The first thing that most players do wrong when playing pool, is to hold the pool cue far too tight. Think of it as a tube of toothpaste and hold it just tight enough to only slightly dent the tube. Don’t use all your fingers to hold the cue, rather just use your thumb and forefinger to create a loop with the balance of your fingers merely supporting the butt of the cue. Most importantly, don’t run your thumb along the top of the cue as this will restrict proper wrist flexibility required through the shot.

Different shots require different hand positions, and whilst it is vital that you keep your body position as static as possible, you may need to change the position of your backhand. For example if you want to hit a hard shot, you may want to hold the cue toward the back of the butt so as to generate as much lateral movement as possible. Alternately, you may need to hold the cue toward the joint for delicate shots so as to improve accuracy and touch.

Ideally, when addressing the cue ball and just prior to playing your shot, your back arm should be perpendicular to the floor. However at the end of the day…all you are looking for is for the cue to travel in a straight line, so if you have to look backwards and play through your legs, it’s not an issue just so long as you play the cue ball straight and true.

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