Barry talks about centre ball striking and illustrates this with various shots to show the resulting cue ball position just by striking the ball up and down its vertical centre line. / barrystarksnookercoach
Jason. Thanks for that, patience when teaching is vital but it is also vital for the student, I believe it is not enough to do it, you have to fully understand how it is done.
Mr. Stark, I have never even seen a pro snooker table (let alone had the privilege of playing on one, hard to find in the U.S.) but you explain things so clearly and coherently, I feel like I could get on a table and pocket a few balls... maybe even get like a 30 or 40 break or something (although probably not hahaha). You're such an amazing coach and communicator, thank you for this knowledge you are sharing. 🙏🏿
Thanks very much, Barry. Using side only makes my game unreliable at this stage of my progress. Very reassured that I can make a lot of good things happen by mastering centre ball striking.
One of your best videos IMHO. People always try and tell you to use side in the snooker clubs but as you show in this video, there is not much you can't do just by moving up and down on the cue ball.
Rhys. As I have said on many occasions, good players will use side but they will not use it unnecessarily. There will always be some that use it more that others but they have leaned to control it over the years.
Hi Barry I love this video a lot and i use Centre Ball Striking when i play snooker in the local Workmens Club where they have a snooker table.I have been playing snooker for nearly 2 years and punters in my local have said i'm the most improved player in the club and i have listen to my mates who have given me a bit of advice on not hitting the cue ball hard and play more for position.These videos have helped me a lot so thanks Barry for doing these videos for people who like to learn about snooker and could one day be a professional in the future.
Mark. Great that you like the videos and also that you feel that they have helped in your progress at the game. Being able to manoeuvre the cue ball into positions that makes the game a little easier is so important and I wish you well with your development.
Ive been playing pool for years. Using side a lot. But thanks to this video I’ve learned how much difference it can make just by going up and down rather than using side. Fantastic coaching.
Barry, another great video that most all level af players will learn from... GREAT JOB! I have a similar demo that I try to show people that I see failing at side or only hitting a single spot on the ball. Sometimes it takes someone like you to come along so that the message gets through. I will be showing this video to several players. Peace be with you.
Just the kind of information I am looking for.. I've never been any good at snooker, but knowing I can do a lot with the cue ball without side almost makes me believe I could play this game some day! (and I've been trying for 45 years) Barry is my first coach! Keep up the great vids, Barry! You're the best!
Excellent lesson! You make valid points. For weekend players like myself I think side is just an additional complication when we should be focusing on mastering the basics. I've squandered many good breaks getting too cute with shots and applying side for no obvious reason. Your lesson clearly demonstrates how one can manipulate the cue ball with just the centre axis variable. It's no coincidence that my best breaks have come when I stuck to basics.
Played snooker for the first time today with my friends who have some experience and it was a lot harder than I originally thought it would be however at least I had a stable bridge thanks to your video I watched on the way there. Hope to learn a lot more from your videos and thanks for the uploads.
It would have been a good addition to the video to get a picture of all the places that the white ball ended up layered on top of each other to show the different variables all in one picture. Love your videos Barry, thank you!
Here is Ronnie's masterclass emphasising the same thing as you demonstrate in your video getting the basics right. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-v51c6vBaE2g.html
This was a really instructive video, far too often in my games I've been playing fancy shots with side when center ball shots would be a more reliable alternative.
Troy. Repetition is necessary in learning any skill but don't forget that incorrect repetition can also groove bad habits and therefore inhibit progress, that is one reason why people can play this game for years without really improving, they don't try to do things correctly.
TROJAN. There are professional players that advocate centre ball striking aids consistency, equally there are those that use side on a lot of shots where the positional requirements don't really justify it. The video shows what is possible with centre ball striking but at the end of the day its the players decision.
Beacuse of you I am able to improve my game everyday. I have to play pool as it free at the place I work soon I will start snooker practice this is all becausr of you Sir thank you soo much. Wish I could practice with you in real.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach i have a problem that all i practice and working on going well when im alone. But when i start to play with other players all the thing going very bad im missing a easy shots not getting a position alot sometime i cant do more then red and color, its ruins me to see that things happen what i can to do?
brilliant video, excellent camera work showing the cueing and reaction of the ball to all the shots. as a very raw amateur it's too tempting to use side and try to compensate for it to achieve extreme angles and strange reactions but this video is a nice temptation to master center ball instead
glipquux. As a raw amateur it is best to stick to centre ball striking, as you progress with your game you will steadily learn the intricacies of using side.
