Where To Look When Playing Pool | Pool School

[@cantbreakdance2849]

This is the best pool lesson on youtube! 3d eyes! learning and laughing my ass off at the same time :D

[@mikeserrano734]

Yeah! Its true with those eyes. On how to aim, where to look. The ghost ball. Im learning here.

[@zackstone9466]

It's so funny cause when i play well this is exactly what i do. But lately i have struggled with hitting some easy balls because i forgot where to look. The 3D eyes reminded me of when i have run the rack without even thinking of it. Thanks man! Got me out of a slump 🙏

[@obiwanfisher537]

It looks so funny yet its so easy to understand everything :D

[@streetov8ftw]

Brilliant! Had me creasing up at the 3d eyes lol and i agree, definitely the best pool tutorial on KZbin. Short n sweet, easy to take in

[@clartaa7955]

Great video, I used pot so well and then out of nowhere I forgot where to look when potting, this video has helped a lot, thank you!

[@ral819]

I particularly found this helpful on long straight shots. I found myself looking at the cue ball rather than the object ball. (I do this on the break shots as well) 3 D eyes were very helpful...

[@rodriguezro9999]

Awesome demonstration. The googley eyes are a hilarious but productive thing to include. Thanks for the video 👍🏼👋🏼

[@brandonelliott6241]

Great video and presentation. I have been playing pool for almost 20yrs and toyed with many eye positions. In my experience, this is absolutely correct. Thanks for the video and confirmation! Even after playing for 2 decades, this was extremely useful.

[@jasonmossop1007]

Finally!!!!!!! My question has been answered. Thankyou. I have been searching for the correct method for a long time.

[@arsenalforever5877]

This was the one video I was looking for. Explained perfectly what I wanted to know. Went through a ton of them before finally finding it. Great video very well explained and demonstrated

[@blahtoausername]

Most helpful, thanks. I've never considered looking at the "ghost" ball, only the contact point on the object ball. Perhaps this is where I've been going wrong? That and consistent cueing.

[@PoolSchool]

blahtoausername yes definitely. If you are looking at the contact point then that is not on the shot line. The shot line runs from the center of the cue ball to the center of the ghost ball. The contact point could be up to half a balls width away from this on a fine cut.

[@allgood6760]

Ghost ball is an excellent reference point👍🎱

[@ThePrufessa]

Had to explain to someone that looking at the cue ball during the shot is improper mechanics. This video helped them understand better.

[@marshallmaynor9224]

I'll be honest. I've always looked at the cue ball. I just started playing again about a year ago after not playing for 20 years. I never took it serious or anything it was always about fun. But now I've got the bug and want to play and learn. This video has freaked me out because of how wrong I've been playing pool this whole time. As much practice that I've put in this past 8 months, I have never thought about this topic. I always would line my body and bridge hand up to the target line, but then I would really focus on the cue ball and my contact point on it. I have seen my game improve a good bit since I started playing again, but this video is going to make me question everything I thought I learned or was doing right. I am definitely going to use this technique but I know it is going to be a big adjustment for me. Thank you for this video. Very informative and simple.

[@PoolSchool]

I’m not saying you HAVE to look 👀 in this way and there are others that believe you should look at the cue ball. There is even a difference of opinion between professionals. However from my personal experience, when I switched from looking at the cue ball to the point of aim it transformed my game completely. To start with I went backwards a little and it felt wrong, but that’s mainly because I’d been doing it differently for so long. However once my brain became accustomed to it, my aim was a million times better.

[@marshallmaynor9224]

@@PoolSchool Fair enough. Thank you for clarifying that for me. I am really looking forward to trying it out the next time I get to a table and practice.

[@Derek_1111]

@@marshallmaynor9224 How's the progress going? I too spent my entire pool playing life looking at the cue ball last. I switched to looking at the object ball last about 12 years ago. However when I'm shooting using extreme draw I look at the cue ball last as I miscue less often when doing that. Also with the cue ball and object ball are very close together I look at cue ball last as well. I don't think there's anything wrong with looking at the cue ball last. It may even help people to strike the cue ball exactly where they want and help them stroke straight through it. Once you're down on the shot with the correct aim/shot line locked in, the most important part is being able to deliver a straight consistent stroke. If looking at the cue ball last gives you a straighter stroke, then do that. Go with whichever one gives you a straighter consistent stroke.

