• Login
  • Register
Sign In Forgot Password?
Reset Password
Reset Cancel
Reset Password
Password must be at least 6 characters long with 1 special character
Save
Create Wishlist Save, compare and share your favourite items.
Password must be at least 6 characters long with 1 special character
Tick this box to hear from us about your wishlist, discounts and promotions. We will never share your details with any third party.
Register
Select Your Options
  • Games Room of the Year
  • Order Tracking
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Our Story
  • Meet The Team
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Videos
Home Leisure Direct
Multiple Award Winning
Games Room Retailer

0800 622 6464 or 01454 413636

0 items - £0.00

Wishlist View Basket / Checkout

Free Delivery on Everything*

  • Pool
    Tables
    • By Availability
      • Pool Tables in Stock
      • In Stock Brunswick Pool Tables
    • By Game
      • English Pool Tables
      • American Pool Tables
      • Snooker Tables
    • By Type
      • All Pool Tables
      • Pool Dining Tables
      • Deep Body Pool Tables
      • Wood Bed Pool Tables
      • Slate Bed Pool Tables
      • Outdoor Pool Tables
      • Car Pool Tables
      • Interest Free Pool Tables
    • Popular Brands
      • Signature
      • Aramith Fusion
      • Billiards Montfort
      • Brunswick
      • Buffalo
      • Designer Billiards
      • Diamond
      • DPT
      • Etrusco
      • Gatley
      • Jack Daniel's
      • Rasson
      • Sam
      • Supreme
      • View All Brands
    • By Size
      • 6ft Pool Tables
      • 7ft Pool Tables
      • 8ft Pool Tables
      • 9ft Pool Tables
      • 10ft Pool Tables
      • 12ft Pool Tables
    • Other Services
      • Pool Table Benches
      • Pool Table Accessories
      • Table Tennis Tops
    • Commercial
      • Contactless Pool Tables
      • Pool Tables on Rental Agreements
      • Pool Tables on Profit Share Agreements
    • Teams & Brands
      • Chelsea FC
      • Jack Daniel's Games Room Range
  • Luxury Pool
    Tables
    • By Availability
      • Pool Tables in Stock
      • In Stock Brunswick Pool Tables
    • By Type
      • All Luxury Pool Tables
      • Best Selling Luxury Pool Tables
      • Traditional Pool Dining Tables
      • Outdoor Pool Tables
      • Car Pool Tables
      • Contemporary Pool Tables
    • Popular Brands
      • Signature Luxury
      • 247 Billiards by Porsche Design
      • Aramith Fusion
      • Billards Montfort
      • Billards Toulet
      • Bilhares Carrinho
      • Bilhares Xavigil
      • Brunswick
      • Designer Billiards
      • Diamond
      • Etrusco
      • Rasson
      • RS Barcelona
      • Sam
    • Other Services
      • Pool Table Accessories
      • Football Club Pool Table Cloth
      • Pool Table Benches
      • Pool Coaching with Gareth Potts
    • Commercial
      • Commercial Luxury Pool Tables
      • Pool Tables on Rental Agreements
      • Pool Tables on Profit Share
    • Teams & Brands
      • Chelsea FC
      • Jack Daniel
  • Pool
    Accessories
    • Cues
      • English 1 Piece Pool Cues
      • English 2 Piece Pool Cues
      • English 3/4 Jointed Pool Cues
      • American Pool Cues
      • Snooker Cues
    • Cue Accessories
      • Cue Racks
      • Cue Cases
      • Cue Rests
      • Cue Tips
      • Cue Chalk
    • Balls & Ball Racks
      • Pool Balls
      • Snooker Balls
      • Triangles & Diamonds
    • Playing Cloths
      • Pool Table Cloth
      • Jack Daniel's Cloth
      • Chelsea FC Cloths
    • Pool Table Accessories
      • Table Tennis Tops
      • Pool Table Covers
      • Pool Table Lighting
      • Pool Table Trolleys
      • Table Care
      • Pool Table Benches
      • Snooker Scoreboards
    • Popular Brands
      • Jack Daniel's Accessories
      • Aramith Balls & Sets
      • Britannia Cues
      • Buffalo Cues
      • Cannon Cues
      • George Balabushka Cues
  • Arcade
    Machines
    • Arcades by Availability
      • Arcade Machines in Stock
    • By Type
      • Upright Arcade Machines
      • Cocktail Cabinet Arcades
      • Coffee Table Arcades
      • Tabletop & Handheld
    • By Genre
      • Multigame Machines
      • Driving Games
      • Shooting Games
      • Golfing Games
    • Popular Brands
      • ArcadePro
      • Bespoke Arcade Machines
      • GamePro
      • GoldenTee
      • Namco
      • Pac-Man
      • Sega
      • Space Invaders
    • Air Hockey
      • All Air Hockey Tables
      • Air Hockey Dining Tables
      • Sam Air Hockey Tables
      • Namco Air Hockey Tables
      • Air Hockey for Commercial Use
    • Commercial
      • Commercial Arcade Machines
      • Arcade Machines on Rental Agreements
  • Pinball
    • By Type
      • Virtual Pinball Machines
      • Pinball Machines In Stock
    • By Condition
      • New Pinball Machines
      • Reconditioned Pinball Machines
    • By Genre
      • Films
      • TV Shows
      • Comics
      • Bands & Music
      • Sports
      • Classic & Original Pinballs
    • Popular Brands
      • Bally Midway Pinball
      • Stern Pinball (New)
      • Stern Pinball (Reconditioned)
      • Williams Pinball
    • Other Services
      • We Buy and Part-Exchange Pinballs
    • Commercial
      • Pinball Machines on Rental Agreements
  • Table
    Tennis
    • By Type
      • Indoor Tables
      • Outdoor Tables
      • Table Tennis Tops
