8 Ball Pool remains one of the most beloved apps and games because it’s easy to grasp, but, as skilled players know, it’s incredibly tough to master. While there are few ways to guarantee success in a game largely based on physics, here are five hints and tips for playing well without any cheats or hacks.
1) Practice Makes Perfect: Just like a physical game of pool, Miniclip’s 8 Ball Pool takes lots of time to perform well. In that sense, the very best thing you can possibly do is spend plenty of time at the offline practice table or online with beginners at the London Pub. Cost of entry there is low, and winning can even net familiar players a nice coin purse if you can rack up victories.
If you are of a decent skill level, one solid way to take advantage of the London Pub is to use it as an opportunity to work on your bank shots, spin shots and combos in a real-world setting. That grind work will pay off as you progress to Sydney, Moscow and Vegas with enough coins.
2) Planning And Patience Are Key: Veteran players of virtual or real 8 Ball Pool will tell you that success is all about planning moves ahead of time and being patient in your selections. As soon as the break happens, you should start thinking about a reasonable pecking order for the next few moves. The ones close to the pocket may look like easy marks, but how will taking those off the table impact the layout? If possible, have backup plans in mind to counter your opponent’s actions.
For a seemingly simple game like this it may be tempting to fire off your shots without much thought. If you want to win, however, you should take advantage of the timer that’s allotted for each turn. If you start feeling antsy in those final seconds, turn on “tap to aim” in settings so you can set up your angles faster.
3) Coin Management: 8 Ball Pool is focused primarily on coins. Earning enough of them will allow you entry into lobbies with high-level players and huge victory pots. However, just like at the table, you’re best advised to practice restraint when deciding how that money is spent.
It may be fun to hop into Vegas as soon as you’ve saved up enough to do so, but we’d advise waiting until you have several times the entry cost before heading into a high-level match. The grind can take a while, but it means you’ll be able to play more when the time comes. Frugality gives you room to suck up a loss and return for a win to double your investment.
4) Stick To One Cue: 8 Ball Pool has an assortment of advanced cues for players to purchase with the winnings they’ve earned. With so many varying stats and results to consider, however, it may be best to stick to just one of them once you start feeling comfortable.
The cue you pick can have a drastic impact on the physics of your shots. Elements like power and spin can be make or break you when it comes to hitting the pocket, so you shouldn’t go too crazy with changing things up. Familiarity breeds mastery, and mastery breeds success.
5) A Few Random Specific Concepts: We know a few of you probably came here for some more specific tips, so we’ll leave those in a bulleted list.
- Try out trick shots early. If you miss, there’s still plenty of time to recuperate and let your skills do the talking.
- Power isn’t a guarantee for success. You’d be surprised how well a lightly tapped shot gets the balls in place exactly how you want them. It may be worth it to spend a move or two just being cautious.
- In terms of cues, the Royal Black Cue is a favorite. Competitive players often use an acronym, F.A.S.T., to describe cue stats. It stands for force, aim, spin and time. Look for a cue with a rating of 3, 3, 3 and 4 in all of those areas.
- Don’t ever rage quit. Especially if you’re new, it can be tempting to do that. Because it’s easy for your opponent to knock in the 8 ball as the table empties, a victory is still in reach even when it looks like a blowout.
8 Ball Pool is available to play for free on iOS, Android and the web.
What do you think of the tips in this guide? What strategies would you like to share with new 8 Ball Pool players entering the scene? Tell us in the comments section!
