How do you hold a snooker cue?

Loosely, near the end of the cue, with your grip hand directly below your elbow so the cue swings like a pendulum.

What is the bridge in snooker?

The hand the cue rests on: fingers spread flat on the table, thumb cocked up to make a groove for the cue.

Why do I keep missing easy pots?

Usually because the head moves or the cue does not travel straight. Stay down on the shot until the ball has gone, and cue through the white rather than jabbing at it.

How long does it take to get good at snooker?

A long time: it is one of the hardest cue sports because the table is so big and the pockets so tight. Most players are happy to make their first 20 or 30 break.

Snooker · Guide

How to play snooker: a beginner's guide

Snooker is about potting the right balls in the right order, and leaving the white in the right place for the next one. The rules are simple; the technique takes years. These basics make the biggest difference.

The stance

Line up first, standing behind the shot, then step into position along that line.
Feet about shoulder-width apart. For a right-hander, the right leg is straight and the left knee slightly bent.
Chin low, just above the cue, and your eyes over the line of the shot.

The grip and the bridge

Grip: hold the cue loosely near the end, with your hand directly below your elbow, so your forearm hangs straight down and swings like a pendulum.
Bridge: fingers spread flat on the cloth, knuckles slightly raised, thumb cocked up against the side of your index finger to make a groove. The cue slides in that groove.
Bridge length: about 30 to 35 cm from the white. Too long is unstable; too short restricts the stroke.

The cue action

Take a few slow practice swings, called feathering, to settle your aim.
Pause briefly at the back of the backswing.
Push through the white smoothly, keeping the cue straight.
Stay down until the object ball is in the pocket. Moving the head is the most common reason beginners miss.

Controlling the white

Once you can pot, the game becomes about position:

Hit the white below centre to make it come back (screw).
Hit it slightly below centre to make it stop (stun).
Hit it above centre to make it follow through.

More words for shots are in snooker terms explained.

A simple practice routine

The line-up: put the reds in a line from the blue to the pink, and try to clear them with a colour after each one.
Straight pots: blue into a corner from the brown spot, again and again, checking the white comes back along the same line.
Keep score of your highest break, and beat it.

Quick answers

How do you hold a snooker cue?: Loosely, near the end of the cue, with your grip hand directly below your elbow so the cue swings like a pendulum.
What is the bridge in snooker?: The hand the cue rests on: fingers spread flat on the table, thumb cocked up to make a groove for the cue.
Why do I keep missing easy pots?: Usually because the head moves or the cue does not travel straight. Stay down on the shot until the ball has gone, and cue through the white rather than jabbing at it.
How long does it take to get good at snooker?: A long time: it is one of the hardest cue sports because the table is so big and the pockets so tight. Most players are happy to make their first 20 or 30 break.