Pool, with the
geometry visible.

24 lessons covering pool, 9-ball, and snooker — from aiming to position to safety. Every shot you fire gets a diagnostic readout: actual cut angle vs ideal, cue-ball error, what to fix next time.

✓ Free ✓ No signup ✓ Browser-based

Three things this app does that others don't

🎯

Geometry made visible

Ghost ball, contact point, cut-angle arc — overlaid in real time on the table. Stop guessing; see where the cue ball must go before you shoot.

📊

Diagnostic feedback every shot

The instant your shot lands, you get the numbers: "Cut too thick by 5.3° (actual 24°, ideal 30°)". No more "I don't know why I missed."

📈

Track your error patterns

Per-lesson stats show whether you systematically cut thick, thin, or aim off entirely. See the bug before you fix it.

Curriculum · 24 lessons across 7 chapters

From aiming fundamentals to game-specific tactics for pool, 9-ball, and snooker. Every lesson grounded in the WPA / WPBSA rule books and Dr. Dave Alciatore's billiards.colostate.edu — not invented from scratch.

Chapter 0 · Orientation

Ch 0

0.1 Pick your game

Pool, 9-ball, or snooker — same physics, different sports. Decide what you're learning.

⏱ 8 min · concept

Chapter 1 · Aiming Fundamentals

Ch 1

1.1 Aiming Basics

Ghost ball, contact point, fractional aim. Three industry-standard methods + 4 progressive drills.

⏱ 12 min · 4 drills
Ch 1

1.2 Straight-in shots

Three points in a line. The foundation of every cut.

⏱ 5 min · 1 drill
Ch 1

1.3 30° cut · the half-ball

Anchor: 30° = 1/2 ball. The reference cut every player must master.

⏱ 5 min · 1 drill
Ch 1

1.4 Steep cut · the 1/8-ball

60° razor-thin cuts. Precision over power.

⏱ 5 min · 1 drill
Ch 1

1.5 Fullness reading

Estimate cut angle from visual overlap. Train your eye.

⏱ 5 min · 1 drill

Chapter 2 · Cue Ball Control

Ch 2

2.1 90° Tangent + 30° Rule

Two laws that decide where the cue ball ends up. Stun and rolling, in order.

⏱ 14 min · 4 drills
Ch 2

2.2 Pattern Play

Plan the last three balls first. Capelle's #1 principle.

⏱ 14 min · 4 drills
Ch 2

2.3 Two-Rail Position

When the tangent line points the wrong way — bounce the cue ball back.

⏱ 12 min · 4 drills

Chapter 3 · Banks & Kicks

Ch 3

3.1 Banks · the mirror system

Fold the table mentally. Aim at the virtual pocket.

⏱ 14 min · 4 drills
Ch 3

3.2 Diamond Midpoint Method

1-rail banks via simple cushion arithmetic.

⏱ 14 min · 4 drills

Chapter 4 · Advanced Strikes

Ch 4

4.1 Follow & Draw

Strike point decides forward, stop, or reverse.

⏱ 14 min · 4 drills
Ch 4

4.2 Side Spin · what it does

Three effects: squirt, swerve, throw. Two work against you.

⏱ 14 min · concept
Ch 4

4.3 Side Spin · when to use it

A tool, not a default. Running, check, and gearing English.

⏱ 12 min · concept
Ch 4 · concept

4.4 Jump Shots

When even banks fail. Rules vary wildly across game types.

⏱ 10 min · concept
Ch 4 · concept

4.5 Massé

The "magic" curve shot. Where physics gets weird.

⏱ 10 min · concept

Chapter 5 · 9-Ball Tactics

Ch 5

5.1 The Sequence Trap

Why 9-ball punishes greedy shots. Forced lookahead.

⏱ 12 min · 3 drills
Ch 5

5.2 The Break

Wing ball + squat the rock. The most important shot of every rack.

⏱ 10 min · 3 drills
Ch 5

5.3 The Push-Out

9-ball's secret-weapon rule. Most under-used legal weapon at the amateur level.

⏱ 10 min · 2 drills
Ch 5

5.4 Pattern Play · backward

Plan 7-8-9 first. Phil Capelle's "22 Principles of Position."

⏱ 14 min · 4 drills
Ch 5

5.5 Safety Hierarchy

Distance, angle, snooker — in that order. You don't need a snooker to win.

⏱ 12 min · 3 drills

Chapter 6 · Snooker Basics

Ch 6

6.1 The Big Table

12-ft table, 52.5mm balls, tighter rounded pockets. Same physics, different geometry.

⏱ 12 min · 3 drills
Ch 6

6.2 22 Balls and the Cycle

Reds, colors, respots, and the 147 break. WPBSA rules in 10 minutes.

⏱ 10 min · concept
Ch 6

6.3 Safety First

The other half of the game. Why snooker frames aren't won by potting alone.

⏱ 12 min · 3 drills

How it works

  1. 1

    Pick a lesson

    Start at 1.1 if you're new. Pros can jump straight to Chapter 5 or 6.

  2. 2

    Read concept + practice

    Diagrams + key points first, then drills on the simulated table. ~10-15 min per lesson.

  3. 3

    Diagnostic on every shot

    "Cut too thick by 5.3°" or "Hit the OB cleanly, scratched the cue ball." Specific, actionable.

  4. 4

    Pass when you're ready

    Each lesson has a pass threshold (typically 70%). Progress saved locally.

FAQ

Do I need to register?

No. Everything is free. Progress is saved locally in your browser.

Can this replace real-table practice?

No — but it can teach you the geometry and physics that most players never explicitly learn. Real-table practice combined with this app's diagnostic feedback is faster than either alone. The simulated cue ball obeys the same 90° tangent and 30° rules as a real one.

Does this work for snooker?

Yes for fundamentals (Chapters 1-4 — aiming, cue ball control, follow/draw, English are universal). The tactical lessons in Chapter 6 cover snooker-specific rules and safety play. The simulator currently uses a 9-ft pool table, so practice geometry approximates rather than replicates a 12-ft snooker table — concept-first, with explicit notes on differences.

What about 8-ball / bar pool?

Chapters 1-4 cover everything you need for 8-ball. Chapter 5 (9-ball tactics) overlaps significantly — pattern play and safety hierarchy apply to both formats.

Will more lessons be added?

Yes. The roadmap includes: full physics for jump shots and massé, more 9-ball break configurations, and 10-ball tactics. Existing lesson errata get corrected as the underlying research is updated.

Where does the technical content come from?

Every physics claim is grounded in the WPA / WPBSA rule books, Dr. Dave Alciatore's billiards.colostate.edu, Phil Capelle's Play Your Best 9 & 10 Ball, and Bob Jewett's instructional column work. We cite where it matters.