      • Concrete Tables
      • Teqball
    • Accessories
      • Table Covers
      • Table Care
      • Net & Post Sets
      • Table Tennis Bats
      • Table Tennis Balls
    • Popular Brands
      • Venom
      • Butterfly
      • Butterfly (Indoor)
      • Butterfly (Outdoor)
      • Cornilleau
      • Cornilleau (Indoor)
      • Cornilleau (Outdoor)
      • RS Barcelona
    • Commercial
      • Table Tennis Tables For Schools
  • Football
    Tables
    • By Type
      • Football Tables In Stock
      • All Football Tables
      • Tables for Home Use
      • Custom Football Tables
      • Football Table Accessories
    • By Feature
      • Glass Top Football Tables
      • Outdoor Football Tables
      • Competition Grade (ITSF)
    • Popular Brands
      • Bonzini
      • Debuchy
      • Garlando
      • Jack Daniel's
      • Roberto Sport
      • RS Barcelona
      • Sam
      • Sulpie
    • Commercial
      • Football Tables For Schools
      • Commercial Tables
      • Football Tables on Rental Agreements
  • Juke-
    boxes
    • By Availability
      • Jukeboxes In Stock
    • By Type
      • CD Jukeboxes
      • Vinyl Jukeboxes
      • Digital Jukeboxes
    • By Condition
      • New Jukeboxes
      • Vintage Jukeboxes
    • Sound Leisure
      • All Sound Leisure Jukeboxes
      • Sound Leisure CD Jukeboxes
      • Sound Leisure Vinyl Jukeboxes
      • Sound Leisure Digital Jukeboxes
    • Rock-Ola
      • All Rock-Ola Jukeboxes
      • Rock-Ola CD Jukeboxes
      • Rock-Ola Vinyl Jukeboxes
      • Rock-Ola Digital Jukeboxes
    • Vintage Brands
      • AMI Vintage
      • Wurlitzer
    • Commercial
      • Jukeboxes for Commercial Use
  • Shuffle-
    board
    • By Availability
      • Shuffleboards In Stock
    • By Type
      • All Shuffleboards
      • Shuffleboard Accessories
    • Popular Brands
      • Signature
      • Brunswick
      • Hudson
      • Hurricane
      • Jack Daniel's
    • Commercial
      • Shuffleboards on Rental Scheme
  • Darts
    • Darts
      • All Darts
      • Dart Sets
    • Player Darts
      • Daryl Gurney
      • Joe Cullen
      • Michael Van Gerwen
      • Simon Whitlock
      • Steve Beaton
    • Darts by Weight
      • 21g Darts
      • 22g Darts
      • 23g Darts
      • 24g Darts
      • 25g Darts
      • 26g Darts
    • Darts by Tip
      • Soft Tip
      • Steel Tip
      • Tungsten
    • Interactive Darts
      • Interactive Darts
      • Bullseye Interactive Darts
    • Darts Accessories
      • Darts Accessories
      • Cases & Wallets
      • Mats & Floor Protectors
      • Oche & Throw Lines
    • Dartboards
      • Professional Dartboards
      • Winmau Dartboards
      • Mission Dartboards
    • Dartboard Accessories
      • Cabinets
      • Surrounds
      • Scorers
    • Commercial
      • Interactive Darts
    • Popular Brands
      • Bullseye
      • Jack Daniel's
      • Mission
      • Winmau
    • Jack Daniel's
      • Jack Daniel's Darts
      • Jack Daniel's Dartboards
      • Jack Daniel's Dartboards & Surrounds
      • Jack Daniel's Darts Accessories
      • Jack Daniel's Darts Range
  • Cool
    Stuff
    • Home Golfing Products
      • Golf and Putting Practice
    • Games Room Accessories
      • Dartboards and Darts
      • Skeeball Machines
      • Home Bowling Alleys
    • Pool Accessories
      • Benches
      • Cue Racks
      • Lighting
      • Pool Table Covers
      • Pool Table Trolleys
    • Popular Brands
      • Jack Daniel's
      • Skeeball
    • Arcade Machines
      • Cocktail Cabinet Arcades
      • Coffee Table Arcades
      • Table Top Arcades
  • Commercial
    • Why Choose Us
      • Case Studies
      • Previous Installations
    • What We Offer
      • Free Delivery & Installation
      • Servicing
      • Try Before You Buy
      • Online Room Planner
    • Finance Options
      • All Finance Options
      • Lease Rentals
      • Outright Purchase
      • Purchase with Servicing
      • Profit Share
    • All Products
      • Air Hockey
      • Arcade Machines
      • Augmented Reality Darts
      • Batfast
      • Beer Pong Machines
      • Brunswick Duckpin
      • Football Tables
      • Golden Tee
      • Interactive Darts
      • Jukeboxes
      • Hologate Virtual Reality
      • Pinball Machines
      • Pool Tables - Coin Operated
      • Pool Tables - Contactless Payment
      • Sega Arcades
      • Shuffleboards
      • Skee-Ball
      • Table Tennis Tables
    • Contactless Solution
      • About Contactless Payments
      • Our Payment Reader
      • Our Online Portal
    • Virtual Reality
      • Hologate Blitz Driver VR
      • Hologate Hyper Golf VR
      • Hologate Arena Adventure VR
    • Augmented Reality
      • Batfast
    • Interactive Darts
      • What is Interactive Darts?
      • Interactive Darts Venue Finder
      • Bullseye! Augmented Reality Darts
      • Augmented Reality Darts
      • Smarts Interactive Darts
    • Shop by Space
      • Office Breakout Spaces
      • Schools, Colleges & Unis
      • Snooker Clubs
    • Competitive Socialising
      • What is Competitive Socialising?
      • Competitive Socialising 2023
      • Competitive Socialising Events
  • Clearance
    & Offers
  • Buying Advice
  • How To Play
  • Commercial
  • Showrooms
  • Finance
  • Games Room Designer
  • Clearance Sale
  • Home
  • Pool Tables
  • How To Play Pool
  • How to Play Pool: Cue Action