Barry, I have a good suggestion for you. You should talk about how when you hit the ball the spin almost gets transferred and how it comes off at a different angle as it hits the cushion. Here’s an example: When a player is on the black and they are straight on the ball, they hit the bottom left and it comes back to the right? If I hit a ball full ball and I follow through the angle then comes off the opposite of what I’m thinking and if I hit the ball half ball the angle is only half wrong if you understand? I’ve watched quite a lot of your videos if not all and I don’t believe you talked about when it gets transferred off another ball e.g which angles it comes off at in a greater detailed video. Please correct me if I am wrong, I am just simply suggesting a video if you have not done it already which I feel is a huge part of the game :)
thank you mr coach. i still cant play with side correctly so i do what are you talking about in this vedeo and doing little nice with it. using side just with esy shots when side needed.
Barry Sir, we are all blessed with the learning’s you share. Thank you and please keep them coming!! I love it and use it for my practice. Quick question, to play the stun shot off an angle or a dead stop stun on a straight shot, should you still follow through your cue action? I have been told to stop the cue following through to get a stun off the cue ball
Madhu. Glad you like the videos. There is no doubt that some players don't follow through as much as some other players when playing a stun shot, however my advise is to follow through as much as you can. The stun shot is all about feel and the follow through helps to acquire this feel.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach Thanks for the response Barry. I have observed that the cue ball still follows through instead of stun if you hit at about centre of the ball or even a tad lower when you cue delivery is similar to while playing with too spin or screw back. If you do stop your follow through for a stun, it does then get the ball to slide. What are your thoughts?
I alter my grip in that if I loosen my grip I get more out if the white..Ive never been coached just trial and error, I do see what you mean though regarding these star tables..Tight so any unnecessary side will deviate the white enough to throw slightly causing you to miss..Great video again Barry 👍
Another fantastic video, thanks Barry. If you are thinking about themes for future videos; for a bit of fun at Christmas it would be cool to see you attempt to replicate famous shots from the past. Like Ronnie's 5 cushion escape, that shot Stephen Lee did with huge loads of top spin. You could go into the theory of it too, for example which angles Ronnie needed to work out. Anyways keep up the good work
Furthering your point that each player will have a slightly different result on an exact same shot also has to do with the angle that a player holds there cue. Also if the stroke is a follow thru or a pop at the ball and even if you unfurl your grip as you shoot or if you have more wrist action in your shot. I see it as finesse a player puts on the ball.
While not missing balls is kind of important, and so not using side unless you really have to would probably increase your pot percentage, it's very difficult to play accurate positional shots by relying on your ability to address the cue ball so perfectly and consistently (if you're only hitting it centrally) as to get the exact required spin and subsequent desired position. As you know, just half a millimeter out up or down makes a huge difference and could be catastrophic if you havent got lots of room for error. Using a touch of side allows you to hit the ball softer and let the spin carry the ball instead of forcing it of cushions. So my advice would be to get used to using and understanding side as soon as possible while you're a beginner so you have options. There's a reason the best players use it effortlessly, and it's because they practiced using it as soon as they understood what it was for. Of course hitting plain balls reduces the chance of missing balls, but the downside is you're more likely to run out of position because you can't strike the ball with surgical precision every time. I think this video actually highlights that when you start trying to get different reactions from the ball as you go below the center; what happened was you got identical reactions despite stating you were going to go slightly lower on the cue ball. A gentle stun off the cushion with a touch of side eliminates that.
Goonerville. Some very good points, many of which I agree with. However, using side too early in a players learning stages can also create long lasting bad habits like cueing across the ball. I believe there is a balance to be found and good coaches can recognise when a player is ready for the introduction of side and when one is not.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach You're right, it can definitely create bad habits too--I've seen it! My bad habit was dragging the white to play stun-run through shots. Club players love going through tips!
Barry, you have no peers when it comes to coaching snooker pool and billiards. Your explanations and perspective are beyond compare. Most of these stick and ball games can be played well without side, making most of the popular deflection theories nice to know but not that significant. Thank you thank you etc......etc...
