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PoolTutorialHowtoLearnandPlayPoolandBilliards

PoolTutorial
Learnhowtoplaypoolandbilliards
supportingthebook:TheIllustratedPrinciplesofPoolandBilliardsandtheinstructionalvideoseries:
VideoEncyclopediaofPoolShots(VEPS),VideoEncyclopediaofPoolPractice(VEPP),
HowtoAimPoolShots(HAPS),andtheBilliardUniversity(BU)

Introductiontothegame
Fundamentals
Howtoaim
Adjustingaimforthrow
Cueballpositioncontrol

Drawshot
English(sidespin)
Strategyandsafetyplay
Kickandbankshots
Break,jump,andmasseshots

billiards.colostate.eduoffersmanyresources(videos,articles,references,andlinks)forlearningand
teachinghowtoplayandexcelatpoolandbilliards.Here'savideotourofthewebsite:

Forteachingandlearning,thesespecificresourcescanbeveryhelpful:
InstructorandStudentResources(drills,handouts,templates,references,etc.)
Videodemonstrationsofpooltechniquesandprinciples(andhere'sanothergoodcategorized
videoresource:ForceFollow'svideocollection)
http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Answerstofrequentlyaskedquestions(FAQs)aboutpooltopics
Pooltips,"secrets,"and"gems"thatalltopplayersknow
IllustratedPrinciplesofPoolandBilliards(excellentbookforlearningandteachingpool)
VideoEncyclopediaofPoolShots(VEPS)andVideoEncyclopediaofPoolPractice(VEPP)
(excellentvideoseriesforteachingandlearningpool)
BilliardUniversity(BU)instructionalvideoseries
Ifyouevercomeacrossatermofphraseyoudon'tknow,youcanusuallyfinditintheonlineglossary
ofpoolandbilliardstermsandphrases.

Introductiontothegame
Hereissomebasicterminologydealingwithacueandapooltable:

Here'sinformationonstandardtableandroomdimensionsforvariousstandardsizetables.
andhereissometerminologyrelatedtoapoolshot:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Here'sagoodintroductiontothegamefromMikePage's"LearnHowtoPlayPoolinTenMinutes"
video:

Here'saconciserulessummaryfor8balland9ball(basedontheWPAWorldStandardizedRules).
Informationonrulesfordifferentleagues,alongwithavideobasedrulesquiz,canbefoundhere:pool
rulesresources.

Fundamentals
Herearesomeusefuldocumentsandresourcesforhelpingyoudiagnoseproblemswithandimprove
yourfundamentals(grip,bridge,stance,andstroke)andpreshotroutine:
fundamentals"bestpractices"checksheet
preshotroutineadvice
stroke"bestpractices"routinesummary
http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Here'savideodescribingrecommended"bestpractices"forthestance:

Herearetwovideosdescribingrecommendedgripandbridgetechnique:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Hereisavideodemonstrationofthegenerallyrecommendedpendulumstroke:

AgooddrillforlearningtoimproveyourstrokeiscalledMOFUDAT:MOstFamousandUsefulDrillof
AllTime.Here'savideodemonstration:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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HowtoAim
Hereissometerminologyrelatedtoaimingapoolshot:

Thebiggestchallengeofpoolisvisualizingthenecessaryshotlinethatsendsthecueball(CB)tothe
ghostball(GB)positiontocontacttheobjectball(OB)atthepointwherethelineofcentersthroughthe
GBandOBheadstothetargetdirection(e.g.,toapocket).Here'savideodemonstrationshowinga
relativelyeasywaytovisualizethelineofaimatthepooltable:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Andherearesomeotherresourcesthatcanhelpyoulearnandpracticetheghostballaimingmethod:
ghostballaimingmethodanddrill
ghostballtemplate(forvisualizingandpracticingaiming,ghostballcenter,lineofcenters,and
tangentline)
NV3.1Practicingcontactpointandghostballvisualization
NVB.3MikePage'saimingvideo(part1,part2)
introductiontoaimingfromJerryBriesath
Moreinformationaboutvariousaimingmethodscanbefoundhere:AimingSystems.HowtoAimPool
Shots(HAPS)coversthebasicsofaimingalongwithaimingsystemsforallsortsofpoolshots.
Akeypartofaimingisbodyandheadalignment.Ifyourvisionisnotcenteredproperly,youwon't
perceivethelineofaimoftheshotcorrectly:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Agoodpreshotroutingcanalsohelpyouraimingaccuracyandconsistency:

