r/billiards Jul 21 '17

[Tip Compilation] Various tips, kicking systems, shots, and wwyd posts, in one spot.

352 Upvotes

A couple of people suggested that I should compile some guides and posts into one organized place, so here it is.

Misc. Tips

What to learn, in the correct order, as a beginner
How to get Good at Pool (from ZombiesAteMyPizza)
Rule differences... APA, BCA, and the pros
The Best Way to Get Help
Buying Your First Cue
Buying a Custom Cue - courtesy of EtDM
DIY tip replacement - courtesy of Ball_in_hole
English, simplified
Aiming with Ghost Ball, When Ghost Ball Doesn't Work
Improving Ghost Ball Accuracy
Dealing with Too Straight/No Angle Situations
Getting the Best CB Action off Rail Cuts
Making Follow-in Shots Consistently
A Trick for Making Tough Combos with BIH
How to Play for a Safe Miss, on a Tough Game Ball
Tricks to Aim and Measure Caroms
Seeing Natural Breakout Angles
Finding Dead Caroms from 'Almost Dead' caroms
Five Things You Should be Doing But Probably Aren't
A Tricky Stroke Shot
5 Funky Uses of Inside English
3 Cushion Billiards - the basic system, explained clearly-ish
3 Cushion - 2 simple systems, half-ball and natural running

Breaking

How to Make the Wing Ball in 9-ball, and Reading the Rack
Making the Corner Ball in 8-ball
Figuring out the 10b Soft Break
Making the 9 on the break (and why it doesn't count in some tournaments)

Banking

Mirror Angle Banking System

Kicking

One Rail Kicking System
Two Rail Kicking System
Aiming Railfirst Shots
Planning the Best Kick Route
Stupid Pet Kicks Vol. 1
Using Sidespin to make Controlled Kick Shots and Safeties
Spot on the Wall Trick for Aiming 3-Rail Kicks

Ball-in-Hand Strategy

Get Ideal Position from Ball in Hand
Ball in Hand Tricks Everyone Should Know
Ball in Hand Tricks Vol. II

Safeties

A Simple Safety Everyone Should Have in Their Bag
Another Useful Safety
Another Common Safety to Have in the Toolbox
Aiming "Natural Roll" Safeties

Push-out

Push-Out Strategy for 9 and 10 Ball

What Would You Do?

How Would you Play This?
5 Problems, and Solutions
Ghost Problem alpha
Beat the Ghost #1
Beat the Ghost #2
Beat the Ghost #3


r/billiards Feb 06 '25

Buying Guide [Guide] What cue should I get?

82 Upvotes

tl;dr

Updated for 2025, old guide is here. This one will be shorter!

If you're looking to buy your first cue, or your first 'serious' cue, this info will help.
If you're not patient and just want a tl;dr, or brand recommendations (not in any order):

$~50ish: Imperial, Valhalla
$100ish: Action, Players, Schmelke, McDermott Lucky, Viking
$200-$300: Cuetec Avid, Players PureX, Rhino Nebula
$300+: Cuetec Cynergy, Predator, Mezz, Jacoby, Pechauer, Lucasi, Meucci

This list reflects my own biases mixed with some common recommendations on reddit. But there's plenty of other good brands, and each one has a range of products. There's $200 Viking cues and $2000 Viking cues. I list them in certain price brackets because I think, at that price, they're good bang for your buck.


"Performance"

Performance is mostly about the player. There's not a lot of 'technology' in a cue... it's a stiff rod with no moving parts. It mostly just needs to stay straight, feel ok, and not fall apart. Still, there are some things to consider. Most of the R&D for cues goes into the shaft - the skinny half of the stick. Specifically, manufacturers use different materials and build methods, to reduce deflection.

Deflection

'Deflection' describes what happens when you hit a cue ball with left or right english (sidespin).

What happens when your cue ball hits another ball on the left? That 2nd ball goes to the right. The same thing happens if your stick's tip hits the left side of the cue ball. The cue ball goes to the right... it "deflects" off-course from where you aimed. So you have to adjust your aim to compensate for that.

