Tricks to Play Pool

Pool's a fun game to play at the bars, in private with friends or in any friendly setting, but it can be discouraging seeing your friends get all the bragging rights or winning all bets with you. The difference between an average pool player and a good one is simply in the form of a few tricks. If you want to start winning the money and boasting rights, learning some tricks will help.

  1. Aim Properly

    • It seems simple, but you can botch aiming very easily. When aiming the cue ball, don't aim the center at the object ball, but rather, aim 1-1/8 inches to the side, or the radius. of the cue ball. This will enable you to get balls into the holes you are aiming at without putting too much power into your shot. Make sure you focus on the object ball when you shoot.

    The Cut Shot

    • Use this shot when the object ball is about a foot away from a corner pocket and your cue ball, when it would hit the object ball, is at a 90 degree angle to the pocket. Aim at the rail and hit the cue ball off center to the angle closest to the pocket. This will cause the cue ball to spin and rebound at an angle that will put the object ball in the pocket.

    Accurate Soft Shots

    • Most starting players want to smack the cue ball as hard as possible. It is far better to have a soft shot with a solid follow-through for accuracy purposes. Soft shooting also ensures that the cue ball doesn't bounce around wildly and allows you to set up better shots for the next round if you get the object ball into the pocket you wanted.

    Double Rail Shot

    • Place the object ball near the rail and the cue ball along the center line of the table. Aim the cue ball at one half of the object ball, and strike the cue ball beneath its center so when it hits the object ball, the object ball will spin directly into the pocket.