Pool Tips

Pool Table Playing Tips

for beginners, or those wishing a new look

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These tips are either for beginners at pool or for those wishing a new look at it, taking it more seriously.  Even though I have played pool for 40 years, I now ask myself if I really did.  I most likely "pushed balls around the table and sometimes got lucky".  While it was a lot of fun, the results seemed very random.  Taking a more serious look, I am finding a number of things that I was doing wrong and could do better. Now I wish to share what I am finding.  Of course, a good pool player may find this information too limited.  For those who are more experienced, you may find the following link helpful: http://www.easypooltutor.com.  I have.  For those wishing to start off at the beginning, I would suggest reading the below and then trying the "easy pool tutor" web site. 

Some terms and definitions are located at the end of this article.  Here, the term "object ball" is the ball that you wish to go into a pocket using a cue ball to hit it there.

Shooting Straight

Many of us who just grabbed a cue stick and starting shooting always assumed that we shoot straight.  But do we?  If one does not shoot straight then spending a lot of time aiming and setting up a shot will be lost since we are really not shooting in that direction anyway.  Some things to look for:

pool grip - Right handed pool players usually shoot with their right hand and hence "grip" or "guide" with their left.  In this case we are referring to the grip or guide hand which for right handed players is the left hand, or the right hand for left handed players.  Look at the grip you are using.  It must be loose enough to ensure the cue stick can move through it.  However, it must also be tight enough to ensure the cue stick can only go one direction.  Practice a few cue stick strokes through your grip and ensure that the cue stick is not wandering and going different ways through your grip.

arm movement - I have heard...