Does The Game of Pool Involve Strategy?

The game of pool’s basic rules can be picked up by anyone in a matter of minutes. However, these basics will only get people so far and to be successful they need to understand more elements of the game.

Some games are about luck while some are about skill and others are about strategy. That said, some games have different combinations of these three elements. Skill is likely to be the first thing people notice if they watch pool being played by the pros. It is unbelievable how much accuracy some of the pool players have and the hand-to-eye coordination is certainly striking. But is there a strategy involved, too?

Combinations of Luck and Strategy

Skill is definitely in the equation here (we’re not ignoring it) but some games have a different level of fortune and strategy involved. Pool is a game where a player needs skill but may also need that little bit of fortune at times. The way the balls fall and when a player comes to the table are not always in their control, so luck has a say.

We see this in a lot of popular games such as casino games. Casinos have both games of total chance and some games where strategy is involved. The selection of games Joe Fortune offers shows that there are different ways for people to play and some would rather play pure fortune games – things like the majority of slots are games of chance that the user just observes rather than implementing any strategy.

Strategy is seen more in a lot of table games including some played at casinos. Examples include games like blackjack where a user can potentially choose the way they want to gamble and whether or not they wish to stick or “hit” on a certain hand. It should be said that this is a game with a level of strategy but it also requires a level of luck which has drawn comparisons with games like pool and other forms of billiards games.

How Strategy Exists in Pool

People may choose to make their decisions in a certain way or approach play in a certain way based on whether they believe they can make a shot or whether they are considering safety. Safety shots need to be called to the referee and they are a way to potentially try and put the opponent in a tough spot when someone thinks they can’t make a shot.

In all levels of pool, the player must not only think about the current shot but also about the next one, and perhaps the one after that – pool players are already thinking about how to approach clearing the whole table, and in high-level play, each move is a calculated decision that has been considered ahead.

Cue Control and Running the Table

Controlling the way the cue ball moves around is vital and can be part of the strategy. For instance, if a player isn’t confident they may not leave the cue ball in a place where it is easy for the opponent. An experienced player knows how to manipulate the cue ball and its trajectory to ensure it lands in a favorable position for the following shot. Some people don’t realize that this is even happening when they first watch pool. Position play is what separates casual players from those who consistently dominate the table.

By mastering cue ball control, a pool player can dictate the pace of the game, forcing their opponent into tough spots and maintaining the upper hand. In pool, it is called “running the table”

At a basic level, players might not have loads of control over the way the ball moves and they may not know how to get a ball to “screw back” so it heads back towards the player rather than moving forward with the momentum. Cue control is a skill primarily, but there are ways it can be used strategically and to either make the next shot easier (or the opponent’s shot harder).

The Break

Even at the early stage of a break, there’s an element of thinking ahead. Strategy comes into whether a player hits the balls hard and tries to pot one or if they take a more conservative approach. Most pool is played under the standard APA rules which state that: “For a break to be legal, at least four balls must be driven to the rails or a ball must be pocketed. Otherwise, the balls are re-racked and re-broken by the same player. “

As long as the rules have been considered it is up to the player to make their own strategy and break in a way that suits them.

Conclusion

Strategy is always going to play a part in games where skill leads the way. This isn’t just about how good someone is at putting the balls into the pockets and there is a lot more to it than that. Some players play with a more attacking style while some always consider the defense.