Lesson
1

Grip and Stance

Stay solid, with your head over the cue

Goal

Build a stance you can repeat on every shot.
head spot
Shoot the cue ball straight to the far rail. With a straight stroke it comes back to where it started and hits your cue tip.
Video lesson

Key points

Hold the cue loosely in your back hand, like you're holding a small bird: your thumb and first two fingers do the work, the other fingers just rest on the cue.
When the tip meets the cue ball, your back forearm should hang straight down, perpendicular to the floor.
Line your back foot (the right foot if you're right-handed) up with the shot line, step forward and slightly out with your front foot, and keep your weight evenly balanced.
Keep your chin 5–15 cm above the cue, with your eyes right over the shot line.

Common mistakes

Squeezing the cue with your back hand, which pulls the stroke off line
Standing too upright, so your head is far from the cue and your aim drifts
Letting your elbow stick out, so the cue swings off line instead of straight through
Drill
Put the cue ball on the head spot and shoot it straight up the table into the foot rail so it comes back to your cue tip. Ten in a row coming back within a hand span is a pass.