well this is an off-topic forum so i thought id ask you. im starting to get into pool (though i really suck). any advice you guys can give me? any stratagies? 

Pool used to be a huge interests of mine. I was actually very good at 1 point. I had been asked to play in several leagues but could never commit.  1 of the best things you can do is closely watch others play especially someone who's good. The hardest thing to do and the first thing you should do is learn how to shoot straight. I know it sounds funny but even most good pool players can't shoot straight for their life.

 

A good way to practice this is to take a striped ball(high ball) and set it about 8-10 inches from the rail on the long end of the table with the stripe facing up. Place the q ball a couple inches behind it. Now try to keep your stick level cause that's the key and hit the ball down the table off the opposite rail and back to you. the goal is to keep the stripe even as it rolls down and back. good luck it's not easy.

 

Another thing to remember is that you will get worse before you get better if your really trying to improve so don't get frustrated. You have to train yourself on how to shoot not just what is comfortable. Hitting the ball hard and hoping it goes in a pocket is not playing pool. The best way to learn how the ball will react is plan your shot and then the next shot after. This casuses you to think, " ok where is the q ball gonna land if I hit it hard off the 7 ball next to that rail. You will start to notice the difference on how the ball reacts to hitting it soft, hard, at this angle, if you hit low on the q ball. Of course you will mess up shots you could have easily made by trying to get the q ball to land where you want it for your next shot but that's the part where you get worse before you get better. It will all pay off eventually. Don't worry about bank shots and english until you get the basics down.

 

When you learn stick control and how to plan your shots then you can start worrying about english and bank shots. 1 step at a time. Well it's alot easier to show someone than to tell them but hoepfully this will help point you in the right direction. Enjoy it, it's a great sport!

I played on  leages for years. Nelson is correct, keep your stick level. Also when you are shooting keep your eye on the ball, do not get up from your shot until the q has stopped rolling. If you get up your stick will follow and mess up your shot. Another thing is chalk your cue stick after EVERY shot.

 I used to practice by playing a game called 15. It's kind of tough to explain but i will try. Basically you take all the balls, and put two directly in front of every pocket. place the three remaining balls in the center of the table lined up with the center pockets. Now try to sink all the balls in 15 shots or less. It is a hell of a lot harder then it sounds. Also remember this, if you are making a bank or kick shot the rule is  equal angle in equal angle out, and learn the diamonds...they will save your ass!

 Good luck and have fun, I love the game.

ice_73:

im starting to get into pool (though i really suck). any advice you guys can give me? any stratagies? 

 

Don't bet any money!

Well I would say the equal angle in equal angle out thing is partially correct. When doing bank shots the harder you hit the rail the narrower the angle will be and the softer the wider the angle will be. Then there's english to consider when hitting the rail. That is why it's important to learn the fundamentals and how the ball reacts before worrying about bank shots.

I doubt I'm as good as Nelson or the other dude, but what I would say is head over to a mate who has a table and play him or grab a mate and go to shooting gallery (If you don't have a table yourself). I love playing pool, such a relaxing game.

 -Dev

I used to play non-stop back in the day. I would like to get a table for my garage but the wife won't allow it. : )

Best advice I can give is to watch others play and learn the ways of the table. its all geometry my friend. : ) 

Geo-what?  The only geo I know is geography, and it hasn't helped my pool game at all.

^^ HAHA!

 a little off topic- did you guys know that all pool table tops are made from slate that comes from a volcano? I always thought it was a piece of MDF or some other piece of really solid wood. Saw that on "How its Made" the other night on the Discovery Channel. Pretty cool.

Actually, thats false. Here you will find facts on the slate. By the way the angle of a bank shot is not affected by how hard you hit the Q. There is a diamond system because of that. If the power of the stroke determined the angle the Q took the diamonds would be worthless. English will affect  your bank shot, but you will learn that after you learn straight shots and cut shots. English is really mostly used to position the Q after contact with the target ball. Power will only affect how far or how many banks your cue rolls.

Are you serious savage? your telling me that if you place a Q ball in the exact same position and hit the exact same spot on the rail with 1 shot soft and 1 shot harder that the ball will travel at the exact same angle both times. that's ludicrous!

nelsoncp21:

Are you serious savage? your telling me that if you place a Q ball in the exact same position and hit the exact same spot on the rail with 1 shot soft and 1 shot harder that the ball will travel at the exact same angle both times. that's ludicrous!

Actually yes, that is exactly what I am saying. If you disagree I contend you are changing either angle or english.  If you hit the ball from the dot, aiming at the diamond above the right center pocket, it will hit the center diamond past the center hole on the left side, from there it will hit the center diamond at the far end rail, provided you hit the ball hard enough. If you hit it even harder it will continue to travel to the center diamond on the right side. It is called the diamond system, and it is fact. The only variables are English and angle. You can make the same bank or kick shot 10 times at differnt speeds as long as you have the angle correct. Speed affects where the cue ends only, not the path it travels.

I am sorry but I have to disagree. the rail does give alittle which affects the angle of the ball coming off of it depending on the force. The harder the ball hit the rail the more the rail will give resulting in a tighter angle. Yes I agree with the diamond rule to the point that if you hit the ball normal with no english or without excessive force or the opposite than yes what you said is true. I have demonstrated this theory to dozens of people before and never once been wrong. I guess we will have to agree to disagree no this 1 unless you make a it stop to VA and I can show you.

 All rigt we disagree, though next time I am in Virginia I fully expect a night at the pool hall, a few beers and some good pool games.

alright but give me some notice so I can clean the dust off my stick. I got a question. have you ever heard of a rule stating in 8 ball that the 8 ball isn't neutral on your last shot. it's always bugged me cause I had a game where I ran the whole table in 1 turn except my last shot cause everyone said I couldn't use the 8 on my last shot. had I known I would have droped that ball 2 or 3 shots earlier. I was pissed.

I have heard of that before Nelson, but it all depends on who you are playing and what rules they decide to use after you smoked them. : )

Also, about the slate, just stating what I saw on The Discovery Channel.

I have always played you can't use the 8 at all. Even before but especially on the league, you can only use your balls, touching any other ball before yours is considered a scratch and gives your opponent ball in hand. Also if you don't touch your ball or even if you do but nothing sinks or touches a rail it's ball in hand. League rules are really tough. 

yea there are so many rules to pool it's not even funny. Every place is different it seems. I kinda figure when half the bar started flipping out at me when I went to take the shot that there was probally some legitimacy to it.

Super Dave:

ice_73:

im starting to get into pool (though i really suck). any advice you guys can give me? any stratagies? 

 

Don't bet any money!

best advice :-)

well im getting much better i can aim pretty good and only lost 1 game (though i win mostly on technicalities) great sport indeed! id love to have a pool table in the apartment but theres not enough room (not to mention the cost of a pool table is expensive)

 I actually have a pool table (it was/is my fathers), it's 8 x 4. He gave it to me, but we have no room for it in our apt. Especially now that we have a newborn. I can't wait until the day I own a home where it will fit.