Tag Archives: table billiards

(FAQ) What are some good excuses for missing a pool shot?

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Many players need to have some handy excuses after missing a pool shot. Of course, your opponents don’t care – they’re just happy you screwed up and let them come to the table. For railbirds, player excuses for a missed pool shot can be quite entertaining. As an audience, they always appreciate the more outrageous explanations for screwing up. Continue reading →

(FAQ) What does it take to become a really, really good pool player?

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For such a small physical area of contention, played under well-light with well-defined specifications, the game of pocket billiards has a level of complexity for players at every level. Continue reading →

(FAQ) What are some bad habits to avoid?

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The vast majority of pool players, both casual and regular, have one or more of their fundamentals out of whack to some degree. The problem mostly arises because the player never took the time to check with someone who could show him/her how and why to do things correctly. The closest most people come to correct fundamentals is a flawed imitation of the friend who introduced them to playing pool. And that example probably had many bad habits. Continue reading →

(FAQ) Can a guy mix family life with his pool passion?

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When a guy has decided to advance the human race by getting married and starting a family – there is a major lifestyle change. If he was a dedicated player before tying the knot, he may abandon pool passion for love (at least for a few years). Whether you are able to carry your pool nights forward into your new relationship or you wait a few years and decide to get back in the game, a lot depends on the expectations of your spouse. Continue reading →

(FAQ) How does age affect pool skills?

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When you love the Green Game as a young shooter full of vim and vigor, it will be almost impossible to get enough playing time. As you enter maturity, a few other things (such as family, kids, making a living, etc.) intrude on your pool playing time. These intrusions might even interfere enough to cause you to give up playing for a decade or two. Continue reading →

(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 →

(FAQ) How to master a controlled draw shot!

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Do you watch other players effortlessly do a draw shot on the cue ball to make it travel amazing distances or do carefully controlled slow rolls to perfect positions? Are you filled with envy and carefully concealed jealousy over the draw shot skill?  Well, be envious no longer. Here is some good advice on developing the necessary understanding of details and effort that will put you on the path to achieving effective draw shot control. Continue reading →

(FAQ) What is the real secret to winning at pool?

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People with all sorts of table billiards experience from everywhere in the world believe that they have the real pool secrets of winning. Those that actually do know tend to hold this knowledge closely; and would not share, even under torture. Every generation has a few holders of the pool secret and who also let the pool secret out of the bag. They reveal this information to favored students. A few more require various amounts of  cash as an incentive to cough up the details. Continue reading →

(FAQ) What is the "Zen" of Pool?

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Few players attain the attitude and mindset that is detailed here. Most don't even know that it exists. Yet it is experienced by many players and is most often discovered by accident rather than by intention. Continue reading →