ball. There are numerous varieties of each game—particularly of carom and pocket billiards.

Many countries—among them France, England, China, Italy, and Spain—have been credited with the invention of the game, but, in fact, nothing is really known about the origin of billiards. It may be inferred that it developed from a variety of games in which propelling a ball was a main feature. The earliest references to the game in Europe occur in the 15th century.

All billiards games require the basic equipment of a table, cue sticks, and balls. The traditional mahogany billiards table is still in use, but tables are now generally made of other woods and synthetic materials. The large rectangular table typically is twice as long as it is wide. It has a bed usually of polished slate covered by a woven woolen cloth, sometimes referred to as felt. Angled rails of hardened rubber or synthetic rubber, known as cushions, rim the inner edge of the table. The cue is a tapered rod of polished wood or synthetic material, ranging in length from about 40 to 60 inches (100 to 150 cm). The small end of the cue, with which the ball is struck, is fitted with a plastic, fibre, or ivory reinforcement to which is cemented a leather cue tip. Chalk in small cubes is applied uniformly to the cue tip permitting the players to strike the cue ball off centre on purpose in order to impart a spinning motion, called “side” in Great Britain and “English” in the United States. The billiard balls, formerly made of ivory or Belgian clay, are now usually plastic; they each measure from about 2¹/₄ to 2³/₈ inches (5.7 to 6 cm) in diameter, the larger balls being used in carom billiards.

Different forms of the game tend to be played in certain groups of countries or areas of the world, though many of the games cross many national boundaries. The game of carom billiards is still played primarily in France and other European countries and to a lesser degree in the United States and has many players in Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and South Korea and in Central America, South America, Africa, and the Middle East. The game of English billiards is most popular in Britain and the former empire countries. The game of pocket billiards, or pool, which uses six large pocket openings, is primarily the game played on the American continents and, in recent years, has been played in Japan. The game of snooker is primarily British and is played to a small degree in the Americas.

Carom, or french, billiards

is played on a table usually 5 by 10 feet (1.5 by 3 m) or 4.5 by 9 feet (1.4 by 2.7 m). It has no pockets. The game is played with three balls, two white and one red, with one of the white balls having a small red dot, or spot, to distinguish it. One of the white balls (plain or spot) serves as the cue ball for each player, the red ball and other white ball serving as his object balls. In play, the object is to stroke the cue ball so that it hits the two object balls in succession, scoring a carom, or billiard, which counts one point. In a variety of the game called three-cushion billiards, the cue ball must also toucha cushion or cushions three or more times to complete a carom. Scoring a carom also entitles the player to another shot, and his turn, or inning, continues until he misses, when it becomes his opponent’s turn.

The game of English billiards is played on a relatively large table, usually 6 feet 1.5 inches by 12 feet (1.9 by 3.7 m); it is played with three balls as in carom—a plain white, a white with a spot, and a red. There are three ways of scoring: (1) the losing hazard, or loser, is a stroke in which the striker’s cue ball is pocketed after contact with another ball; (2) the winning hazard, or pot, is a stroke in which a ball other than the striker’s cue ball is pocketed after contact with another ball; (3) the cannon, or carom, is a scoring sequence in which the striker’s cue ball contacts the two other balls successively or simultaneously. The skill involved consists of developing one scoring stroke after another. A player continues at the table for as long as he succeeds in scoring.

How to play pool

When you’re first learning how to play pool, it can seem like an art! There are different variations, strategies, and terminology to learn in addition to just getting the ball into the pocket. However, you’ll have so much fun you’ll forget all that. To start learning and hone your skills, read on.

