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When you're first learning how to play pool, it can seem like an art! There are different variations, strategies, and terminology to learn in addition to just getting the ball into the pocket. However, you'll have so much fun you'll forget all that. To start learning and hone your skills, read on.
Steps
Familiarize yourself with the equipment. There are generally three things you'll be using: a cue, table, and pool balls. You can probably guess which is what.- Pick a cue appropriate for your size. Most sticks are 58 inches (147 cm) in length, but shorter and longer ones are available. The tip is the most important part of a cue (it's on the narrow end you'll be hitting with). Tips vary from soft to hard, though inexperienced pool players are best served with a medium to medium-soft tip.[1]
- There are three standard sizes to a pool table: 7, 8, and 9 feet (2.7 m). The Billiard Congress of America defines a "regulation" pool table as any table that is twice as long as it is wide. For example, a 7-foot table is 7 feet (2.1 m) long and 3.5 feet (1.1 m) wide. If you are playing on a smaller table, you may want a shorter cue.
- As for the pool balls, there are evens and odds, solids and stripes, and, most importantly, the 8 ball and the cue ball. The 8 ball is always black. The cue ball is always solid white, a bit heavier, and should be the only ball directly hit during the game.
Learn the language. In order to play the game, you have to be able to understand the terminology and rules. Familiarizing yourself with the vocabulary of the game will make it easier and quicker to learn.[2]- The "break" happens at the beginning of the game when a player breaks up the fifteen pool balls. It is the first shot. Some players break straight on while others break at an angle.
- A scratch occurs when the cue ball jumps off the table or rolls into a pocket. Determine the scratch rules before you start any game.
- It is common for the player who did not receive the scratch to be allowed to place the cue ball anywhere in the "kitchen" upon their subsequent turn. This is the area between the head rail and the head string; or, more simply put, the area between the edge and the second set of diamonds.
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Get the rules down. For now, let's stick to standard 8-ball. Quite clearly, knowing the rules is the only way to win.[3]- Use the triangle to "rack up" the 15 pool balls. Different people have different preferences for the set up, but make sure the 8-ball is in the middle.
- A player breaks. If he or she makes a ball into a pocket, he or she claims that type (solid or stripes) for the duration of the game and shoots again. The other player receives the variation they did not claim.
- If the player makes a ball of each variation, they may choose which one they prefer.
- Both players sink all their pool balls into the pockets until just the 8 ball is left. The first player to sink the 8 ball is the winner.[4]
- If a player inadvertently sinks a ball of the other player's, it counts to the other player's benefit.
- If a player inadvertently sinks the 8 ball before all their other balls are in, they lose.
- If a player scratches when shooting for the 8 ball, their turn ends and it is their opponent's turn.
- If a player makes the 8 ball in a pocket but then scratches, they lose.
Master the stroke. Each person has a different preferred hand position. If you are right-handed, hold the base of the stick with your right hand and rest the narrow end on your left. If you are left-handed, do the opposite.[5]- For a good hand position, try putting your index finger on the top of the stick (curving it) and put your thumb at the bottom of the stick. This is a good, basic way to put your hand in position because you have total control of the stick. Hold it tight as well.
- Some will prefer to rest the stick on their index finger while others may rest the cue in between their fingers in a flatter style. Experiment with a few to see what yields the best results.
- This hand will never move. Only move your back arm when shooting.
- Your feet should be a little wider than shoulder-width apart and at a 45-degree angle.
- During your practice strokes, your eyes should switch from the contact point on the cue ball to the point you're aiming for on the object ball.
- For a good hand position, try putting your index finger on the top of the stick (curving it) and put your thumb at the bottom of the stick. This is a good, basic way to put your hand in position because you have total control of the stick. Hold it tight as well.
Make the shots. Line the pool tip up with the cue ball, aim, and hit away! Sounds easy, huh?[6]- As a beginner, focus on hitting the cue ball straight and with power.
- Aim as if you were to directly hit your object ball. See that spot you'd be hitting if you were allowed to? Alright. Now, aim to get the cue ball to that spot on your object ball.
