General help.

[Canny Tim]

I've started playing English 8 ball pool. I just need help with practice routines and how to clear the table in 1 visit. I'm clued up on the default snooker stance and cue action and am a capable potter . I just can't seem to work out the best potter order. Is there anyone who can help?

[DeanH]

see http://9ballpool.co.uk/practice_drills for some good practice layouts (ok they are 9-ball but can easily work for 8-ball) you can do but nothing will give you a clear-cut method to clear the table
Essentially the practise routines get you into a consistent stance/cue control/thinking for EVERY SHOT.
The only way you can clear the table is to have the following all in place:
1) shot choice - this allows for continuing on the table without having to do any outrageous shots, I don't think that any practise routine can teach you this
2) cue ball control - this allows for the next shot to be easy, not having to play from a previous poor positional shot, this means that you have a good stance, cue delivery, etc., to get the cue ball to do what you want.
3) play every shot the same; concentration/control/etc.
How many times have you seen another player clear the table and it looked so easy?, probably because they made each shot easy though the points 1 and 2 above.
Now, if you find a routine/website that shows how to clear the table in 1 visit, please pass it on as I for one would like to see it

[Dave Walton]

buy the book On Cue - the complete guide to pool by Mark Shepherd. there's a section with descriptions and illustrations on how to consistently clear the table explaining which ball to take step by step. great book

[Canny Tim]

Thanks for the reply. I'm feeling confident on my potting at this time and will find routines to improve it further. Shot choice seems to be my biggest downfall at this moment along with the break . I normally can pot 5-6 balls but end up tied up on the last few. I just always seem to make the wrong decisions and just wondered if there were any things I should keep in mind when choosing my shot?

[Grifter]

I got a brilliant book from US. Its based on bar table 8 ball in the states but it goes into a lot of detail including what you are asking about.
Ive read on cue and its good but no offense to Mark Sheperd but it isnt a patch on this in terms of detail.
It covers literally everything you could ask about in relation to the game of 8 ball.
It gives you a really clever way of decoding the table for a clearance that belive me, works.

Basically , its in relation to firstly determining the key ball to get you onto the black. and then the key ball to the key ball ( thats 2 gone from the equation)
The first shot you have to make to get you going on the clearance and the second after that. Then there are the 3 link balls in the middle. Real good stuff in that chapter on attacking pool (which is the pool we all love to play)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Play-Your-Be...ur+best+8+ball

[hatterboard]

wont comment, however, found a site for snooker that has practice routines for pool.
try this on the free download section

http://www.147academy.com/index.php?...:coaching-aids

good luck