How far off-course? That depends on the shaft. In this pic the dashed line is where you'd go with no english, the solid black line is where the cue ball might go with a low deflection shaft (about 3-4 inches off course). The red line is where the cue ball goes with a standard, solid maple shaft (about 5-6 inches off). Here's a typical real world shot where this matters. The black line is where I'd aim with an LD shaft. The red line is where I'd aim with a higher deflection shaft. IMO, having to make the big adjustment shown by the red line, looks unnatural and makes using english harder.

For that reason, my main consideration is whether the cue has a shaft with low deflection. Unfortunately, those shafts cost more. If you can't afford it, don't worry about it, standard shafts are fine. World championships have been won with standard shafts.

Bottom line - if you buy an LD shaft, what you're buying is just a different line of aim for shots with sidespin. This line of aim might make sidespin shots feel easier. Any other benefits or drawbacks you hear are mostly myths... they don't give you better spin, or cue ball control, or more draw, or whatever. Anything you can do with them, you could also do with a standard shaft. They just change where you aim shots with sidespin.

Build quality

Common build quality issues include: the cue arriving warped, or gradually warping over time, the tip falling off, the joint not quite screwing tight, the joint unscrewing by itself, and the ferrule (white thing just below the tip) cracking. You can avoid these by just buying reputable brands, or from good dealers who offer a warranty. I like Seybert's, Ozone Billiards, Omega Billiards, and Pooldawg. Like other products, you usually get what you pay for.

There's also some differences in 'feel' with cheaper cues. For example, the shaft might be coated with a sticky clearcoat that doesn't slide smoothly through the hands. They may have excessive vibration, or a weird sound. The joint may not be exactly flush, or the grip is a cheap material that collects sweat. It helps to try before you buy. I don't recommend a cue segmented into more than 2 pieces, or one that has a screw-on tip, or anything below $50.

If you decide to go with a low deflection shaft, you also want to consider how the shaft is built. In a nutshell, low deflection = less mass at the end (the last 8 inches). To make shafts have less mass, they make them skinnier (like 11.75mm instead of 13mm at the tip), and hollow out the core of the shaft. They may optionally fill it with foam so it doesn't feel hollow, and splice together multiple pieces of wood to ensure it stays straight. They can also make shafts out of carbon fiber.

There's no law preventing manufacturers calling their shaft low deflection, even if it isn't, so be wary of any shaft that says it's LD, but is made from a single solid piece of hard-rock maple. Look for something that's been hollowed near the end, or made of CF.

Carbon Fiber

Carbon Fiber (CF) is strong, stiff, and very light. The lightness makes it a good material for a shaft, and many people like the stiffness. But you can get very low deflection with either wood of CF. CF is also nice because it's less likely to warp, ding, or crack. But any shaft can last 20 years if you're careful with it. Note: don't confuse carbon fiber shafts with cheap materials like graphite or fiberglass. If a shaft says it's made of some ambiguous 'fiber composite' and the cue is less than $250, the shaft is probably not carbon fiber. A typical name-brand carbon fiber shaft is $400-$600. The cheapest that I know of are Rhino, at $200. Don't worry about getting a carbon fiber butt... they exist, but there's no advantage to it.

Shaft diameter

The diameter is the thickness of the shaft at the tip. When people talk about tip diameter, they really mean shaft diameter. It matters because one of the major ways to reduce deflection, is to just make shaft skinnier near the tip. This also affects how a stick feels sliding through your hands... a skinny shaft might feel more precise, like you're hitting a very specific part of the cue ball. And you may feel you see the cue ball a little more clearly. It's easier to form a closed bridge around it. On the other hand, it may feel a bit thin or flimsy compared to traditional 13mm shafts. People will tell you a 13mm is more 'forgiving' but no stick will turn your misses into makes. I think lower deflection makes learning the game easier, so I recommend something skinnier if it's in the budget.

A standard cue shaft is 13mm, like a house cue.
12.5mm is a popular size for cues that have reduced deflection, but want to feel 'solid'.
11.75 is a common size for very low deflection shafts.
Anything outside of these ranges is uncommon, and not recommended for a first cue.

