Cue Chalks
Chalk is the cheapest thing in your case and the one most likely to cost you a frame. A miscue on a shot that needed side is almost always chalk, not technique.
What chalk actually does
It puts a layer of grit between the tip and the cue ball so the tip grips instead of sliding off. That grip is what lets you play with side, screw and stun. On a centre ball pot you could get away without it. On anything else you cannot.
Chalk every shot, and chalk properly: brush it across the tip so it coats the dome, rather than grinding the cube down into one spot. Grinding wears a hole in the cube and packs the chalk too tightly to transfer.
The two kinds worth knowing about
Traditional chalk is the compressed cube most people grew up with. Triangle is the standard, and it is what you will find on club tables everywhere. It works, it costs very little, and it leaves marks on the cue ball and the cloth.
Low residue chalk is a newer type, made to grip as well while leaving far less behind. Taom are the best known. The cue ball stays cleaner, the cloth stays cleaner, and there is less chalk dust in your case. It costs several times what a traditional cube does and it lasts a long time, so the running cost is closer than the shelf price suggests.
If you play on your own table, low residue chalk is worth it for the cloth alone. If you play in clubs and want the tightest grip for the least money, Triangle does the job.
The range here
Taom make the widest choice: V10 in green and blue, Pyro in blue and pink, the original 2.0, and a Soft version. V10 is the one most players start with. Pyro grips harder and suits players who use a lot of side.
Triangle is the traditional cube, and the one to buy if you want what the professionals used for decades and most clubs still stock.
Peradon, Asia Cues and Premium Cues supply chalk holders and pouches to go with them.
Holders and pouches
Loose chalk in a cue case gets everywhere. A chalk holder keeps the cube clipped to your pocket or your case and stops it crumbling. Magnetic holders clip to a belt loop and hold the chalk one handed, which is quicker between shots than digging in a pocket.
A leather chalk pouch does the same job in a softer form and protects the cube from knocks.
Taom chalk is a different shape to a standard cube, so check that a holder is made for it before buying the two together. The Taom specific holders here are sized correctly.
Worth knowing
Chalk and tips work as a pair. A tip that has glazed over will not hold chalk however good the chalk is, so if you are miscuing and the chalk is fine, look at the tip next. A light scuff to raise the nap is usually all it needs.
