Tag Archives: pool

(FAQ) What happens when you apply English (side-spin) to the cue ball?

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English is side spin that the cue tip applies to the cue ball on contact. It can occur only if you hit the cue ball on the left or right side of the vertical center line. FYI, contacting the cue ball on the center vertical line is NOT English. And another FYI, English (British) players call this “side”. My preference is to call it “side spin”. The term is more accurate. If you are talking with any player influenced by the former British Empire (England, Canada, Ireland, India, Australia etc.) the use of “side spin” won’t cause confusion. (It also makes sense to any player anywhere on the planet.) Continue reading →

(FAQ) What is a good pool stroke?

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There are many sources for answers to this question. For some people, the search is no further than their reach as they develop a pool stroke early on. The reason might be because of good coaching or mentoring, or the result of a few dollars spent on effective instruction. Continue reading →

(H&S) Hustles & Sharks - Personal Tragedy

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Learn how to Beat the Sharks

Few people are able to compete with deadly intentions against an opponent who has just informed you about a personal tragedy. It’s just kind of hard to get into the competitive mood. If you are normally a kind and gentle person, beating up on a suffering human being just is insensitive to the max. In the wide world outside of the pool hall, this is a completely acceptable, even praiseworthy, reaction. Continue reading →

(FAQ) How do you handle an angry opponent?

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There will be matches during your playing career when you happen to get stuck with a player who should take an anger management class (or two). This will always happen when they are behind in a match. (The same individual never acts this way when they are winning. Go figure.) Continue reading →

(H&S) Hustles & Sharks - Equipment Envy

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Learn how to Beat the Sharks

This hustling trick is designed to affect the playing abilities of players who are envious of other people’s possessions. It’s a refinement that uses “Keep up with the Jones” psychological profiling. To make this work, the pool hustler MUST invest a significant amount of money into his pool tools. Continue reading →

(D&E) Drills & Exercises - Long Table Kicks, Set 4 of 4

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This progressive exercise to improve your shooting skills is in the book Drills & Exercises for Pool & Pocket Billiards.

This is a simple center ball hit. This drill dis designed to teach adjustments for the first rail contact point, based on the cue ball position on the table.

Take some time to dial in the correct contact point. Then experiment with different slow and medium speeds. It's a good idea to shift the cue ball up and down one or two ball widths. This helps you dial in the small adjustments. It is VITAL to know how to consistently succeed with one rail kicks. (Not to mention a discouragement for your opponent to attempt hidden ball safeties.) Continue reading →