I'm a 5/5 in APA and a 4/3 in TAP. I've tried a lot of things over the years. These are some of the tools that I've used a lot.
This list should give you some ideas for tip types, extensions, training tools, more...
The Cuetec is a great cue for the money and the included Avid fiberglass shaft is amazing at that pricepoint. It plays like a much more expensive cue.
Be sure to take a look at Bullseye Billiards in the training area below. They've helped me a lot in my own training and I can't say enough good things about that app. I put together a dedicated page about it here. I included a few of my own practice results there as examples, plus there's a gift code for 30 days of premium free.
Also, a reminder that using amazon links helps keep lineupmagic free and does not increase the cost of anything you purchase there. Thanks! Matt
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Cuetec AVID Chroma Mojave 95-392NW-K
My main playing cue. Two-piece, 12.25mm shaft, Tiger Everest medium tip, weight-adjustable 18-21 oz. Cuetec's 3/8x14 joint.
Heavy Hitter Jump Break Pool Cue
3-piece break/jump cue, 20-23 oz. 100% Canadian maple, 13.5mm bakelite tip with phenolic ferrule for explosive breaks and effortless jumps. More energy transfer, better cue ball control.
ASKA 36" Short Pool Cue - Wrapless Sneaky Pete
36 in., 12.5 oz. wrapless Canadian hard rock maple with a classic spliced Sneaky Pete look. 13mm hard leather tip, ABS ferrule, 5/16x18 stainless steel joint. The go-to when you're backed into a corner or tight against a wall.
Cuetec Duo Smart Extension - 3" / 6" / 9"
All-composite ultra-light construction with gloss black finish. Aluminum 3/8x14 Quick-Pin joint. Comes with a replacement DUO Ready butt cap. The 3-inch and 6-inch pieces combine to create a 9-inch extension. Made for Gen 1 Cynergy cues and anything with a matching joint.
TAOM Pyro Billiard Cue Chalk
Handmade in Finland. Maximum grip without residue, clean touch on the ball and a kick-free experience. Works for any level from beginner to competitive play.
TAOM V10 Billiard Cue Chalk
The latest formula from TAOM engineers, developed with world-class professionals. Stronger grip than Pyro with even less residue. Clean touch, maximum hold, works across all cue sports.
TAOM Chalk + Magnetic Holder Gift Box Set
A premium gift box pairing TAOM chalk with a magnetic holder built to last. Sealed rotating cap keeps chalk from drying out between uses. Brushed steel base with 3D diamond-texture top cap for even, consistent application. Thickened metal shell is waterproof, abrasion-resistant, and corrosion-resistant. Comes with a hex screwdriver. Available in multiple colors.
Tiger Dynamite Laminated Cue Tips
7 layers of pig leather treated to a consistent hardness. Hard tip with good control and reliable feel shot to shot.
Tiger Sniper Laminated Cue Tip
Boar hide tanned the old-fashioned way, buried and aged naturally up to a year with no chemicals. Soft-medium tip with maximum control, consistency, and minimal deflection. The black layer tells you when it's time to replace.
Cuboid 8-in-1 Cue Tip Repair Tool
Shape, trim, scuff, pick, and clean the ferrule all from one tool. Fits tips 8.5mm to 14mm. Aluminum body, carbon steel blade, comes with a replacement blade. 2.8 oz.
Willard Cue Tip Shaper - Dime Radius
Reshapes your tip to a precise 0.358 in. dime radius every time. Carbon brazed steel grit, built-in gauge so you know when you've hit the right shape. Small enough to carry on a keychain.
Kamui Black Laminated Cue Tip
High-elasticity leather for precise cue ball control - more spin with less force. Specially treated to resist humidity and mushrooming in any season. Best-in-class quality control, made in Japan. Available in multiple diameters and hardnesses.
GoSports 6, 7, or 8 ft Billiards Table
My portable warm-up and drill table. Ready to play out of the box, just fold the legs out. No assembly required.
Shortest review ever: These tables are better than you think they'll be. Great for warming up and getting in stroke or some drills. Matt
Practice Pro Pool Table Pocket Reducers
Reduces pocket openings by ~30% to force more precise aiming. Trains stroke, alignment, and accuracy. After drilling on tighter pockets, standard pockets feel huge.
