Cue Sport Group

Archive for the ‘Tutorials & Guides’ Category

You may think that hitting a ball with the cue and shooting it in the pocket, is what all it takes to play the game of pool, but there’s a lot to it once you dominate the table. Making that shot in pool is a common urge, and predicting where the cue ball will stop is a challenge, however knowing how to strike the object ball with your cue ball is the secret to winning.

Many amateurs would think that every ball is all set to make the shot as long as its proximity to the pockets is high. Beginners eagerly take the attempt if they immediately see the line of fire to the hole, not knowing the complications it will make. The next thing you’ll know is you’re into a situation when you can’t find a good way to hit the cue ball into the object ball and make that shot even worst.

Professional pool players will find first their correct cue before they make the attempt, they take a few moments walking around the table, checking the cue ball in various angles in relation to object balls to be hit, and this is what they call a preshot routine.

Here are a few reminders that can help amateurs improve their pool playing routine. First, learn to control the cue ball, keep in mind where you want it to stop on the table after your shot, and then look for the aiming point as well as the collision point. Set your hit on how fast you want your cue ball to move then focus before making the strike.

Just think twice before you make the hit and don’t hesitate to make your own playing strategy.

By raising the butt of the cue, the shooter, especially a beginner or intermediate player, invites serious problems. It will be very difficult for a student to learn how to aim if the ball does not follow a straight line. Advanced players use curve and massé shots to their advantage, but they know how, and it is not an accident. Beginners should never curve the cueball, and raising the butt of the stick invites just such a mistake.
Don’t start off with bad habits. Keep the butt of the cue stick as level as possible for all shots. When you become advanced, you will learn when and how much to raise the butt for specialty shots, such as curves, massés and jump shots. One side benefit of keeping the stick level: you are less likely to be charged with the cost of replacing the cloth. Driving the stick downward can force the tip into the cloth. The cloth, on most tables, is not glued to the top, but stretched across it. It can easily be torn.

Many top players suggest that the use of side spin (right or left english) is not critical to shooting good pool. I agree. Most of what can be achieved with side spin can be accomplished with top or bottom, if there is a clear path to the position point. However, knowledge of side spin can offer alternative “paths” to the position desired if the preferred path is blocked.

It is not the spin alone that makes it possible to alter tangents and rebound angles. It is the combination of spin and speed that makes the possibilities infinite. Consider the following:

1) Using top spin will bend a tangent path forward.

2) Bottom will bend the tangent path backward.

3) Shooting hard will close the rebound angle off the rail.

4) Shooting easy will widen the rebound angle off the rail.

By combining the appropriate top or bottom spin with the right speed, the shooter can send the cue ball off the object ball to about any place on the table, assuming interfering balls can be avoided.

Speed relates to distance. With a 3/4 hit, not only will the cue ball deflect at 25%, and the object ball at 75% of the contact speed, the object ball will travel 3 feet for every 1 foot traveled by the cue ball.

In the diagram above the cue ball was stroked with a speed that would send it 4 feet. When it hits the object ball (a 3/4 hit) the object ball is sent 3 feet, and the cue ball 1 foot. The distance is equal to the percentage ratio (3 /1 ft. = 75/25%.)

You can test this for yourself. Put an object ball on the head spot. Place the cue ball between the object ball and the head rail so that the inside edge of the cue ball is lined up as shown below. The inside edge of the cue ball is lined up to intersect a point 3/4 the distance from the outside edge of the object ball (25% from the inside edge.) If this is confusing, just set up as shown below.
Stroke the cue softly with a center ball hit. Drive the object ball 3 feet, and then measure the distance the cue ball traveled after the hit. It should be 1 foot.

If you drive the object ball 6 feet with this same set-up, the cue ball should travel 2 feet (6/2=3/1 ratio, or 75/25).

A good way to approach the table for your shot is to first look at possible safeties. This assures that you will not get so involved in thinking offense that good defense is never considered. Once you see a good safety, only then analyze the balls for an offensive attack. If you train yourself to look for good safeties, it will become automatic.
With the 8-ball in the open a failed attempt to pocket your ball will cost you the game. Go to the short rail using a very soft center-ball hit. If the object ball is frozen, the cue ball must drift to the rail after contact (or you must drive the object ball to another rail (which would be dumb.) If the object ball is not frozen, either the object or cue ball must go to the rail after contact. The key to this shot is speed. It requires a hit slightly harder than it takes to get to the object ball. If you pull it off (and you can do it easily with practice) you will hook your opponent tightly behind your ball and get ball in hand when he misses the 8-ball, or at the least a good second chance to sink your ball from a better position should he manage to hit it. Variations of this shot come up frequently. Try moving the cue straight back (toward the detail insert) to create more challenging angles off the short rail.

