Instruction: Pool skills taught and secrets revealed
By Matthew Sherman, About.com Guide to Pool / Billiards
For too long, myths have prevailed on how to inject power and style into your pool game. Work through the exercises within and watch your billiards soar to stellar heights!
- Aiming in Pool & Billiards
- Gripping the Cue and Wrist Work
- One Giant Step for Pool
- Classic and Slip Strokes
- Draw - Right and Wrong
- Power Breaks and Soft Breaks
- Guide the Cue Ball With Follow
- Bank Shots
- Clever Shots
- Trick Shots Made Simple
- The Mental Side
- The Right Way
Aiming in Pool & 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.
- Aiming the Cue Ball & "Ghost Ball"
- Parallel Aiming In Pool
- Consider the Box Method of Aim
- The Two Most Urgent Position Moves In Pool & Billiards
Gripping the Cue 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.
- The Classic Pool Grip
- Arm and Hand Motion in the Classic Stroke
- Where To Hold The Cue Stick Along Its Length?
One Giant Step for Pool
With some exceptions, most players would do well with this particular or "classic" stance. Read more to find out why...
- One Step To a Perfect Billiards Stance
- The 60-Degree Rule for Pool Feet
- Still More Pool Stance Secrets
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
- Slip Stroke With Cue Stick
- Reverse Slip Stroke
- The "Body Slip" Stroke
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!
- The Right and Wrong Ways to Draw the Cue
- Draw: Level vs. Jab Stroke
- Force Draw Shots
- The Draw Drag Shot
- Draw Like A Champ: Eight Tips
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 for Your Break Shots
- How To Snap the Break
- Safe Breaks
Guide the Cue Ball With Follow
The follow stroke in pool and billiards is often misunderstood. It's used too much and not on the right point of the cue ball.
Bank Shots
Bank shots are the bane of the amateur, the joy of the trick shot artist, yet easier than you think. Check out our guide to making these shots "cake".
Clever Shots
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 Never Missed Bank Shot
- The "Three Go Down" Shot
- The Power of 9
- Off The Chalk and Into the Woods
- One Hand Magic
The Mental Side
The last frontier for pool man to explore is the mental plane.
The Right Way
It's the edge of the pocket that can make the difference between the Win and Loss columns.