[@marshallmaynor9224]

@@Derek_1111 I can see some improvements no doubt. I found as you mentioned on draw shots or close object balls looking at the cue ball last helps me from miscuing as much. But I can see some good improvements overall. Unfortunately I haven't been to the pool hall in a few weeks. I want to get in there and get some work done.

[@Chp82]

Came for the pool tips. Stayed for the crazy eyes :D

[@johnpaulclarkson4671]

I need those 3d eyes. Great video and will be putting all this into practice

[@johnpaulclarkson4671]

Tried it and fk me it works like a charm. Can you do a video on shot selection? This is an area of my game that needs improving. I'm guessing this just comes with time ?

[@jaimwah]

Absolutely fantastic info on this vital skill brilliant idea for a video.

[@PoolSchool]

jamie .walker thank you, really appreciated.

[@Blessed.2.Teach.4God]

Extremely well done sir, thank you.

[@roymuganga34]

Nice lesson

[@jonescrusher1]

These are all great lessons, wasn't expecting laugh out loud moments too.

[@PoolSchool]

Cheers, never intended it to be funny, but does make me chuckle when I watch it back!

[@jonescrusher1]

@@PoolSchool it’s like live action Simpsons!

[@ThePrufessa]

One thing I would like to add is that if you're playing with a cue that's not low deflection then you have to adjust where you're aiming based on the squirt that will apply to the cue ball after you shoot. When I'm at a bar and I don't have my cue with me and I'm using a house cue I always do a test to calibrate my aiming. I place the cue ball at the foot spot and line it up between 2 diamonds the long way. I then shoot either a left or right English shot to see how far outside the diamond the cue ball squirts. Left English pushes to the right side of the diamond and vice versa. That distance away from the diamond is how much you need to adjust your shot when aiming with English. Another thing to consider is shooting with a bar box cue ball that's heavier than a standard cue ball. That extra weight throws the object ball off the natural course ever so sightly but enough to cause you to miss depending on how far away the pocket is. All these things will determine where you need to focus on aiming in order to hit the ghost ball properly.

[@inthemancave5981]

Love your animations lol

[@brucewatsondocsfishinstuff]

Thank you!

[@johnlloyd2513]

Good vid but there is more to it. Watch Ronnie. Every shot he lines up pushing the cue towards the white. This gives him quick alignment to the shot line ‘through’ the object ball to determine the cut angle quickly (lesser players should assess the angle to work out where the ghost ball point is). You then need to look through the shot, in a similar way to the way you look through a 3D autostereogram picture and you then build a better peripheral picture of cue alignment to pocket. This is why you see players eyes move up and down. If you retain a good overall peripheral picture of cue to pocket you will miss a lot less. In short you look through the shot so you don’t lose track of where the pocket is (reverse cuts are easier when you train your peripheral vision better).

[@babyreps365]

Subscribed wicked vids easy to follow. Please use the 3d eyes in every video from now on 😁

[@jassy6046]

Hahaha what a great video! Made me laugh as much as I’ve learned from it. Btw, there is a video of Ralf Souquet aiming for a shot. Looks exactly like you with this 3-D eyes. But with his own eyes.

[@PoolSchool]

Haha! poor man!

[@Fearless13289]

Lol I am good with alignment and everything my problem I think is I never gave my eyes time to focus on where am aiming I just shot and I think that's my problem because I sometimes make to much force and all which is not needed I will try your strategy and see how it goes I have been practicing it is way good I can't wait to try it out in the match

[@TheRausing1]

This video is informative and unsettling at the same time !😂

[@arijano82]

Sub because of those 3d eyes, super Video Greetings from Swiss 👍

[@nukiepoo]

Those bug eyes were great

[@residuevideos]

Awesome. Much appreciated.

[@Fearless13289]

I tryed this strategy today and I kept wining more racks it's really helpful sir I must say

[@PoolSchool]

Excellent glad it helps

[@Fearless13289]

@@PoolSchool yeah sir is really helpful but the funny part is I beat ppl in bars in pool 🤣

[@pubglitegaming8360]

Hi I've just started watching your channel it's very good. Just wondering. I got I 9.5mm tip on my cue. My shaft is light I'm worried my shaft will bend after the break. Do you think it will bend or is it just me being paranoid thank you ... My cue is riley crimson modern 2

[@PoolSchool]

Thank you. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Some people do like to use two cues and have a slightly heavier breaking cue but I've never felt the need for it myself.

