Most newcomers in cue sports (typically in American 8-ball pool) have NO IDEA about some very useful simple things that can help them immensely. It seems to me that some cue sports coaches HIDE some information from their students in order to earn more money by giving more “lessons” to struggling newcomers/amateurs.
Fortunately we live in wonderful times of Youtube and we can learn some crucial things on our own. Ironically, now the problem is that there are TOO MANY useful videos to watch, so I prepared a concise summary of the BEST tips for newcomers in cue sports (typically in American 8-ball pool) that were very useful to me.
I will give the tips in an order that shows that many useful things may be learned IN ADVANCE, even before attempting a single shot.
1. Realize that with a half-ball hit the potting angle is ONLY 30 degrees.
All the other things, including your technique, your bridge, your stance and your cueing action, are useless if you visualize/calculate angles in an incorrect way. I believe many amateurs keep missing some shots ONLY because they visualize relatively big potting angles in a clearly WRONG way. I had been doing it myself.
A half-ball hit is when the middle of the white/cue ball is aimed at the edge of an object ball. When I was younger I had thought that in such case the angle was 45 degrees, so when I learned that it's actually ONLY 30 degrees I was SHOCKED! Here's my own (recent) visualization of the two angles (the second picture is a close-up):
Just look how much OUTSIDE of the object ball you have to aim in order to achieve the angle of 45 degrees!
If you want very good visualizations of different angles just watch this video from 1:26 to 7:14 (times already set):
The problem is that in reality it's very hard to “calculate” angles other then half-ball hit, so the main thing I do is to decide if the angle is bigger or smaller than 30 degrees, so I know if I have to aim outside or within the object ball. With angles clearly smaller than 30 degrees the ghost ball can be very helpful, but with bigger angles the usefulness of the ghost ball is very limited, so it's all about experience.
2. Keep the cue as level as possible.
When I finally learned about the importance of keeping the cue as level as possible my potting on relatively long shots improved INSTANTLY!
If the cue is NOT level then any side-spin, even a tiny one, introduces SWERVE, which means that the path of the white/cue ball is in some part CURVED. Just watch this video from 0:56 to 1:56 (times already set):
3. Be aware of the existence of the cut-induced throw.
The cut-induced throw is connected with a relatively small friction force that acts at the contact point along a different line than the main force, so the effective force is slightly different. On short and/or strong shots it doesn't matter, but on long and relatively weak shots it may cause a missed shot. Open in a new tab to enlarge:
4. Avoid using any side-spin.
This tip is connected with the point 3 BUT there are MORE disadvantages of a side-spin than just swerve! Let's separate them.
4.1. Avoid using any side-spin to avoid SWERVE.
It's practically impossible to keep the cue perfectly level, which means that ANY side-spin is connected with a SWERVE (like it was described in the previous point). What's worse, swerve depends also on shot strength/speed, which introduces another level of complexity. Just watch this video from 10:54 to 12:59 (times already set):
4.2. Avoid using any side-spin to avoid SQUIRT / DEFLECTION:
EVEN if the cue is perfectly LEVEL, a side-spin still makes the white/cue ball move in a slightly different line than the aim line – this effect is called squirt/deflection. Just watch this video from 7:02 to 8:07 (times already set):
When the cue is perfectly level different side-spins require different corrections for squirt/deflection. Just watch this video from 0:37 to 1:31 (times already set):
The amount of time needed to obtain enough experience to be able to correctly apply the correction for squirt/deflection for various side-spins must be HUGE! It's clearly beyond the possible abilities of typical amateurs (with significantly limited playing/practicing time).
4.3. Avoid using any side-spin to avoid a CHANGE in potting angle due to the spin-induced throw.
EVEN if you correctly apply the correction for squirt/deflection, a side-spin ON ITS OWN changes a potting angle due to the spin-induced throw (the spin throws the object ball from the “correct” potting angle).
It's easiest to understand with a straight shot – here's an image of forces acting on the object ball:
So, a side-spin introduces another, relatively small friction force acting at the contact point along a different line, so the effective force is slightly different. On short and/or strong shots it doesn't matter, but on long and relatively weak shots it may cause a missed shot, just like the cut-induced throw (described in the point 3).