As always a very informative lesson but what exactly do you mean by "timing" i.e.when you can hit the cue ball in the exact same place but "timing" gives you a different result from one shot to the other? Do you mean strength of cue action when you refer to timing?
pilgrimpater. Timing is something that the player feels. It can be related to any sport where an object is being struck by an implement. In our case it is a cue ball being struck by a cue and when the timing is very good the cue tip will be in contact with the cue ball fractionally longer. It is the reason that some players can screw the ball back the length of the table but others struggle, it is not because they can hit the ball harder but because their timing is better. To get timing you must get through the ball, relax and feel the ball and at the same time hang on to it.
Hello, sorry if this is completely unrelated to the video. But I wanted to know why most snooker players don't used a closed bridge, otherwise known as a loop bridge. I am an American pool player and I use a closed bridge most of the time. I have a feeling it might be due to the extreme taper that a snooker cue has, compared to an American pool cue. Thanks!
Faraaz. That certainly is one of the reasons but as I have said on video and in comments, pool players tend not to need the cueing accuracy that snooker players need and we gain some psychological assurance on this point by being able to see the cue rather than obscure it somewhat with the loop bridge. However, Joe Davis used the loop bridge for some of his deep screw shots and it still has its uses when bridging on and around the cushion.
kardRatzinger. I have never really studied Ricky's bridge but I will next time I see him play but he hits the ball superbly so there cannot be a lot wrong. Sunny is not the first to use the rest in that way I remember Tony Knowles using it the same way, a little unusual but if it works stick with it.
2 Players at my local club use the rest the same way. As for Ricky's bridge. When it comes to the bridge there is only 1 major rule, It must remain solid! So long as your cue can glide through your bridge nice and smooth and it remains solid. Bridge anyway you feel comfortable. Ricky's hand looks very comfortable and looks quiet soft....But I can guarantee you, His hand is as solid as the Slate it rests on. Just my two cents.
Thank you for the response. I always feel Ricky's bridge to be unusual (but maybe it's just my lack of knowledge). Anyway, he seems to just be resting the cue on his thumb alone.
Rajie. So much depends upon the angle on the balls that you have and the speed of the table. I could manage it on the table used in the videos but not so on some club tables.
Juan. Side is complex and beginners should try to avoid it or at the very least minimise its use. However, since you ask, most players ( not all ) will use a little side when playing angle shots. e.g. Cutting the ball to the left, players tend to use right hand side and vice versa when cutting to the right. Please be careful though not too much.
Great video! I wanted to ask a question as a beginner, when you change the centre aim position, do you move the bridge up and down to keep the cue parallel to the table aimed at the new spot or do you pivot the cue at the same bridge height and change the cue angle (hitting down at an angle on the ball for low centre positions, and up on the ball for high positions)? Learning so much! Thanks!!
Hello Barry, first of all, would like to thank you for your channel! Great stuff and helpful info. There's one particular aspect of the game, which I would be happy if you could cover with your expertise one day, and that is - breathing. Breathing when going into shot, when down on shot and preparing for it... and during delivery. Well the last part which is related to shot deliver is kind of obvious (I believe), but still I'm interested how you see it. Reason for asking this is because I'm an ex-athlete myself and my lungs are pretty big for average snooker player. When down on shot, my cue uses 4 points (bridge, chin, breast and wrist). Well cue feels fixed and solid, however breathing during preparation for shot when down on table sometimes misleads me on my cue position against cue ball.... I hope you understand my question and would really appreciate your investigation on this. Thanks
Kaspars. As you will be aware no doubt that diaphragmatic breathing is important to relax the muscles and calm the mind but that is preparation for the match or game or when your opponent is at the table. When you are getting into position it is time to shallow the breathing reducing the expansion of the chest. I like to see a player bring his cue down on the line of the shot and then take the chest to the cue. It is a mistake to hold the breath because that will create tension but it should certainly be shallow so that there is little or no expansion of the rib cage causing lateral cue movement.
Hello, Barry! First off, great job on your informative videos, you seem like an excellent teacher. You say you are having trouble convincing people that using side when not required is silly. Do you think that maybe it is not so much that we don't understand that using side when not required is silly as that we don't understand when using side is and is not required? I certainly feel like I could use a better understanding of when to use it. Perhaps it would help if you made a video addressing precisely when it does make sense to use side?
