How to Put English on a Cue Ball

Learning to use English properly is difficult, but it will take your pool game to a whole new level. Whether making bank shots, cuts, draws or stops, mastering spin will give you an edge over a pool player who doesn't have the technique down.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

The Stop Shot

1. Hold the cue level and aim below the center of the cue ball.

2. Aim directly at the object ball. Otherwise, this shot will not work.

3. Hit the cue ball, stopping as soon as you make contact.

4. Vary the force and angle of the shot until you are able to make the cue ball stop as soon as it hits the object ball.

The Draw Shot

5. Hold the cue straight, aim very low below the center of the cue ball.

6. Line up your shot with the target ball.

7. Strike the cue ball, following through with your shot instead of stopping as in a stop shot.

8. Practice until you can control how far the cue ball draws back when it hits the target ball.

Side English

9. Check the tip of your cue to make sure you have enough chalk. It is very easy to miscue when using side English.

10. Line up the shot properly. Hold the cue straight, with the tip slightly to the left or right of the center of the cue ball.

11. Shoot straight and follow through. Avoid the temptation to curve the stick to the inside.

12. 

    Give the cue ball inside English to increase the angle of reflection when banking the cue ball off a rail. For example, if you are shooting a bank shot to the left, hit the cue ball slightly to the left of center. This will make it bounce off the rail further to the left than it would have otherwise.

13. Give the cue ball outside English to decrease the angle of reflection when banking the cue ball off a rail. For example, if you are shooting a bank shot to the left, hit the cue ball slightly to the right of center. This will make it bounce off the rail at a more nearly perpendicular angle than it would have otherwise.

14. Use outside English to increase the angle of deflection on a shot. For example, if you are hitting an object ball on the right side to make it go off to the left, hitting the cue ball on its right side will make it go even further to the left.

15. Practice. Side English is extremely difficult to master and more important to do correctly than bottom English. Putting on too much or too little bottom English will probably put you in a bad position for your next shot, but messing up side English will blow your current shot altogether.