How To Get Better At Pool

August 29, 2022 By FCI Billiards

If you are looking for pool tips and tricks, you have come to the right place. FCI Billiards is passionate about the game and has some advice on how to get better at pool. Check out our tips for playing pool and learn some billiard practice drills to improve your game.

7 Pool Tips And Tricks To Improve Your Game

For people who are very new to the game, these pool tips and tricks are for you. If you have picked up a pool cue for the first time and fallen in love with this beautiful game, our tips for playing pool can help you turn that passion into success on the table. Below, you'll find a good list of billiard practice drills and areas of your game to focus on.

1. Work On Your Grip

One of the big mistakes most beginners make is gripping their pool cue like a baseball bat. None of the shots you make at the billiard table require all the force you can muster. Even breaking is about controlled power. One of the first pool tips for beginners is to utilize a light, loose grip on the pool cue for balance and control. A common billiard practice drill is to have a cue ball on an empty table and practice taking a shot at different grip strengths. Find the one that offers the most control for you for multiple shot types.

2. Utilize Billiard Practice Drills

Speaking of ways to improve your pool skills, utilize billiard practice drills to enhance your shots. Set up a shot on the table and practice it repeatedly. Learn how the cue ball caroms, what angles to use and how much power is required to get the shot you want. Work on getting consistent contact from the pool cue tips to the balls so you have a better idea of where and how hard to strike.

3. Practice Your Bridge Techniques

As far as pool shooting tips go, practicing your bridge is definitely near the top. Different kinds of shots use different bridge techniques to achieve the proper angle and support for your pool cue. Open bridge, closed bridge, rail bridge, elevated bridge — if you want to learn to play pool like a pro, first you must practice your technique.

4. Find Your Aiming Lines

Learning how to play pool better starts with a lot of basics. Before you can hit trick shots you need to be able to regularly sink balls in straight lines and basic bank shots. The easiest way to do so is to draw an imaginary line from the pocket through the ball you are aiming to hit and connect it to your cue ball. The angle from the pocket to the object ball to the cue ball will tell you where your shot needs to be placed to send the ball into the pocket.

5. Develop and Practice a Shot Routine

Billiards, like golf, comes down to shot repetition. The most successful players are able to repeat the same shot over and over again. One of the reasons that professionals can to do that is by developing and practicing a shot routine. A good time to develop a shot routine is now, when you are learning the fundamentals. Analyze your shot, take your position, practice your breathing and take any other additional steps that feel natural and comfortable to you.

6. Turn Your Arm Into a Pendulum

One of the best pool tips and tricks around is turning your shooting arm into a pendulum. Do this by acting like your upper arm and shoulder can't move during your shot. Lock them in place and have your lower arm swing from the elbow like a pendulum. This will vastly improve your shot consistency and is one of the best pool shooting tips.

7. Learn Proper Posture

Learn to play pool like a pro by taking cues from the professionals: Develop proper shot alignment through your posture. Your feet should be balanced on the floor. Your eyes should be down close to the table to ensure proper aiming. Make sure your hands are positioned in a straight line behind the cue ball. Keep your head low and straight in line with your shot. Ensuring that you have firm posture and proper alignment is how you get better at pool.

Get the Best Equipment From FCI Billiards

Shop online at FCI Billiards for all of your pool table accessories. Now that you've learned how to play pool better, you can get the same equipment the pros use. Buy your pool cues and shafts from FCI and get some billiard practice drills under your belt before you hit the pro circuit. Improve your pool skills and upgrade your tools with FCI Billiards today.

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