Part I
Fundamentals of Pool
In this part . . .
Within this book, you have all the information necessary to develop into a pretty solid pool player. But if you’re completely new to the sport of pool, this part is where you want to start. In this part, I start with the fundamentals involved in pool. I show you how to get into a comfortable stance, how to hold the cue, how to aim, and how to stroke the cue so that you’ll be pocketing balls in no time. Finally, I also cover basic etiquette so that you’ll know your place around any pool table.
Chapter 1
Arriving at the Pool Party
In This Chapter
Playing various games on a pool table
Becoming familiar with a cue
Pocketing a ball
Minding your manners
The game of pool is all about knowing where you are and where you want to go. You make one shot with an eye on the next one and the one after that one. To that end, you should start your venture into the world of pocket billiards with a roadmap. The sport of pool and billiards is something that can be a lifelong passion that combines physical exercise and substantial hand-eye coordination in a rather social game that is just plain fun. I’ve written this book to be your guide to take all the mystery and mythology out of pool so that you can get the straight story. So when you’re ready, take your cue and start playing.
In this chapter, I get you rolling on the path to a greater understanding of the sport of pool, including stroke fundamentals, strategy, etiquette, and equipment.
Introducing Games You Can Play
You’ve got plenty of options when it comes to what type of games you can play on a pool table. Some use all the balls, while others use just some of them. Some let you use all the pockets; others limit their use. But no matter your style, you’ll be able to find a pool game that’s right for you.
8-ball (see Chapter 18) and 9-ball (see Chapter 19) are by far the most popular games among amateur players. 8-ball requires you to make one group of balls (either the stripes or solids) before making the game-winning 8. 9-ball, on the other hand, requires only that a player hit the lowest numbered ball on the way to hitting the 9 ball into a pocket.
But besides these two games, you have a ton of options when it comes to the cue sport. You can play one-pocket, straight pool, and a plethora of multiplayer games on a regular, old pool table.
On top of that, you can venture out to different takes on the traditional table. Three-cushion, a game played on a table with no pockets, requires you to hit one cue ball off three cushions and another ball before hitting the third ball.
Snooker, another pocket billiards game, is played on a bigger table (10 or 12 feet long) with smaller balls and smaller pockets. The goal is to accumulate points by alternatively making red and colored balls (which are then spotted).
See Chapter 20 for details on all these game variations.
Getting in Position
Knowing where you need to put your feet, your hands, and your eyes to give you the best chance at playing your best is absolutely vital. Working from the ground up, when you have a solid stance (see Chapter 2) you are able to
Stay balanced when you’re in your stance, with properly spaced feet.
Feel comfortable while down on a shot.
Know that you’re positioned along the line of the shot.
But positioning your body and legs is one thing. Properly holding the cue with both your bridge hand (in the front) or grip hand (in the back) is a fundamental skill all pool players must have.
Learning how to handle the cue (see Chapter 3) means much more than just picking up the cue and putting its tip to the cue ball. You first have to establish a proper grip on the back end of the cue. You must find the middle ground where you’re not squeezing the cue too tightly, while also not allowing the cue to move in your hand by holding it too loosely.
And when you start to work on your bridge hand — the one up front — you need to establish a firm bridge to allow for an accurate stroke. By growing familiar with open, closed, and many different special bridges that you may need in the course of a game, you’ll be ready for any situation you might face.
Don’t restrict your bridge practice to the table. You can practice forming a proper bridge almost anywhere. You can use a pencil or a straw or anything that will help your grow comfortable with forming a fundamentally sound bridge. Also, in preparing to shoot, you should become familiar with your own preshot routine (see Chapter 2). This repetitive process of approaching a shot should
Establish an order of going through necessary steps to plan for your next shot and getting yourself prepared for the shot at hand.
Create a routine that will help you prepare for stressful shots because you’re so used to the steps along the way.
Regulate the number of practice strokes you take for each shot.
Give you a final opportunity to check that everything feels as it should.
Aiming for Success
After you’re down in position to pull the trigger — or, in this case, swinging the cue — you need to know where to aim to properly strike an object ball so that it heads toward a pocket.
The most popular system for aiming is known as the Ghost Ball System (see Chapter 4). By connecting the centers of the object ball and the cue ball at impact, a line is formed that should point to the pocket. The important idea is that you see where the cue ball should be at impact and then send the cue ball on such a path where it can strike the object ball in the correct spot.
Any aiming system that sounds too good to be true probably is. Aiming is one of the m... 