Barry I have a question, when you look at Ronnie O'Sullivan's cue action when playing deep screws or even small screws, what he does is he raises the cue up in the air for a fraction of a second after getting through the cue ball. Is this a benefit of actually getting through the ball better, or is it just a natural outcome that Ronnie is just used to doing? I tried this behavior myself and found no real value of raising the cue for a split second following a screw shot, if anything, it decreased the amount of screw I get. Maybe you could make a video explaining in more detail what Ronnie is doing, Cheers
robert. As you have said it is just a natural outcome of what Ronnie is doing, the cue seems to bounce off his bridge, he is so relaxed that it just happens.
Hello Barry, thanks for your videos. Did you ever play competitively, and have you/how many (!) 147s have you achieved? Working on my game, hope to get a 40+ by the end of the year. 31 so far!
Philip. I still play in my local amateur league occasionally when time permits. I have had two 147 breaks but only in practise, centuries get harder as I get older.
Hello Barry, Just wanted to ask a question regarding cues. I have played pool for approximately three years in a competitive league at quite a high standard now tending to find that I enjoy snooker and where I now live has a snooker table to easier access. I want to buy myself a new cue as my current cue is warped meaning after getting down on a shot I turn my cue until it is straight. I have done a bit of research into cue brands, lengths, tips etc and watched a lot of your videos. I just wondered if you had any tips on finding the correct combination of all the different dimensions that go into a cue. Many thanks Aaron
aaron. I am often asked this question but choosing a cue is such an individual thing I can only give what you might call sensible guidelines. Firstly you have to choose between Ash or Maple, one piece or jointed, if jointed I would suggest a 3/4 joint. If you are of average build then an average length of 58" should be okay. Tip size around 9.5mm to 10mm with a weight of around 18oz. The butt should fit nicely in your hand and the balance should not be to far forward or back, around 16" to 17" from the butt end of the cue is normally right. No varnish on the shaft of the cue, oil yes, varnish no.
Happy new year Barry, I’m watching this video again to try and explain this to my friend who I believe hits the ball lower or higher than he thinks. My question is if we both hit the ball dead centre from the same position shown here how much of a difference can there be between us? Thank you Andy
Andy. Very good question. In respect of your friend may I suggest you place him on video to convince him. On your other point hitting the ball where you suggest would limit the difference between two players. Real differences would be more evident when spin is applied, then you would see who has cue power and who has not.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thank you for your reply and advice Barry love your lessons really has improved my game. he has been convinced and now is changing his aim using other tools. As for cue power has a weird grip and wrist position but at 75 years old he is decent potter. kind regards Andy
skibuddy. The purpose of the video was to demonstrate what can be achieved in terms of position without the use of side so no, side was not used on any of the shots.
Prashant. I have covered the screw shot in detail on video please have a look, if you are mis-cuing or damaging your tip then it is likely that you are dipping your cue during delivery. Try to keep the cue parallel with the table as you get through the ball.
sundu. Oh! no. There is often a slight rotation of the cue as the shot is played but this is not intentional and as long as it is only slight it is nothing to worry about.
Me Me. A lot of players when playing cut shots tend to hit the ball thick. For certain you can just aim thinner but some professionals prefer to play with a LITTLE side. For example when they cut a ball to the left they play with right hand side. When cutting to the right they play with a little left hand side. Please be careful when you do this though, please notice I said a little side.
Hello Barry, i have a qustion about how is the right way to placing my new snooker 12 ft table, 385cm*200cm in room size 600cm*530cm. The first option is that both space sides will be equal from the wall to coushin -123.5cm .The second option is the black ball side is 150cm from coishin to the wall and the other side is 97cm from the wall to the coushin 167cm from the opening line to the wall .My first choice cue is 147 cm but i do have 120 cm or 95cm cue. Which option is the right one? thanks
When you play a game of snooker there will be more shots from the baulk end shooting towards the black end than there will be from the black end shooting towards baulk so you would be advisable to leave more room at the baulk end. I hope I have read your question correctly and that that is helpful.
Hi Barry! Thanks for another great video. How important is to keep the forearm on a vertical line to the floor? I mean that 90 degrees. I am a right hander and when I am playing my right forearm is like.. 100 degrees, a little bit wide. I would like to see a video talking about the importance of getting through the ball, is it required en every shot? Looking forward to your answers. Thanks again Sir.
Alotofmoney. Getting through the ball is essential on most shots it is the degree of follow through that varies because of the differing shots that have to be played. Generally speaking a vertical forearm allows sufficient follow through before the hand reaches the chest. I wouldn't be too concerned about being slightly behind the vertical as long as you are in control of the cue and can play all the shots. If you look at one of my earlier videos you will find that I have marked a cue demonstrating where to place the bridge hand and where to hold the cue. Just remember that what you do at the front (bridge hand) affects what happens at the back (grip) and vice versa.
