Playing pool is great fun, but it can be frustrating if you play only on the occasional vacation or bar visit. Simple strategies…

Use the “ghost ball” technique to line up shots. Visualize a line between the object ball (that’s the ball you’re trying to knock in—the yellow ball in the diagram) and the center of the pocket you’re trying to knock it into. Hold your pool cue (stick) above this line if it helps you picture it. Now continue this line back through the object ball, and imagine that there’s another ball—a “ghost ball”—positioned along the same line, pressed up against the object ball. The goal of your shot is to hit the cue ball into this ghost ball’s position. This way, you will hit the object ball at the correct angle.

Support your cue with a simple open bridge. Experienced players often use “closed bridges,” where the index finger of the “support” hand wraps over the cue when shooting, but these can be difficult for beginners.

Better: Make a fist with your non-dominant hand (that’s your left hand if you’re right-handed), place the heel of the palm and knuckles of this fist flat on the pool table with your thumb pointing up and out. Use the groove created between your fist and thumb to support your pool cue when you shoot.

Hold your cue as horizontal as possible, and aim for the center of the cue ball. Striking the cue ball off-center or at an angle imparts spin, which decreases the odds that your shot will go where you intend. You won’t be able to hold your cue completely horizontal—the rail and sometimes other balls will get in the way. Just hold it as close to horizontal as possible while still striking the center of the cue ball.

Experienced players sometimes impart spin intentionally, but don’t worry about that for now.

Exception: If the object ball is near the pocket and your shot is long and straight in, try striking the cue ball slightly below its center. The resulting spin reduces the odds that the cue ball will follow the object ball into the pocket.

Strike through the cue ball. Beginners often punch at the cue ball with their cue. Instead, your stroke should have a nice, easy backswing followed by a smooth forward stroke that follows through the cue ball by perhaps six inches (except when other balls on the table preclude this). Keep your cue’s movement as straight, smooth and level as possible throughout all parts of this stroke. The movements of the cue should be along a continuation of the same straight line you imagined when you visualized your “ghost ball” shot. This increases your accuracy. Use chalk on the cue tip after every shot.

Strike the cue ball no harder than is necessary to hit the object ball into the pocket. Soft shots are less likely than hard ones to lead to unintended consequences, such as accidentally sinking the cue ball. Also, a softly hit object ball sometimes will fall into a pocket whereas a harder-hit one would rattle out.