Billiards Beginning

When I was young, I was always interested in math. Numbers weren't something tangible I could really grab, but to me, it felt good being around figures, symbols, and other stuff involving equations. When fourth year high school kicked in, physics introduced itself, and I fell in love instantly.

Newton's Third Law of Reciprocal Actions states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Perhaps in the world of real love, this does not hold true, but in billiards, it does! Whatever magic you want to do on the ball depends on you. It all depends on your control of the cue ball.

Before I'd start with my formal lessons, I want you to just shoot and shoot random balls first. Notice what happens when you aim your stick at the bottom of the cue ball. What happens? Why does it draw (reverse) itself from the object ball? Why does it move forward when aimed at the top? Where does the cue ball go when it is shot left or right? All of these things I will explain in the future. For now, however, I want you to just shoot randomly in all directions and have a feel what it's like to be in control of the ball. Pocketing will come naturally. Feeling king of the game doesn't. All of these things take time, and I assure you, after about five or six lessons, you will now how it feels to be a billiards champion, or even a billiard tricks master.

My early career started in unknown tournaments. I've won several low pot tourneys battling old drivers and billiards goons and wannabees. It's never too late even if you're old. All one needs is confidence and heart. Controlling the spin is one of the most important things in the game. Also, you must keep in mind that the draw shot or the reverse shot should be saved for very rare circumstances. Yes, it looks fancy, but it's better to just use follow on the ball with the right spin as that approach is easier to control. Control would probably be the most important word and element I'll be repeating for all the lessons. If you're interested in not just knowing how to play but be on gambling or pro-tournament level, I also suggest you buy a nice cue, perhaps $50 at the least. Some tips really do not give the full power one needs for exact preparations in billiards games. Plus, if the table is ugly, a cue stick with a bad tip would get you nowhere. Trust me on this. The best players fall without a stick. In the game of pool, the good work man CAN blame his tools.

So that would be enough for today. If you have any questions, I'll be posting my email on my next entry. Prepare for tomorrow's first lesson, the spin.