Playing pool in a public pool hall is different from playing pool in the privacy of your home billiard room or playing online pool in front of your PC. When you are playing online pool, for example, you don’t have to worry about any house rules or pool table etiquette. You can wear whatever you want, smoke whenever you feel like and put your drinks everywhere. However, when you are playing pool in a public, you must follow basic pool table etiquette.

The abstract behind pool table etiquette is very simple. Basically, all you have to do is use your common sense and some basic courtesy. Nevertheless, here are some do’s and don’ts to get you through a smooth and sportive pool playing experience.

1. Before you approach that desired pool halls door, there are some details you should verify. For example, is there any dress code? age limit? is smoking allowed? Maybe it’s a members club? And so on.

2. In addition, make sure that you are familiar with the game rules. Whether the pool game you are about to play is 8-ball, 9-ball or one pocket, before the game begins is the best time to refresh your acquaintance with the rules, especially if you intend to play for money.

3. Never, not any other circumstances put your drink on the pool table. It is even advisable to avoid placing your drink on the edge of the table. The drink is most likely to be spilled on the table and ruin the expensive felt as well as the game.

4. Don’t do anything that can break the concentration of the other players as they attend to shoot. And anything includes talking to them, shouting, touching them or standing in their line of sight.

5. Screaming, yelling or other exaggerated expressions of happiness are not welcomed around the pool table either. Even if pocketing the 8-ball makes you very happy, the players in the table that surrounds you may find it unhelpful and disturbing.

6. In general, pay attention to the pool tables around you, especially if you are playing in a crowded pool hall with only small space between the tables. It means, quieting down your voice when you are around active tables and avoiding hasty moves when the neighbors table are too near.

Billiards is easy and simple just make one shot after the other, and make sure each time that your cue ball stops where you have the easiest shot next!

This refers to what pool playing experts call positional play the foundation and one of the first basics to understand about any billiards game.

Cue ball control is key, there are many ways to control the cue ball. There have been players around the world that have been able to almost perfect this some say they have but most recognizable and famous, William Masconi who was able to run 526 balls on a 4×8 pool table in 1954, playing straight pool.

One of the most common mistakes made by players just starting is that this very concept is not brought to there attention and they are out there just making balls not considering the next step, ideally you should be able to read an 8 ball run out with in minutes from one ball to the other, but this should take years of practice so don’t get frustrated, which is probably one of the most problematic situations that will get the best of any player, learn to control your emotions at the table, a cool calm player will put fear into the opponent.

In closing one of the most important things is to have fun and maintain you’re cool at the table, practice, practice, practice!

Good playing & good luck!

This article was written by Greg Alter a represenitve for http://www.poolcuewarehouse.com

Characters of great Pool Players
The Will to Practice
The Guts to Compete
The Desire to be the Best

These are the characters of great Pool Players!

Practice on a regular basis is sometimes hard to obtain depending on what is going on in your life. I’ve found if I play on a league – I will practice more. Having that commitment to be at the pool room every week is sometimes a hard choice to make. Of course there is always an excuse I could make but why? I love to play pool… So I must have the will to practice…

Competition in league play is great but why stop there. Some of the best competition is playing in a local pool tournament. Yes, there is an entry fee (money well spent) not to mention you may get a chance to play some of the best players out there… You may or may not win your matches but you will learn a lot in the process. Also a friendly money game is good for your focus – you don’t have to play for $1,000 per set.. Sometimes a few dollars a game will do. You must have the Guts to compete.

Desire is a big word in many ways. Do you want to be the best? If so, what are you doing about it? How big is your desire? Great players are like sponges, soaking up every bit of information out there. They study the table, the shots and the players, learning little tips along the way. Most great players also keep a notebook with notes about shots, safety’s and evaluations on the players they’ve played or observed – You may not know where your game is deficient but other players do. Great players know that knowledge is power and they have a desire to be the best. What is your desire?

character is what one is; reputation is what one is thought to be by others
(fromthesaurus.reference.com)

Article written by Angela Sebree

http://www.PoolRoomPaintings.com
http://www.PoolRoomTees.com

Many people play on pool leagues because they want to have fun and be challenged at the same time. If you like to play people that are more skilled than you as well as people that are worse than you, being on a pool league is for you, but you know that the person that you play knows what you are doing, rather than just walking into a bar and playing just anybody.  Being on a pool leagues also gives you a chance to make money, some leagues give cash prizes and other give you a trip to the nationals. The two main leagues that people play on are APA and BCA, but there are many others out there.

The main difference between APA and BCA are the format and the rules when it comes to playing the actual game.  When playing on the APA league you will be ranked on how good you are and you team is only allowed a specific amount.  When on a 8 ball team you will be ranked from a 2 (beginner) to a 7 (very advanced player).  Each team are allowed to play 23 points per night. 9 ball teams on APA are allowed to play twenty-three points as well, but they are ranked from a 3 (beginner) to 7 (very advanced).

{On a BCA team the players are not ranked, so they can have as many good players as they want. So some teams in BCA have all excellent players while other teams might have all beginners, so there is not really any chance that those beginners will win much. Being challenged  by awesome players every time you play may also push you and you will get better. As you can see APA would be the league to get on if you want to have fun and BCA is more for expert players.

In BCA you can call safety where you can make a ball and give it to the other person, in APA you can not do that. On the APA league you do not have to call your pocket, in BCA it is required. When you break the rack in APA and if the 8 ball goes in the ppocket, you win but if you do that in BCA that is not a win. Those are just a few of the differences in rules between the two leagues.

BCA and APA are only two of the pool leagues out there but as you can see they are very different. You can be on both leagues but there are some people that like one rule set better than the other. No matter what league you are on its always nice to get out once a week and have fun.

Those are just two of the different leagues that are out there, like I had said before depending on where you live there are a lot more leagues available.

If you enjoyed reading this article and would like to get more information, visit this site:

http://www.pool-billiards-game.com/poolleagues.html

86 break 1992 World Final Frame 19
Matchroom pool