Intermediate Tips
There are plenty of free resources for beginners in many platform, but not many that covers the intermediate level and probably because the spectrum is so wide and vast that it's difficult to be comprehensive. Here are some of the things I'm working on.
11/24/202514 min read
1. Stance, alignment, and bridge
You build everything on this. An intermediate player often has “OK” fundamentals, but not consistent enough.
Focus first on:
Stance
Your stance should be:
Stable and balanced, with weight roughly 60–70% on the front foot.
Body turned slightly sideways so your stroking arm can swing freely.
Head directly over the cue or just slightly offset, but consistently in the same place every shot.
You work on stance first because if your body is misaligned, everything else becomes compensation and inconsistency.
Alignment
You want:
Eyes on the line from cue ball to object ball to pocket.
Feet and body lined up along the cue’s path.
The cue tip, cue ball, contact point, and pocket all on one straight line.
Alignment comes early in the sequence so that your stroke is actually delivering the cue where your brain thinks it is.
Bridge
Both open and closed bridges should be solid:
Open bridge for most shots and finesse.
Closed bridge for power shots, break, and draw-heavy shots.
If your bridge is shaky, you cannot have a repeatable stroke, so you clean this up before obsessing over spin or advanced patterns.
Recommending Drill: Straight-Line “Rail Road Track” Drill
Setup Place the cue ball about 1–2 feet from a corner pocket, directly in line with it. Lay a straight object (cue, chalk line, or even a piece of string) along the line from cue ball to pocket to visually mark the shot line. You’re going to shoot the cue ball straight into the pocket with no object ball.
How to do it Stand up behind the line and:
Set your feet so your body is centered on that line.
Get down into your stance and bridge, making sure your cue is directly over the marked line.
Deliver a slow, smooth stroke so the cue ball rolls dead straight into the pocket.
After each shot, stand up completely and reset. Treat every shot like a fresh one.
Focus points Your priority is that the cue and cue ball stay perfectly on that line. If the cue ball drifts left or right, it’s a sign your stance, alignment, or bridge is off (or you’re steering the cue).
Progression Start with 50–100 shots per session. When you can send the cue ball straight 90%+ of the time from 2 feet, move it back to 3, then 4, then 5 feet. Eventually, do this down the length of the table: cue ball on the head spot shooting to a corner pocket.
Success metric Count how many in a row you can send straight into the pocket without touching the rails. Keep a personal record.
2. Grip, stroke mechanics, and follow-through
Once your body is set, you refine how the cue actually moves.
Grip
You want:
Light, relaxed grip, like holding a small bird: secure but not squeezing.
Grip hand slightly behind the cue’s balance point.
No “steering” or squeezing at impact.
Work on this early because a tight or inconsistent grip wrecks cue delivery.
Stroke mechanics
You’re aiming for:
Straight, pendulum-like stroke from the elbow.
Shoulder relatively still, minimal head movement.
Smooth backstroke and forward stroke, no jerks.
Stroke work comes now because without a straight, smooth stroke, aiming or spin work just adds noise.
Follow-through
You want:
Cue to travel through the cue ball, not stop at contact.
Tip to end a few inches past the original cue-ball position.
Head staying down until the balls stop moving.
Follow-through is the confirmation that your stroke is relaxed and committed. It reinforces accuracy and speed control.
Recommending Drill: Pendulum Stroke at the Rail
Setup Place the cue ball about a diamond off the rail on the long side of the table, mid-table. You will shoot the cue ball straight up and down the rail with center-ball hits.
How to do it
Get into a stable stance parallel to the rail.
Use a relaxed grip: fingers loose, wrist soft, cue resting naturally in your hand.
Make several warm-up swings without hitting the ball, watching your cue move like a pendulum (elbow relatively still, forearm swinging).
Hit the cue ball so it travels up-table, hits the short rail, and returns along the same line, as close to the rail as possible.
Watch your follow-through: your tip should naturally move through where the cue ball was, not stop or jab at contact.
Focus points Keep your head still and your stroke straight. The cue should travel in a single plane; no chicken-winging or dropping/raising the elbow wildly.
