About Me

My name is Todd and I have been instructing in Queens, NY for over five years now. I used to work at the Spin City billiards in Sunnyside Queens which is unfortunately under new ownership now. I am currently instructing out of BQE billiards in Woodside and Cue Bar billiards in Bayside. I have been a APA member for the last seven years, also a division representative and tournament director and was a BCA member for two years. Before educating pool players, I was a teacher in various retail chains teaching managers, staff and executives. 

As long as there is love of the game and willing to learn, give me a call at your convenience and I look forward to hearing from you.

Contact me via email at todd@cueballbasics.com or call me at 646-302-1175 for availability.

Lessons

The best way to develop a concrete foundation and advance your game is to take pool lessons. Ever wonder if there is a right or wrong way to stand? Form a bridge? Stroke or hold your cue?

Although books are helpful, there is only so much you can take from pictures and descriptions. I offer targeted instruction for beginner to intermediate players who want to sharpen their existing skills. Drills and comprehensive instruction are avialable in the following areas:

• Stance
• Stroke
• Breaking
• Bank Shots
• Position Play
• Safety Play

Rates:

• $35/hr for standard players
• $25/hr for APA members
• Tabletime included (depending on location)

Send me an email at todd@cueballbasics.com or call me at 646-302-1175 to find out more.

Testimonials

	I love this guy, I started playing years ago with my friends for fun and beers. Todd taught me focus, as well as better ball control. Now there the one buying me beers........Be cool man...!!! - Anthony, Brooklyn NY
	He is the best. When I started competing at a serious level I really felt like I wasn't getting any better, but now I have the confidence in my game to challenge the best in my league. Thanks.....when's our next lesson...? -Liz, Queens NY
	I came into the APA the lowest hadicapp a women can be. With todd's help, he helped me move up two level's and now i can hold my own. Thanks Todd for everything....!!!!! -Tania, Queens NY
* Photography by Rob Hafner

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Tips for Thought

As told by Fran Crimi BCA Instructor ...

Basic Fundamentals

1. Keep your head straight. Many players tilt their heads to favor their dominant eye. If you tilt your head, you're looking at a sideways view of the shot.
2. Secure your bridge hand. When you're down on a shot, push your fingertips lightly into the cloth to assure that your bridge hand will not budge as your cue stick comes through to strike the cue ball.
3. Finish what you started. It is vitally important that you stay with each shot all the way to the bitter end! Stay firmly planted until the object ball is in the pocket.
4. Keep your backswing smooth and slow. Remember, your backstroke is your hand-eye coordinator. Picture a baseball pitch; if you bring your arm back too fast, you're cheating yourself out of precious time you need to focus on your target. If you can't see it, you'll probably miss it.
5. Keep your back hand loose and relaxed. In pool, tension is your worst enemy. The more tension you apply to your cue stick, the less chance there is for it to travel in a straight line.
6. Walk around and look. Always walk around and look at where you want to position the cue ball for your next shot. If you want your cue ball to wind up in the right spot, you have to know where the right spot is!
7. Analyze your misses. After you miss and return to your chair, figure out what happened. Then make a mental correction. You'll play progressively better through your match instead of making the same mistakes over and over again.
8. Develop a shot-making ritual. Make a list of all the things you want to include in your shot-making process. Then practice performing each step until it becomes your ritual. This method works great under pressure and helps keep the bad stuff from creeping in.
9. Always keep your cool. No matter what happens, be determined not to let it get to you. Unlucky rolls and bad breaks are bound to happen; the balls are round. Those who keep a positive attitude through the bad breaks will prevail in the end.
10. Commit to every shot. If you're ready to begin your shot-making process, you should be clear on how you want to position the cue ball for your next shot. If you're still asking yourself questions when you're down in your shooting stance, you're not committed to the shot, and you'll most likely miss.

Adjustment Tips

So, maybe you already know how to stroke a ball, and the difference between follow and draw. Your game can still go south on you in a hurry. Here are some tips to consider when you feel the need to make a few adjustments.

1. Every sport played with a ball demands balance, and that surely includes cue games. Precisely how you assume you're shooting stance isn't nearly as important as your being solidly planted - solid enough that you could resist a shove on your shooting side.
2. A stroke should be just that - a smooth, rhythmic motion with a beginning, middle and end. Don't rush it, and don't choke it off.
3. One of the key secrets to longer runs in pool is to leave yourself position for angled shots rather than straight-in shots. Angle shots offer you far, far more options for cue-ball position.
4. By all means, bet a few bucks. Morals, aside, you'll learn to handle the game's unique pressures much faster and much better.
5. The best way to learn position play is to strive to do whatever's easiest (whenever possible; it won't always be).
6. In all the cue games, you directly control zilch except for your body and your cue. (You affect the cue ball only indirectly, and the object balls far less than that.) When your game isn't going well, your body mechanics are the first thing you should check.
7. When you need to send an object ball along the rail with speed, jacking up your cue slightly seems to help avoid "wiggling" the ball in the pocket jaws; it also eliminates throw.
8. Structured practice is much more valuable than the mere abstract hitting of loose balls. Practice 9-ball or straight pool, and/or some drills.
9. Mosconi's No. 1 tip: Don't waste your time with players who are worse than you; play with better competitors, and you'll learn more.
10. Don't hold the cue in your fingertips; it's not a teacup. And don't strangle the cue either; it's not a baseball bat.
11. When contemplating where to send the cue ball next, make center table your first option.
12. The world does not come to an end when you miss a shot, or miss position, or lose a game or lose the session. Lighten up. You'll enjoy yourself more, and win more often.
13. Your most formidable opponent by far in the cue games is the voice(s) in your head. Create a simple command or phrase to block out that interference, such as "Calm," "Feel the ball," or "Play your game."
14. Chalk up before every shot, and do it right. The chalk should move, not the cue.
15. Don't over hit the balls. It's a definite symptom of anxiety, costs you accuracy, and is near-suicidal on any table with tough pockets.
16. The universal instruction concerning object balls frozen to the rail is false. Do not attempt to hit object ball and rail at the same time; you won't even be close. Aim to hit the rail about a credit-card's width in front of the ball.
17. Three to five practice strokes are plenty. More than that and you force yourself out of rhythm, and begin to put unnecessary pressure on yourself.
18. Don't hold onto your cue while you're in the chair; the tendency is to squeeze it as your impatience grows, and this only produces more tension. Lean it securely next to you.
19. In assuming your shooting stance, you should line the shot up not with your hand or cue, but with your chin. It's a smoother body move, and the rest will automatically fall into place. Putting your hand down first may result in tentativeness and an awkward, uncoordinated approach to the shot.
20. A good slump-breaker: Change your playing pace radically.