Instruction: Pool skills taught and secrets revealed
By Matthew Sherman, About.com Guide
- The Best Ways To Stand To The Table
- Cue Gripping and Wrist Work
- Aiming In Billiards
- Classic and Slip Strokes
- Power Breaks (and Soft Breaks)
- Draw - Right and Wrong
- Clever Strokes
- Trick Shots Made Simple
- Honing Your Skills Made Fun
- The Mental Side
The Best Ways To Stand To The Table
With some exceptions, most players would do well with this particular or "classic" stance. Read more to find out why...
- Pool Definition -- Stance
- The 45 Degree Stance
- The Correct Table Stance
- Three Kinds of Stances
- One Step To a Perfect Billiards Stance
- The 60-Degree Rule for Pool Feet
- Still More Pool Stance Secrets
- Adjusting Your Personal Stance
- Using An Immobile Shoulder
- Tucking The Arm In Place?
- Getting The Head Set Right
- Ease Back And Neck Pain At Pool
Cue Gripping and Wrist Work
The heart and soul of pool flow from an accurate hold on the cuestick. But how to make the classic pool grip, a thing of function and power? Take a look at a typical pool grip from several different viewpoints and the six functions of the wrist.
- Classic Arm and Hand in the Stroke
- Where To Hold The Stick
- Avoiding Repetitive Motion Injuries
- Extra Spin With Extra Wrist Action?
Aiming In Billiards
How do you aim at any given object ball? Learn to aim the cue ball accurately, sink object balls, and set all the balls in position for upcoming shots.
- Cue Ball and The Ghost Ball Myth
- Parallel Aiming In Pool
- Consider the Box Method of Aim
- The Two Most Urgent Position Moves
- Aim Deficiency and Compensation
- Sectional Aiming Method Explored
- Aim Straight, Stick Crooked Repair
- Stick Straight, Aim Crooked Repair
Classic and Slip Strokes
Review the elements of a great stroke and consider "slip strokes", techniques many players do on an unconscious basis that you can do purposefully. You may want to experiment and add this power to your game.
- A Classic Pool Stroke, Step by Step
- Poked Strokes Solutions
- Four Different Stroke Starters
- Slip Stroke With Cue Stick
- Reverse Slip Stroke
- The "Body Slip" Stroke
- Use A Pendulum Arc Or Not?
- Perfect Your Stroke With Stop Shots
Power Breaks (and Soft Breaks)
Crushing a 9-ball rack like the pros is easy when you know how--and here it is outlined for you in stop action photos. Plus tips for Eight Ball and also more gentle break shots to start a game.
- Turn a 9-Ball Rack To Powder!
- Breaking an 8-Ball Rack With Power
- 10 Breaking Tips
- How To Snap the Break
Draw - Right and Wrong
A lovely draw shot, spinning the cue ball backwards from impact, lies in not lifting the hand abrubtly, before the stroke begins. And check out our eight tips on perfecting your draw action!
- Draw Like A Champ: Eight Tips
- Draw In Stop Action Photos
- Triple Loosening Draw Technique
- Right and Wrong Draw Styles
Clever Strokes
It's fun, it's fast, it's three dimensional--it's the cool pool jump shot and more. Even beginners can master some of these techniques.
Trick Shots Made Simple
The secret’s out! These are selected trick shots requiring little pool skill, knowledge, preparation or practice! Illustrated herein are sure-fire winners to entertain at your local pool hall. Have fun!
- The Power of 9 Trick Shot
- The Cut and Spun Trick Shot
- The Never Missed Bank Shot
- The "Three Go Down" Trick Shot
- Off The Chalk and Into the Woods
- One Hand Magic
- The Happy Accident Wedding Shot
- The Happy Accident Passover Shot
Honing Your Skills Made Fun
Get sharp - it's the edge of a pocket that can make the difference between the Win and Loss columns.
- 1 Ball Feel - The Master Class
- 3 Ball Breaks - Play To Win
- Play Catch To Develop Touch
- Improving Straight Shot Technique
The Mental Side
The last frontier for pool man to explore is the mental plane.