Let’s look in this article about keeping our stick level when we hit the cue ball and why that is so important. I’m sure you have all taken shots that looked right, but when you hit the cue ball, the shot was off by a lot.

Why it’s Important to Keep a Level Cue Stick 395i6e

Because the bed of the pool table is very hard, anytime we are hitting down on the cue ball, we develop a force into the table that causes the cue ball to do some unpredictable things.

The first thing that happens to the cue ball is that it jumps off the table. By hitting down into the cue ball, we cause the cue ball to hop as it is moving down the table. This causes us to hit the object ball in a spot other than the one we are aiming at.

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Q: Is it better to put a pool table on carpet or hardwood floors?

The short answer, hardwood floors but you can still install a pool table on carpet or a rug with a few caveats. As you well know, a stable foundation is essential to properly leveling a pool table (and keeping it level for that matter). For this reason, we always recommend installing pool tables on hard surfaces like wood or concrete. If renovating the flooring in your game room isn’t an option, you can still install your table on top of carpet without any major problems by following these rules.

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A pre-shot routine refers to the steps you take prior to your actual shot. In pool, the pre-shot routine is very important because this routine (which some might even call a ritual) is what puts you in position to execute precision shots.

Pre-Shot Routines Increase Consistency 1pv3a

One of the hardest things to do is not just to make good shots, but make them on a consistent basis. This doesn’t mean just one miracle shot. It means being able to place the OB right where you want at any given moment, over and over again. They say practice makes perfect right? Your pre-shot routine is just practicing before it’s time to execute.
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K.I.S.S. is something we hear about all the time. No not that one for you lounge lizards out there!! Keep it simple silly!! ( we don’t like to say bad things about ourselves!!).

In a previous article we talked about how difficult pool really is. We are hitting a round ball, with a stick with a round tip, trying to precisely hit another ball into a pocket. A millimeter error in hitting the cue ball means a 5 millimeter error on the object ball, and about a 4 inch error at the pocket, more than enough to miss by a lot. That means we need an awful lot of precision in hitting the cue ball.

Play Better Pool; Stay on the Vertical Axis 3y3y6g

One of the tricks to help us play a lot better is staying much closer to the center of the cue ball and on the vertical axis as much as possible. The reason we do this is that the closer to the center we are when hitting the cue ball, the less the cue ball is pushed off our line of aim. In fact, the only time the cue ball goes in the direction the cue stick is pointing is when you strike the cue ball on the vertical axis!!

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Pool Table Size Guide 4l959

When shopping for a pool table, the most common question buyers have is  “What is the best pool table size to have?” The answer has more to do with the space you’ll be placing your new pool table in. A too-big pool table in a small room will be unplayable and a too-small pool table in a big, open space will look and feel disproportionate. Next, other considerations, like who will be playing on your new pool table, or your personal skill level goals, factor in.  

Smaller pool tables are easier to play on due to the shorter distances for shots, making them great for casual play and beginners. On the other hand, regulation-size 9-foot tables offer the most challenge, demanding higher skill levels and precision, making them ideal for advanced players and competitive play.

At GameTablesOnline.com, we are here to help you figure out which pool table is right for you. So we’ve created this guide to help you sort through all the pool tables for sale to find your perfect pool table!

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Learn how to play 8 ball pool like a pro! This article will teach you the basic fundamentals and give you a few key pointers while you’re at it. 8-Ball pool is the most popular pool game, boasting more than 30 million American 8 Ball players across the globe!

Eight-ball pool is commonly referred to as highs and lows, solids and stripes, or spots and stripes. Being that it’s so popular (you guessed it), it’s one of the easiest games to learn how to play.

Here’s the 15 second break down:

1. Break the rack
2. Choose whether you want to take solids or stripes.
3. First person to pocket the 8-Ball last is the victor.

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I climbing Mount Fuji in Japan. You kept your head bent down looking at the ground so you wouldn’t slip, trying hard to breathe and finally you make it to the next station. Imagine the joy that you were one station closer to the top. And then you realized that the number on this station was the same as the number on the station before! Ugh, You had thought you arrived, but in fact, you still had a long way to go.

And that my friends is how your journey in pool will feel like. Once you think you have it, you will realize that you are just starting out. With that in mind, let’s get started on our trip the right way.

Having strong fundamentals in pool is the key to a solid pool game. Let’s look at what these fundamentals are and how to incorporate them into your pool game.

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“Mr. Calm, Cool, & Collected. That’s what he’s known as. Steve “Collected” Markle has shown you what he can do with a cue stick but he’s not done yet.”

For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past few years, Steve Markle is a professionally ranked trick shot artist. Steve has appeared in many tours and on media outlets including ESPN, Insight Magazine, In The Pocket News, Inside Pool Magazine, and ABC News. How’s that for a resume?

“Redefining the Laws of Physics” 2d2h3x

Steve burst onto the scene at an early age. When most kids were just starting high school, Steve was making a name for himself in the giant world of billiards. [#billiardlife] Now at the age of 22, Steve has already built a strong following before many seasoned pros have even begun thinking about a professional career in billiards.

• Started doing trick shots at age 14
• Started competing professionally at age 16

Steve competed in the 2013 ESPN World Cup of Trick Shots last year with the likes of Andy Segal, Jamey Gray, Florian Kohler, and Gabi Visiou. He was invited again this past April to compete in the World Cup of Trick Shots on ESPN2. You don’t have to be a billiards fan by any means to appreciate the talent this guy’s got!

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Game Tables Online would like to welcome Mark to the Game Tables Online Blog for an all-new billiards series! The series is entitled, “A Pool Odyssey.” Why the name? Getting better at pool is a journey! We’re here to steer you in the right direction and lead you to pool excellence.  Mark knows what he’s talking about so listen up!

Mark Finkelstein is a professional pool player, a BCA Master instructor, an American Cue Sports (ACS) Level 4 instructor, and House Pro at Slate Billiards in New York. He is also a former UPA Touring Pro and has played on the Joss 9-Ball Tour. Mark is leading instructor and can be found at other sites including Easy Pool Tutor and Inside Pool Magazine. Mark has also authored a book with McNally Jackson aptly titled, “Pool Ramblings.”

Take it away Mark!
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I wanted to start off this new series with an overview of how to get really good at pool. We all love this game, and at the same time get frustrated sometimes with just how difficult pool really is. Why is it one day I play like a god, and then next day I can’t make a hanger?

Anyone can get good at pool. It takes some sort of instruction, practice, competition and time. What we are going to do is give you some of the instruction part in this series. It is up to you to put in the time, practice and competition to get really good.

Let’s get started.

What exactly do you have to learn to play excellent pool? 5m1y3n

First we need a repeatable, reliable stroke. Without this, we are asking for frustration and problems. Taking the time to learn a proper stroke is the foundation skill for pool excellence. It is best to learn a stroke with a reputable instructor who will video tape you and analyze your swing. Please don’t skimp on this. You can have all the knowledge in the world, play for 40 years, and compete daily, but your progress will be limited by a faulty stroke!!
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English is another word for “sidespin” or “side spin” depending on how you want to spell it. It’s an advanced technique used in fundamentals of billiards before proceeding. This post will teach you what English is in billiards, how it works, and when to use it.

So now that we understand that English is just another word for sidespin, let’s look at the different types of English. Depending on which direction you want your ball to spin, you can apply the appropriate type of English to your cue ball. By hitting the cue ball in a different spot with your cue tip, you can make the cue ball spin left, right, forward, or backwards.

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