Billiard Stances- A Comparison Of Two Styles - Easy Pool Tutor

Step 3: Stroke the Line-> Pause-> Shoot

The stroke should begin with the cue tip just behind the cue ball.  At this point of contact the right elbow should be vertical, forming a 90 degree right angle between upper arm and forearm.  The first motion of the stroke should be away from the cue ball, then returning to that starting point on the forward stroke.  The entire body should be comfortably still as you stroke.  The head, and neck and shoulders especially, should not move, only the elbow, forearm, and grip should swing the cue.  This is impossible to do without a good base in the pelvis, legs, and feet.  The right upper arm/elbow needs to remain in line with the head and cue.

It isn't enough to just stroke, you have to aim that stroke as well.  Eyes can move up and down the line between cue, cue ball, and object ball, but at the moment of contact it is essential to be looking at the line passing through the cue ball and object ball together, so that the shot can be confirmed as it is played.

Pausing the stroke, I feel, has many merits.  Firstly, if your stance is well set up, comfortable, and stable over a solid base, you should be able to pause the motion of elbow, forearm, and grip without strain.  If you find it difficult chances are you're not really that stable over your base.  Secondly, pausing, whether at the front of the stroke next to the cue ball, or at its apex at the back, gives your eyes the chance to check the line of the cue in relation to the line of the shot.  No matter how good you are at setting up it's still easy to miss.  The subtlest of body movements can throw your aim off.  This is why I recommend a pause, either at the front or back swing of your last stroke- it gives you one last moment to check the line and the alignment of your body and cue in relation to that line before you shoot.

I hope you have enjoyed, please feel free to email me with questions/comments at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Pattern of the Number 3 in Billiards

Three Fundamentals:

1. Head/Eyes = Aim
2. Hands/Cue = Stroke
3. Pelvis = Stability

Three Fundamentals:

1. Head/Eyes/ guiding Hands/Cue/ over Pelvis into Stance
2. Head, Eyes, Elbow, Eye-of-Grip, Bridge, Cue, all in Line
3. Sighting, Stroking, Shooting

The Pool Break

Channel swinging elbow power and body weight transference from right to left foot through the bridge hand / Hit the cue ball with a flat cue / Swing with the elbow in line and a loose grip on the cue, tightening on impact / Hit the dead center of the cue ball at maximum cue speed.

The Head

The head is so important.  Your head is where your eyes are.  It is where the balance of the body begins.  The reason I think people miss most often is not because they fail to cue the ball where they want it but rather that they fail to sight the shot correctly in the first place.