Tips on Selecting the Best Pool Cue: Online Billiards Lessons for Beginners

Series Summary

The game of pool, or pocket billiards, was developed, like other cue sports, from outdoor stick-and-ball lawn games similar to golf or croquet. Pool was originally played on tables without pockets. Holes were added later, used first as a hazard and later as a means of scoring. The term 'pool' was derived from 'poolrooms,' which were off-track betting facilities, where gamblers would 'pool' their money to determine odds on horse races. These facilities were often equipped with a few billiards tables, and words “pool” and “billiards” soon became interchangeable. In this series of free video lessons, you’ll learn the basics of the game of pool, including how to choose the best pool cue, using chalk, the proper cue grip and shooting form, how to hit the cue ball and three basic strokes used in the game of pool. Expert Richard Garcia offers tips and techniques to help you develop a litany of shots that will make your next visit to a pool hall a fun and hopefully triumphant experience.

Video Transcript

"I'm Richard, I've being playing VNEA leagues out of Albuquerque, New Mexico for the past 10 years. I'm here to show you some basic tips on playing billiards. First tip that I'm going to start with is on your cue selection. Cues run from anywhere from 19-21 ounces is your average cue that a person will be playing pool with. Me myself I prefer a cue that goes 20 ½ ounces, it all comes down to preference. It comes down to what feels comfortable. It comes down to actually using more than one cue. Getting the feel for it, getting what feels good for you and that is pretty much what it is going to come down to on that. Also when you are selecting your cue, well naturally you are going to want to look at prices, price range run any from $200 on up to the thousands. Whatever a person is willing to spend and whatever a person is affordable to spend. But for a beginning pool player I would suggest you just find yourself some, a cue that feels good in your hands, a cue that you feel good with, start with that and move up from there."