Method1

Getting Started

1
Familiarize yourself with the equipment. There are generally three things you’ll be using: a cue stick, table, and pool balls. You can probably guess which is what.
- Pick a cue stick appropriate for your size. Most are 58 inches (147 cm) in length, but shorter and longer ones are available. The tip is the most important part of a cue (it’s on the narrow end you’ll be hitting with). Tips vary from soft to hard, though inexperienced pool players are best served with a medium to medium-soft tip^[1].
- There are three standard sizes to a pool table: 7, 8, and 9 feet (2.7 m). The Billiard Congress of America defines a “regulation” pool table as any table that is twice as long as it is wide. For example, a 7-foot table is 7 feet (2.1 m) long and 3.5 feet (1.1 m) wide^[2]. If you are playing on a smaller table, you may want a shorter cue.
- As for the pool balls, there are evens and odds, solids and stripes, and, most importantly, the 8 ball and the cue ball. The cue ball is solid white, a bit heavier, and should be the only ball directly hit during the game.
2
Learn the language. In order to play the game, you have to be able to understand the terminology and rules. Familiarizing yourself with the vocabulary of the game will make it easier and quicker to learn.
- The “break” happens at the beginning of the game when a player breaks up the fifteen pool balls. It is the first shot. Some players break straight on while others break at an angle.
- A scratch occurs when the cue ball jumps off the table or rolls into a pocket. Determine the scratch rules before you start any game.
  - It is common for the player who did not receive the scratch to be allowed to place the cue ball anywhere in the “kitchen” upon their subsequent turn. This is the area between the head rail and the head string; or, more simply put, the area between the edge and the second set of diamonds.
3
Get the rules down. For now, let’s stick to standard 8-ball. Quite clearly, knowing the rules is the only way to win.
- Use the triangle to “rack up” the 15 pool balls. Different people have different preferences for the set up, but make sure the 8-ball is in the middle.
- A player breaks. If he or she makes a ball into a pocket, he or she claims that type (solid or stripes) for the duration of the game and shoots again. The other player receives the variation they did not claim.
  - If the player makes a ball of each variation, they may choose which one they prefer.
- Both players sink all their pool balls into the pockets until just the 8 ball is left. The first player to sink the 8 ball is the winner.
  - If a player inadvertently sinks a ball of the other player’s, it counts to the other player’s benefit.
  - If a player inadvertently sinks the 8 ball before all their other balls are in, they lose.
  - If a player scratches on the 8 ball, they automatically lose as well.

Method2

Playing the Game

1
Master the stroke. Each person has a different preferred hand position. If you are right-handed, hold the base of the stick with your right hand and rest the narrow end on your left. If you are left-handed, do the opposite.
- For a good hand position, try putting your index finger on the top of the stick (curving it) and put your thumb at the bottom of the stick. This is a good, basic way to put your hand in position because you have total control of the stick. Hold it tight as well.
  - Some will prefer to rest the stick on their index finger while others may rest the cue in between their fingers in a flatter style. Experiment with a few to see what yields the best results.
  - This hand will never move. Only move your back arm when shooting.
- Your feet should be a little wider than shoulder-width apart and at a 45-degree angle.
- During your practice strokes, your eyes should switch from the contact point on the cue ball to the point you’re aiming for on the object ball.
2
Make the shots. Line the pool tip up with the cue ball, aim, and hit away! Sounds easy, huh?
- As a beginner, focus on hitting the cue ball straight and with power.
- Aim as if you were to directly hit your object ball. See that spot you’d be hitting if you were allowed to? Alright. Now, aim to get the cue ball to that spot on your object ball.
- Experiment with slow, easy shots. Sometimes a softer touch helps your ball to ride the edge of the table or stay in a more defensive position.
3
Switch it up. Now that you’ve got 8-ball down, why stop there?
- Try “Cutthroat Pool.” Each player chooses a section of the numbers (if 2 players, 1-7 and 9-15; if 3 players, 1-5, 6-10, 11-15) on the correlating pool balls. The object of the game is to sink your opponent’s balls and only have yours left on the table. The last one with a ball (or balls) on the table wins.
- Try 9-ball. This one can be a bit about luck, but that can be said about most games. The object of the game is to sink the balls in the pockets in numerical order, from 1-9. Each player takes turns going up to the 9 ball. The one to sink the 9 ball wins.
  - One player could sink 1-8 and still lose. That’s the beauty of it!
4
Focus. Always focus and keep your eye on the ball. Tune out distractions as best you can.
- Don’t get too confident or frustrated–the tables can turn in a second. Focus on improving your shot, not winning.
- Allow yourself a game to warm up. Once kids stop running around, the TV gets turned off, and your muscles start remembering what you’ve learned you may see an improvement.

