Technique

By Nick Prinsloo

Here we will have the sub-gradient of:

a. Shot selection b. Judging the angle

c. Approaching the shot

d. Taking up position and going down on the shot

e. Sighting the shot

f. The Practice Strokes

g. Pause #1, pause #2 and the backstroke

h. Cue delivery

i. Completing the stroke

Once you have mastered all these, you will have to go through this routine in this exact order every time you play a shot. It may sound complicated and involved, but once automatic it will make the shot easier than you thought.

For now, I will take you up to (d) taking up position and going down on the shot.

A. SHOT SELECTION

When you are about to play a shot you must first select the ball you want to pocket. It is all that needs to be said about shot selection for now - we will get to exactly how this is done later.

B. JUDGING THE ANGLE

Judging the angle is a term used to describe where exactly - from where you are standing behind the cue ball - to send the cue ball for it to make contact with the object ball so that the object ball will enter the pocket. There are different

 More of this Series

•  Introduction • 1.) Philosophy Of Pool• 2.) Learning To Play Pool• 3.) Overcoming The Physical Barriers• 4.) Overcoming The Mental Barriers• 5.) Why Pool?• 6.) Becoming A Natural Player• 7.) Judging The Angle & Establishing The Right Technique• 7e.) Sighting The Shot• 7f.) The Practice Strokes• 7g.) Pausing For Perfection• 7h.) Final Cue Delivery

approaches to judging the potting angle, and as long as they REALLY work, the one would not be more right than the other. If you already have a sure-fire way of judging the angle, do not try anything else; rather tend to your technique itself.

There is always just one contact point between cue ball and object ball, regardless of the angle, and that is the point on the object ball which is furthest from the center of the pocket. If the cue ball makes contact with that point the object ball will enter the pocket in question every time, without fail (provided, of course, the table doesn't roll off or something).

So, to find the right way of judging the angle, we have to

work from that principle. We can, of course, memorize the angles and then just play from memory, like some books say, but one's memory can often let one down. That is why we will establish one way to judge every angle individually - to be sure that no human error enters into this. It doesn't mean that you will have to stand there mentally computing before you can play the shot, but it will be necessary at first while you are still learning, until it becomes an automatic action.

Now that we have the point of contact, we must visualize the cue ball in position of contact with the object ball. You must actually see an imaginary white ball statically touching the object ball, as in Diagram 2 above. At first, this will not seem very easy for some people, but persist and this too will become automatic. To make this a little easier for yourself, you can visualize a line running from the center of the pocket through the cue ball. A better way is to visualize a three-dimensional path the object ball will follow to the pocket; an imaginary "tunnel" the size of the ball. Extend that "tunnel" to end in that imaginary cue ball. And there you have the exact position the cue ball should be in when it makes contact.

Now simply send the cue ball to fill the space of the imaginary cue ball, and pocket the ball. I will now tell you how to send the cue ball to that position.

. APPROACHING THE SHOT

Now that we have established the angle, we have a line that the cue ball must follow to make contact with the object ball. This is the line of the shot.

The right way to approach the shot is this:

stand behind the cue-ball, facing the object ball; look at the pocket; look from the pocket to the object ball, seeing the path of

the object ball to the pocket;

find the position of the imaginary cue-ball;

find the line of the shot between actual cue-ball and imaginary cue-ball, not forgetting the position of the imaginary cue-ball. Now you are ready to take up position behind the cue ball.

D. TAKING UP POSITION AND GOING DOWN ON THE SHOT

Once you have found the line between the actual cue ball and the imaginary cue ball, you can extend that line onto the floor in front of your feet. 

Step into that line with your right foot (if you are right-handed), pointing your toes at an angle of about 45 degrees to that line. Ideally, the line should run through the bridge of your foot, but the toes or heel are okay too.

Now step forward with the heel of your left foot (right foot for lefties), about shoulder-width to the left of the right heel, and about four inches ahead of the toes of your right foot, with the left foot parallel to the extended imaginary line. (See Diagram B.)

Diagram B Straighten the back leg (right leg for right-handed players), and lean forward,

putting the weight of your body onto the front leg. The front leg will naturally bend to take the weight. Put your left hand on the table about 8-12 inches from the cue ball, in line with the shot. Straighten your left arm.