AdjustingAimforThrow
ItisimportanttounderstandhowfrictionbetweentheCBandOBcanchangethedirectionoftheOB.
Thiseffectiscalledthrow.Throwisnotverylargewithfastspeedshots,anditislesswhentheCBhas
topspinorbottomspin,buttheeffectcanbesignificantwithslowerspeedshots,especiallywithstun.
http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Whenthrowisduetocutanglealone,theeffectiscalledcutinducedthrow(CIT):

Andwhenitisduetosidespin,itiscalledspininducedthrow(SIT):

Manyimportantthroweffectsaredemonstratedinthefollowingvideo:

Examplesofhowthrowcanbeusedtoyouradvantagecanbefoundhere:throwshotexamples
Andasummaryofhowthrowvariesfordifferenttypesofshotscanbefoundhere:squirt,swerve,and
throweffects
http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Onewaytodealwiththrowistoeliminateitwith"gearing"outsideenglish,ascoveredinthefollowing
video:

CueBallPositionControl
Onceyouknowhowtoaimandexecutebasicshots,thenextstepislearningandcontrollingwherethe
CBwillgoforthenextshot.ThemostimportantgoalinpoolistopockettheOB,butthe2ndmost
importantgoalistoleavetheCBinagoodspottoallowyoutopocketthenextandremainingOBs.Itis
alsoimportanttopredictCBmotionwhenneedingtodetectandavoidascratch,planpositionroutes,
avoid"traffic"(obstacleballs),andtoaimcarom(kiss)shotsandbreakout(clusterseparation)shots.
BelowisanillustrationofreferencedirectionsusefulforpredictingthepathoftheCB.Formore
information,examples,andvideodemonstrationlinks,see:FundamentalsPartV:CBpositioncontrol
(BilliardsDigest,January,2009).

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Here'sagoodvideodemonstrationofthereferencedirectionspredictedbythe90degreerule(forastun
shot),the30degreerule(forafollowshot),andthetrisectsystem(foradrawshot):

ShotspeedhasasignificantaffectonthepathoftheCB.Formoreinformationanddemonstrationssee:
speedeffects.
TheCBreferencedirectionsarealsoveryusefulforaimingcaromshots,asdemonstratedinthisvideo:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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andforaimingbreakoutshots:

AbigpartofcontrollingthepositionoftheCBisdevelopingagoodfeelforshotspeed.Here'sadrill
thatcanhelpyoudevelopgoodspeedcontrol.
Here'sagooddrill,fromDiscIIoftheBilliardUniversity(BU)InstructionalDVDseries,forpracticing
cueballcontrol:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Moredrillsandadvicecanbefoundhere:cueballcontrolresourcepage.
DiscI(BasicShotMakingandPosition)ofTheVideoEncyclopediaofPoolShots(VEPS)alsocovers
CBcontrolindetail.

DrawShot
Thedrawshotcanoftenbeachallengeforbeginners.Hereisagooddrillandtechniqueadvicetohelp:
stop/follow/drawdrill
drawshottechniqueadvice
Andherearevideodemonstrationsofdrawshottechniqueadvice,physicseffects,andgamesituation
examples:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Here'sagoodprogressivepracticedrilltohelpyouimproveyourdrawshottechnique:

Andhere'savideodemonstrationofhowtoachievedramaticdraw:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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DiscI(BasicShotMakingandPosition)ofTheVideoEncyclopediaofPoolShots(VEPS)alsocovers
drawtechniqueindetail.