20 TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR GAME

One of the best things about pool is that there is always more to learn. Everyone’s game can use an adjustment every now and then, even the pros! You may already know how to stroke a ball and achieve accurate follow and draw, but your game can still go south on you if you aren’t careful. Here are some tips to consider when you feel the need to make a few adjustments.

1. Every sport that uses a ball requires balance, and that surely includes cue games. Make sure your shooting stance is natural and strong. Your stance should be strong enough that you can resist a shove on your shooting side.

2. A stroke should be just that – a smooth, rhythmic motion with a beginning, middle and end. Don’t rush your stroke, and don’t choke it off.

Milk Duds and Pool Cue Tips with Frank

3. One of the key secrets to longer runs in pool is to leave yourself position for angled shots rather than straight-in shots. Angle shots offer you far, far more options for cue-ball position.

4. By all means, bet a few bucks. Don’t go crazy, but a little gambling can help you learn to handle the game’s unique pressures. Raising the stakes can be very beneficial.

5. The best way to learn position play is to strive to do whatever’s easiest (whenever possible; it won’t always be).

6. In all the cue games, the only thing you can actually control is your pool cue. You affect the cue ball only indirectly, and the object balls far less than that. When your game isn’t going well, your body mechanics are the first thing you should check.

7. When you need to send an object ball along the rail with speed, jack up your cue slightly to help avoid “wiggling” the ball in the pocket jaws; it also eliminates throw.

8. Structured practice is much more valuable than the mere abstract hitting of loose balls. Practice 9-ball or straight pool, and/or some drills.

9. When asked, Willie Mosconi said his number one tip was: Don’t waste your time with players who are worse than you; play with better competitors, and you’ll learn more.

10. Don’t hold the cue in your fingertips; it’s not a teacup. And don’t strangle the cue either; it’s not a baseball bat.
FRANK SAYS: “If you have a thirst for pool that you just can’t quench, you should check outByrne’s Complete Book of Pool Shots. This book is so comprehensive, it covers everything.”

11. When contemplating where to send the cue ball next, make center table your first option.

12. The world does not come to an end when you miss a shot, or miss position, or lose a game or lose the session. Lighten up. You’ll enjoy yourself more, and win more often.

13. Your most formidable opponent is the little voice in your head. Create a simple command or phrase to block out that interference, such as “Calm,” “Feel the ball,” or “Play your game.”

14. Before every shot, make sure you cue is chalked properly. The chalk should move, not your cue.

15. Don’t overhit the balls. It’s a definite symptom of anxiety, costs you accuracy, and is near-suicidal on any table with tough pockets.

16. The universal instruction concerning object balls frozen to the rail is false. Do not attempt to hit object ball and rail at the same time; you won’t even be close. Aim to hit the rail about a credit-card’s width in front of the ball.

17. Three to five practice strokes are plenty. More than that, and you force yourself out of rhythm, and begin to put unnecessary pressure on yourself.

18. Don’t hold onto your cue while you’re in the chair; the tendency is to squeeze it as your impatience grows, and this only produces more tension. Just put your cue next to your chair, and relax.

19. In assuming your shooting stance, you should line the shot up with your chin, not your hand or cue. It’s a smoother body move, and the rest will automatically fall into place. Putting your hand down first may result in tentativeness and an awkward, uncoordinated approach to the shot.

20. A good slump-breaker: Change your playing pace radically.

Take these tips and use them as you will! There is so much to learn in this game, and every single player is different. Find what works for you and keep doing it!

Editor’s Note: Thanks to our friends at Billiards Digest for this article!

Strategies in billiard

Grab a partner and a billiards table. Carom billiards, of any variety, requires two people. It can be played with a third, but standard carom is with two. You’ll need your standard billiards table — 4 feet (1.2 m) by 8 feet (2.4 m), 4¹⁄₂ feet (1.4 m) by 9 feet (2.7 m), 5 feet (1.5 m) by 10 feet (3.0 m), or 6 feet (1.8 m) by 12 feet (3.7 m) without pockets.^[1] This “without” pockets thing is pretty important. You could play on a pool table (pocket billiards), but you’ll soon find that the pockets get in the way and could potentially ruin the game. Here’s everything you need to know (and some things you may not) when it comes to the table:

Those diamonds are for you to use! If you know your geometry, you can use them to aim your shot. We’ll cover that in the next section (strategy).
The rail by where the first player breaks is called the short, or head, rail. The opposite rail is called the foot rail, and the long rails are called the side rails.
The area behind which you break, behind the “head string,” is called the “kitchen.”
The pros play on heated billiards tables. The heat gets the balls to roll more smoothly.
It’s green so you can look at it for long periods of time. Apparently humans can handle green better than any other color.