[@DerekSuffolk]

So if everything is lined up correctly and you can make the shot with your eyes closed, why do we need to look at the ghost ball when taking the shot?

[@PoolSchool]

😂 Valid point! Doesn’t matter where you look if everything is aligned properly. Problem is it’s just human nature to adjust things ever so slightly as you feather back and forth. Looking at the ghost ball, pausing and focusing on delivering the cue towards that point is just the best way (in my opinion) to successfully deliver the cue along that line. There are others that think that looking at the cue ball is the better way to do it. There are professionals using both techniques so you can’t really argue one over the other.

[@michaelolson6982]

The actual reason for the pause when cueing a white ball is that without pausing the cue stick it is nearly impossible to deliver the cue stick in a straight line, a habit that is highly desirable for pool players to adopt if they have any ambitions of achieving accuracy to a high proficiency.

[@PoolSchool]

You're correct the pause is important when it comes to delivering the cue in a straight line, but it has many benefits. It encourages the player to stay still on the shot, it stops the player from rushing the shot, it helps with timing and accelerating through the shot and it gives time for the eyes to fully focus as discussed in this video. For me it's a vital part of the cue delivery and there are many reasons to do it.

[@pauls064]

Doesnt really explain why many of the all time greats and current top players do not pause…. It’s good for some, not for others.

[@brandonbradway8712]

I now play with my eyes completely closed for my own accuracy. Others think I'm showing off, so thank you Pool School.

[@PoolSchool]

😂

[@povrtsux1]

Very cute... thanks!

[@melvanwyk1929]

My honest opinion and I'm a national level player in my country, this is a personal preference as I've tried to be an object ball player and really struggled playing that way and moved back to my natural instinct which is cue ball focus when ready to strike and before you move back the cue as with this method I can actually see my cue go back in a straight line and also come forward in a straight line through the line of aim I was intending to hit. So I do think with any coach please don't try to enforce a method as there is no one method and all about the player's personal preference and their eye sight.

[@chrishart1545]

I always have played looking at the cue ball, and I have become a fairly decent player, but now all i can think about is how i should be looking at the ghost ball instead of the cue ball when taking a shot, should I change my game and try to look at the ghost ball or should I carry one playing looking at the cue ball

[@PoolSchool]

I went through exactly the same thing. I always looked at the cue ball and thought I was doing ok. When I discovered I should be looking at where I was aiming I was unconvinced. It felt uncomfortable and for a significant period I was sure it was making me worse. However this was only because I wasn’t used to it. Once I got comfortable with it, it made a huge difference to my game, so it’s definitely worth persevering with.

[@chrishart1545]

@@PoolSchool this unrelated but how big of room do you need to get a pool table, I want one in my front room but unsure of how big of a room you need for one

[@blacklustersoldier9411]

I tend to look at the cue before striking. I play well but should I change the sighting what do you think?

[@PoolSchool]

When I first started playing I used to look at the cue ball. It wasn't until I started trying to take the game more seriously and improve that I discovered you should be looking at your point of aim when you deliver the cue. When I first started to try this is felt very unnatural because I'd spent so long doing it differently. I really struggled with it and for a little while my game went backwards a bit. However once I'd trained my subconscious to do it naturally I started to see huge improvements in my accuracy and potting ability. It's definitely something I would recommend changing, even if it feels a bit odd at first.

[@blacklustersoldier9411]

Thanks for the advice

[@imranramjewan6470]

@@PoolSchool Interesting. I look at the cueball last. Whenever I try to look at the object ball last I miss the shot because I'm not focused on where I'm striking the cueball. How I look at it is you aim thicker if u are using outside English because of throw especially with an ld shaft. If I accidentally hit center ball I miss the shot. If I precisely strike the spin I make the shot. Any tips on how to practice the object ball last?

[@Paparoj]

Nice

[@janethrivera4359]

Does this also apply for the three cushions game? because I read a professional three cushions player from a kozoom article saying that we had to look at the cue ball first.