Thanks for your answer Barry! So if you have to get through the cue ball on every shot, how do you not overdo the shot? Softer pressure on the grip? Thanks Barry.
No ,that not what I mean I mean that when a player is on standing position to make the shot if he righthanded his left hand fingers is knocking on the . table as he trying to relax himself
Sorry I misunderstood the question. You must be more observant than me because I haven't noticed any player doing this but if they do it can only be a habit that has no bearing on the game or mentality of the player.
Thx mr barry for improving our game , I have a question , Im planning to buy a 7ft snooker table because i dont have a space for bigger one and im gona use a 48 cue on side cushion so is it really worth it to practice on 7ft and is it playable for a snooker i never tried it before ? Does the 48inch cue gonna effect my game im 170cm
mohad. Playing on a smaller table would be okay if you could get in a more natural position but having to use a significantly smaller cue regularly is not going to help the development of your game I'm afraid.
Akuma. There seems to be a fascination about cue tip speed but as long as there is no deceleration as the shot is played, cue tip speed will happen naturally determined by the shot being played. Concentrate on hitting the ball sweetly, timing the ball and getting through it, the rest will look after itself.
I have one question Mr. Stark: how can i find out the right length for my cue ? My bodylength is 1,82 meters and my cue is 1,47 meters... i have to say im chubby but for comfortable cueing i have to grip at the end of my cue und that causes side because when i finish the shot i grip the flat part of the cue and spin the griphand in direction of my body... how can i find out the right length? I hope u have some advice for me. U do great work..learned a lot from u greetings from germany
G-CO. This is a little difficult without seeing you play but I can give you some guidelines. 1.82 is quite tall and 1.47 cue length is about average, the fact that you are a little overweight (hope that is not unkind) may increase the need for a longer cue slightly. Place a mark 10 inches to 11 inches from the tip of the cue, that is where you position your bridge hand, ( where your thumb meets the forefinger) Place another mark 6 inches away from the first. Now grip your cue and bring your hand towards your chest firmly but without going past your chest. Keep re-positioning your grip hand until the second mark on the cue reaches the bridge thumb. That is where you should now be holding your cue and armed with that information you will be able to determine the correct length of cue for you. Please be aware that this is only a guideline and not set in tablets of stone, I would be slightly reluctant to go above 59 inches as this tends to make the cue whippy.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach Thank you very much for your answer. I will try it out. It makes sense absolutly to me what you answered . Thank you . Great channel . Learned a lot in the past month.
Daniel. The short answer to this is yes. Imagine you are playing the blue from its spot with the cue ball on the green spot. Play half ball on the blue with left hand side and the cue ball with leave the blue wider than it would if it was played with right hand side.
You mean to the corner pocket? And i rmb steve davis used to says dont use sides unless cushions are involved how true is that sir and WOW a short ans to a short qns most impressed
Greetings! I love Snooker. I am a fair player, Exceptional at times. Can you please tell me why it is that a good player with all the knowledge and enough practice sometimes completely lost their game during a match. I have seen it happened with almost everyone. I understand the pressure during the match is the main factor. Do you have any advice for this kind of situation?
raj. The pressure of playing a match can and does affect players in different ways, some players will thrive on the pressure, it brings the best out in them. Others will simply fold with the pressure causing them to doubt their own ability or to disturb their concentration. Still others allow their muscles to become tense with the end result being what we call the dreaded twitch. The two best ways I have found in dealing with the pressure is to establish a pre-shot routine, this should be done on the practise table and should include how you approach the table, how you place your cue on line, the rhythm of your feathers, all with the intention of saying if it works on the practise table there is no reason why it should not work during matches. The other thing to do is to practise diaphragmatic breathing to get more oxygen into the body, to slow the heart rate down and of course relax the body.
shashank. Tension has got to be the cause here, please try to relax and just let it happen.try to let the cue do the work, if your muscles do the work you are bound to include a certain amount of tension.
Great video sir. I want to become professional. I am good with my aiming.. but need to improve on the cue ball control. How do I score a 50 or a 60 without using side?
