Billiardclick.com

Practice makes perfect. And that is true for billiards as well. As you know full well, it is not just about hitting the ball with the cue but a substantial set of subtler skills that makes a billiard player a true master at his game. Hence you need to practice if you wish to compete and show those casual friends of yours where they stand. A fine set of billiard drills can be utilized by you to improve your skills
Concentrating on the cue ball
For most new players, the object ball takes up more of their attention than the cue ball itself. End result? A bungled shot. Line up a series of object balls in a horizontal line across the table. Try and hit each ball absolutely straight after lining up the cue ball with it. If it deviates from the rectilinear, you did not stroke straight and lost concentration.
Perfect Shot control
Set the cue ball and the object ball a little distance away from the rail, in a straight line. Try to hit the object ball with a perfect kill shot and make the cue ball follow the object ball into the corner pocket. Neither should touch the rail.

Photo © Duncan Noakes - Fotolia.com

Does thinking about indoor games evoke memories of endless sessions of pool and snooker with your friends? If you are an avid fan of billiards or snooker, you must know about the different types of balls used for the different games. A game of carom is never played with the ball used for American style pool game.

Lets take, for example, the ball sets used for snooker games. The standard snooker balls measure 52.5 mm in diameter, however some balls also measure 52.4 mm. They have no standard weights, however, they usually weigh around 3 g. On the other hand, for a game of three-cushion, straight or balkline, you need balls that are 61.5 mm in diameter.

If you specialize in the game of Russian pyramid, you need to use a different set of billiards balls (with 68 or 72 mm diameter) from those used in Bumper pool (balls with 52.5 mm diameter). The blackball (British-style pool) uses 4.76 cm cue balls and 5.08 cm object balls, while the American-style pool uses balls with 5.715 cm in diameter.

Do you know how the balls where initially manufactured? They were fashioned out of ivory from elephant tusks. However, today phenolic resin is the most common material used for manufacturing these balls.

Photo © Michael Flippo - Fotolia.com

Billiard practice drills are practice modules to impose better perfection and control over the game of the players. Before start playing with billiards drills-practice module, you should better set you own goal for the year, otherwise the repetitiveness of the practice drill module may hamper on play style.

The popular billiard drill practices are:
When the ball is thrown on the table, in any order, you should run 100 balls consecutively.
You need to run 100 balls without making a miss without allowing the cue ball in touching a rail.
Running three successive sets of 13-ball exercise without a single miss
Running three successive sets of 12 ball exercise without any miss
Running one set of the 14-ball exercise without making a miss
Scoring a 16 or higher in the 8-ball mid term exam
Scoring a 16 or higher count in 9-ball-mid –term exam
Shooting 100 stop shots, keeping apart 3-4 diamonds into pocket of the corner without making any miss
Delivering 20 successful stun shots without making any miss
Delivering15 uninterrupted 2-7-2’s, connecting the diamonds, and stopping the cue ball within a CD diameter of the center of the table
Shooting all lessons from the Lesson in order with maximum five misses
Shooting 25 sets of the 4-ball exercise without making any mistake in the session

These practice drills will ensure a consistence in performance and ideal technique for the beginners as well as for the average players. We cannot count the masters for their practice skill because they are genius and genius designs his own way to practice.

For more info please take a look at www.themonk.com/

Photo © a4stockphotos - Fotolia.com

Practice is the sole means to excel in the game of billiards. Billiard players should note that the practice techniques should be accurate so that it can help them in perfecting and improving the overall game.

First of all, billiard practice techniques are categorized into two parts-pool specific and game specific. Let’s start with pool specific methods. Here you have to keep your head down when you are shooting the pool. Your eye should aim direct over the shooting pool cue so that you can take the right sight down the stick’s shaft. It will help you to see right down the shot path and then aim.