How to Play Pool: Cue Action

In this video, 4 times World Champion, Gareth Potts, takes us through perfecting your cue action, how to use a pause to get more control and reaction on the cue ball.

Video Transcription:

Gareth Potts: So in this video we're now going to concentrate on the
cue action. There's a lot of different ways to cue up to the
ball. A lot of people cue up to the ball in lots of different
ways and a lot of it is preference and the way that you would
naturally pick up the cue and the way you would naturally pick
up the cue to cue up to the ball. It's hard to teach someone
the way to cue but there are certain things and certain elements
that you have to do to allow you to have a good cue action to
allow you to get the reaction on to the ball. So as I'm cueing
up the ball, this is what's called feathering up to the cue ball
so as I'm going up, I'm lining up where I'm going to be striking
the cue ball. So in this instance, I'm going to meet the cue
ball quiet and low down to get some bounce spin basically, so
some back spin. So as I'm cueing up like this this is what I'm
doing I'm feathering up to the ball.

Now, there has to be a pause at some point so the pause is
either on the cue ball or the pause is either at the top of the
back swing sometimes you can do both so I would naturally
personally I would pause at the top of the back swing which
creates the power it's all about timing so as I'm cueing up I'm
feathering up to the cue ball maybe three four five times, pause
on the cue ball as I draw the cue back pause at the top of the
back swing and then strike. Another way of cueing up is exactly
the same you would pause on the cue ball but then have a less of
a pause at the top of the back swing and then strike.
Personally, I don't think this is the best way to do it because
you need to have the pause at the top of the back swing which
allows you to get the timing on to the cue ball.

Andy: So when you're watching snooker, you'll hear commentators
talk about having a brilliant cue action. What does that cue
action look like? What makes that player have a basically good
action?

