Snooker Techniques and Tips

Snooker technique comes down to delivering the cue in a straight line, every time. The stance, grip and bridge hold the cue on the line; the cue action moves it along that line; aiming and sighting decide where the line points. Spin, the rest and long potting all build on those basics.

Each guide below covers one part, with diagrams and numbers worked out on a 52.5 mm snooker ball.

Snooker technique guides9 articles

How to Aim in Snooker: The Ghost Ball, Sighting and Why Tiny Errors MissAim the cue ball's centre at the ghost ball, judge pots as fractions, set the line standing up and look at the object ball last. On a long pot, 0.1° off line is a ball's width at the pocket.Snooker Stance — Feet, Weight, AlignmentStance is the foundation under cue action — get it wrong and nothing else works. The 4 parts of a proper stance, the alignment test, and the 5 mistakes that wreck potting.Snooker Grip and Bridge Hand: Where to Hold the Cue and How Long a BridgeGrip where your forearm hangs vertical, hold it lightly, keep the wrist straight, build a firm V bridge 25 to 30 cm from the cue ball and raise or lower it for top and screw. Plus the rules.Snooker Cue Action — The Pendulum Stroke ExplainedThe single biggest gap between club players and tournament players is cue action. Four-phase anatomy, six common mistakes, and five drills to groove it in 30 minutes a day.Spin in Snooker Explained: Top, Stun, Screw and Side, and Where the Cue Ball GoesWhere to hit the cue ball for each spin, why a stun stops dead on a straight pot and leaves at 90° on a cut, how far a centre-ball shot slides, the stun run-through and the drag.Snooker Screw Shot — How to Bring the Cue Ball BackEssential for break building and positional play. The 3 levels of screw (stun-back, medium, deep), the 5 mistakes that kill it, and a 4-week drill plan.Snooker Side Spin — Running vs Check Side ExplainedThe most-misused tool in club snooker. The 3 effects of side, when to use running vs check, and how to manage squirt and swerve without wrecking your aim.Snooker Long Potting — 5 Drills to Build ConfidenceLong pots win frames; missed long pots wreck them. The three reasons most miss, and five progressive drills that turn the 12-ft table from intimidating to routine.How to Use the Snooker Rest — Cross Rest, Spider, Swan & Half-ButtThe rest is needed on 20-25% of snooker shots — but most amateurs treat it as the awkward backup. The 4 rest types, the 4 stance changes, and 3 drills.

Practice drills1 drill

Free in your browser: every shot tells you how far off you were.

Snooker vs Pool Table — How the Geometry Changes

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Rules3 articles Strategy & Safety3 articles Practice1 article Events & History4 articles ← Back to Snooker

FAQ

What is the most important snooker technique?

A straight cue action. On a long pot, sending the cue ball just 0.1° off line can miss the pocket by more than a ball's width, so no aiming method can make up for a cue that moves off line. See snooker cue action.

Where should you look when you strike in snooker?

At the object ball. During the feathering the eyes move between the cue ball and the object ball, and on the final backswing they settle on the object ball. See how to aim in snooker.