Positioning the cue ball

Firstly pay attention to the white guideline and what direction it is pointing in after the point of contact with the object ball. Then look around where your remaining balls are and think about where would be a good place to leave the cue ball to be able to pot on your next shot. Then consider how hard you need to hit the cue ball in order to get it in the best position. The softer you hit it the more it will run through and the harder you hit it the more deflected off the path it will be. If you are playing a dead straight shot and you hit it hard then the cue ball is going to sit where the object ball was previously, this is called a stun shot. So in order to get the ball to move position you are either going to have to play it gently and allow it to run through a bit or apply spin (please see the spin section for more details).
It will take time to learn how to place the cue ball in a good position for your next shot, but it's well worth it and it will help you to ensure that you don't snooker yourself any more and avoid potting the cue ball as much as possible (known as a scratch).
The Break
There are several kinds of break you can make and not any particular hard and fast rules when it comes to deciding how you want to break. The two most effective breaks for breaking up the balls that I have seen are:
1. Hit the first ball in the triangle straight on and either spin back or use top spin to drive through the pack even more.
2. Hit the second from end ball as cleanly as possibly using full backspin causing the cue ball to hit the cushion and go into the pack again.
I personally tend to go for number 2 as I feel it has a greater success rate with potting from the break and giving me control of the table.
Some people opt for a soft break which leaves the pack fairly undisturbed so that only a few balls break off. This can create a more tactical game but better players will find a way to hit the pack with the cue ball after potting in order to break it up (known as a cannon).
Spin - Also Known as English

In short, placing the contact point at the bottom of the ball will cause the cue ball to spin back once it contacts the object ball. The lower you put the point the more spin that will be generated and the harder you hit the shot the more spin the at will be generated. If you place the cue contact point at the top of the cue ball then this will cause the cue ball to follow through once it makes contact with the object ball, as with back spin the harder you hit it the more spin will be generated.
Side spin is the final form, you can use this to change the angle that the cue ball takes when it comes off the cushion. If you were to put right hand side spin on, the ball will hit the cushion and bounce more towards the right than if you hit it in the middle. Another thing that has an effect on the angle the cue ball takes when it comes off the cushion is the speed it is travelling at. The faster it is travelling the straighter the ball will bounce and the slower it travels the more of an angle it will take. Very handy for getting out of tight snookers where it would normally be nearly impossible.
If you do not hit the cue ball hard enough the spin on the ball will run out by the time it reaches the object ball and will have no effect.
Have a play around with spin, you need to familiarise yourself with the amount of spin you need in different situations and it might be worth while to try practicing using the other pool games available on Miniclip.
Choosing Spots or Stripes
Your decision of whether to choose spots or stripes can determine whether you win the game. Just because you have potted a particular type of ball or even several on the break does not mean that you should necessarily take that as your decision. Look at the position of all of the balls on the table, how many of are in pottable positions? How well spread are the balls? Which set gives you the best chance to clear up? These are all questions that you need to ask yourself before you proceed.
If both sets look fairly similar and you are confident in your own abilities then I would recommend going for the set with the most balls on the table. My thinking behind this is that there are less obstacles (balls of the other suit) on the table to navigate around and less chance you will fall into a snooker.
Use Miniclip 9 Ball Quick Fire Pool and 8 Ball Quick Fire Pool to home your skills
Miniclip features two additional pool games for you to try out: 9 Ball and 8 Ball Quick Fire Pool. Both are single player games where the object is to accumulate points by potting as many balls as you can within a time limit.
Both provide an excellent opportunity to practice as you are not given a time limit to adhere to so you can put a lot of thought into your shots. Use these games to watch how the cue ball reacts, practice your positioning and spin skills in a non pressure environment to become a true master at 8 Ball Pool Multiplayer!
FAQ
How to put the 8 ball in on the break
To put the 8 ball in on the break requires a great deal of luck and practically no skill. The only thing to do in order to increase the likelihood of the 8 ball going in off the break is to ensure that you hit the balls cleanly with maximum power.