The Four Strokes of Pool

1. The follow through draw
2. The snap back draw
3. The bounce back draw
4. The snip draw

If you use the wrong draw stroke you will not get positive results and you will have no control of the cue ball. You must master each draw stroke and know when to use them.

The draw strokes calls for a snap delivery. You must push the cue tip through the cue ball faster than the cue ball leaves you tip. In other words, the tip is almost all the way through the cue ball before the cue ball takes off. Since the cue tip is faster than the cue ball, the cue ball will immediately spin backwards. This causes the cue ball to come back to you.

With the follow through draw, the cue tip is not spinning backwards until it has traveled a few feet. Your tip pushes through in a follow through motion. When the cue ball contacts the object ball, it will slide away and then begin to come back. This is an important stroke to use when you want to control the position the cue ball will end up in following a draw stroke.

The snap back draw is dramatic. You snap through the cue ball in a quick jab. The cue ball will immediately pick up spin and come right back at you. You will tighten up the line it returns on. In The Lesson I show you how to get the cue ball to two separate places on the table off the same shot simply by changing one draw stroke for another.

The snip draw is the most popular of the draw strokes. You shoot down on the cue ball. The main purpose of the snip draw is not so much to draw the cue ball back to you but to kill the cue ball and throw the object ball. In the “touch no rail” exercise you will not succeed if you do not command the snip draw. This is a vital stroke to have. You use right or left and snip the cue ball.

The bounce back draw. This is really a “stun” backwards. You are not trying to spin the cue ball back. You are trying to bounce it back from the object ball. There are times in a game when your command of this stroke is the difference between winning and losing.

The draw stroke calls for you to dramatically snap the cue tip through the cue ball. When you do that, this stroke imparts spin on the cue ball. Once you get the cue ball coming back to you with this stroke, try the same stroke with one cue tip above center. Deliver your finest draw stroke and you will see what a force follow is. The force follow is really a draw stroke. The stroke determines the track line. The stroke determines the cue ball speed. The cue tip location has nothing to do with what stroke you are using.

If you want to be a consistent player you must possess the four strokes of pool. There are times when you mix them up. A shot may call for a little follow and a lot of punch. Or punch force follow. Begin your training now. The second stage of pocket billiards is the four strokes of pool. Master them. You can do it. It is time for you to do it right.

To recap, the Four Strokes of Pool are:

#1 – The Punch Stroke
#2 – The Follow Stroke
#3 – The Spin Stroke
#4 – The Draw Strokes

Tournament Preparation

Step 7

Thoughts from The Monk

I saw break and runs at a level of our pros. I saw safeties that rank among the best, and run outs with world class style and speed. But the most impressive was the class of players. Rarely was a referee called in to rule on a shot. The players themselves called fouls when one was committed. In fact, I did not see a referee in the entire place.

The game of pool has always been a gentlemen’s sport, played by gentlemen for the love of the game. The APA managed to bring the love of the game back into our sport. I recommend you plan to attend the US Amateur Championships next year if you get the chance. I will be there with several students.

I then went out to Reno for the American CueSports Nine Ball Championships at the Silver Legacy Casino. This was a first class event as well. These players were competing for the love of money. Sammantha managed to finish in the fifth-sixth spot. She played very well. In the women’s division they allowed a master to play as long as they spotted the open players two games on the wire. Sammantha ran into a “master.” This was the only match where a referee was called in to rule on a shot. The master asked for a referee six times in six different games. She did everything she could to disrupt Sammantha’s rhythm. It is a sad thing when a skilled player resorts to this type of sharking. Sammantha did not allow this to bother her as she won the match nine to three. I long for the day when we can get back to the gentleman’s way of competing. Those who get caught up in the competition for the title, lose out on the real art of pocket billiards.

“Although player B lost a match to her opponent's unethical move, the heartbreak of that loss will fade from her memory soon enough. Player A on the other hand may never regain the integrity that she lost to her opponent, the spectators and most important, herself. She slid downhill in that moment and now has work to do if she wants to climb back up to redemption. If she won a trophy it will live as a reminder of her own pettiness every time she sees it. Unfortunately there are some rules in various leagues that inspire players, in the heat of the moment, to lose sight of the big picture and break the bond that opponents share in the true spirit of competition--a bond that transcends rules, referees and individual players. So while it seems that player B was the victim in this case, in reality player A is the one who will pay dearly for the damage that she inflicted on herself. The U.S. Open title would be a cheap reward in exchange for a loss of integrity.