English(sidespin)
EnglishreferstosidespinimpartedtotheCBbyhittingtheCBoffcenter.Herearethedifferentnames
usedtorefertothetypeofenglish:

ThepurposeforsidespinistoalterthepaththeCBtakeswhenithitstherailcushions:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Englishisalsogivendifferentnamesbasedonhowitisused:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Herearesomegoodresourcesanddemonstrationstohelpyouunderstandhowsidespinisused:
Englishquickreferencesheet
Englishdrill
NV4.10Effectofleftenglish
NV4.11Effectofrightenglish
NV4.25Positioningthecueballatallspotsonthetablefromaneasysidepocketshot
NVB.73Leavinganangleandcomingintothelineofashot,fromVEPSII
NVB.74Centeroftablepositionandroutes,withthe45degreerule,fromVEPSII
Tousesidespineffectively,youneedtobeawareoftheeffectsofsquirt,swerve,andthrowillustrated
here:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Informationabouthowtoadjustyouraimtocompensateforalloftheeffectscanbefoundhere:
aimcompensationforsquirt,swerve,andthrow
Herearedemonstrationscoveringthebasicsofhowtoadjustyouraimwhenusingsidespin:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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DiscIofHowtoAimPoolShots(HAPS)andDiscIIofTheVideoEncyclopediaofPoolShots(VEPS)
alsocoversalltopicsrelatedtousingenglish.

StrategyandSafetyPlay
DiscIIIoftheTheVideoEncyclopediaofPoolShots(VEPS)coversallimportantprinciplesinvolving
strategyandsafetyplay.Here'sanexplanationofsomeofthebasics:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Andhereareafewothers:
NVB.74Centeroftablepositionandroutes,withthe45degreerule,fromVEPSII
NVB.76Don'tleave"bigball"forkicksafetyreply,fromVEPSIII
NVB.77Playingforexactpositioninsteadoftoanarea,fromVEPSIII
NVB.78Howtochoosegood"key"balls,fromVEPSIII
NVB.79Howtochoosesolidsvs.stripesafteran8ballbreak,fromVEPSIII
NVB.80Howandwhentobreakoutclustersin9ball,fromVEPSIII
Here'sausefuldrillforpracticingsafeties,fromDiscIIIoftheBilliardUniversity(BU)Instructional
DVDseries:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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KickandBankShots
AkickshotisonewhereyoubouncetheCBoffoneormorerailstoreachanOB.Abankshotisone
whereyoubounceanOBoffoneormorerailstoreachapocket.Insimpleterms,botharebasedonthe
mirrorsystem,whichusesthediamondsontherailsofthetableasaimingreferences.Hereissomebasic
terminologyandaimingprinciplesrelatedtokickandbankshots:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Therearemany"diamondsystems"thatcanbeusedtoaimkickandbankshots.Informationand
demonstrationsformanyofthemostcommonsystemscanbefoundhere:bankandkickinformationand
aimingsystems.Hereisademonstrationofoneofthemostbasicandusefuldiamondsystems:

andhere'sanotherusefulvideo,fromDiscIIIoftheBilliardUniversity(BU)InstructionalDVDseries:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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DiscIVoftheTheVideoEncyclopediaofPoolShots(VEPS)coversmanybankingprinciplesand
aimingsystemsindetail.
Tousekickandbankdiamond/aimingsystemseffectively,onemustbeawareofmanykickandbank
effects,someofwhicharedemonstratedinthefollowingvideo:

Goodbankersoftenusefastspeed(seeadvantagesoffastspeed),andasystemthatcanbeusedtoaim
fastspeedbanksisdemonstratedinthefollowingvideo:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Break,Jump,andMasseShots
Here'savideodemonstrationofrecommended"bestpractices"forbreaktechnique,fromDiscIIIofthe
BilliardUniversity(BU)InstructionalDVDseries:

Formoreinformationseethebreakshottechniqueadviceresourcepage.
Here'sagooddemonstrationofproperjumpshottechnique:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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Formorejumpshotinformation,advice,anddemonstrations,seethejumpshotresourcepage.
Here'sagoodvideodemonstrationofpropermasseshottechnique:

Formoremasseshotinformation,advice,anddemonstrations,seethemasseshotresourcepage.
DiscVoftheTheVideoEncyclopediaofPoolShots(VEPS)coversjump,masse,andotheradvanced
shotsindetail.
http://billiards.colostate.edu/pool_tutorial.html

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