How to Make a Bridge in Pool

Your bridge hand is your weak hand (the left hand of right-handed people) and is used to guide the tip of your pool cue to hit the cue ball. There are several types of bridges, and whatever works best for you is what you should use.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Billiard Lighting
• Bridges For Pool
• Cue Stick Chalk
• Pool Balls
• Pool Cue Carrying Cases
• Pool Cues
• Pool Table Covers
• Pool Table Horsehair Brushes
• Pool Tables
• Pool Triangles

Closed Bridge

1. Make a fist with your noncue hand.

2. Place your knuckles down on the table, 5 to 10 inches from the cue ball.

3. Raise your thumb up and press it against the side of your hand.

4. Lay the shaft of your cue in the crease formed between your thumb and the side of your hand.

5. Curl your forefinger over the shaft of your cue and rest your finger on your thumb.

6. Spread the knuckles of your remaining three fingers on the table for better support. Rest the heel of your hand on the table as well.

7. Slide the shaft back and forth through the ring you've made with your fingers to make sure the cue slides smoothly.

Open Bridge

8. 

   Make a fist with your noncue hand, with your knuckles facing down.

9. 

   Place your knuckles on the table, 5 to 10 inches from the cue ball.

10. 

    Lift up your thumb slightly and press it against the side of your hand.

11. 

    Lay the shaft of your cue in the crease formed by your thumb and the side of your hand.

12. Slide the cue back and forth in the crease to make sure it slides smoothly.

Rail Bridge

13. Place all four fingers of your bridge hand flat on the side of the table so that your knuckles are over the outside edge of the table.

14. Lift your thumb so that the lower half of it presses against the inside of your hand and the outside edge of your thumb joint rests on the rail.

15. Rest the cue in the crease formed between your thumb and forefinger.

16. Slide the cue on the bridge to make sure it slides smoothly.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the rail bridge when the ball is too close to the side of the table to use your normal bridge.
• For an alternative rail bridge, place your thumb on the back of the rail and hook your forefinger over the cue, allowing it to slide on the rail of the table and controlling it with your forefinger.
• Be careful when hitting shots close to the rail. You're often forced to hit the top of the ball, which will make the ball follow after it connects with another ball.

on 7/7/2006 If you want to make your bridge smoother, use something soft, like baby powder or billiards hand chalk. Using the cue chalk works, but it is abrasive and will cause the shaft of your cue to become rough after time.

on 6/30/2006 The most widely used bridging style is; make a small "V" by placing the thumb against the middle finger just above the middle knuckle, with the thumb tip about 1/4" above the finger. That is where you place the cue, but never put your knuckles under your hand on the table!

Instead, spread out your 4 fingertips onto the table. You can rest the back of the hand on the table or lift it slightly so you are only on the 4 fingertips, whichever is more comfortable, but the underneath center of the hand should never touch the table. Instead, it should be slightly cupped upward. Sometimes the shot requires a somewhat higher or lower bridge hand as well. With the pictured bridge style above, you cannot adjust the height of the bridge hand to the shot selection you need, so it is not recommended to use that style at all.

If one of my new students were to have that type of bridge, that would be the very first thing I would change.

on 11/22/2005 When under pressure, it can be extra hard to make a pot. This is especially true if you get sweaty hands. Your cue stroke should be smooth, and perspiration will cause it to stick and possibly mis-cue.

The best way to counter this is to rub the cue chalk on your bridge hand where the cue will rest. This makes for an ultra smooth movement. You can even do this when your hands are not clammy as it always helps.

Next, when you have space, ensure your bridge hand is spread out as far as possible, i.e. fingers separated to give your hand a firm balance.

If you are playing the cue ball from against the cushion, then place your fingers/bridge on the edge of the table. Stand back and try to cue in the middle of the white, with the cue at as low an angle as is comfortable (preferably the same angle as you would play a normal shot). Many try to raise the cue to a ridiculous angle to make sure they hit the white, but this makes it very difficult to aim.

For powerful shots you might want to try the American bridge. This is where your forefinger wraps around the cue and the cue rests between it and the middle finger. This allows you the give the ball a good whack while still remaining fairly accurate.

Always test your bridge by running the cue back and forth a few times before striking the ball. It should be straight and not curving left, right up or down.

This is also helped if you ensure that your cuing arm is in the right position. If you hold the cue too far toward the end, when you pull back for a stroke you will stretch your hand beyond 90 degrees with the cue and cause it to lift and reduce the accuracy of your stroke.