Taper

Taper is how rapidly the cue transitions from fat (near the joint), to skinny (near the tip). In pool there's two flavors - conical and pro. A conical taper gets skinnier gradually and consistently, like the shaft is a long skinny cone. A pro taper gets skinnier more rapidly, reaching its narrowest diameter maybe 2/3rds of the way down the shaft, and then stays skinny from that point, all the way to the tip. Most pool shafts are pro taper, as this ensures the shaft doesn't get "fatter" as you pull it back, it stays the same.

Tip

All cues come with a tip installed. Don't get a cue with a screw-on tip, they're trash. Tips come in typically 3 flavors... soft, medium, hard. These labels are subjective and vary between manufacturers. One brand's "medium" might be harder than someone else's "hard". Softer tips mushroom (which can be fixed with the right tools) but are easier to shape and scuff. Harder tips are less likely to mushroom but harder to scuff. Some people will tell you softer tips give you extra spin, or makes shots more forgiving or whatever... these are myths. When in doubt, go with medium. You don't need to worry about size, it's standardized. Recommended tip brands include Kamui, Moori, Tiger, and How, but everyone has their favorite. I wouldn't overthink it.

Break cues and jump cues often come with a special super hard phenolic tip, so it can transfer a bit more energy to the cue ball. You don't want a phenolic tip otherwise.

Joint

There's different types but honestly, you'll never miss a ball because of the joint. As long as it screws together tightly, and stays together, it's fine. If you buy a shaft separately from the butt, you need to make sure the pin type matches. Some joints are more common "standards" like Uniloc, 5/16x18, or 3/8x10. Others are more proprietary and only fit stuff from the same manufacturer.

Butt

Play-wise, the butt is basically just a handle for the shaft. But it's also where you have most of a cue's decoration, and has a big impact on how "nice" the cue looks (and also on the price). High end cues have butts made with one or more nicer types of wood, plus inlaid decorations made of wood or more exotic materials like ebony, ivory, mother-of-pearl, turquoise, gold, silver, etc. Low end cues have very minimal decoration (like a solid single color of stained wood) and don't have inlays, or only very simple ones. Some feature printed graphics. In lower-end cues, these graphics try to "fake" looking like a nicer cue by simulating those inlays I mentioned. Otherhave some illustration or design... a rose, skulls, playing cards, etc.

Wrap

The butt may or may not have a wrap. If it does, common materials include leather, rubber, or irish linen. Irish linen is very popular, it looks like speckled string that's been wrapped around the butt hundreds of times. The wrap is a matter of preference - a cue shouldn't really be in danger of flying out of your hand when you shoot, so mostly this serves as a sweat absorber and a decorative element. You just want to make sure it feels good. If at all possible, try a wrap before you buy, because it's not that easy to remove or replace.

Weight

19 ounces is the default, standard weight. A few people prefer 18. Anything lower is a bit weird but not completely unheard-of. Many people like slightly heavier cues in the 20 or 21 ounce range... the theory is that the added weight keeps the cue from wobbling as much when you swing it. If you happen to be unusually big and tall, you might prefer the added weight and also some added length via an extension. I wouldn't get anything outside the 18-21 range as your first cue. You're not locked into the weight you buy, there's a hollow area in the butt of every cue where a long fat screw called a weight bolt is screwed in. By changing the bolt, you can change the cue's weight.

An extension does what it sounds like... extends the length of the cue. They're sold separately and not a common accesssory for a beginner to have, but if you feel like a normal cue is just too short, it's something to consider.

What should I spend? Is ____ worth it?

Most cues are sold with a "real price" and a "sucker price" - you'll often see a cue online showing it's been marked down by 50 or 100 bucks, but that isn't a 'special deal', the lower price is what the cue actually costs, and if you shop around you see that same number everywhere.

Example - a Cuetec Avid chroma:

Seybert's:
"Regular" price: $255
"Sale" price: $229

Pooldawg:
"Regular" price: $255
"Sale" price: $229

Omega Billiards:
"Regular" price: $255
"Sale" price: $229

Just make sure when you buy, that you aren't paying the sucker price, and don't expect to find too many killer deals unless you buy used... pool cues are one of those things that tend to go for the exact same price everywhere. Some sites offer more options to customize the cue in small ways. As for whether something is 'worth it', that always depends on your income. Roughly speaking, a dirt cheap starter cue is around $50 USD. But if you can hold out for $100 you might get something with OK build quality, a little color, or graphics. For $200, you get some nicer looking inlays and such, but not a low deflection shaft. Around $400-$500 you get cues with LD shafts, and maybe some nicer designs. Beyond $500, you're probably paying paying for the brand name, or for a custom cue that is made to your specs, or really nice inlay work.