Determine who goes first by “lagging.” That’s where you each line up your ball near the baulk cushion (the short end of the table where you break from), hit the ball, and see who can return it closest to the Baulk cushion as the ball slows to a stop. The game hasn’t even started yet and it takes skill!

If you hit the other player’s ball, you forfeit your chance of calling who starts. If you do win the lag, it’s generally accepted that you go second. The player who breaks generally wastes their turn setting up the balls, not taking a strategic shot.

3
Set up the game. You’ll each need a cue stick, for starters (you had these for the lag, right?). Billiards cues are actually shorter and lighter than their pool counterparts, with a shorter ferrule (the white part near the end) and a thicker butt.^[2] Then you’ll need three balls — one white cue ball (heretofore called “white”), one white cue ball with a black spot on it (“spot”), and one object ball, typically red. Sometimes a yellow ball is used in place of the spot.
- The person who wins the lag calls which ball they’d like to be theirs (cue ball), the white or the spot. It’s just a matter of personal preference. The object ball (red) is then placed at the foot spot. That’s where the point of the triangle would be in pool, by the way. The opponent’s cue ball is placed at the head spot, where you normally break from in pool as well. The starting player’s cue is then placed on the head string (in line with the head spot), at least 6 inches (15 cm) from their opponent’s cue.
  - So, obviously, when your ball is in line with your opponent’s, it’s very hard to hit both balls on the table. Hence why if you win the lag, you opt to go second.
4
Determine the rules you and your partner want to play by. As with any game that’s centuries old, there are variations in play. Some make it easy, some make it hard, and some make it faster or slower. How much time do you have on your hands? And how much skill?
- For starters, every type of carom billiards involves getting a point by striking bothballs on the table. It’s how you do that that changes:
  - In straight-rail billiards, as long as you hit both balls, you get a point. This is easiest.
  - In one-cushion billiards, you must hit one cushion (one side of the table) before the second ball is displaced.
  - In three-cushion billiards, you must hit three cushions before the balls roll to a stop.
  - Balkline billiards removes the one flaw in this game. If you manage to get both balls into a corner, you could, presumably, hit them off of each other over and over and over. Balkline billiards stipulates that you cannot receive points from a shot where the balls are in the same area (often the table is divided into 8 sections) of the table.
- Once you determine how you get points, decide at what point you’d like to stop. In one-cushion, that number is generally 8. But three-cushion is so hard, you’ll have better luck with 2!
5
Play the game! Move your arm smoothly back, then forward in a pendulum motion. The rest of your body should remain still as you stroke through the cue ball, letting the cue come to rest naturally. There you have it — all you gotta do is hit both balls to receive a point — technically, each turn is referred to as a “cannon.” But here are some more specifics:^[1]
- The player who goes first must hit the red ball (it’d be weird to hit the other, anyway)
- If you score a point, continue shooting
- Playing “slop” (accidentally getting a point) is generally regarded as illegal
- Always keep one foot on the floor at all times
- “Jumping” the ball is a foul, as is hitting a ball when it’s still in motion
6
Look for the place on the cue ball where the cue tip should connect. You can do this while taking your practice strokes. Line up your cue stick with where you would hit the ball if you could hit it directly. Then aim for that spot.
- Most often, you’ll want to hit the cue ball squarely in the center. Sometimes, you may want to hit the ball to one side or another to impart sidespin, or “English,” to it to make the ball travel to one side. Occasionally, you may want to hit the cue ball below center to cause it to climb over a ball you don’t want to move and strike a ball you do want to move.