Progression Start with soft hits, trying to make the ball travel 2–3 table lengths back and forth in a straight line. Increase power a bit while keeping the same smooth stroke and follow-through.
Success metric Track how often the cue ball returns within a cue’s width of its original path along the rail. Aim for 80%+ consistency.
3. Aiming and shot selection on simple shots
With physical mechanics somewhat stable, you refine how you send balls into pockets.
Aiming basics
You should:
Be very comfortable with straight-ins and half-ball hits.
Know your visual system: ghost ball, contact points, or fractional aiming.
Set up standard shots and make them look boringly easy.
You do simple shots first because you’re training your eyes and brain to trust the line without extra complexity.
Shot selection on easy layouts
For intermediate players:
Stop taking low-percentage hero shots when there is an easy make and simple shape alternative.
Always ask: “Can I get shape on the next ball without forcing it?”
Build the habit of playing the “right” shot, not the “fun” shot.
You introduce shot selection here because good decisions on simple layouts pay off immediately and build discipline.
Recommending Drill: Pendulum Stroke at the Rail
Setup Place the cue ball about a diamond off the rail on the long side of the table, mid-table. You will shoot the cue ball straight up and down the rail with center-ball hits.
How to do it
Get into a stable stance parallel to the rail.
Use a relaxed grip: fingers loose, wrist soft, cue resting naturally in your hand.
Make several warm-up swings without hitting the ball, watching your cue move like a pendulum (elbow relatively still, forearm swinging).
Hit the cue ball so it travels up-table, hits the short rail, and returns along the same line, as close to the rail as possible.
Watch your follow-through: your tip should naturally move through where the cue ball was, not stop or jab at contact.
Focus points Keep your head still and your stroke straight. The cue should travel in a single plane; no chicken-winging or dropping/raising the elbow wildly.
Progression Start with soft hits, trying to make the ball travel 2–3 table lengths back and forth in a straight line. Increase power a bit while keeping the same smooth stroke and follow-through.
Success metric Track how often the cue ball returns within a cue’s width of its original path along the rail. Aim for 80%+ consistency.
Recommending Drill: Short Straight-Ins and Half-Ball Cuts
Setup Straight-in: Place the object ball 1–2 feet from a corner pocket. Cue ball 1–2 feet on a straight line to it. Half-ball cut: Move the cue ball so you have about a 30–45° cut into the same pocket (a classic “half-ball” shot).
How to do it
Start with straight-ins first. Stand up, find the line through object ball to pocket, then step in and align your cue on that line. Shoot with soft, controlled power.
Once you can make straight-ins nearly automatic, shift to the half-ball cuts from both left and right sides.
For every shot, go through a simple pre-shot routine:
Visualize the line.
Align your cue while standing.
Step in, get into stance, 3–5 warm-up strokes, pause, shoot.
Focus points No fancy English; pure center-ball. You’re training your eyes and brain to see the contact point and align your body with it.
Progression Increase the distance of the cue ball and object ball from the pocket. Add different angles (thin cuts, thicker cuts) around the table.
Success metric Set a target like “make 40 of 50 straight-ins” and “30 of 40 half-ball cuts” in a session. Write it down and try to beat it next time.
4. Speed control and natural cue-ball paths
Once you can hit what you’re aiming at, you work on how hard and where the cue ball goes.
Speed control
You should aim to:
Hit soft, medium, and firm with consistent, predictable results.
Be able to roll the cue ball only one or two diamonds exactly as planned.
Understand that smoother strokes, not muscle, create consistent speed.
Speed control sits here because it’s the bridge between “making balls” and “playing position.”
Natural cue-ball paths
With mostly center-ball or slight top/bottom:
Learn how the cue ball behaves after simple cut shots.
See the natural 90-degree (stun) and rolling paths.
Practice “letting the table do the work” instead of forcing spin.
You focus on natural paths before heavy spin because natural routes are more forgiving and repeatable.