- Experiment with slow, easy shots. Sometimes a softer touch helps your ball to ride the edge of the table or stay in a more defensive position.
Switch it up. Now that you've got 8-ball down, why stop there?[7]- Try "Cutthroat Pool." Each player chooses a section of the numbers (if 2 players, 1-7 and 9-15; if 3 players, 1-5, 6-10, 11-15) on the correlating pool balls. The object of the game is to sink your opponent's balls and only have yours left on the table. The last one with a ball (or balls) on the table wins.
- Try 9-ball. This one can be a bit about luck, but that can be said about most games. The object of the game is to sink the balls in the pockets in numerical order, from 1-9. Each player takes turns going up to the 9 ball. The one to sink the 9 ball wins.
- One player could sink 1-8 and still lose. That's the beauty of it!
Focus. Always focus and keep your eye on the ball. Tune out distractions as best you can.- Don't get too confident or frustrated--the tables can turn in a second. Focus on improving your shot, not winning.
- Allow yourself a game to warm up. Once kids stop running around, the TV gets turned off, and your muscles start remembering what you've learned, you may see an improvement.
Community Q&A
- QuestionHow many players are needed to play pool?
Community AnswerThere is not exactly a certain number. You can actually play by yourself, but many people usually like to play with a friend or two. - QuestionHow do I decide who goes first?
Community AnswerTypically in sports lounges, one flips a coin for either heads or tails. It is also up to you, you can use some creativity. - QuestionCan I use my opponent's ball to hit my own?Community AnswerTypically the cue ball must hit one of your balls first, then bounce off and hit any ball except the 8-ball.
Tips
- Look at your stick. How round do the corners look? Are they sharp or round? Are they blockish? Doing this can help you during the game.Thanks
- Watch professional pool to see how the players play learn different strategies.Thanks
- If you are in a tricky situation, use the diamonds on the edge of the table and your knowledge of geometry to hit a ball from an angle.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://billiards.colostate.edu/faq/cue/selecting/
- ↑ https://billiards.colostate.edu/glossary/#B
- ↑ https://www.rulesofsport.com/sports/pool.html
- ↑ https://www.colorado.edu/umc/sites/default/files/attached-files/8-ball_rules_bca.pdf
- ↑ https://wpapool.com/rules-of-play/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7raN6I_KTus
- ↑ https://billiards.colostate.edu/secrets-gems/
About This Article
Pool is a 2-player game that's played on a pool table using pool balls and cues. The aim of the game is to sink all of your balls, either stripes or solids, and then sink the 8 ball before your opponent. To set up the game, fill the triangle, called a rack, with all 15 of the numbered balls, called object balls. Put the yellow 1 ball in front, the 8 ball behind it in the middle, and then put one solid on a back corner and one stripe on the other back corner. The order of the other balls should be random. Place the triangle at one end of the table and line up the 1 ball on the foot spot, which is where the second set of dots, called diamonds, on the longer sides of the table line up in the middle. Then, lift the rack up without disturbing the balls. The starting player breaks the balls by hitting the white ball, called the cue ball, from behind the headstring, which is the line created by the second set of diamonds on the opposite side. If the breaking player pockets a ball by knocking it into the one of the six holes on the table, they continue shooting. They can then shoot either a solid or stripe to select which set of balls they want to shoot, and the opponent takes the other set after they’ve legally pocketed a ball. If the first player misses, it's the next player's turn. Each player continues taking turns shooting. If a player knocks the 8 ball into a pocket before pocketing all of their other balls, they lose automatically. Once a player has pocketed all of their balls, then they can shoot the 8 ball. To win, the player must sink the 8 ball without fouling. Sinking the 8 ball on the break also gives the shooting player a win. Any shot where the cue ball goes into a pocket is a scratch, which is a term for a foul in pool. On a scratch, the opposing player picks the white cue ball up and places it anywhere on the table behind the headstring before taking their turn.They must shoot at a ball on the opposite side of the headstring from the cue ball. A scratch also occurs if a player fails to hit a ball, hits an opponent’s ball or the 8 ball first, or fails to hit a rail or pocket a ball after making contact with one of their balls. If you want to learn how to line up your shots, keep reading!
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