How long should a cue last?

In theory, until you die. But wood is wood... it can get worn down or warp over time. Generally, most cues don't warp by themselves, they need to be mistreated... stored improperly, or put through lots of sudden temperature / humidity changes. If a cue arrives warped, or warps soon after you buy it, most reputable sites will replace it.

Tips are supposed to wear out and get replaced, like tires on a car. Maybe once a year or so. Your pool room should have someone who does tip changes... the cost varies but probably it will be more than $10 and less than $40.

What brands are good for a beginner?

Really, anything is fine if you're just starting out. Especially around the $100 bracket. You can just buy based on looks. Be aware that a famous player's name on a cue doesn't necessarily make it a top quality cue. You don't want to decide to buy a cue because it mentions Johnny Archer, the Black Widow, or Minnesota Fats. Commonly recommended starter sticks include Action, Players, Viking/Valhalla, and Schmelke. If I had to pick one specific make and model, I'd say get a Cuetec Avid.

At the more expensive end, if you get a cue with a low deflection shaft, you see lots of recommendations for Predator, Mezz, and Cuetec Cynergy.

Custom cues

"Custom cue" can mean either any cue that isn't mass-produced, or a cue that is literally made to your custom specifications. They tend to be more expensive, ranging from $400 at a minimum, to tens of thousands of dollars for the famous ones. Generally these come with standard shafts.

There's a certain cachet to owning a custom cue... you have a one-of-a-kind that plays exactly the way you want. It's a luxury and status symbol. Most beginners won't want to buy one as their first cue, you can play world-class pool with a $400 production cue, but it's something to keep in mind for later, when you know what you like and can afford something fancier. Be aware that many custom cuemakers are famously behind-schedule... it could take months, even years before your cue is finished.

Break and Jump Cues

Breaking puts a lot of stress on the tip, compacts it and makes it harder, and in rare cases may cause it to come off. So a lot of players prefer not to break with their playing cue. That means you can use a house cue or buy a specialized break cue. For a break cue, I don't consider it quite as important to worry about whether the shaft is low deflection or not. The LD ones are expensive, but generally you won't be using sidespin on the break, and if you do it accidentally... that's a skill issue.

My priority for a break cue would be to look for a good hard tip, and make sure you can try it before you buy. Since you'll be hitting hard with it, any weird vibration or 'feel' will be magnified, so make sure you like the feel.

There are also specialized cues made specifically for doing jump shots, the legal type where you spike downward on the cue ball and bounce it off the slate like a basketball. Jump cues are very short and light, with a super hard tip. Generally, I don't recommend buying cues to solve skill issues, but even with maximum skill, jump shots really need a jump cue. They make shots possible that are simply not viable with a full cue. I've used Predator Air, Cuetech Propel, and Hanshew jumpers. They're all excellent. Good ones tend to be expensive though. There are also hybrid break/jump combo cues. If you're buying one for league, make sure it's legal within the league rules.

Other Questions?

Don't be afraid to post if you have a question not covered here. If possible, try to hit with a cue in real life before ordering. In the lower price ranges, you're mostly just looking for a certain minimum level of quality... basically it should not fall apart, rattle, or feel weird. Once you reach that minimum level (which can be achieved for $100 or so) then the only other thing you'd pay for, performance wise, is a specialty LD shaft. For the most part, cues are priced so that you get what you pay for. Most of the online retailers I've worked with have been great when it comes to issuing refunds, and their pricing is all pretty similar across the board, but some of the best deals I've ever gotten have just been through friends at the pool hall.

We have a Pool Cue Buyer's Guide on the sidebar too, check it out. Also check out Dr. Dave's cue page.


r/billiards 4h ago

8-Ball It's about time...

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16 Upvotes

Well guys...I finally did it. I ordered my very first cue stick.

