A popular game that is sure to impress anyone who looks at the table, a well-played game of snooker is an admirable set of skills. With precision and accuracy, followed by a strong sense of judgment and strategy, the game says a lot about the player and his ability to strategize and execute accordingly.

It’s certainly one of those skills that can go a long way when discovered no matter what the audience is. Imagine going to the pub with your colleagues at work, or maybe even your boss, and then showing them your skills at the pool table, winning. Talk about impressive and a sure way to be the hot topic of the week.

Fortunately, snooker skills can be improved with a few tips and tactics that will increase your skill level. So without further ado, here are our hottest snooker tips for beginners that will get you playing one step closer than the pros.

1. Adopt the right stance

When it comes to hitting the cue ball, technique comes down to your stance. If you’re right-handed, straighten your right leg and bend your left knee, which allows you to lower your shoulders to be low on the cue. This allows you to get closer to the shot, ensuring maximum accuracy.

2. Align your balance

When it comes to any sport with a ball, there is a need to have a good sense of balance. For beginners, the importance of balance lies in coordinating it with your natural shooting stance. A strong and balanced stance is essential to resist a push from the shooting side.

3. Correct grip of the stick

A relaxed but firm grip is essential to ensure that there is no unwanted force behind the shot. If your grip is too loose, chances are you will completely lose control of the shot.

4. Perfect your bridge

The support created by your fingers for the stick is referred to as the bridge. It needs to be perfected to get a good shot. Given that the bridge is the foundation of your shot, it must be solid and stable, but loose enough to allow the stick to move smoothly. The most common type of bridge is the open bridge, which is good for playing a variety of shots with both bent and straight fingers.

5. Play on the pause

When evaluating whether your shot will be accurate and whether your bridge is smooth and safe enough for your shot, it is important to pause both the front and back of your stroke. Pauses happen once before you pull the club back, and again before you take the shot. Doing these pauses will help you optimize your chances of landing your shot in the pocket.

6. Hitting correctly

Good strokes are smooth and rhythmic in motion, with a well-defined beginning, middle and end. You can’t be in a hurry to make the right stroke. If you are looking for longer strokes, you need to set up for angled shots rather than straight ones.

7. Isolate your white hand from everything else

When you take a shot, the only part of your body that should move is your white arm. Nothing else should move. This includes your sternum, head, hips, feet and anything else you can think of should remain completely still for balance and stability. By doing this, you will propel all the energy and focus into your cue shot for success.

8. Strategy time

Pool (a.k.a. snooker) is all about strategizing your moves. This means assessing the position of the balls on the table and deciding which ones are easy to hit and which ones will help you position yourself for the next shot. For example, a good strategy is to leave one of the balls that blocks a pocket untouched, as this blocks your opponent from using that pocket and reduces the number of available pockets from 6 to 5.

Time to test your skills

Now that you’ve learned some tips and tricks to improve your billiard game, it’s time to test your new skills at the table.