Part2

Mastering the Cue and Your Stance

1
Grip the cue stick correctly. Your shooting hand should grip the butt of the cue stick in a loose, relaxed manner, with your thumb as a support and your index, middle, and ring fingers doing the gripping. Your wrist should point straight down to prevent it from moving sideways when you take your shot.
- Your shooting hand should generally grip the cue stick about 6 inches (15 cm) to the rear of the stick’s balance point. If you’re short, you may want to move your hand forward of this point; if you’re tall, you may want to move it further back.
2
Place the fingers of your off-hand around the tip to form a bridge. This prevents the cue stick from moving sideways when you shoot. There are 3 main grips: the closed, the open, and the rail bridge.
- In a closed bridge, you wrap your index fingers around the cue and use your other fingers to steady your hand. This allows for more control over the stick, particularly with a forceful forward stroke.
3
In an open bridge, form a V-groove with your thumb and forefinger. The cue will slide through and you will use your other fingers to keep the cue from moving sideways. The open bridge is better for softer shots and is preferred by players who have trouble making a closed bridge. A variation of the open bridge, is the elevated bridge, in which you raise your hand to lift the cue over an obstructing ball when striking the cue.
- Use the rail bridge when the cue ball is too close to the rail for you to slip your hand behind it. Lay your cue stick over the rail and keep its tip steady with your off hand.
4

Align your body with the shot. Line yourself up with the cue ball and the ball you want to hit. The foot corresponding to your shooting hand (right foot if you’re right-handed, left foot if you’re left-handed) should be touching this line at a 45-degree angle. Your other foot should be a comfortable distance away from it and forward of the foot matching your shooting hand.
5
Stand a comfortable distance away. This depends on 3 things: your height, your reach, and the location of the cue ball. The further away the cue ball is from your side of the table, the longer you’ll have to stretch.
- Most billiards games require you to keep at least 1 foot (0.3 m) on the floor when shooting. If you can’t do so comfortably, you may either need to take a different shot or use a mechanical bridge to rest the tip of your cue stick in when you shoot.
6
Position yourself vertically with the shot. Your chin should be rest slightly over the table so that you’re sighting down the cue stick as close to horizontal as comfortable. If you’re tall, you’ll need to bend your forward knee or both knees to get into position. You’ll also need to bend forward at the hips.
- Either the center of your head or your dominant eye should line up with the center of the cue stick without tilting. Some professional pool players do tilt their heads, however.
- Most pocket billiards players put their heads 1 to 6 inches (2.5 to 15 cm) above the cue stick, while snooker players have their heads touching or almost touching the cue. The closer you bring your head, the greater your accuracy, but at a loss of range for the back and forward stroke.

Part3

Experimenting with Strategy and Game Variations

1
Look for your best shot. This depends all on where the balls lie on the table. In carom billiards games that allow it, you want to take shots that gather the balls together so you can score repeatedly by bouncing them off one another (in other words, notBalkline). Take a look at the angles and how it all lines up. Take into account the cushions, if you need to, too!
- Sometimes, your best shot isn’t a scoring shot (offensive shot) but to shoot the cue ball to a place where your opponent has difficulty making a scoring shot (that is, a defensive shot).
- Take a few practice strokes if you need them. This will limber up your arm before the actual shot.
2

Get to know the “diamond system.” Yep, math. But once you get it down, it’s fairly simple. Each diamond has a number. You take the number of the diamond the cue would hit initially (called the cue position) and then subtract the natural angle (the number of the diamond on the short rail). This leaves you with a number — the number of the diamond you should be aiming for!
3
Play “artistic billiards.” Yep, it’s a thing. This is where players aim to complete 76 set-up variations, all of various levels of difficulty. So when you’ve got the game down, set yourself (and your friend) up some trick shots. Who can complete the most difficult ones?
- If one-cushion billiards is doable, try moving to two. Three is near impossible, even for the pros! If you can handle two, you should start playing for money!
4
Strike the cue ball in different ways. How the cue ball strikes another ball can determine the direction the other ball travels. This effect is called “throw” and can be caused either by the angle at which the cue ball strikes the other ball, how much English was imparted to the cue ball, or both. Billiards players who’ve practiced and studied the effects of their shots make use of this when they play pool.
- Take some time to experiment! The more you see how many options you have, the better you’ll get and the more fun the game will be. Take your carom billiards skill and start playing pool, 9-ball, 8-ball or even Snooker!