Recommending Drill: “Stop Zone” Distance Control Drill
Setup Place an object ball 1–2 diamonds from a corner pocket. Place a piece of chalk or a small marker on the table behind it to create a landing zone for the cue ball (for example, a 1-diamond-wide box).
How to do it
Start with a simple shot: slight angle into the pocket.
Your goal: pot the ball and have the cue ball roll into the marked “stop zone” (where your chalk or tape marks are).
Shoot the same shot repeatedly, changing only the speed until you can regularly land in the zone.
Once you’re comfortable, move the cue ball around to different angles and distances, but keep the same “target zone” idea.
Focus points Watch the cue ball more than the object ball after contact. Try to feel the difference between small speed changes.
Progression Start with a big landing zone (like a full diamond by a diamond). Gradually shrink it (half-diamond by half-diamond) as your control improves. Later, use multiple zones: “stop short,” “land in middle,” “roll through to far zone” from the same starting shot.
Success metric Count how many times out of 10 you land in the zone while still making the object ball. Aim for at least 7/10 on each new setup before making it harder.
5. Center-ball mastery and basic spin control
Most intermediates try too much spin too early. The proper order is:
Center-ball first
You want:
To be able to run multiple balls using mostly center, slight top, or slight bottom.
To avoid automatic side spin unless there’s a specific reason.
This discipline simplifies the game and reduces errors.
Basic spin (top, bottom, simple side)
Only after center-ball is reliable:
Develop confident follow (top spin) and stop/stun and draw (bottom spin) shots.
Add gentle outside/inside english for simple position or throw control.
Learn how extra spin affects object ball throw and cue-ball path.
Spin comes here because it’s an enhancement, not a crutch. You add it to an already-stable base, not to compensate for weak aiming or stroke.
Recommending Drill: Cue-Ball Target Drill (Center, Follow, Draw, Sides)
Setup Place an object ball about a diamond away from a corner pocket. Put the cue ball at a comfortable distance so it’s a medium straight or slight-angle shot. On the far side of the table, imagine or mark specific spots where you want the cue ball to finish.
How to do it Work in phases.
Phase 1 – Center-ball only
Aim to hit center-ball and pocket the object ball.
Watch where the cue ball naturally goes; do this a few times from the same setup.
Try to repeat that path exactly.
Phase 2 – Follow
Hit slightly above center to make the cue ball roll forward more.
Set a finish zone down-table and try to land the cue ball there after pocketing the ball.
Phase 3 – Draw
Hit below center with a smooth stroke to draw the ball back.
Again, set a finish zone (e.g., one, two, or three diamonds back).
Phase 4 – Side spin
Practice a few basic left/right English shots, aiming to bring the cue ball to specific rails/areas.
Start mild; don’t over-spin.
Focus points Smooth stroke and solid contact point on the cue ball. You’re building a “mental library” of how the cue ball behaves with small changes in tip position.
Progression Start with easy angles and short distances. Gradually increase the distance and angle difficulty. Later, add “must not scratch” constraints to force better control.
Success metric Decide a small zone and track how many times out of 10 the cue ball finishes there with each type of hit (center, follow, draw, mild side). Push that percentage higher over time.
6. Positional play patterns (2–3 balls ahead)
Once you can control direction and speed, you start thinking like a better player:
Planning ahead
You should:
Always know which ball you want to play next and where the cue ball should land.
Think at least 2–3 balls ahead, not just the current shot.
Choose position routes that give you margin for error (bigger landing zones).
Positional strategy comes after speed/spin because now you can reliably execute your chosen routes.
Preferred angles vs. straight-in
You learn:
Why slightly angled shots are usually better for position than dead straight.
How to leave natural angles that roll you towards your next ball.
To avoid freezing yourself on rails or leaving extreme cuts unless necessary.
This is where your game starts to look “professional” even if you aren’t yet at that level.
Recommending Drill: Three-Ball Pattern Drill
Setup Pick three balls (for example: 1, 2, 3). Place them in a simple pattern: all on one half of the table, each with a reasonable pocket. Put the cue ball in a neutral position.