The spin-induced throw can act one of TWO ways, unlike the cut-induced throw. The spin-induced throw for an INSIDE side-spin ADDS to the effect of the cut-induced throw, while the spin-induced throw for an OUTSIDE side-spin CORRECTS (more or less) the effect of the cut-induced throw.
In some cases the OUTSIDE side-spin may help to achieve a perfect potting angle by perfectly compensating the cut-induced throw, like this (open in a new tab to enlarge):
The problem is that it's very hard to correctly apply the amount of side-spin AND at the same time to correctly apply the correction for squirt/deflection (see the previous sub-point).
4.4. Summary of the sub-points 4.1., 4.2. and 4.3.
A side-spin with an elevated cue (even only slightly elevated) causes THREE different things AT ONCE (squirt/deflection, swerve and spin-induced throw), so it's EXTREMELY hard to predict the COMBINED effect.
Players who practice DAILY for HOURS have a very good feel for such shots, but a newcomer should AVOID using any side-spin almost completely (see the point 10 for a LONE exception).
A newcomer should learn how potting angles “work” without using any side-spin. Otherwise (when learning while using a side-spin) a newcomer is likely to miss some shots that otherwise (without a side-spin) would actually be successful. Too much confusion for a newcomer!
5. Understand that a top-spin = white/cue ball ROLLING on a table.
This is crucial for understanding why the top-spin is so easy to obtain. When I (finally) realized this connection (top-spin = white/cue ball ROLLING on a table) I recorded a video that is the ultimate proof (obtaining top-spin while pushing the white/cue ball at its bottom part) AND that shows that the effect is stronger when the white/cue ball is rolling faster (as simple as that):
For a better top-spin we have to aim higher at the cue ball just to make the cue ball START to ROLL as quickly as possible (instead of slide on a table without any spin, or even with a back-spin, for some time) – this way we conserve as much energy of our hit as possible for the proper ROLLING movement. With a stun shot, and even more so with a back-spin, lots of energy is wasted by the friction of the cue ball sliding on a table. On the other hand ROLLING friction is much smaller, so less energy is wasted.
6. Forget about back-spin on medium and long shots.
A back-spin on medium and long shots is EXTREMELY hard to obtain, so a newcomer shouldn't even try do to it. With a back-spin lots of energy is wasted by the friction of the cue ball sliding on a table and this is why the back-spin sooner or later wears off and naturally transforms into a rolling movement, so into a top-spin.
When the white/cue ball is close to the object ball it's easier to apply back-spin, BUT I myself miss more shots then (when comparing to non-back-spin shots). I sometimes use it, but only when I'm desperate.
7. Try to develop a steady bridge.
Just watch this video from 4:04 to 9:26 (times already set):
8. Try to develop a repeatable stance.
Just watch this video from 3:43 to 5:45 (times already set):
9. Put your chin on the cue.
A repeatable cue action is probably the hardest thing to achieve by an amateur. For example I myself from time to time mess up a shot in such a way that the white/cue ball travels significantly to the left side from the line I wanted it to go along. It's most pronounced on long shots, but it must be happening (from time to time) on all types of shots. On some bad days, when I struggle with it on too many shots, I try to consciously “correct” my aim to the right and I end up messing up the next shot. Honestly, this is so frustrating that I simply accepted the fact that I mess up some shots from time to time, mostly because I don't have time nor will to practice this aspect of my game.
HOWEVER there is one thing that is actually useful and improves things a little – putting your chin on the cue. It helps to physically feel if the cue is moving in a straight line. The problem is that your stance has to be low enough, so the cue is almost level (at the table's height).
Here's a video referring to older people, who are not as agile as young ones, that points out the importance of putting your chin on the cue, even at the cost of using a non-typical stance – just watch from 1:27 to 2:40 (times already set):
10. It's SAFE to use an OUTSIDE side-spin on SHORT shots with BIG CUTS.
This is a LONE exception to the point 4. (“Avoid using any side-spin”) and I myself use this shot regularly.