Akhil. Cue ball control is the real essence of the game, knowing where to place it and then having the ability to get it there is paramount to improvement. If you can make 50 or 60 breaks regularly don't be too worried about using side, some shots do require its use, just try to use it sparingly rather than eliminating it all together. Play a little billiards, this will teach you something about cue ball control and hopefully improve your snooker, top of the table play is particularly relevant for the snooker player, there are many examples on RU-vid. Failing that just practise various routines like the ones I show on video all the time learning from what you are doing, when you fail to position the cue ball where you intend, just try to work out why and try again, all the time making subtle adjustments.
Sir any easy way to clean my cue ferrule ?it has got some chalk tint around and little bit scratchy as well , How to make it shine like new ??!! Till now , I'm just using a dry cotton cloth to clean the whole cue but I guess that bluish chalk tint need something extra to go away...
Arbaz. Getting chalk on the cue and ferrule is usually the result of allowing the indentation in the chalk to get too deep resulting in bad chalking practise. If the ferrule is scratched only very fine emery paper will bring it back to its former glory but please be very careful. Get the finest abrasive you can get, fold the paper in half and rub the two abrasive surfaces together to make it even finer, Take care.
Only 2 colour balls are remained on the tablet pink and black we have to pink but cue ball is touching to pink ball we have to play pink what should we do?? Please sir explain me
Yousuf. You must play away from the pink and you will have been deemed to have hit the pink. However, one word of warning, if the pink moves as a result of your shot then that is a foul.
leanne. I am a fair player and I do make the odd century break but I am 75 years old and past my best playing days, I am afraid I am not that good that I can make them to order. I teach the shots that allows a player to make century breaks, the rest is down to him/her to practise and develop the skills necessary to reach that milestone.
greetings Mr.Barry am a coach in Egypt and am having big problem with students to find this atual Centre axe of the white.you know that players who have unintentional side they imagine that it is the Centre of cue ball while it is not. so is there areal effective way that make people see the real Centre axe of cue ball or any aid or tool to see it separately from the illusion of shades and lights reflecting on the cue ball. p.s I got areal problem seeing dark portion on surface of cue ball so am looking for a reference .do you train coaches or only players hope to meet u someday soon thanks a lot
mohamed. I have been involved in training snooker coaches both in England and abroad, mainly in China. Hitting the cue ball in the centre can be tricky for some players. A player may play with left hand side because his cue action puts right hand side on or vice versa. I have seen players aim with side but actually hit the ball in the middle, one flaw trying to correct another flaw. I have found the best way to tackle this is first ensure they are aiming and cueing in a straight line by examining it on the baulk line, then get them to look down on the cue ball while the cue tip is close to it, my video on this explains it in detail, please have a look.
coach barry tell me something about that when i play the shot i just get confused, and then miss the easy ones, also tell me about bringing the ball back (screw) after hitting the shot
Abdul. There is always a fascination about screwing the ball back from players who are just learning the game. There is no secret to it, just keep that cue parallel with the table, hit the cue ball at the bottom and strike through the ball. Try this from close range, about 12 inches apart, no more to start with and progress from there. Please have a look at my video which explains how to screw the ball back in detail. When you miss easy balls it is generally because you have moved or have not grooved your technique enough, I'm sorry but the fact that you are asking about how to play a screw shot tells me that you are still a beginner and as such you will miss shots that seem easy. Please be patient, keep doing the right things and progress will come.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach I agree. The late great Eddie Charlton was a player I enjoyed watching as a child. Notoriously hardly used side only when necessary. Cheers for your time to reply!👍
I'm FROM NEPAL , i really like your video and also thank you because my game Is really improve so thank you very much... now I need cue ball control hehe please can you share how to cue ball control ???
rai. Controlling the cue ball is the real art of the game, it allows you to make each shot as easy as possible. Once you have learned to cue straight and can get through the ball its now down to practise and lots of it. I can teach you how to screw a ball back but to determine the amount is down to that one word. PRACTISE.
ben. Place the cue ball on the baulk line, then use the baulk line to help you to determine where the centre is by placing your cue tip at the bottom of the ball. Another way is to place the tip against the cue ball, look down on the cue ball and your cue from directly above it, it is best to to use a loop bridge to do this. Don't forget hitting centre is only half of the problem, you have to cue straight through it as well.
Germain. Sorry but I only purchase the same balls that are in tournament play. Buying any others would be a waste of money for me. All standards of balls will react differently, its just a question of getting used to them.
