I suck at pool. What's the best way to get good quickly?

Question

I know the best way is lots of practice, but any kind of technical pointers on how to hold the cue properly and that sort of thing would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I really like Triemferent's answer.  That site should be extremely helpful but another thing you might consider is going to youtube and watching professionals play.  I know I typically learn through immitation.  Watching pool on a small youtube screen might not be the greatest solution but it can't hurt.  The other thing to do is find a local room that has decent players and watch.

http://www.youtube.com/user/BClub

Answer 2

for beginners the first lesson is to find a stick that's not warp check in by rolling it on the table

Answer 3

Two extremely important and very often overlooked points are the 'bridge'(table hand) and the 'grip'(cue hand)..... keep the bridge as solid(flat if possible) and the grip as'fluid' as possible. A smooth cue stroke is vital

Also (I know it's stating the obvious) keep breathing!!...... the more tense you are.... the more likely it will be to miss the shot.

I once saw an interview with Steve Davis where he said that he ALWAYS stood for a few seconds 'eyeing-up' the shot before he got down to the table.... basically had his mind made up BEFORE he got down to take the shot................. It had helped my game a lot when I saw that

Answer 4

#1, hold the cue loose in your hand, don't grip it, let it just cradle there. When you take a shot, stay down after you hit the cue ball, don't jump up. Stay down as long as possible. Also take your time with your shot, don't rush through it, go ahead and double check your shot before you take. Find a shot that you have trouble and just keep taking the shot over and over until you got it, then move on to another one. It also helps if you watch others play, others that play well, watch what they do, how they look over the table.

Answer 5

Lotsa good answers. I strongly agree with Matt on this one, lessons from a certified instructor would probably be the quickest way to improve your overall game. If you can't find a certified instructor some pool halls have house pros that give lessons on the side. If that's not possible then ask a friend or player that you know is really good if they can give you lessons or at least show you some stuff. Books and videos can be very helpful but you just can't beat hands on instruction from a great player. I would rather spend my money that way than betting against the better players. If you do that about all your gonna learn is how to lose and not much else.I think it's a good idea to play the better players whenever possible as long as you can tap into their minds a little bit and learn something in the process , but not for money. Losing is habit forming and not a good way to get better unless you learn from your losses.

Answer 6

The very best way to get good quickly is to take lessons. If you go to the BCA website, you can find a list of BCA certified instructors in your area. You can also go to your local pool hall and ask the management if they know anyone who gives lessons. They usually do.

If you don't want to spend the money on lessons, there are plenty of books and videos that are much more thorough than anything anyone could write on here. Check your local library, they will often have several books.

I would encourage you to visit easypooltutor.com as well. Besides the articles available, they also have a forum where just about everything pool related is discussed.

Answer 7

try this ..... http://www.easypooltutor.com/  they have lots of info and a forum if you have specific questions.

some basic tips from the site above .... http://www.easypooltutor.com/modules.php...

Answer 8

Well you need a good hand bridge to put the cue on to make sure your shot is straight and precise. Look it up on the internet to get some ideas for different bridges. Just get on a table and practice hitting a ball in the pockets from different distances and angles. Do mainly easy shots at first. English, banking, setting yourself up for next shot will come later. Learning pool right off the bat may take awhile. Its not something you learn overnight.

Answer 9

if your good at math just play the angles and stuff that can make it easy

Answer 10

The best way to get good quickly is to go to your local pool room.  Take cash and wage with the better players; believe it or not, your game will improve greatly the more you do this.

Hope this helps...