Shark Marks Ball Position Marker Stickers
20 sheets per pack, fits in most cue cases. Laminated stickers with removable adhesive so they won't damage felt and can be reused. Great for drilling specific shots and positions.
MOOCY AAA-Grade Practice Training Cue Ball
AAA-grade phenolic resin, 2-1/4" standard size, 6 oz. One side is beginner-friendly, the other shows advanced contact points for draw, follow, and spin. Helps you see exactly where to strike for any shot type.
Bullseye Billiards App
The only pool training app with the BCA Seal of Approval. 200 shots across 9 cue ball control categories: Fundamentals, Follow, Stun, Draw, Sidespin, Rails, Hangers, Scratches, and Advanced. Each shot includes video instruction, a table diagram, tip contact point, stroke speed, and a difficulty rating.
I use this app and it is worth every moment you spend with it -- very effective and well crafted, with videos to explain all the drills.
Bullseye Billiards Target Set
The best instructional aid for practicing cue ball positioning. Lay the targets flat on any 6- to 12-foot pool, billiard, or snooker table, balls roll right over them without disruption. High-quality knit fabric that won't crease or fray. Each set includes a full target, a half target, 3 smaller bullseye targets, and a mesh carrying case. Pairs perfectly with the Bullseye Billiards book or app to put every drill into practice immediately.
Bullseye Billiards Card Games
200 unique cue ball positioning shot cards across 10 game formats - works solo or with a group. Categories cover Follow, Stun, Draw, Sidespin, Rails, Hangers, Scratches, and Advanced shots, organized by progressive skill level. Each card is a distinct shot from the Bullseye training system.
Hickoryville Skilliards - Billiards Training Card System
A structured drill system covering stop shots, banks, and complex pattern play. Color-coded difficulty tiers give you a clear progression path, and each card links to setup diagrams and coaching tips via QR code. Point-based scoring lets you track progress and pinpoint weaknesses. Good for solo practice, coached sessions, or pool hall challenges.
The Original Magic Billiard Ball Rack - 8 & 9/10 Ball Duo-Pack
Flat template-style racks that sit flush on the cloth and let you rack tighter and more consistently than a traditional wood or plastic triangle. The duo-pack covers both 8-ball and 9/10-ball. Durable plastic, easy to use, and the kind of thing that quietly improves every game once you switch.
Bullseye Billiards Book
A target game played on a pool table, designed to improve cue ball control for beginning and intermediate players. 200 shots, each with a diagram covering line of aim, tip contact, stroke speed, and an instructional hint. Shot types include fundamentals, follow, stun, draw, sidespin, rails, scratches, and advanced. Works for 8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball, straight pool, and more.
Bullseye Billiards Precision Series Vol. 1
100 challenging cue ball positioning shots for intermediate and advanced players, organized into seven categories: Thin Cuts, Near the Object Ball, From the Pocket, High Spin, Stun Run-Through, Cheating the Pocket, and Rail-First. Each shot includes diagrams and precise coaching guidance, plus a complete Improvement Process and Shooting Process for building consistency under pressure.
The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards
A mechanical engineering professor with a passion for pool presents more than 80 principles of the game, illustrated with 250+ precisely scaled diagrams and photographs. Covers 8-ball and 9-ball fundamentals: grip and stance, basic shots, position play and strategy, bank and kick shots, and advanced techniques. Organized for quick study with cross-references, video clips, and mathematical formulas.
Collapsar Retractable Cue Bridge Stick
Telescopic stainless steel, extends to 56 in. 4-in-1 metal screw head so you can swap between high brass, spider, cross, or moosehead. No tools needed, far better than a house bridge.
Predator Second Skin Billiard Glove
Left bridge hand. Ultra-dry breathable mesh, second-skin low-friction surface, non-slip thumb heel pad, elastic-velcro closure. Double stitched for durability.
Balance Rite BRF-18 Cue Extension System
3.75 in, 2 oz. Fits between butt and shaft, rebalances forward weight for a natural stroke and eliminates the need for a bridge. Available in 6 joint styles.
Aramith Premium Pool Cue Ball 2 1/4"
Aramith phenolic resin with Vitrotech technology for lasting brightness. Meets 8 quality criteria: density, balance, diameter, roundness, color, glossiness, hardness, and weight. Made in Belgium. Not magnetic.