Bend down as if you are about to stroke the ball. If it feels like you are too close to, or too far from the table, get up, and start over again. If it feels as if your feet are too far apart, or too close together, get up and move your feet apart or closer until it feels comfortable. The stance must be steady, but comfortable, so play around with it until you find a happy medium between the two

Once you have found a comfortable, balanced and steady stance, and can comfortably stretch the left arm out straight towards the cue ball, having placed the bridge hand about 8-12 inches from the cue ball, you can form a bridge with your bridge hand.

Some players prefer a looped bridge (looping the forefinger over the cue onto the middle finger and pressing the thumb against the junction of forefinger and middle finger), and others like the open bridge, used by snooker players. To form an open bridge, place the bridge hand flat on the bed of the table, palm facing down. Spread the fingers. Press the thumb against the forefinger

between knuckle and first joint. Raise the knuckles of the whole hand while keeping the thumb against the forefinger. This should form a "V" between thumb and forefinger through which you will run the cue.

Now bend the body down over the cue, bringing the head and chin directly over the cue. Some players play with the head about a foot or even more above the cue, but modern champions get down lower, some touching the cue with their chin, like snooker players. It is more important that you are comfortable, than trying to follow trends. As long as the head is directly over the cue, facing into the line of the shot, everything should be fine.

. SIGHTING THE SHOT

Sighting the shot is relatively easy but this part is nevertheless fouled up by so many of us. Often we don't realize how important it is to get it absolutely right. The fact that our eyes sometimes deceive us (if we don't really LOOK) is easily demonstrated here. How often have you caught yourself thinking you are sighting down the right line of aim when you are in fact not doing so? Shots just off straight-in are commonly sighted as straight shots and so missed.

The key here is to LOOK and really see what you are aiming at. If the line you are sighting down is not the one which is going to let you pocket the ball, you must get up and approach the shot again - from scratch.

But be careful: the angle of the shot looks different when you are down on the shot compared to when you are standing upright behind the cue ball. So, don't change the angle if it doesn't look right from down there. If you are really unsure, get up and start over. But, whatever you do, DO NOT CHANGE THE ANGLE WHILE YOU ARE DOWN ON THE SHOT! You may find the right angle from the tip of the cue, but are you still sighting through the point on the cue ball that you were originally sighting through? No, you are now applying unintentional english to the cue ball, which will make you miss the ball nine times out of ten.

But enough of this negative business. Let's look at what should be done.

Let's assume you want to pocket a ball at a slight angle using no english, i.e. striking the cue ball dead center.

Assess the angle , approach the shot, take up position and go down on the shot.

Aim the tip of the cue at the center of the cue ball, pointing at the center of the imaginary cue ball (remember the imaginary cue ball?). This way you can't go wrong

You have looked at the cue tip addressing the center of the cue ball. Now look at the object ball, or rather the imaginary cue ball "touching" the object ball. Look whether the line you are aiming along is still perfectly aimed at that space you have to play the cue ball into, namely that of the imaginary cue ball. Whether you actually see the imaginary cue ball is irrelevant. As long as you are sure that the cue ball is going to make contact with the object ball at exactly the right point in order to pocket it.

You can now look at the cue ball again to see if the cue tip is still lined up with the center of the cue ball. Once you are sure of this, look at the object ball again to check whether you are still aiming at the right spot.

Repeat this procedure until you are one hundred percent sure that the aim is right. (Two to three times may be sufficient, but on certain shots, you may have to repeat this a few times more.) Then, and only then, are you ready to execute the shot. However, don't get stuck in looking from cue ball to object ball to cue ball to object ball and so on. The shot should be played when you are ready to play it. No sooner, no later.

Some players will take longer and go through the procedure more times than others. You will discover for yourself what works for you and what does not.

The practice strokes (preliminary cueing) are a fairly subjective part of the technique. It is not quite so important that it will make or break a player, but yet it is worth mentioning. The practice strokes are the forward and backward movements of the cue before the shot is executed. It takes place during sighting of the shot.