[@PoolSchool]

I’m afraid I don’t know that game so couldn’t say. As I’ve said to other in the comments, not everyone looks at the point of aim, some look at the cue ball. I personally think it is better to look at the point of aim (which could be a point on the cushion), but not everyone agrees.

[@janethrivera4359]

@@PoolSchool thanks pool school. And by the way great lesson the best I have seen about this topic.

[@johnsalkeld1088]

Did you do this on April 1st?

[@nakkadu]

Very good video. Also you should have googly eyes on all videos

[@TweetyLeaf]

@Pool_School What If I have slight strabismus? Should i quit playing pool alltogether :(

[@PoolSchool]

I’m afraid I couldn’t really comment on a medical condition as I don’t know enough about it. Obviously eye problems can make things very difficult though.

[@TweetyLeaf]

@@PoolSchool No problem. Maybe think it this way: I have 2 visions when you and all normal vision people have one unified. So my eyes have individual image (affects how i see depth but that i can deal with) and obviously other is slighly left and other slightly right where your vision is in middle. Now my question is: Should I play with my head tilted to get my "good eye"(the other one, same always) on line with the cue and elbow and right leg? Im not expecting expert advice here, but I bet you can shuffle this thing in your mind to provide educated quess (as pool instructor) coz you know about playing pool more than I do.

[@stefantotev]

I've been doing this subconsciously. The problem is my eyesight is not that great and I don't see clearly when trying to hit a ball at the other end of the table. I thought when I got eyeglasses it would be great but when I lean forward my eyes are over the glasses to the point they can't be of any help. :)

[@PoolSchool]

Stefan Totev it’s a difficult one, I don’t wear glasses myself so can’t really comment. My mate in my pool team wears glasses so I’ll ask him how he deals with it.

[@BadgerBotherer1]

You need some Dennis Taylor "upside down" glasses!

[@Fearless13289]

Sir sometimes I tend to pause on the object ball then focus on my cue for my spin pause to it again then look at my object ball where I want to aim then I shot is it better than to flek both sides

[@PoolSchool]

Lots of people pause at both the cue ball and that's fine as long as you pause on the back swing as well. With the eyes I like to flick between the two so that you don't lose sight of where you are aiming. If you focus too long on the cue ball then it's easy to lose your aim point when you go back. A quick pause is probably fine but if you find you are losing the poinnt of aim when you go back, just maybe make the look at the cue ball a bit quicker.

[@Fearless13289]

@@PoolSchool noted sir will do so🙌🔥

[@pubglitegaming8360]

I'm going to france are the pool tables the same size as uk because I got a english cue

[@PoolSchool]

I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that one.

[@Erkkremlinklum]

Well if my biggest struggle is hitting the cue ball in the incorrect spot then isn’t it best if I look at the cue

[@PoolSchool]

No. If you are struggling to hit the cue ball in the right spot then your cue action is not right and you need to work on that first. Your fundamentals must be solid but once you are doing these properly then you must look where you are aiming if you want any sort of success with potting.

[@Erkkremlinklum]

@@PoolSchool I gotta figure out what I’m doing wrong then cause my fundamentals are pretty good. I aim before I get down and step into my shot, back leg stays straight to help with no jumping up, loose grip, shoot through the ball. But still missing balls way to often, I started looking at the cue last before pulling the trigger and my shot making jumped up substantially.

[@PoolSchool]

When you change something in your game it's quite common to get worse before you get better because it just feels so unatural. I certainly did when doing this for the first time. Trust me though, it will improve your potting if you stick with it. Try doing this drill whilst doing it kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJzVlYhnlruaqZo you don't need to worry whether you are looking at the right spot for the ghost ball because it's in a dead straight line. Any little imperfections in your cueing will show up doing this. Slightly off and the object ball won't come back straight. If it's not coming back straight and you can't tell why, then try and video yourself from a couple of angles in slow motion (doing this shot). Hopefully then you can see if something is not right.