With an OUTSIDE side-spin THREE things happen simultaneously:
1) there is squirt/deflection that makes the white/cue ball travel along a different line, so the potting angle becomes a little off, but with a short shot the effect is very small,
2) the cut-induced throw makes the potting angle even more off, as usual,
3) with significant outside side-spin the spin-induced throw is STRONGER than the cut-induced throw, which compensates for BOTH effects from the points 2 and 3.
Open in a new tab to enlarge:
The combined effect is still to the same side as the cut-induced throw, but it's BETTER than when trying to pot the object ball without any side-spin, because the object ball is hit more thick (less risk of missing it completely) but it still goes in. Here's my example:
Why a little top-spin? It stabilizes the movement of the white/cue ball by minimizing the sliding phase at the start, which by the way conserves the energy of the shot. Just watch this video from 12:53 to 14:06 (times already set):
An OUTSIDE side-spin (with a little top-spin) on SHORT shots with BIG CUTS in some cases allows spectacular positioning, like this:
The sheer energy of the white/cue ball moving around the table is a joy to watch! In such positioning an OUTSIDE spin ADDS speed to the white/cue ball at FOUR different places – first at the object ball (very small addition, but still) and then at THREE cushions! In this case the spin was still quite strong when the white/cue ball hit the fourth cushion, but it happened on the “wrong side of the side-spin” and this is why the white/cue ball slowed down significantly.
Overall my shot was actually too strong (far from perfect position to pot the black ball), but it means that a similar positioning, for example on just three cushions, is within reach of a newcomer.
11. Do NOT try to imitate professionals, even on breaks.
According to the WPA rules for 8-ball, if no object-ball is pocketed, at least four object-balls must be driven to one or more rails. Newcomers often struggle with achieving a legal break, but there is a position that practically guarantees a legal break even with a relatively weak shot. When you place the white/cue ball behind the Head String at the place corresponding to the end of the object ball triangle and aim straight to the top ball of the triangle then at least four balls are driven towards cushions with relatively big energy, like this:
Which exactly cushions are hit is a little random because even a tiny difference in triangle placement OR a tiny difference in shot aim is enough to alter all the ball movements significantly. In this case I didn't hit the top ball of the triangle perfectly straight and this is why the white/cue ball went a little to the left.
With such a break it's actually possible to pot even two balls, like this (but it's very rare – I did it only once):
Did you notice how the white/cue ball stopped completely still, giving away all of its energy? Unfortunately it's very hard to hit the top ball of the triangle perfectly straight, which means that usually some energy of the shot is wasted. For really good players it doesn't matter because their break shot is extremely strong, but for a newcomer every little thing is important. Not to mention that really good players use a special break cue, which allows extremely strong break shot that would break the standard cue (a pun intended).
On a side note: I LOVE weak amateur 8-ball breaks because the object balls remain quite clustered, so even very good players have trouble to clear the table in one attempt. This is why I NEVER hit with full power (not even close), although I usually try to obtain a semi-weak break, so I hit relatively strong (rather than consciously weak).
By the way, I HATE when some people think/suggest that all the amateur players should try to imitate professionals, especially while breaking. It's PATHETIC to encourage your opponent to play to YOUR strengths.
12. Aim straight at the top ball in the triangle.
Yes, I repeat what I already wrote, but it's crucial for newcomers. In the break below LOTS of energy was retained in the white/cue ball (it moved first to the right cushion and then all the way to the left cushion) just because my son hit the top ball far from straight.
By the way, it's a kind of record for the weakest legal break in American 8-ball pool. ONLY 4 balls separated significantly from the triangle and they all touched at least one cushion. The last of the 4 balls did it just barely and we started laughing. It was crucial (for achieving the “record”) how much energy was transferred (through other balls) to the 13 ball – it went around the table, hitting all 4 cushions and ended up not far from the center. So, most of the shot energy was contained in just two balls (the white/cue ball and the 13 ball) and the rest of the energy was transferred mostly to the other 3 balls that reached the cushions. The rest of the balls barely moved. What a shot! Sort of.
Summing up:
Learning from your own mistakes will take forever if you don't even know that you keep committing a particular mistake, especially if you visualize/calculate angles in an incorrect way.
