Pool Ball Tips

Strategies involving the billiard ball involve how to properly cue the ball and the use of proper English. Cueing the ball properly is to give it accurate direction and speed. English is the stroking influence a player is able to put on a cue ball to control the action of that ball either after or before it hits an object ball.

  1. Cueing the Ball

    • Target area 1 (top) is for the follow shot. When the cue ball is cued at this spot it will follow the object ball.
      Target area 2 (bottom) is for the draw shot. When the ball is cued at this spot it will bring the cue ball back to you.
      Target area 3 is for left English. When the ball is cued at this spot the cue ball goes to the left after striking the object ball or cushion.
      Target area 4 is for right English. When the ball is cued at this spot the cue ball goes to the right after striking the object ball or cushion.

    Hitting the Object Ball

    • Miscues and poor shots are often the result of the ball being cued more than a cue tip off center. The best and fastest way to obtain results in cueing your ball is through practice. Use a cue ball and an object ball, then take the time to practice all four basic stroke areas.

      The first thing the pocket billiard player must learn is that his eyes should be on the object ball when he strokes the cue ball.
      To shoot a ball into a pocket, the simplest way to determine your point of aim on the object ball is to draw an imaginary line from the center of the pocket which bisects the object ball. Where this line extends through the object ball is your point of aim. Your keen eye and judgment come into play here. Your skill of hitting the point of aim will determine your status in pocket billiard circles. Note in the second illustration how the object ball will travel when hit full, ¾ right, etc. You will also note that the cue hits the cue ball dead center each time.

    Applying the Technique

    • Once again, there is no better experience than practice. Accomplish this phase by placing your cue ball close to the object ball, then gradually increasing the distance between the two balls. Time and practice will increase your accuracy in striking the cue ball correctly and hitting the object ball where you aim, thus driving it to the exact target area desired.