Greetings fellow pool players! My name is Alex and I'm here today to share some of my experience and knowledge about mastering some of the more advanced cue techniques in the popular mobile game 8 Ball Pool. While the basic game of pool rewards simple position play and soft touches, truly taking your game to the next level requires developing skills like cue spin, swerve shots, and jump shots. Mastering these techniques opens up all new strategic possibilities on the table and gives you opportunities to pull off shots that your opponents may not expect.

However, developing these advanced skills takes time, patience and a lot of practice. Simply attempting them without understanding the proper mechanics is a good way to have a lot of missed shots. So in this article I hope to break down the fundamentals of each technique, share some practice drills, and also offer some strategic tips on when and how to best utilise them in actual games. My goal is for you to walk away with a solid foundation of knowledge to begin developing your own mastery. So let's get started!

Advanced Cue Techniques:

Introduction to Cue Spin

cue ball spin

The first advanced technique I want to cover is putting spin on your cue shots. By imparting left or right English on the cue ball, you can make it curve around obstacles on the table or cause it to react unexpectedly off rail banks and kisses. Cue spin is one of the most important skills to develop as it opens up angles and Positioning options that would otherwise be unavailable. It also forces your opponent to constantly account for the possibility of spin even on basic position shots.

Just like in real pool, spin is applied to the cue ball by angling the cue slightly left or right upon impact. In 8 Ball Pool, you activate cue spin by sliding your finger left or right just before taking the shot. A quick slide to the left imparts backspin (a counterclockwise curve) while a slide to the right adds topspin (a clockwise curve). The amount of curve or "English" is directly related to how far you slide your finger. A small flick puts a little spin on while a full slide across the screen creates a dramatic curve.

The key things to focus on are:

● Angling the cue properly left or right at impact. A straight on hit won't create spin.

● Sliding your finger the desired distance just before shooting to activate the spin. Too early or late won't have any effect.

● Using consistent smooth motions. Jerky sliding motions make it hard to control the spin amount accurately.

To start practising cue spin, set up simple position shots where the cue ball needs to curve slightly left or right to land at your intended object ball. Take shots with small amounts of backspin or topspin and watch how the cue ball reacts. Gradually increase the spin as you get a feel for the curvature on different shots. This will familiarise your muscles with the shooting motion and help you dial in consistency.

One player I'd recommend watching closely for amazing cue spin control is Dallas. His YouTube channel has lots of videos showing the types of insane curves he can put on the cue ball to bank off multiple rails for tricky positions or even just for trick shots. Analysing his technique can give you pointers on developing the requisite touch and feel.

Mastering Swerve Shots

swerve shot in pool

Another particularly flashy technique in 8 Ball Pool is the ability to swerve the cue ball during shots. By quickly swiping your finger left or right just before impact, you can dramatically alter the cue ball's initial direction of travel after contacting the object ball. This opens up angles that may not otherwise be possible and allows for creative bank shots that wrap around the table.

However, swerving requires an even greater degree of finesse as the timing is finer. Too early of a swipe and the hit won't register, too late and it won't swerve in time. It helps to think of swerving more like a flick rather than a slide - the motion needs to be very brief.

To start practising swerve shots, set up straight in-offs where you aim to swerve around an interfering ball or obstacle to get Positioning. Take shots applying slight swerves left and right and observe the difference in cue ball deflection. As you get comfortable, increase the distance of the swerves little by little.

Another useful drill is to set up a bank shot where you need to swerve the cue ball to curve it around the table for the bank. This teaches you to combine swerve with other skills like spin and speed control.

The best servers combine the technique with intense cue ball control so they can chain swerves together to wrap shots around multiple obstacles. Players like Ignacio, Berlintommo and Rishi are masters of chaining swerves to pull off seemingly impossible trick shots. Studying their shot patterns and style can help take your swerving skill to the next level.

Regardless of the shot type, be sure to focus first on the timing of the swerve flick and follow through with a smooth stroke. Getting a feel for precisely when to initiate the swerve is key. Practising diligently over time will develop an innate sense of the timing.

Taking Aim With Jump Shots

pool player doing a jump shot

The final advanced technique I want to cover is jump shots, where you intentionally cause the cue ball to jump over an obstructing ball. Like the other skills, jump shots involve precise timing but require even more hands-on practice to develop a proper feel.

In 8 Ball Pool, activating a jump shot is done by swiping upwards on the cue tip just as you take the shot. The higher and faster the swipe, the bigger the jump will be. Small taps create mini hops while long drags make the ball soar across the table.

For initial practice, set up obstacle-free jumps to get comfortable manipulating the jump height. Take shots applying slight then bigger upward swipes and see the difference in launch angle. The key things to watch are:

● Perfecting the upward flick motion and follow through.

● Adjusting swipe speed/distance based on the required jump height for position etc.

● Landing the cue ball softly at your intended spot post-jump.

Once you learn to reliably cause set-height jumps, move on to skipping over balls using full-table jump shots. Note how height and launch angle can alter whether the cue ball passes over or bounces off the obstructing ball.

Read full article at CueBall Chronicles.