Gareth Potts: Yeah. Well like I say, every player that you watch will
have a different cue action. They talk about players like Ronny
O'Sullivan and Stephen Lee having the best cue actions and I
think the reason why they have the best cue action is because
they can get the most reaction on the cue ball so therefore
Stephen Lee can screw back the white full length of the table on
a snooker table with such minimum efforts and so can Ronny
O'Sullivan. A lot of the players can screw the cue ball back but
them sort of players can do it with much more ease than the rest
of the players and the reason of that is because they get a lot
more timing. It's just like golf, it's not how hard you swing
at the ball it's just about finding the timing, and the timing
then comes from the pause so if you watch someone like Stephen
Lee and Ronny O'Sullivan, they have a huge pause at the top of
the back swing so as they draw the cue back they have a pause,
it's not just one continuous motion and then striking the cue
ball, there has to come a pause, so there's either a pause on
the cue ball or there's a pause at the top of the backswing
which allows the cue to create the timing on to the ball so
therefore if you're trying to create a lot of back spin or a lot
of top spin it allows you to put the timing into the shot.

Andy: Is this where acceleration comes in so as you're cueing
through the ball you are accelerating through it?

Gareth Potts: Yes. That's a really good point because what happens is,
as you draw the cue back there's a pause at the top of the back
swing so from this point now you have to accelerate through the
ball so it has to get starts off slower and now it has to get
gradually faster. What happens a lot of the time is players
will decelerate through the ball so they'll come off quick and
then slow down which then takes all the reaction what you're
trying to do to the cue ball so if you're trying to play with
bottom spin if you decelerate it takes the reaction away from
the cue ball you have to accelerate as you are delivering the
cue so as you pause at the top of the back swing you then have
to get quicker through the ball.

Andy: For more videos from Gareth Potts please visit homeleisuredirect.com

<< Back to How To Play Pool Shop for Pool Tables >>

More How to Play Pool Videos

How to Play Pool: Holding the Cue How to play pool: How to Bridge How to Play Pool: Address & Stance How to Play Pool: Top Spin How to Play Pool: Rail Shots How to Play Pool: The Break How to Play Pool: Shots Tight to the Cushion How to Play Pool: Positional Play How to Play Pool: Planning Order of Shots How to Play Pool: Lining Up Side Spin Shots How to Play Pool: Off-Set Plant How to Play Pool: Reverse Side Spin How to become consistent at playing pool? Where's the Cue Ball Going? How to Play Pool: Back Spin
Secure Shopping - We use SagePay to handle all online payments
Free Delivery* - Everything we sell is delivered FREE to most of the UK
Price Promise - We check all our prices against major retailers every day

232 reviews

Industry leading security

Opayo by Elavon

We accept the following payments

Accepted Payments

Multiple award winners

  • Gold Trust eCommerce Awards 2014
  • Venda 2014 Worldpay Venda 2013

Proud to be Official Merchandise Partner for these prestigious brands

  • Jack Daniels
  • Brunswick
  • Chelsea

Proud to Supply

  • Skype
  • Sky
  • Google
  • Facebook
  • John Lewis
  • Microsoft
  • Oxford University
  • Manchester City FC

Proud to Sponsor

  • GB9 Tour
  • BFA
  • IPA
  • Pool Tour
  • London Pinball Championship

Join Us On Social Media

Useful Links

  • About Us
  • Our Story
  • Blog
  • Meet the Team
  • Our Awards
  • Charity Work
  • Careers
  • -
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs
  • How to Find Us
  • Delivery Policy
  • -
  • Finance Information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Join our Newsletter

Keep up to date with offers, new products and news from HLD

Sign Up

If you need help with anything
contact our team on

0800 622 6464 or 01454 413636

Offices Open
Monday - Friday 9am - 5:30pm
Saturday - Sunday 10am - 4pm
Bank Holidays 10am - 4pm

Showrooms Open
Monday - Friday 9am - 5:30pm
Saturday - Sunday 10am - 4pm
Bank Holidays 10am - 4pm

Home Leisure Direct Limited is registered in England and Wales


Registered Office: Unit 7A Point 4 Distribution Centre, Second Way, Avonmouth, Bristol. BS11 8DF


Company Registration: 6364345 | VAT Registration: 914619912 | Consumer Credit License: 692501


Home Leisure Direct is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority


Home Leisure Direct acts as a credit broker and only offers credit products for etika Finance UK Limited.


Credit provided subject to age and status.


Created by bluebox

Learn Less