Dear Jeanette

THE BLACK WIDOW ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT POOL LIFE, LOVE AND ETIQUETTE.

(Q) I love to play pool, and my boyfriend plays as well. But he is ultra competitive. You were married to a professional player at one time. How can we play each other without added tension?

Susan Conroy, Poplar Bluff, Mo.

(A) Sometimes the issue has deeper roots than simply pool. Maybe you earn more than he does. Maybe you are simply better at some things. I would suggest digging into the root of this problem before continuing to compete. League play is one way to compete together in a team atmosphere. You can still play on the same team, enjoy competition and benefit from the team atmosphere.

(Q) How can I improve my ability to use English?

Jose Martinez, San Jose, Calif.

(A) I shoot straight-in stop shots with spin. A spotted cue ball helps. Using different speeds, try to stop the cue ball in place while it continues to spin. Cut shots don’t show you how far off our aim is as well as straight shots do. Eventually, your cue ball will spin like a top at different speeds and distances.