[@Erkkremlinklum]

@@PoolSchool maybe I worded that wrong but my shot making jumped up substantially when looking at cue ball last. Saw big improvement. The rest of my game will struggle till I get used to it and yes thanks for the link, I do a drill where I shoot in a shot using the entire length of the table and I follow the cue ball in the pocket with the object ball, I usually get it after a few tries but got it first try the other night when looking at cue ball last

[@khoanguyen62195]

I look at the cueball all the time because once I'm down for the shot, I already aim at the ghost ball

[@mikeserrano734]

Can you play Dr Dave and Sharivari?

[@PoolSchool]

Ha! Would love to, might be a bit of a journey for us to get together though!

[@mikeserrano734]

@@PoolSchool you guys can make it happen. DrDave is down. He always answers and he is cool.

[@pubglitegaming8360]

What size tip do you have

[@PoolSchool]

9mm I use these amzn.to/2YH0Kgw

[@jerryc452]

Those Kermit eyes 👀 work man.

[@half.blight]

You have to make the 3D eyes a permanent thing haha

[@asmxh]

My eyes look like that after a 3 day run:)

[@PoolSchool]

😂👀

[@pauls064]

Sorry that I’m going to be rude here, but with 35 years of coaching and pro playing behind me, this is absolute utter rubbish. Eye patterns and shot foci vary from player to player, but almost none focus on ghost ball because of very well-established scientific reasons - namely the brain and eye connection struggles with intangible foci. In snooker, Ronnie “flutters” between white and OB, Hendry actually looks toward pocket and potting line, and the field is roughly divided between OB last, and white last. In US pool (which was my final destination as a playing pro having started in snooker), a larger majority of players look at OB at contact. Almost no one attempts looking at the ghostball, and as I coach, I strongly advise against it for a number of reasons.

[@rrsrav2837]

Some of the top snooker players look at the cue ball last!!! when playing a shot, just to name one, Jhon Higgins , others at the object ball last like Trump, there is no one way they are both correct Please look into it more.

[@PoolSchool]

I'll be honest with you I didn't realise any professionals did it that way, but your absolutely right, it appears some of them do. I was always told that you should look at the object ball (where you're aiming) and it always felt right to me. I know that Barry Stark for example (a coach who works a lot with Kyren Wilson) is adamant that you should always be looking at the object ball when you deliver the cue, and I have always had huge respect for his opinions. However a player of John Higgins level clearly can't be wrong either! The only thing I would say is watching John Higgins closely you can see him lift his head ever so slightly as he moves his eyes from the cue ball to the object ball just after he delivers it. It's this urge to move during delivery that has always made me believe that it is better to look at the point of aim instead. It clearly doesn't cause him any problems though! Obviously everyone has different ways of doing things and no player or coach can always be 100% correct on everyway they have of doing things. Thanks for pointing this out though and it's certainly something I'll look into further.

[@joelmarriott9015]

might look a little odd...lol

[@SuperAlain123456]

There is no need to look at the object ball neither. When you are aligned well you can close youe eye so...

[@ibanez33150]

I highly disagree. Look at the spot where the cue tip is. Even Efren Reyes said it. Basically the cue ball is what you look at.

[@PoolSchool]

This is a hugely debated topic and one there is no definitive answer to. There are plenty of examples of professional pool and snooker players that do different things with their eyes. Some focus on the cue ball, others on the point of aim. Looking at the point of aim feels natural for me and is the method I would advocate but that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. Everyone is different. If you try to change from one to the other (having done one thing for a long time) you will definitely be worse to start with.

[@rayahlbrandt3598]

The. Darts analogy doesn’t make sense. You throw a dart but you hit the ball. Never seen a decent cricketer take their eye off the ball. They would never lift there head and look where they are hitting a ball.

[@PoolSchool]

Cricket is completely different because the ball is moving and coming towards you. It is difficult to find a good analogy because a cue stroke is different to any other sport. The reason I choose darts is because of the fact you are delivering your arm towards a target. This is one of those things that does split opinion. There are professional snooker players who look at the cue ball when they strike it but I would say the majority fix their eyes on the target. It’s very difficult to see but try watching the professionals head on and you’ll see what I mean.

[@zackdaveis4721]

Looking at a ghost ball?😂we can see ghost now? Lol. how about listen to this crazy statement. There are only about 3 to 4 different shots on any regulation sized pool table. The pros use a 3 angle system to geometrically tie their game into the table. They don’t know geometry at all🤫🤐

[@darrinhicks6896]

Lmao this was awesome