Familiarize yourself with the equipment.There are generally three things youll be using: a cue stick, table, and pool balls. You can probably guess which is what.

Pick a cue stick appropriate for your size. Most are 58 inches (147 cm) in length, but shorter and longer ones are available. The tip is the most important part of a cue (its on the narrow end youll be hitting with). Tips vary from soft to hard, though inexperienced pool players are best served with a medium to mediumsoft tip.

There are three standard sizes to a pool table: 7, 8, and 9 feet (2.7 m). The Billiard Congress of America defines a regulation pool table as any table that is twice as long as it is wide. For example, a 7foot table is 7 feet (2.1 m) long and 3.5 feet (1.1 m) wide. If you are playing on a smaller table, you may want a shorter cue.

As for the pool balls, there are evens and odds, solids and stripes, and, most importantly, the 8 ball and the cue ball. The cue ball is solid white, a bit heavier, and should be the only ball directly hit during the game.