How to play billiards: learning the basics
Learn to play billiards
To enjoy billiards, you need to know the rules and master the basics. Discovering the equipment and the different types of game, learning to aim and control the path of the balls, using spin and pulling off a cushion shot: you will soon have all the keys to enjoying billiards and winning games.
Expert help
To help you progress, both in classic billiards and in the art of the trick shot, discover the tips of Florian Kohler, an expert in artistic billiards known worldwide as Venom. He holds many records in the field and has more than a million subscribers on his YouTube channel.
The basics of billiards
Master the basics of billiards in a few minutes. Discover the equipment, then learn to place your fingers to form an effective bridge and to position your body to strike the ball well.
- Equipment: the table, balls, cues and accessories
- Finger position: the different types of bridge
- Body and hand position
Billiards rules and types of game
Billiards offers many ways to play. Discover the different types of game for added variety. From the best-known game to one inspired by poker, billiards has plenty to surprise you.
- 8-ball
- 9-ball
- 14-1
- Poker ball
Aiming and controlling ball paths
It may seem obvious, but good aiming is essential to playing well. With the techniques detailed by Florian Kohler, you will have no more excuses for missing your shots. You will even be able to control the path of the cue ball after it hits the object ball.
- The ghost ball method
- Positioning the cue ball after impact: tangent lines
Play like a pro: spin and positioning
Stop shot, draw, follow, right or left spin: depending on the shot you have to play, you will certainly need one of these effects, or even a mix of them. Learn the main types of spin to make all your shots.
- The main types of spin
- Positioning
How to pull off a cushion shot
Hitting a cushion before or after touching the object ball will get you out of many situations during a game. To do this, you need to master the angle the ball takes off the cushion and be able to manipulate it with spin to send the ball exactly where you want it.
- The mirror method
- Changing the angle with spin
Also see our “Become a trick shot ace” tutorials with Florian Kohler
- Trick shots for the whole family
- How to win a bet every time
- Fun and impressive shots
- How to get out of a tight spot
- The world’s best-known trick shots
