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Thinking ahead ? shots

Make a definite plan of how you will take on the game.  Think several shots ahead.  Most pro’s will tell you the whole game
has already been played out in their mind before the play a shot.

Start off by thinking two shots ahead then three and so on.  This way you can change to this new way of playing without going the whole
distance in one go.

Some of the benefits of this way of thinking are:
* Greater awareness of the table
* Thinking of a correct order in which the balls should be potted
* It help you think of a game plan which you will play against your opponent e.g. more defensive game etc

I never ran a rack until I played the game this way.  I remember the first time I made a complete clearance of all 8 balls in competition, Wow!

Make them play the game your way.

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Do you wish to become a professional billiards player and join the ranks of all time greats or at least be in the same league as champions.  There are many who have made it to the top by virtue of their talent and sheer hard work.

Apart from playing the game earnestly, you also need to take care of certain finer points. For example, joining a club of professional billiards players or interacting with state level players would give you an insight on how the game is played on professional level. Participating in tournaments that attract maximum viewer attention and are extensively covered by international channels like World 8-Ball Championship, 9-Ball Challenge and U.S Open One Pocket Championship and is the perfect way to enter the realm of professional billiards.

Professional billiards players look up to a win in any of these tournaments. You also tend to earn respect amongst the followers of the game. Following the career of these players would give you an idea about how to chalk out your career plan and go about it. Finally but most importantly there is no other alternative to continuous practice and it is the key to becoming a professional billiards player.

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Billiard drills will help you practice your billiard moves and hone your billiard skills. Hence, if you want to become a perfect billiard player then you have to practice drills to be able to improve your shots and the techniques of playing the game.

For practice drills you can improve certain shots namely cue ball concentration, cross table speed, short area draw, short position draw, long and straight, aiming, follow shots, squirt and masse shot.   Most skill shots require a lot of practice.

In practice drill sessions you will get a fair opportunity to practice the shots and understand the technicalities involved in the game. For instance if you wish to perfect your skill then you can aim for killing the perfect cue ball. You can aim the first ball in the string and hit the cue ball through a straight shot.

All the above mentioned shots have their special and particular techniques which you have to master before you can become a great billiard player. The short position draw is another shot in which you need to hit the shorter ball in the string. Once you become an expert then you will be able to execute the drill without hitting the cue ball on the bottom cushion.

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Using the correct speed

How hard do you hit the object balls into the pockets?

Sure, it looks good to hammer them home into the pocket but what if you miss?
the balls have the tendency to go everywhere, making it a real possibility for the opponent to take control.

There are 3 main reason to use just the right amount of speed on a cueball:

1) To stay in control of the game.  Scattering every ball just aint being in control
2) Should you miss, you park the balls over a pocket and then you will also block that pocket for your opponent
3) These ‘locked pocket’ balls offer a ‘get out of jail’ shot should you run out of position.

Make them play the game your way

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Learning to win again - making 8ball great once more

After we have not played for a while we sometimes get lazy to win.  We lose the initiative to go out to win and it becomes a burden upon us.  In occasions like these w need to step back from the normal and refocus.

Prepare well
When we prepare well we increase our chances of making that vital shot.  Make sure that if you’ve been away from it all for a while or if you not been playing well that you get down to the practice room.  Try out all the shots which bother you, after all there’s no need in practicing the shots you can manage already.

Commit to win
Make a commitment now as you read this that you will win x amount of games next time you play.  Don’t suddenly expect to win every game right-away.

It will all take time but one things for sure, each game will make you a better player.

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