The purpose of preliminary cueing, is mainly to check that the cue is moving in a straight line and will do so on the final execution of the shot. It also serves to build up a rhythm and should help with the timing of the stroke.

The practice strokes should be fairly slow and always rhythmical, although being slow should not be the rule of thumb. I have seen a few (and only a few) good players with lightning-fast practice strokes, but then the tendency normally is to jab at the shot, which is not good. It is not easy to move the cue to and fro at a hundred miles an hour, and then draw the cue back slowly (ideally) for the last backswing before the shot. This feels and looks awkward. You will see that players usually draw back the cue at the same speed as their preliminary cueing. However, it should also not be too slow and/or mechanical. Keep it smooth, fluent and rhythmical.

The length (not the length of time) of the of the practice strokes can vary. Some players have long, lavish strokes, others have short, stunted strokes. Some players hardly move the cue, but it is still distinguishable as preliminary cueing.

As far as the time taken on the practice strokes, you will find that when a player is in stroke (in form) it is the same on every shot. And that is ultimately the optimum, and what you should strive for. The number of practice strokes should also be the same on every shot, whether easy or difficult. Find your perfect rhythm - two strokes, three strokes, four or eight, whatever gives you the best results. To find out which feels the most natural, try this on fairly easy shots. Go ahead and complete the stroke by actually playing the shot for now, but in the next lesson, we will look at what should happen just before the final delivery of the cue.

PAUSE #1, PAUSE #2, AND THE BACKSWING

We've assessed the angle of the shot, stepped into the extended line of the shot, lowered our bodies over the table and the head over the cue, sighted the shot, and done a few warm-up strokes to get the rhythm going and to ensure the cue is running in a straight line. We're almost ready to bring the cue through for that final delivery: the stroke itself. We could, at the end of the last practice stroke (when the

tip of the cue is almost against the cue ball), let the cue continue its forward motion and actually play through the cue ball, thereby finishing the stroke.

Chances are, if you have done everything correctly up to now, and provided the shot is not one that makes professionals think twice, you will pocket the ball. Now ask yourself the following questions: will I make the ball ten times out of ten? Will I make the ball if getting on the next one requires some kind of fancy positional maneuver? Will I then make it ten times out of ten? Will I make that ball if it is the winning ball of an important game? Of an important match? Of the finals of an important tournament? Against Efren Reyes in the finals of an important tournament, broadcast live on television with camaramen moving around you and bright lights in our eyes?

If you are serious about pool and improving your game, and you answered NO to any of the previous questions, then simply letting go at the end of the final practice stroke is not good enough. You need an important additional element or two. Something that will help you focus enough without breaking your rhythm to never miss that shot, regardless of the circumstances and playing conditions.

I have found that element (one of them, at least) to be a slight pause before you draw the cue back for the final delivery. A pause just long enough for your eyes to fix themselves on the object ball, where they will stay throughout the completion of the stroke. You will be amazed at the power of this little technique. Every time I slip out of form and find I am missing balls I should normally make, it is because I forget to pause, or get lazy and rush the stroke.

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This pause (pause #1) should be no more than a second long, at most 1.5 seconds. Anything longer than that will make your eyes want to wander back to the cue ball. Similarly, it should not be too short, although for quick players it will be no more than a slight pause. As long as it gives your eyes the chance to go to the object ball and stay there long enough to verify that you are still in line and aiming right. 

Then, when you are ready, draw the cue back, fairly slowly (not painfully slowly, just smoothly). Once again, this will vary from player to player, depending on how quick you are. The backswing affects the cue delivery to an extent players hardly ever consider. It should be concentrated upon to keep the backswing as straight as possible. If the cue has ended off line at the back of the backswing, it will not come through in a straight line. Slow, smooth and straight are the keywords concerning the backswing.

The second pause takes place now, at the end of the backswing, just before the forward stroke. It is not quite a stopping action, or as long a pause as the first one when your tip is addressing the cue ball, but merely a slight, split-second pause between the backward and forward motion of the cue. In fact, make sure you don't stop the flow of the cue; it will make the action too mechanical and forced.

