Not even the best players are keen to use the rest, but everyone has to play with it sometime and a good method is required if consistency and accuracy are to be achieved.

All the top players use the low side of the rest (Figure 1) head to run their cue along, rather than the other section in which the angle of the 'v' is smaller. By using the wider angled and lower 'v' of the rest head, the cue can be kept on a straight line instead of dipping towards the cue ball, which is what happens if the rest head is placed in the more upright position.

On the other hand, even if the rest is held with the legs of the wide-angled 'v' touching the table. problems will arise if the distance between the head of the rest and the cue ball is too narrow. The closer the head of the rest is to the cue ball, the more angled the cue will be. If the rest head is too far away from the cue ball, the cue itself will be harder to keep in a straight line.

Having the rest head too close to the cue ball creates all manner of errors when trying to play any sort of power shot. For a start the cue will be angled; it will dig into the cue ball and, if the shot isn't properly centred, unintentional side will be accentuated.

If the rest head is too far from the cue ball it is impossible to complete the final back swing, play a smooth shot and follow-through. What we have to work out is a distance, which enables a nice, smooth action and good follow-through.

A number of players will get down with their head behind the butt, a method that restricts any backward movement. You would hit yourself on the nose if you came back as far as you should. What I advise is to lift the chin sufficiently to enable the butt of the cue to pass underneath it.

When addressing the cue ball, the forearm, from the elbow to the cueing hand, should be as near as possible forming a right angle to the shot. If you are reaching out when first addressing the cue ball, the follow-through is restricted.

This can bring about errors by hitting the cue ball on one side or the other, or not following through on line. A good method of practice is to stay down after the shot is played and see whether the cue has gone on a straight line or strayed to the left or right.

This can highlight problems with the rest and provide some indication of what needs to be resolved. Certainly, players who don't bother to find out will never master the rest.

In the same way that I advocate using the baulk line for correct cueing, the rest itself can also be used as a guide. What must be done is to line up the rest and cue together in a straight line, not always possible during an actual frame, and having played a shot check whether your hand has finished slightly to the left or to the right of the rest.

Ten minutes of this on the practice table could work wonders. If the shot is played correctly, the thumb, which is underneath the cue, should remain, on completion of the shot, on top of the rest.

Figure 2 shows the cue line at address and Figure 3 shows the cue, still on a straight line, at the completion of the shot.

In Figure 4, the cue is back at the address position but in the following two photographs, after the shot, the cue hand has moved.

In Figure 5 it has moved to the left thus sending the cue to the right and in Figure 6 it has moved to the right sending the cue to the left.

This is illustrated with the help of the baulk line to emphasize how much the cue has finished off line. The only answer for improvement is to practice.

The same procedures, of course, apply to the use of cue extensions, used by most players these days instead of the half and three-quarter butts. An extension does mean you are further away from the cue ball, but everything else still applies - grip, following through and checking after completing the shot that you have cued on a straight line.

All these essentials also apply when using any of the varieties of spider. With abnormal shots that require the rest, don't attempt anything beyond the minimum.

"Simply try to pot the ball or play safe".