PoolRooster's Billiard Supplies

BILLIARDS SIMPLIFIED 

PRELIMINARY WORK 

BEFORE attempting to strike a pool ball, it is of the 
utmost importance that you should first thoroughly 
master several points which, although in themselves 
simple enough, must on no account be evaded or passed 
over with indifference. These pool shooting points I now proceed to 
notice. 

ATTITUDE 

A CORRECT and easy attitude is most essential to 
good play. For ordinary strokes the position of the 
body must be as follows : 

The feet must be placed about twelve inches apart the 
right foot being behind the left. The left foot points almost 
directly in a line with the direction of the cue, the right 
foot being at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the 
left. The left leg must be slightly bent at the knee, while 
the right is kept perfectly straight and rigid, so as to 
support the main weight of the body. The body is bent at 
the hips, the chin being brought down to within about six 
inches of the cue, and immediately above it.

The left, or bridge arm, must be extended perfectly straight, and the 
right, or cue arm, must be bent at the elbow at right 
angles. A firm but unrestrained attitude must be retained 
during the whole of the stroke, the feet being planted 
fixedly on the floor, so that while striking there shall be 
no movement of any part whatever of the body or legs, 
the right fore-arm alone moving. 

 The attitude for striking a ball under 
a cushion, when using the rest, and for other exceptional 
shots will, of course, vary, and can be best learnt by 
watching and copying the play of professionals or good 
amateur performers. At first it will only be necessary for 
the student to practise in the attitude shown in Image one.

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Holding Your Cue

HOLDING THE CUE 

THE cue must be held extremely loosely, by allowing 
it to lie in the loop which is formed by bringing the 
tips of the first and second fingers into contact with the 
inside of the top joint of the thumb. Just the very slight- 
est pressure in the world must be applied to prevent the 
cue from slipping, but otherwise than this the cue must 
lie in the looped ringers, just the same as a stone lies in 
a sling. For ordinary shots there must, as stated, be only 
the very faintest pressure of the fingers, for it is of the 
greatest importance that the cue should be held very 
loosely, and that there is not the slightest approach to 
that gripping which is so characteristic of the inferior 
player, and so fatal to good play. Even in the hardest of 
forcing shots the cue must not be gripped but must be 
held quite loosely. 

The cue must be held a few inches from its butt end. 
The shorter the player, the further from the end must the 
cue be held, for it is necessary, while holding the cue in 
position on the bridge, that the right fore-arm should 
hang down from the elbow in a perfectly straight line, 
and not be inclined at an angle. A tall man needs a 
longer cue than a short man.