The backswing-pause-forward-stroke action can be likened to taking a deep breath and exhaling; taking the breath is quite slow and there is a definite pause before you exhale. Try breathing in quickly and exhaling without the "pause". Feels unnatural, doesn't it? Another analogy is that of driving a car in reverse, and then changing into a forward gear. You wouldn't suddenly jam the car into Drive while it is still moving backwards, would you? It is a smooth change of direction.

Here is a breakdown of a typical stroke, from start to finish:

STROKE, STROKE, STROKE, STROKE, PAUSE (EYES TO OBJECT BALL)......, BACKSWING, PAUSE, SHOOT! 

This facet of the technique, when mastered, could separate you from your peers in no time. Make it a fundamental part of your technique by practicing it until it becomes natural. You should use a practice routine consisting of easy shots - preferably straight ones over a short distance, and just practice getting the timing right, without having to worry too much about getting the angle right. That way you can focus entirely on the pause-backswing-pause-shoot technique, get that right, and only then move on to more demanding shots. Whatever you do, do not move on to a more advanced practicing routine until you have this technique ingrained in your very being. Once you are sure that you will never jab, jerk or snatch at a shot again, you will never have to look back again.

Cue delivery, or the final stroke, involves bringing the cue through in a straight line (the line of the shot) so that the tip of the cue makes clean, crisp contact with the cue-ball and follows through some distance past the point of contact.

After the final pause, as discussed in the previous lesson, the final stroke is played by simply closing the elbow. If the alignment of the arm, shoulder and elbow has been correct, i.e. in line with the line of the shot, the cue has no choice but to come forward in a straight line. There is nothing more to it. By closing the elbow the cue follows through naturally.

As with many other sports, the follow-through, after contact has been made, assists in keeping the cue ball on line and on target. This has something to do with the anticipation of the follow-through, which makes the cue stop only after the cue ball has left the tip of the cue. It provides a very desirable punch effect and adds to the crispness of the shot.

It is important to note that the longer the follow-through (within reason), the better the stroke, unless, of course, you are unable to follow-through without playing a push stroke (when the cue ball and object ball are close together). Even on soft, delicate shots you should still have a good follow-through. The pace at which the shot is played is varied by varying the strength and speed "behind" the shot, and not by varying the length of the follow-through. Inevitably, the follow-through of a soft, rolling shot will not quite be as long as that of a power stroke, but that will take a natural course without you having to consciously think about it at any stage of your progress.

If I had to think of the perfect follow-through, Steve Mizerak immediately springs to mind, and looking at the modern stars of the game, so does Corey Deuel. They both stroke the ball smoothly at all times, with a consistent, well-timed follow-through. Even when playing firm and power shots, they seem to put no effort into the shot at all: the stroke is sheer poetry in motion. This is accomplished by keeping the follow-through deep and smooth.

Lesson 3: Overcoming The Physical Barriers

By Nick Prinsloo

To excel at pool - or any other sport for that matter - one needs to overcome the physical barriers by using the power of the mind. Now, you might ask, what are the physical barriers of pool?

In order to pocket a ball, you need to strike a perfectly spherical white ball with a long, straight (preferably), wooden stick that has a dome-shaped leather tip stuck to its front end, sending it in a specific direction so so as to make contact with a perfectly spherical colored ball. The idea is for that colored ball to then find its way into a pocket with an entrance a little narrower than two of these spherical balls placed side by side.

Pretty obvious, you might say. But have you ever had a closer look at what a feat this is? Take two pool balls and make them touch one another. Look at the area of contact. You have a contact point of less than one fiftieth of an inch in diameter. {See diagram 1 below.}

Pretty small, huh? In order to make a perfect shot, at the moment of contact, that same contact point has to be perfectly aligned with the point on the white ball furthest from the pocket and the center of the pocket itself. {See diagram 2 below.}

Diagram 1

 More of this Series

•  Introduction • 1.) Philosophy Of Pool• 2.) Learning To Play Pool• 3.) Overcoming The Physical Barriers• 4.) Overcoming The Mental Barriers• 5.) Why Pool?• 6.) Becoming A Natural Player• 7.) Judging The Angle & Establishing The Right Technique• 7e.) Sighting The Shot• 7f.) The Practice Strokes• 7g.) Pausing For Perfection• 7h.) Final Cue Delivery