Day 1- Basic Terminology

- Cue Selection
o Selecting a cue has to do with personal preference and the size of your
fingers (shaft size of cue)
o Most cues are between 18 and 20 oz
- Cue Grip
o Hold cue lightly with thumb and first three fingers
o When gripped properly, the cue should not touch your palm
o Cue should almost be touching the cue ball, shooting hand directly
under elbow
- Cue Stance
o Face the shot
o 3 point Line up
 The chin, cue ball and the exact place you want the cue ball to
go should be in line
o Bend over, bridge hand down 7-10 inches from the cue ball, chin
should be 2 -8 inches directly above the cue stick
o Distribute body weight 50/50
 Body should be turned slightly left or right without
compromising chin lineup
 Right: tip of right toes directly under line of cue, left toes
slightly left of line
 Left: tip of left toes directly under line of cue, right toes
slightly right of line
 Common mistake is to have shoulders and chest facing cue ball
 PREFERRED
 Right: left shoulder out front, right shoulder back
 Left: right shoulder out front, left shoulder back
- Bridges
o Hand closest to the cue ball is your bridge
o One of the most overlooked fundamentals of the game is a solid
bridge/bridges
 Can make a mediocre player good and vice versa
o Want it to feel natural, yet firm
o Use what is comfortable
o Types
 “V” Bridge or “Open” Bridge
 hand firmly on table
 press thumbs against forefinger (thus forming a “V”)
 place cue on the “V”
 height of bridge changed by fingers
 used a lot by beginners and for stretch shots
 used by individuals with smaller hands
 bridge hand does NOT move
 “Conventional” or “Closed” Bridge
 hand firmly on table
 loop with thumb and forefinger
 cue should flow nicely through loop (not tight or loose)
 bridge hand does NOT move
 Mechanical Bridge
 Shot is beyond reach with other two bridges
 Place bridge 6-8 inches from cue ball
 Higher notch for “follow” shots, lower notch is for
“Draw” shots
 Thumb under cue stick, four fingers on top
o Elbow will be sticking out
 Bridge on table (only if possible)
o Will be on your left if right handed and will on
your right if you are left handed
 Bridge from Rail
 Cue ball is 4 inches or more from the rail, place your
hand on the rail
o Thumb under index finger
o Place cue on the rail over thumb, bring your
forefinger over the shaft
o Keep cue level
 If cue ball is closer than 4 inches to the rail, place the
cue between the thumb and forefinger, other 3 fingers
over the rail
 Bridge for Over Ball Shot
 Brace all four fingers on the bed of the table behind
obstructing object balls
 Raise hand as high as necessary and place the cue on
the support made by your index finger and the thumb
 Bridge for Follow shot
 Using a standard bridge, elevate the tripod fingers
slightly
 Keep cue level
 Bridge for Draw shot
 Using a standard bridge, lower the tripod fingers until
your thumb rests on the bed of the table
 Keep cue level