Do you know where to grip a cue stick? Here is an easy way for anyone to determine exactly where to grip the butt of the cue.

1. Place the cue ball on or near either one of the spots on the pool table. The spots should be marked. There will be dots at either end of the table, halfway in from the sides.

2. Hold your cue stick with the tip about 6 inches from the cue ball. It doesn’t matter how you hold it there right now, just hold it there.

3. Let the butt end of the pool stick rest on the rail while you stand at the side of the table as if you were shooting.

4. Grip the cue where it touches your hip or leg. Within a few inches, this is where you should be gripping the cue every time you shoot.

There will be circumstances when you may need to adjust your grip forward or back on the cue – but it is extremely rare to ever need to grip the very end of the pool stick.

The Closed Bridge

1) First, place your hand flat on the table. Turn your hand so that your fingers are pointing toward one o’clock. (These photos were taken from the side. Your view will be different.)

2) Lay the stick across your thumb knuckle, and across the second knuckle of your middle finger.

3) Now try to curl your index finger around the shaft, and spread your fingers. This may be the most difficult part since some people find that their joints are too stiff. But, keep trying. It may take a little practice, but in time you will be able to do it.

4) Now, simply slide your thumb up to the tip of your index finger, creating a complete circle around the shaft. Keep the cue stick as level as possible to the surface of the table. Now, straighten your arm as much as possible. Try to lock your elbow. Your hand will have to turn counter clockwise. This will tighten the grip around the shaft, so be prepared to loosen the grip by adjusting your index finger.

The stick should slide easily through your fingers, but still be held firmly. If the shaft does not slide smoothly, you might need hand chalk, or try a pool glove.

Bottom english is applied by spreading the fingers out and as flat as possible on the table.

To shoot a center cue hit, cup your palm by pulling the fingers toward the heel of your hand.

What you will need:
•Cue tip
•Razor blade
•Cyanoacrylic glue preferrably in a gel form ie Duro-gel, Superglue Gel, Loctite 454
•60-80 grit sandpaper
•Paper towel
•400-600 grit sandpaper

What to do:
1. Remove what’s left of the old tip with the razor blade.
2. Sand top of ferrule flat with 60-80 grit sandpaper.
3. Sand bottom of cue tip with the same sandpaper till rough.
4. Apply a light coat of glue to both the ferrule and bottom of tip.
5. Carefully center the top on top of the ferrule as best as you can and hold in place for about 60 seconds.
6. With the tip down, carefully trim the excess overhang to make the tip flush with the ferrule.
7. Gently wet the sides of the tip and burnish with the 400-600 grit sandpaper.
8. Shape the tip to your desired radius.
9. To keep your tip from popping off prematurely, it is best to let the glue cure overnight before final trimming and sanding

Note: It’s recommended to get a tip that’s bigger than your ferrule.

Cue ball positioning is your key to get that next shot perfect. It’s all about setting up a plan until you get it all right on the pocket. Or, on the other hand, make it a tricky shot for the opponent.
Positioning of the cue ball depends on the strength of the shot, the cue ball spin whether it’s on top or base or combined with side. This affects the travel and the angle to which the cue ball will be positioned.
Tips:
Back spin – Back spin is used to stop or reverse the cue ball after impact.
Top spin – Using top spin causes the cue ball to spin faster in the direction of travel. These results in the cue ball moving further than it would naturally, following impact with a cushion or object ball.
Now remember, the cue ball position is your key to that next shot. Take your time standing, thinking, planning and making sure that that cue ball is right where you need it.

Once you have an idea of what a trick shot is, you may wonder if that’s all in it. The answer is no because it is a broad interesting game. Let me help you narrow down the categories under it. First is the artistic shot where a number of balls dunk in the pockets at the same time. The set-up of the balls is the vital factor of this kind of shot.

Skill shots belong to the second category where the execution gives more critical element to the play. If players were aiming for this kind of shot, the balls are expected to have some spins upon collision. If you are more inclined to one kind of shot than the other, better give more time to practice the harder ones.