I've been playing for years but only ever used whatever house cue was on the wall. My game has evolved over time and I've done well against league players too. I never gave it much thought until my last visit to the local bars. The cues were worn down and tips bare. It really took the wind out of my sails because I really like to play to relax.

After about a week of researching cue stick lore, I ordered the McDermott Star S17, plus, a popular rated Amazon breaker (I don't want to use the S17 for breaking anytime soon).

I'm posting today because I would like to hear the billiard community's thoughts on first time cue stick owners and the McDermott Star series, if any.


r/billiards 9h ago

Cue Porn Wood players unite

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17 Upvotes

Got my dream cues. Went with Pechauer Torch + shaft. Feels great so far, though I've only had the chance to shoot a few racks


r/billiards 7h ago

Questions What phrase do you incorporate into your shot routine?

8 Upvotes

I’ve been told that I need to slow down and get a consistent shot routine. I get into a zone and fall back on my aim and shoot routine just about every time, so I’m not sure why this is so difficult for me. I’ve heard some people like to say words or phrases during certain parts of their routine. Maybe if I can come up with a phrase that I like enough, it could remind me to have a consistent routine. What kinds of things do others do or say to themselves to keep them in their routine?


r/billiards 5h ago

New Player Questions Is cut induced spin a thing or am I tweaking?

5 Upvotes

One shot I’ve been struggling to make is a bank shot where the cue ball and object ball are at an approximately 90 degree angle to the rail. I was thinking about this and noticed that whenever I miss, the object ball always seems to kick off the rail at a 90 degree angle, even if the geometric line theoretically should direct it toward the pocket. It seems almost as if I’m putting English on it in the exact opposite direction I’d like, and I know I’m not doing that. So it got me wondering.

Physically, if I’m cutting the object ball, isn’t there a natural tendency to create spin from the angle and momentum of the cue ball? I’ve never seen anyone mention this even when I’ve specifically gone looking and it’d seem to resolve the problem described above. Thoughts?


r/billiards 14h ago

Questions 1 Hour of Feedback Changed My Setup

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21 Upvotes

I've been a casual player for about 5 years, usually bashing balls around once every 2 to 3 months. The past 2 months I've started taking pool more seriously, averaging around 1 to 2 hours of practice each week.

I've always struggled with consistency, especially on long straight shots, so I asked a more experienced player to watch me and point out what I was doing wrong. I thought I'd get a few small tweaks.

Instead, we ended up changing almost every part of my setup. My stance, body position, grip angle, bridge length, head position, eye alignment, and a few other things. The first clip is how I've always played. The second clip is after about an hour of feedback.

Watching the before and after, the changes probably don't look that dramatic. But from behind the cue, it feels like I'm learning how to shoot all over again. It's definitely awkward, and I quickly found out how inflexible I am. Looks like stretching is going to become part of my pool practice too.

My goal is to become a more consistent player, so I'd rather rebuild my fundamentals now than keep reinforcing bad habits I've picked up over the years. I'm still a hair off-line I think but I should be able to adjust after sinking a few more balls.

Has anyone else gone through a complete rebuild like this? How long did it take before the new fundamentals started feeling natural? Any tips or feedback are always appreciated. I'm here to learn!


r/billiards 1d ago

Rules Update Quick rules update - we're restricting posts about new pool apps

109 Upvotes

Hey all, we've decided to limit submissions about new pool apps.

Improvements in AI have made it possible for amateurs to code simple apps without traditional programming skills.

I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing, but the issue is that people hop onto the subreddit to promote their app, and otherwise don't contribute to the forum at all. It's essentially an ad, even if the app is just a free / hobby project.

There may be rare exceptions for regular and/or longtime members of the subreddit. We'll see how it goes.


r/billiards 2h ago

Cue Identification Meucci og info? 4sale

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0 Upvotes

Went to an estate sale and found a couple cues. My uncle told me meuccis are worth money and said I should get it looked at. I don’t think the top half belongs to it. I’ll add a photo of all the cues I got from the sale in case maybe one of the tops is to it.


r/billiards 9h ago

9-Ball Steve Page vs Mike Davis - 9 Ball Tournament - Loser Side - 2026 Event #11 - 7/11/26

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4 Upvotes

r/billiards 5h ago

Questions Jumping with bk rush +

1 Upvotes

Does anyone else have problems trying to jump with the predator bk rush jump/break? I can’t get the ball to jump at all


r/billiards 1h ago

English Pool Liu Kang rage!

