Category Archives: (FAQ) Frequently Asked Questions

Lots of useful details and information for players at all levels.

(FAQ) How do you fix a bad shooting habit?

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The term “bad shooting habits” takes in a lot of territory. It could fall into one of the body, i.e., feet position, butt (yours) position, head position, arm & elbow, etc. It could be due to your cue handling, i.e., bridge hand position/length, butt (cue) grip, etc. It could be a shortcoming in your stroke, such as jerky movement, follow-through failure, speed control, or unintended cue ball spin. Or, it might be a problem based on your mental abilities, such as layout analysis, shot selection, unwanted consequences, etc. Continue reading →

(FAQ) Game Rules – Cribbage

(About the Author)

These series of “Game Rules’ provide rules of many different games for the pool table. The rules here have been simplified from the official versions – to make them a little easier to understand.

There are other games that have been invented, copyrighted and generally available to the playing public. Web searches will turn these up and the rules printed out for use.

Continue reading →

(FAQ) Game Rules – Any Eight

(About the Author)

These series of “Game Rules’ provide rules of many different games for the pool table. The rules here have been simplified from the official versions – to make them a little easier to understand.

There are other games that have been invented, copyrighted and generally available to the playing public. Web searches will turn these up and the rules printed out for use.

Continue reading →

(FAQ) What are some gambling handicaps?

(About the Author)

When gambling with individuals who regularly put money on their skills, they have ways to define some of the parameters (weight) given to a shooter. Here are the terms with short descriptions. The descriptions below assume you are getting the spot (advantage). Continue reading →

(FAQ) How much practice does it take to become an “A” player?

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The best way to determine a player’s skills (A, B, or C), is with BPI (Balls Per Inning) average. This is the number of balls a player can make over a series of innings. Some innings may have zero balls pocketed – if there is no playable shot, or the player misses on the first ball. Other innings can be 4, 5, 6, even 7 balls put into pockets.

To calculate BPI, add up the number of balls made over 10 innings, and divide by 10. That is the player’s  BPI. So, an “A” player would have a BPI average above 4.0. (A “C” player might have a BPI of 0.5.) Continue reading →

(FAQ) Game Rules – Rotation

(About the Author)

These series of “Game Rules’ provide rules of many different games for the pool table. The rules here have been simplified from the official versions – to make them a little easier to understand.

There are other games that have been invented, copyrighted and generally available to the playing public. Web searches will turn these up and the rules printed out for use.

Continue reading →

(FAQ) What are recommended breaking positions?

(About the Author)

These are general guidelines. Generally, the greater the speed that you can hit the cue ball, the more the balls will spread out and increase the chances that one of the balls will fall into a pocket. This will allow the breaker to continue shooting. Continue reading →

(FAQ) What do you consider in buying a used pool table?

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The reasons for buying a table are many. If you are buying it for personal use the room size limits the table size. You might be interested in getting a table (purchase or donation) for a non-profit location (local lodge/legion hall, neighborhood youth center, etc.). Continue reading →

(FAQ) What are some different tournament formats?

(About the Author)

There are lots of ways to have fun shooting pool. Tournaments are an excellent test of personal skills and courage. They can be a simple quickly assembled challenge among friends, a semi-formal arrangement run by the local pool hall or neighborhood bar – or even the more formal qualifiers or sponsored regional tournaments.

Formats will vary among the different venues – and the personal preferences of whoever is the designated tournament director. Here is a brief description of some common tournament formats and how they are put together. Continue reading →