How to do it
Plan your pattern before shooting: which ball first, second, third? Which pockets?
The goal isn’t just to run the three balls; it’s to land the cue ball in specific zones that give you easy shots on the next ball.
Shoot the pattern, then reset the balls in similar but slightly different positions.
Always stop to verbalize (even in your head): “I’m playing the 1 in this corner, leaving the cue ball here for the 2, then I’ll roll here for the 3.”
Focus points Think at least 2 shots ahead. Favor patterns that minimize cue-ball travel and avoid traffic.
Progression Start with very easy layouts. Increase complexity: more distance, more angle, occasionally a small cluster to break. Later, go to 4-ball, then 5-ball versions of the pattern drill.
Success metric Count full runs of the pattern without losing position. Aim for a streak (e.g., 5 patterns in a row successfully run) before changing layout.
7. Breaking fundamentals and the first shot after the break
With your core game shaping up, now you maximize your chances from the very start of the rack.
Breaking
Focus on:
Stable stance and body, no wild motion.
Striking the head ball (or legal break ball) squarely and consistently.
Controlling the cue ball (stopping in the center or controlled draw to the rail).
Break work comes here because you now understand cue delivery and speed, so your break can be tuned instead of just “hit it hard.”
First shot after the break
You should:
Immediately scan for patterns, clusters, and problem balls.
Decide if you’re attacking (run-out) or playing safe/containment.
Learn to handle the most important decision of the rack calmly.
This is where experience and planning meet fundamentals.
Recommending Drill: Break and Solve One Problem
Setup Rack 8-ball or 9-ball normally. Place the cue ball where you typically break from.
How to do it
Break with your best controlled power. Don’t swing wild; prioritize a square hit and solid contact.
After the break, freeze the table for 10–20 seconds and study the layout.
Identify:
One “problem” area (cluster, tough ball, bad angle).
The best “starter shot.”
Play the starter shot and try to solve or improve that one problem, even if that means playing a safety instead of an offensive shot.
Then either continue the run if it looks good, or re-rack and repeat.
Focus points On the break: square contact, stable body, hitting through the cue ball. After the break: thinking clearly about ball patterns, not just slamming balls in.
Progression Start with just 9-ball so the table is less cluttered. Once comfortable, move to 8-ball, where clusters and problems are more common. Eventually, track your average number of balls made after the break and whether you typically get a shot or not.
Success metric Two parts: Break: how often you make a ball and control the cue ball (not scratching, not flying around). Post-break: how often you successfully address the identified “problem” within your first 2 shots.
8. Safety play and kicking
When running out isn’t the best option, you need real defensive tools.
Safety play
You develop:
Basic safeties: hiding the cue ball behind blockers, sending the object ball to a rail, or leaving long, tough shots.
The concept of distance and obstacle: making their shot physically difficult and visually uncomfortable.
The discipline to choose safety over a risky shot that could sell out the table.
Safety comes here because you now can control speed, direction, and simple routes well enough to play intentional defense.
Kicking
You learn:
Simple one-rail kicks using diamond systems or reference points.
How speed and spin affect the angle off the rail.
To aim not only to hit the ball but to hit it in a way that leaves safe or even offensive returns.
Kicking is essential for avoiding ball-in-hand situations and for turning defense into opportunity.
Recommending Drill: Simple Safety & One-Rail Kick Drill
Setup Place an object ball near a pocket but make the direct path from cue ball to object ball blocked by another ball or a small cluster. Cue ball somewhere with a clear one-rail path to the object ball.
How to do it – Safety part
First, set up a position where you can see the object ball.
Practice soft safety shots: rolling the cue ball behind another ball to hide it, leaving the object ball far away or at a bad angle for your opponent.
Focus on controlling both cue ball and object ball locations.
How to do it – Kicking part
Now rotate the cue ball to a place where the direct line is blocked.
Plan a simple one-rail kick: cue ball to cushion, then into the object ball.
Mark a small “contact zone” on the rail (with chalk marks or mental points) where you want the cue ball to hit to make the kick.
Practice hitting that same rail point repeatedly and watch the cue ball path.