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Upvotes

r/billiards 18h ago

Cue Identification pool cue help

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4 Upvotes

r/billiards 17h ago

9-Ball Places to play in Pensacola or Milton area.

0 Upvotes

I grew up in the area but did t start playing until I moved away. I’m spoiled with 5 different pool halls with in 45 mins of me all with diamonds. I know there are a few places with bar boxes, and I have visited Starcade in Ft. Walton often. Just would like a good place to play when I’m down visiting family.


r/billiards 1d ago

Questions Kamui clear tip help

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7 Upvotes

Trying to put on a kamui clear tip for the first time. Previously only installed cheap bar cue tips. Came across this hard part in the center and not sure how I should shape it? Just stays hard and flat no matter what. Any ideas?


r/billiards 1d ago

Cue Porn Case showcase

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82 Upvotes

Customized this a couple years ago but was banned so couldn’t post, only had a couple league patches so figured I’d do something different. Cost less than $200, maybe $150, all from eBay and just super glued. Gets some nice comments. Also, don’t read my private patch.


r/billiards 14h ago

8-Ball What’s the best pool cue

0 Upvotes

I’ve heard much about carbon fiber but what really is the best cue?


r/billiards 22h ago

8-Ball Best folding pool table if I have no indoor space?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
I don’t have enough space inside my house or garage for a permanent pool table. I do have a large concrete patio in my backyard, so my plan is to keep a folding table stored away and only bring it outside when friends come over.

I’ve been reading a lot of posts here, and it seems that most folding pool tables aren’t highly recommended. Unfortunately, I don’t really have another option unless there’s a solution I’m not aware of.

My priorities are:

Decent play quality (I know it won’t compare to a slate table).

- Easy to fold and store.
- Durable enough to be carried outside occasionally onto a concrete patio (it won’t stay outside permanently).
- What folding table would you recommend? Are there any models that stand out from the rest, or should I be looking at something completely different?

Thanks!


r/billiards 23h ago

Questions Help with information

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0 Upvotes

I got a rough idea of this mirror being from the late 1800s to early 1900s does anyone have any helpful information?


r/billiards 1d ago

Questions Brunswick Southern(?) rebuild costs

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6 Upvotes

hello. need the experts opinions on this if I may please? some pictures of how it was when built and now its in parts. I believe its a Brunswick Southern with switched legs and need to decide what approx cost might be to get it rebuilt?

its a 9ft table and has a cool ball return system.

had to take it apart for some work in the basement a while ago and need to decide if I should rebuild it in the garage.

many thanks in advance


r/billiards 1d ago

WWYD What are you guys playing here?

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43 Upvotes

Saw this on my Facebook feed, curious what you guys think. I feel like most high level players would play a drag shot here right?


r/billiards 2d ago

Shitpost New cue holder

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112 Upvotes

r/billiards 23h ago

Questions How well did I shoot. I’m trying to get raised to a APA SL 6

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0 Upvotes

I’m a Apa 5 and my opponent was a 6. How close am I to getting raised.


r/billiards 1d ago

Questions Bad sportsmanship?

15 Upvotes

So tonight I played a league match. It was a race to 6 in 8 ball. My opponent had the final break, made a ball, and then played a safety, calling "just a shot", and potted a hanger, leaving me in a bad spot. I then went to the table, and figured it was open table since he didn't make a called ball after the break. I called a cut on the stripe into the side that would then break open a cluster down table. I made the shot, and he immediately calls a foul, saying he was stripes. He got BIH, and ran out. Now, the LO took his side, saying that calling "just a shot" still counts as a pot, and he was therefore stripes. He ran out and won the match.

Now, regardless of whether the ruling was correct, as I'm new to this league and don't know all the rules, really. Should he have told me I was solids before shooting, or is it cool to just shut up and take the BIH? Any league or tournament Ive played in, the opponent would always correct the player if he was obviously shooting the wrong set. It was a great match and we were cool afterwards, but I'm still wondering about that.