Getting Started In Trick Shots 1
What you need to know
Your first taste of trick shots may have been on TV, at a local pool hall, or somewhere on the web, maybe even this site. It looks so easy when a bunch of balls travel all around the table and each ones ends up in a pocket. In truth, a lot of shots are pretty easy, but they only get that way with practice. There have been plenty of shots that when I first tried them I thought I never would be able to do, but a little bit of work, magic, and luck, and they start to fall.
What does it take
Good pool players can easily become good trick shot artists. Bad pool players can also become good trick shot artists (I'm evidence to this). So what separates the two? The object in pool and trick shots are essentially similar - to pocket balls and control the cue ball. In trick shots though, you can control the layout of the balls. For some of the more advanced shots, you need a good stroke and understanding of the basic physics, which good pool players generally already have. However, you still need a fair amount of patience, precision, and a willingness to learn.
Special equipment
All of my shots are done on US 9 ft pool tables. Pool tables come in various sizes (7 ft and 8 ft being the other two common sizes) which will require you to make adjustments to certain shots. All US pool tables have the same aspect ratio though, they are twice as long as they are wide. My understanding is that a UK pool table is not this way but would be 7 ft x 4 ft (instead of 3.5 ft). This will make some of the shots impossible to perform, although I would encourage you to find solutions and other creative shots for these tables. Many of these shots can also be adapted for snooker and billiard tables.
Some shots require special equipment, and I'm not just talking about props. Some shots are made easier with special equipment too. One question that comes up is if you need a special cue stick. For the most part, you don't and that's a good thing because special cue sticks cost more money. Eventually though, if you want to try some of the more difficult shots, you will want to upgrade your equipment.
I use a regular 19 oz. production cue for most of my shots. You do have to make sure your cue is in good condition though, especially the tip since that's the only part of the cue that actually contacts the cue ball. Make sure it's well shaped (not mushroomed or flat), that it's holding chalk, and that you provide it chalk. Also splurge on high quality chalk (Masters and Silver Cup come to mind). A box of 12 will only set you back a few bucks and, if you treat them right, will last practically forever.
One of the more common special tools, even in standard pool games, is the jump cue. Jump cues are shorter and lighter than normal playing cues. They also have a special tip that's very hard and usually flatter than what you normally play with. There are also dual-purpose jump/break cues that have three sections which are more useful if you play games where a hard break is important.
The masse cue is more difficult to find as few, if any, are mass produced. These are shorter than normal playing cues as well, but not as short as jump cues usually. What makes them different is that they are heavier and stiffer than regular cues, often weighing around 24 or 25 oz. While a masse cue won't automatically masse for you (you still need to develop a good masse stroke), it does make it easier and can increase the fanciness of your shots.
Don't worry about a jump cue or masse cue until you can get the rest of the basics down, like a refined stroke, knowledge and comfort with spins (english), and an understanding of the basic physics of pool.