Remember to follow through your own shots when you are playing. Take strokes that are long and smooth and allow the cue tip to follow through the cue ball. Avoid small choppy strokes. It will help to make your own shoots much straighter. You require to chalk the cup tip before each shot as it offers better grip and stops miscues. Concentrate and avoid all types of distractions to give your best.

The game specific tips says to avoid the bank shots as they are difficult than cut shots, plan your shots as 8 ball game is more of positioning your shots. Opt for hard break shots that provide you advantage to shoot balls on break. You can try to hit the cue ball from the side of the game table. Try to place cue ball in a better spot that helps you to make the next shot easily. Moreover, observing experienced players will help you to select particular shots.

Photo © Deklofenak - Fotolia.com

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.

Photo © Ljupco Smokovski - Fotolia.com

Becoming a professional billiard player is not only a matter of talent, practice and expertise. This requires promoting a talent. If you want to promote yourself, if you want to be professional, you need to know few strategies of the game beforehand.

Following are the essential tips for becoming a professional billiards player –

Tip # 1 Practice. The first tip definitely is your dedication, sincerity and hard work. World champions like Francisco Bustamante and Efren Reyes are known to practice for long hours, sometimes stretching even 10 to 12 hours.

Tip # 2 Not only practicing, you need to study the other professionals as well. Make yourself acquainted with the world champions, with their playing style, their special talent, their game plan, their career plan and their lifestyle. Make yourself one such a holistic plan.

Tip # 3 Now you are enough prepared to make your appearance. Join pool league. Develop a network. Test yourself at regional and local levels.

Tip # 4 At the next level, take part in high profile matches. Contests like World 8 Ball Championship or ESPN’s Ultimate 9 Ball Challenge will definitely build your image as a professional. If you win, then you definitely are.

Tip # 5 Last but not the least, be an opinion leader. Master your game and reflect your wisdom in your lifestyle and living.

Practice Games
Ask around and see where more serious players go to play pool.  You will probably find that these are places with the best tables.  To begin with it may be an idea to go at a time that is quiet so you can get plenty of practice in.  Take a friend with you and build up your confidence to play others.  When you feel ready try to visit at a busier time.  Try to play others,  watch and learn from how they play.

Joining a Pool Team
A brilliant way of improving your skills is to join a team.  When doing this consider what stage you are at and what you wish to gain.  In the beginning it may be an idea to find a team that likes to win but does not take it too seriously.  You can have a lot of fun while improving your game.  If you want something more competitive in the future you can alway look around for another team to join and with your new skills they will all be queing up to take you on!

Have fun!

photo © Vitaly Maksimchuk - Fotolia.com

This is the first in a series of re-published interviews exclusive to Billiardclick.com.

Jennifer Barretta Interview (2004)

Can you tell me a little about yourself and when you first started to play
pool?
I started playing pool only 6 1/2 years ago. I used to play recreationally sometimes and one of those times I caught the bug and decided to take some lessons. Since then I’ve played obsessively.

Pool is such a wonderful sport, what are the main reasons which keep you
playing and give you a thirst for the game?
The more success I have the more desire I have to practice and improve. There is always more to learn.

How much do you practice every week, and what does your practice routine
consist of?
I practice 40-50 hours a week, and I practice everything. In my alone practice I do drills and work on things that I struggled with in recent tournaments, and then I spar with better players. I find it helpful to keep a mental checklist in my tournament matches to find what I need to work on. Usually the same problems keep popping up.

What do you think are the main points to study in order to win games and do
you have any philosophies that help you win?
My main philosophy is that if I play well everything else takes care of itself. I never focus on the score or winning and losing. When I play the best I can and I lose anyway I never feel badly about it.

Do you ever play pool for money?
Never. People have told me that it’s the only way to improve because it makes you play harder, but I always play hard. Tournament pressure is different, anyway.

What other interests do you have?
I used to love snowboarding, but I gave it up for pool. I’ve put so much of myself into it that I can’t risk an injury at this point.

www.jenniferbarretta.com