Miscellaneous Tips

"Gambling will surely be the downfall of the sport!"

- Actual quote from Earl Strickland, 1994

Ok let's say you are a beginner or intermediate player and you are playing against someone who is better than yourself. First of all refer to the previous article which talks about the pocket holding technique.

So a few months ago after reading all the hype about radial consistency and 29% less deflection you sold your old favorite cue that you've used for a long time and bought a new Predator. At first everything was great but ever so slowly you game has gone downhill. You've lost that confidence that you once had in your hard earned abilities and sometimes you're frustrated enough that you even think about giving up the game. You still make most of the shots that you used to but not the more difficult shots or the ones that require finesse especially when using english. Worse yet you have to struggle to beat players that used to be no problem.

For people who may lack a little cue power, eg. stopping the cue ball from long distance, try bridging 2 inches further back from the cue ball, makes it easier to stop it and work it from distance and less power is needed. There is obviously a limit to how far you can bridge from the cue ball but some people cue very close and have a problem with power , this should help.

In the game of eight ball you will be exposed to many pitfalls. This is not an easy game. It is tough. You are required to make decisions while in the heat of battle.  Unlike nine ball, where you go from one ball to the next, in the game of eight ball you have choices. To be successful, you must develop the ability to make your choice, and feel one hundred per cent certain. Here is the problem for most league players. They decide to play the twelve ball, and think about the fifteen ball. They make their decision, but still have reservations. This is not the way to stroke a shot. Remember, The stroke, minus the interference, equals the shot. Be sure you are fully committed to what you intend to do.

Tournament preparation means being focused and ready to play and you will advance to the next level in tournament play. Winners are not accidents. They have a plan and stick to it with good results. Tournament preparation is just as important as tournament practice.

I'm not what you would consider an instructor but am advanced enough to get annoyed when looking for info on using advanced techniques for position play and shot making. It seems that most instructions and books are so directed to basic shot making.