Pool and cue sports are engaging hobbies that combine strategy, skill, and a bit of physics. They offer social interaction, mental stimulation, and a fun challenge. To get started, you can download a pool app, join a local club, or invest in a home table. Practice, patience, and a love for the game are key.
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Billiards and Pool
as a hobby
AKA: Cue Sports
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We curated content to familiarize you with billiards and pool as a hobby and to inspire and help you get started.
We strive for accuracy, but errors may occur. Always use your judgment.
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Efren Reyes, nicknamed “The Magician” and “Bata” (Tagalog for ‘Kid’), is a Filipino professional pool player, widely regarded as the greatest pool player of all time. Efren has won over 100 international titles.
Basic lingo for orientation.
- Bank shot: A shot where the object ball is rebounded off a cushion before falling into a pocket.
- Break: The first shot of a game, where the cue ball is used to hit the racked balls and scatter them.
- Combo shot: A shot where the cue ball hits two or more object balls in succession, usually with the intention of pocketing one of them.
- Cue ball: The white ball that is struck by the cue stick to hit other balls.
- Cue stick: The wooden or fiberglass stick used to strike the cue ball.
- Draw shot: A shot where the cue ball is struck below center, causing it to spin backwards and travel in the opposite direction after hitting an object ball or a cushion.
- Follow shot: A shot where the cue ball is struck above center, causing it to spin forward and travel in the same direction as the object ball or cushion it hits.
- Foul: A violation of the rules, such as scratching the cue ball, hitting the wrong ball, or failing to hit any ball.
- Jump shot: A shot where the cue ball is made to jump over an intervening ball by striking it very hard and low.
- Massé shot: A shot where the cue ball is struck with extreme sidespin, causing it to curve sharply around an obstacle.
- Pocket: One of the six holes on the corners and sides of the table, where the balls are aimed to be sunk.
- Rack: The triangular frame used to arrange the balls in a specific pattern before the break.
- Safety shot: A shot where the cue ball is placed in a position that makes it difficult for the opponent to make a legal or effective shot.
- Scratch: A type of foul where the cue ball falls into a pocket or off the table.
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How to break the ice and make a start. One Aha! moment is all you need.
- The easiest first step is to play the 8 Ball Pool app, either on the official website or on your phone. While it isn’t the real thing, it’s a great simulation. You play against real people, so you feel a real challenge. You can try different shots and tactics. Overall, it’s a great way to get familiar with the game and its rules and figure out if you are excited about it.
- Moreover, studies indicate that mental practice has a positive and significant effect on performance, so playing virtual pool might actually help you develop some real-world skills.
- Next, you can find a friend or a family member and book a table in a pool club near you. You don’t need any equipment, as it can be rented.
- You can also book a table for yourself and practice with YouTube tutorials.
- If there isn’t a nearby pool club, or you prefer to start at home, you can start with a small folding billiards table. Or, if you feel committed and have the space and money, you can buy a full-sized billiards table.
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What equipment do I need to start playing pool?
The basic equipment includes a pool table, a set of balls, a cue stick, and chalk for the cue tip. If you start by visiting a snooker and pool club near you, you won’t need any equipment, as it can be rented.
What are the different types of cue sports?
Cue sports are divided into three main categories:
- Carom Billiards: Played on pocketless tables, typically ten feet long, including straight rail, balkline, one-cushion carom, three-cushion billiards, artistic billiards, and four-ball.
- Pocket Billiards (Pool): Played on tables with six pockets, available in lengths of seven, eight, nine, or ten feet. Popular variants include eight-ball, nine-ball, ten-ball, straight pool, one-pocket, and bank pool.
- Other Cue Sports: This includes snooker, English billiards, and Russian pyramid, all played on large tables (nearly 12 ft by 6 ft) with six pockets. These games are distinct due to their unique histories, cultures, rules, and terminology.
Is pool hard to learn?
The basics of pool are relatively easy to pick up. You can learn the rules and how to hold the cue in a few minutes. However, mastering the game and developing advanced skills takes time and practice.
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| Activities | |
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| Skills | Adaptability, Analytical Thinking, Attention to Detail, Concentration, Creativity, Decision-making, Empathy, Hand-eye Coordination, Memory, Mindfulness, Motor Coordination, Patience, Perseverance, Planning, Problem Solving, Risk-taking, Self-esteem, Social Skills, Spatial Ability, Strategic Thinking |