It's unfortunate that the game we love offers so many invitations to betray ourselves for a few bucks. But each little deception takes us another peg down, and it's not long before the place where we began looks so high and far away that we simply let go of our own worth and allow the downward momentum to suck us into a sewer of deceit. And at every lower step we lose another part of our heart--the heart we need to push through when it's time to emerge as a champion.

“Perhaps Tony Montana sums it all up best; "All I have is my word and my balls, and I don't break 'em for nobody."
Tom Ross
www.TomRossPool.com
My good friend & house pro at Shakespeare’s Billiards in Denver, CO. He also writes columns for Billiards Digest, Cue Times, AZ Billiards, and more.

“Yes I would call it. Knowing the rules to the letter is often a big advantage in a tournament. Besides it is a very good practice whether there is a rule in place or not to declare a foul before picking up the cue ball. Player B screwed up. I pride myself as being a fierce competitor, in a close match I will employ everything at my disposal within the rule's to win.”
Michael J.

“Some of these questions are answered = morally & ethically yes, but for some people, finance and ego overtakes the true spirit of the game. That is a subjective question that really has two objective answers. - Are they a pool player, or a spirited sportsperson.”
Luke from Australia

“I would not have called the foul. That would not only make me look bad, but it would make me feel bad too. It also breaches on disrespect to your fellow pool players.”
Avid Pool Lover, Sammy D. (not me, another Sammy D.)

“Absolutely not. I committed the foul on the table. Sportsmanship is a must in order for the game to thrive and there is no room for exceptions. I know that if I fouled, I would have picked up the cue ball before my opponent came close.”
Marc L.

“I think Player A would have learned a more valuable lesson from losing than winning on a rule violation.”
Barry from Tulsa, OK

“Absolutely, if I were player 'A' I'd give the ball to 'B'... I'm the one who fouled. To echo the Monk's sentiments in his earlier section dealing with The Love of the Game... today we show little respect for the dignity of the game or our opponents.... I'm tired of it. Whatever happened to sportsmanship? I want our game to be admired and respected like golf is... a game where sportsmanship and ethics come before winning at all costs.”
Dean from Corona, CA

“If I was aware of the rule as Player A, you bet I would. Stating that there had been a foul does not remove Player B's responsibility. Frankly, I don't even think its an ethics question. Player B committed a foul. The fact that it was subsequent to Player A's foul is not germane to the issue. If Player A had tapped the cue ball with her stick or stated "that's ball In hand", answering an implied question about whether there was a foul, That would be different. In that case I, as Player A, would not (could not) Call the foul.
If Player A had fouled and no one had seen it then failed to admit the foul, you would have an ethics question.”
Alan from St. Louis, MO

“There will always be what is "legal" and what is "right". One does not necessarily depend on the other. The difference is are we Ladies and Gentlemen or not? In pool we celebrate a win because on this day at this time we were the better player. If we win on a technicality, or worse, because we didn't play fair, what do we celebrate? Remember me as a formidable opponent, who loved the game; but, remember me first as a gentleman.”
Dave B.

Thanks again for all your interest and great feedback last week. It was truly amazing to know how many fellow players are out there who feel as passionate as I do about this beautiful game. I welcome and look forward to hearing from you in the future.

Staying in the Game

(A side note from Samm’s Side Pocket)

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you may discover you have trouble staying in the game. Perhaps you struggle with maintaining a consistent level of concentration or physical stamina. Whatever the reason may be, it is important to keep your mind and your eye on your table.

Staying alert and in the game helps prepare your mind and body for its turn at the table. Staying in the game means knowing what’s going on at all times during your match (not the match beside you.) It means you know whether you have stripes or solids because you were paying attention. It means you know if your opponent just fouled when it’s your turn (just make sure you confirm it with them before picking up the cue ball). It means completely appreciating every stroke you make because you are not just pocketing the ball, you are experiencing it and you’re enveloped in every moment of your match.

I know it’s easy to want to know what’s going on across the room if everyone begins cheering or gasping. But, if you catch your mind wandering or notice yourself getting distracted from the game in front of you, consciously make yourself watch the table. Find a ball or a spot on the table to physically focus on and force yourself to stare in that direction. Once you get into this habit, you’ll begin doing it naturally.

I use the restroom or get food and water if I need to. I also like to spend some time before each match just staring at the cue ball sitting on top of the table. I do my breathing, acclimate myself to the environment and I try to relax. Doing this also helps my eyes adjust to the lighting on the table I’m playing on. As we know, lighting can often be different from table to table. I hope this will help you as much as it has helped me.

May All the Rolls Go Your Way

The Monk