First the breakdown, then the combinations – learn the most important types of strokes in billiards

Billiards is only a seemingly simple game – in fact, the number of combinations can perplex beginners. Here are the most important types of strokes that you should know before playing.

Hitting the cue ball – how to go about it?

Properly hitting the white ball is a basic skill in billiards. Only by adjusting the strength of the stroke and giving your balls the right rotation will you be able to put up an equal fight with your rival, and in the long run perhaps even reach victory. However, the whole process is not as easy as it may seem, and it consists of several essential factors that should be kept in mind.

• Attitude

First and foremost, it is worth working on your posture when delivering a strike. The player must then arrange his body in such a way as to feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible. The textbook billiard stance involves standing slightly apart, with the back leg straight and the front leg straight or slightly bent. The front foot is best placed parallel to the cue and the back foot at a 90° angle to it.

• Stick grip

Another important consideration is the proper grip of the stick. It is held under the chin, capturing it with the front hand in such a way that it is fully upright. The back hand, on the other hand, should be on the grip, specifically at a point just above the back leg. The arm of the back hand is best placed parallel to the stick – it must form a right angle with the forearm at the moment of delivering the strike.

• Accuracy

The key element of a billiard stroke is, of course, high accuracy. The effectiveness depends on the way in which we bring it out. A correct stroke should be made only with the back hand, with the arm being stationary while measuring. During the derivation of the strike, the body should be completely immobilized, while its weight must be distributed on both legs. By following these tips, our accuracy will certainly increase.

Billiard strokes – types

The concept of billiard strokes covers an extremely wide range of different plays. We distinguish strokes such as:

• smashing – the basic stroke that starts a given game. It consists in smashing the object balls arranged in a triangle with the white ball;

• jump – hitting the white ball so that it jumps over another ball. During the derivation of this stroke, the thicker end of the cue turns upward, while the drip stroke creates the appearance of knocking the ball out;

• combination – hitting the declared ball with a colored ball instead of the white ball;

• put-away – a name describing plays designed to make the game more difficult for the opponent, usually by pawning the white ball with other balls;

• chaser (forward rotation) – hitting the top of the cue ball in such a way as to give a certain rotation to the next ball. The effect of this play is to roll the struck ball behind the striking ball;

• stop – a play below the center of the ball intended to replace the striking ball with the white ball;

• clipped stroke – in this type of stroke, the cue ball is struck perpendicularly so that it rebounds off the white ball. After a properly executed stroke, the white ball rolls without rotation;

• masse – this stroke is performed with a cue stick held almost vertically. The stroke involves the cue ball gaining lateral rotation and rolling in an arc through the white ball;

• backswing – this name is used to describe giving the white ball a backward rotation. After hitting the played ball, the white ball should move backwards.

main photo: unsplash.com/Klara Kulikova