Aramith Super Pro Bundle: Balls, Cleaner, Cloth & Case
Four-item bundle: Super Pro billiard ball set 2-1/4", Aramith Ball Cleaner (8.4 fl.oz.), Aramith Microfibre Cloth (7"x7"), and an Aramith ball case. Professional-grade phenolic resin, through-hardened vitrified surface, precisely calibrated for consistency. The cleaner is specifically formulated for phenolic balls keeps them polished, shiny, and antistatic. The microfiber cloth absorbs 4x its weight in water and 8x in grease with no fibers shed onto ball surfaces.
E-Z UP Tall Directors Chair - 31" Seat Height
Lightweight aluminum frame, black herringbone fabric, padded armrests and back. 225 lb. weight rating. Sits you at rail height so you can watch the table comfortably between shots. Includes carry bag.
PU Leather Cue Ball Case with Swivel Clip
Fits any standard 2-1/4" ball. Water-resistant synthetic leather exterior, soft interior lining, smooth zipper closure, and a brass lobster clasp that clips to your cue bag or belt loop. Good companion to a training ball.
Spring-Loaded Quarter Holder
Holds a full roll of 40 quarters or dollar coins and dispenses them one at a time - no more digging through your pocket or case on bar box night. Spring-loaded metal tube slips easily into your cue case pocket and keeps coins from rattling around. Works with US and Canadian quarters. A small thing that every bar pool player eventually wishes they had.
BOSSTIN Pool Cue Case
Tear-resistant, waterproof fabric with strong stitching. Individually padded interior slots protect cues from impacts and scratches, fits 4x3, 3x3, and 2x2 configurations in a 34" x 8" x 4" bag. Two external pockets for balls, gloves, and accessories. Carries three ways: concealed backpack straps, detachable shoulder strap, or handle.
Porper Cue Rack, Table Clamp
Wrap-around clips hold your cues firmly so they won't get knocked loose on a busy league night. Soft plastic clips won't scratch your finish, safe for high-end and custom cues. Clamps to most table edges up to 2" thick, no tools needed. Folds flat for your case pocket. Made in the USA with a lifetime warranty.
Pool Ball Cleaning & Polishing Machine
Cleans and polishes a full set of 16 balls at once in about 2 minutes. Each port sized for standard 2.26" American-style balls; high-quality wool felt pads do the work without scratching. Comes with polishing spray. Lift the tray to remove balls when done. Balls not included.
Professional Soft Tip Darts Set 20g
When I need a break from pool. 20-gram keel-design soft tip darts with deep-groove grip barrels, blue aluminum shafts, 6 standard flights, and a portable case. Includes 50 rubber O-rings, 30 replacement plastic tips, and extras. Straight streamlined barrel with even-load balance and pattern flights that reduce drag for a consistent path. Works with any electronic dart board.
Rack 'Em Up Billiards Shot Glass Set
Ten 1 oz pool ball shot glasses served up in a triangle rack tray. Each glass is numbered and colored like a real billiard ball. Durable glass construction, plastic triangle tray keeps them organized and display-ready. A solid gift for any pool player or bar night. Hand wash only.
Pleasures of Small Motions - Bob Fancher, Ph.D.
Mastering the Mental Game of Pocket Billiards. Written by a psychotherapist and pool columnist, this is the book that finally applies real science to the mental side of pool. Covers how conscious and unconscious mind work together, drills for improvement, mastering emotion, developing rhythm, the difference between concentration and focus, and competitive play. Billiards Digest called it the best thing ever written on pool's mental game. 160 pages.
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The Hustler (1961)
Paul Newman plays Fast Eddie Felson, a pool shark working the small-town circuit on his way to a showdown with the legendary Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason). The film that defined pool movies. If you haven't seen it, fix that.
The Color of Money (1986)
Fast Eddie Felson takes raw talent Vincent Lauria under his wing. After the two fall out, Eddie gets back in the game and eventually has to face his former apprentice. Directed by Scorsese, starring Paul Newman and Tom Cruise.
Poolhall Junkies (2002)
A talented pool hustler who walked away from the game gets pulled back in when his little brother gets tangled up with the same man who sabotaged his career. A cult favorite with anyone who grew up around pool halls.
The Baron and the Kid (1984)
Johnny Cash plays Will "The Baron" Addington, a former pool pro whose career and family fell apart. When he crosses paths with a cocky young player who turns out to be his son, he tries to steer him right despite a shady manager pulling the other way.
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