Focus points For safeties: think like your opponent—are you leaving them an easy shot? For kicking: learn the feel of how the cue ball travels into and out of rails at basic angles.
Progression Start with very basic one-rail kicks, then add a bit of side spin and different angles. Later, build up to 2-rail kicks from common layouts.
Success metric For safeties: rate each safety as “good,” “medium,” or “bad” based on what shot you would have if you were your opponent. For kicks: track percentage of kicks where you at least hit the object ball full or near-full, and later how many times you hit and leave no easy shot.
9. Pattern play and end-game situations
This is the “high-level” thinking that wins matches.
Pattern play
You focus on:
Playing patterns that minimize cue-ball travel and risk.
Breaking small clusters early while you have insurance balls.
Clearing problem balls at the right time, not leaving them for last.
Pattern play comes once you can actually execute your chosen routes with reasonable accuracy.
End-game and key balls
You learn:
Identifying the “key ball” that gives you the perfect angle to get on the 8-ball/9-ball/etc.
Not overhitting or underhitting the last 2–3 balls.
Keeping your nerves under control when you’re close to winning a rack.
This is where an intermediate starts to convert more opportunities into actual wins.
Recommending Drill: The Last Three Balls (Key-Ball Drill)
Setup Place three balls on the table, representing “last three before the game ball.” For example, balls 6, 7, 8 in 8-ball, or 7, 8, 9 in 9-ball. Give each ball a natural pocket, but not too easy.
How to do it
Start with the cue ball in a neutral position.
Decide on the “key ball” (the ball that will get you perfect on the final ball).
Plan the exact order, pockets, and cue-ball routes.
Run the three balls in order, focusing on landing perfectly on that second-to-last ball.
Reset with new positions but the same idea: identify key ball, plan pattern, execute.
Focus points Don’t just shoot what looks obvious; choose the layout that gives you the most margin for error on your last shot. Focus heavily on position to the key ball, not just making the current shot.
Progression Start with generous layouts and lots of space. Increase difficulty: tighter angles, closer to rails, maybe one ball near a pocket but tricky for shape. Later, work from 5 balls down instead of only 3.
Success metric Count how many times you can clear the last 3 balls without losing position in a set of 10 attempts. Aim to push your “perfect clear” percentage up over time.
10. Mental game and competitive habits
Once mechanics and strategy are structured, consistency becomes more mental than physical.
Mental habits
You build:
A pre-shot routine that is the same every time.
The ability to accept misses, reset, and focus on the current shot.
Patience: selecting the smart shot, not the ego shot.
Competitive routines
You develop:
Warm-up routines before matches (simple drills that bring your feel back).
Post-practice reflection: what went wrong, what improved, what to focus on next.
A realistic expectation: aiming for steady improvement, not perfection.
This final layer keeps your skills consistent under pressure and across different tables and environments.
Recommending Drill: Structured “Race to 5” Against Yourself
Setup You’ll play short “races” against yourself, but with strict rules on routine and focus. Pick a game (9-ball is ideal) and rack normally.
How to do it
Treat each rack as if you’re in a real match: sit down between turns, don’t rush.
On every shot, enforce a full pre-shot routine:
Decide the shot and position.
Stand behind the line, commit.
Step in, get down, 3–5 warm-up strokes, pause, shoot.
Play a race to 5 against “ghost” rules (you break, and if you don’t run out from the break, the ghost wins that rack).
Log:
Your emotional state (rushed, calm, frustrated).
Any moments where you skipped your routine or changed it.
Focus points Consistency of routine matters more than whether you win the ghost race at first. You’re training your brain to handle “match mode” even when alone.
Progression Start with race to 3 if race to 5 feels long. Once you can stay mentally steady and follow your routine through a race to 5, bump to race to 7. Later, add consequences (for example: if you lose, you must do an extra, boring drill as “punishment”).
Success metric Two tracks: Routine: percentage of shots where you fully followed your routine. Outcome: how often you beat the ghost (e.g., winning 2 out of 5 racks, then 3 of 5, etc.).