🎱 Smarter Angles = Easier Position

Thanks for joining us for this week’s Stroke of Confidence! This is your weekly guide to playing better pool. It’s not just about making shots. It’s about understanding how to compete, stay focused, and grow both your skills and mental game.

This week’s topics:

• Using angles for cue ball control

• What to do when someone sharks you

• Filler vs Gorst: 8-ball at its highest level

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Working the angle

Position play and using angles separates the shooters from the real players. Beginners try to land straight on every shot, thinking it’ll make things easier. More advanced players know that angles are your friend. They know that having the right angle opens up options and makes transitions easier. When you play with angles in mind, you avoid straight-in shots, you make cue ball paths more predictable, and you give yourself natural routes into position.

Here are some things to keep in mind when using angles for better cue ball control:

• Angles help you move the cue ball naturally – With a slight angle on your shot, the cue ball moves into position with less effort. The natural line of the cut helps guide the cue ball where you want it to go.

• Straight shots limit your options – A straight-in shot might feel easier, but it locks you in place. You’re forced to go directly forward or backward which can cut off routes to your next ball.

• Use angles to control speed – A shot with an angle lets you use a slower stroke and still get movement. That’s a major advantage when you are trying to stay precise. The less power you need, the more control you have.

• Angles open up break balls and clusters – If you need to break a group or free up a key ball, the correct angle lets your send the cue ball towards the cluster naturally.

• Angles help with pattern play – A smart angle on the current shot sets you up for the next ball and the one after that. It keeps you in flow. Trying to play straight-in over and over will eventually paint you into a corner.

• They keep your stroke relaxed – Playing for angles allows you to shoot with a smoother motion. When you are not forcing the cue ball everywhere with power or spin, your stroke stays natural and repeatable.

Position isn’t about stopping the cue ball in a perfect spot. It’s about giving yourself space and options to work with. When you use angles wisely, you make the cue ball easier to manage and you keep your patterns flowing from shot to shot.

Start looking at every layout with this in mind. Where’s the angle that helps me get to the next ball? Where’s the angle that keeps me in control? You don’t have to make the game harder than it needs to be. Let the angle help you win.

Getting the right angle is step one. Controlling the cue ball? That’s where speed and tip position come in. Cue Caddie Pro helps you dial in all three. You don’t just see the angle—you learn how hard to hit and where to strike the cue ball to actually land where you planned. It turns shot planning into a full-on system. The more you use it, the more natural it feels to blend spin, speed, and angle into one smooth move.

My table cleaner: Ghost Billiards Dust Remover

I picked this up on a whim and now I use it every time I practice. The Ghost Billiards Table Dust Remover is one of those low-key tools that just makes the pool playing experience better. If you’re tired of wiping down the table with an old brush or towel, this is a great upgrade.

Why I like it:

• Quick cleanups – Just run it across the cloth and it grabs dust, chalk, and random debris way better than a brush. No need to break out the vacuum every time.

• Gentle on cloth – Doesn’t drag or pull like some cheap brushes. The soft pad glides over the felt and keeps everything smooth.

• Compact and easy – No batteries, ready to use right out the box. It lives in my case now so I can clean the table before practice.

Downsides:

• Not for deep cleaning — It won’t replace a full table vacuum or proper refelting. But for quick maintenance, it’s perfect.

If you’re serious about keeping your table in top shape, this little thing is worth grabbing. A clean table means smooth, consistent shooting.

🧹 Ghost Billiards Table Dust Remover

🧰 See more gear I use and trust here.

*Buying through this link helps support the newsletter at no extra cost to you.

Don’t be shark bait

You can’t control what’s happening in the room or what your opponent is doing. But you can control your response. And if you want to play your best, that’s where your focus has to stay.

Some players will test your patience. They’ll move in your line of sight. They’ll talk loud. They’ll wander around. Some do it on purpose. Some don’t even realize they’re doing it. Either way, the outcome is the same if you let it get to you. Outside distractions work because they pull your mind off the shot and your routine. They want you to get annoyed and lose focus. The mistake isn’t noticing the distraction. It’s letting it take root.

Here are a few things you can do to stay locked in, even when something tries to throw you off:

• Keep your eyes on the work – When it’s your shot, look at the table. Don’t scan the room or track your opponent. Keep your eyes where your mind needs to be: on the layout and the cue ball.

• Stick to your routine – Your pre-shot routine isn’t just about mechanics. It’s a mental anchor. When things feel off or your focus gets shaky, fall back on the steps you trust.

• Don’t reward the behavior – Sharking only works if it gets a reaction. If someone is clearly trying to mess with your rhythm, don’t give them what they want. Stay composed and don’t acknowledge it.

• Use it as fuel, not frustration – Getting annoyed burns energy. Staying composed builds confidence. Flip the switch. Let their noise remind you that you’re in control and they’re not.

• Have a reset phrase ready – A short phrase like “back to work” or “next shot” can help snap you out of a distracted moment. Keep it simple and say it to yourself when you feel your focus slipping.

• Practice focus on a busy table – If you only train in silence, you’ll struggle when the noise shows up. Practice with music, distractions, or background movement sometimes. Make your focus stronger than your environment.

• Let your body language stay neutral – Don’t shake your head, sigh, or show frustration. Stay steady, even if the inside feels off. This helps you stay calm and sends a message to your opponent that their tactics won’t work.

• Remember your goal – You’re not there to police the room or teach someone manners. You’re there to play your game and make good decisions.

Distractions are part of competition. So are opponents who don’t always play fair. But don’t let them decide the outcome. The strongest players aren’t the ones who never get distracted. They’re the ones who know how to come back to center, shot after shot.

📚️ Our favorite books on the mental game for pool.

8-Ball Masterclass

If you want to learn how to play smarter 8-ball, this is the kind of match to study. Fedor Gorst and Joshua Filler are arguably the two best players in the world. What makes watching this so valuable isn’t just their elite shot-making, but more importantly the way they think through the rack. You’ll see patterns that look simple, but every choice is deliberate and built around cue ball control.

This match is a masterclass in pattern play, transition, and staying in control without forcing anything. You won’t see wild swings or hope shots. You’ll see measured, intentional play from start to finish. At one point the match is 5-4 and neither has missed a shot or played a safety.

If 8-ball is your game, take a few minutes to slow this one down and watch how each move sets up the next. There’s a lot to pick up just by seeing how the best players solve the same puzzles you face every league night.

🟢 WNT River City Open
Nov 6–9 | 9-Ball | Watch
Jacksonville, FL

🟢 2025 WPBA Dr Pool Jacoby Tour Championship
Nov 12–16 | 9-Ball | Watch
Central Wisconsin Convention & Expo Center, Rothschild, WI

🟢 WNT International Open
Nov 19–23 | 9-Ball | Watch
St Augustine, FL

🟢 WNT Stocks Memorial
Nov 28–30 | 9-Ball | Watch
Front Royal, VA

📖 Our favorite books on the mental game
🧰 Gear I Trust: What’s in my case
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That’s all for today! Thank you for being a reader. If you learned something new from this, share it with your pool buddy so they can level up too. See you next week!

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