How to Rack a Game of 8-Ball By Paul Travis At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Being able to make a shot and keep the pool cue level for it's entirety is a very common question of any beginning (and some intermediate) pool players. I know myself that when I first started playing this was one of the biggest obstacles to overcome and to be honest, only practice makes perfect. However, I can give you a few simple pointers for how to pull off the perfect level shot.

The first thing to keep in mind is that your bridge hand (the hand that you place on the pool table and use to aim) should not actually grip the pool cue. The idea isn't to grab hold of the cue and force it to point in the direction that you want, but rather to simply guide it into position.

To do this, the easiest way is to place you hand palm down on the pool table and then twist your thumb so that the tip of your thumb is pointing upwards. Then, you rest the top of your cue in the small cradle formed between your thumb and index finger. Some players prefer to wrap their index finger around the pool cue in order to achieve greater control, however, if you choose to do this you should make sure that you are not pressing down on the cue.

Applying any pressure to the front of the pool cue will cause friction which could throw off your shot (or at least slow it down) and could cause your cue to bend, ruining a level shot. This is one of the most common errors made by beginners.

With your other hand you want to make sure that you grab hold of the cue about nine inches back from its balancing point. This is really something that is a matter of preference but keep in mind that the closer you hold the cue towards the center of gravity, the less weight that is resting on your bridge hand. This can be useful as far as control and aiming goes, however, having more weight might enable you to keep the tip straight and keep the cue level.

Now, when you draw your arm back to actually take your shot you need to make sure that you bend your elbow and move your shoulder so that your cue remains completely level for the entire time. Many beginners think that they only need to have the cue level at the point of impact; however, you really need to keep your pool cue level for the entire stroke. It wouldn't hurt to take a few practice strokes just to make sure that you aren't lifting the back or front end of the cue at any point.

When starting out it can be extremely helpful to have a friend watch you take a few shots from the side. This way they'll be able to watch the vertical placement of your cue for the entire shot and give you any pointers as to what mistakes you may be making. Just remember, as I said before, practice makes perfect.

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