Skip to content
Cueing Academy

Pool glossary · Stroke & Stance

Deceleration

Why should you not decelerate the cue in pool?

Deceleration is slowing the cue down as it approaches the cue ball. It makes the cue twist off line and delivers less speed than planned, so both accuracy and cue-ball control suffer.

In more detail

Players decelerate when the backswing is too long for the speed they need. Shorten the backswing so that the cue can accelerate gently through contact.

People also ask

Is deceleration the same as a soft stroke?

No — a soft stroke can still accelerate through the ball. Deceleration is slowing down during the forward stroke.

Train it at the table

More guides on deceleration