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Magic: The Racking (and Breaking)

Posted on by mkglass

Getting the most out of the Magic Rack

I have been donating to playing in the Mezz West State Tour for two years now. Desiree Rivera and Oscar Dominguez have done an amazing job with this tour so far.

One of the requirements for the tour is that we use the Turtle Rack, which is functionally equivalent to the Magic Rack. This rack is used for both 9 Ball and 10 Ball events.  We are going to focus on 9-ball.

Ask many professional pool players how they feel about Magic-style racks, and I think you’ll find that most of them do not like them.  The reason is that because it gives a very consistent, tight rack, it is very easy for the pros to break and run a rack of 9-ball.  Break properly, leaving the cue ball in the middle of the table, and you should be able to run the table, barring any mistakes.  And we all know that pros rarely make mistakes!

However, this article is for the rest of us.  My goal is to help you achieve the perfect rack and break with the Magic Rack (or Turtle Rack). I’ll leave it up to you not to make any mistakes!

First, let’s talk about racking.  Place the Magic Rack on the table with the top hole lined up with the foot spot.  The rack should be lined up with the center of the table – it helps if there is a mark on the table to guide you.

Now, place the balls 3 through 8 randomly around the center of the rack, with the 9-ball in the middle (The Mezz West State Tour requires the 2-ball to be at the bottom of the rack).  Once they are all placed, make sure they are all touching, nudging the cluster of 7 balls toward the head of the table just a bit.  Carefully place the 1-ball at the top, on the foot spot, and the 2-ball at the bottom. They should nestle into place.

Done correctly, all of the balls should be touching, with the possible exception of one tiny gap. If there is a single gap, the problem is with the balls, not the rack. If there is more than one gap, get a new set of balls.

There are two ways to break this rack.  The first way is to break softly, about 25 to 50% of your normal break speed.  The second is to break “as hard as possible (another Mezz tour requirement)” while still maintaining control of the cue ball.  In both cases, the cue ball should be placed on the head string, about one to two ball-widths away from the side rail.  Either side will do—whichever you are more comfortable with.

Try the soft break first.  It will be easier to control, and you can more easily see how the balls will react.  Hit the one ball directly; do NOT strike the front of the 1-ball.  You should essentially be shooting a stop shot. Aim directly at the center of the 1-ball.

The wing ball on the side you’re breaking from should go straight into the corner pocket.  The 1-ball should go very close to the side pocket opposite your breaking position.  If it misses, it will travel to the head of the table, most likely in position for a shot with the cue ball that you hopefully stopped in the middle of the table.  Try this break several times before you move on to harder breaks.

When breaking hard, you are looking for similar results, although you’ll tend to get a bit more randomization.  If the 1-ball doesn’t go into the side pocket, it may go up to the head rail, and then rebound back to the middle of the table. The cue ball may be caromed by another ball; squatting it in the middle of the table is still your goal, to minimize the chance of it being caromed into a pocket.

However, the wing ball should still end up in the corner.  If it misses, and you are sure the balls are racked as tight as possible, try moving the cue ball a little to the left or right before breaking.

For more, very detailed information about the 9-ball break, I recommend taking a look at Racking Secrets with Joe Tucker, and Racking Secrets II. Making a ball on the break can mean the difference between winning and losing a match. These DVD’s are worth their weight in gold.

Here is a bonus tip to help you run 9-ball racks:

The 9-ball will usually stay inside the rack after the break.  Ideally, you’d like the 8-ball to be a fairly easy key ball, right?  Simple!  When racking, place the 8-ball in the position directly between the wing ball and the 1-ball.  Do a soft break, and notice that the 8 simply floats away toward the side rail, usually somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd diamonds; perfect position to set up the 9-ball!

It will do the same thing for a hard break, although there is a strong tendency for other balls to knock it down the table.

If the rules state that there is no pattern-racking (like in the Mezz West State Tour), then the next time you rack, place the 8-ball in the wing ball position, and place the 7-ball between the 1-ball and 8-ball.  As long as you place the other five balls around the 9-ball randomly, you shouldn’t be accused of pattern racking.

Now… go run some racks!

If you would like to share some of your success stories (or even the failures), or have suggestions for future articles, please feel free to drop me a line at pool@billiardsprofessor.com. I can also be found hanging out with fellow billiards enthusiasts at reddit.com/r/billiards. Come on by and join the discussion!

Posted in Article, Break, Table Talk, The Break / Rackem / Stroke Magazines, Tip of the Day

The Hustlers, Extreme Makeover

Posted on by mkglass

Making Season Two Better

Last month, I shared my feelings on the first season of TruTV’s The Hustlers. While a fairly entertaining reality TV show in its own right, it does not truly reflect the life of your typical pool player. And it is nowhere near close to what true hustling is all about. Sure, it’s easy to criticize, but what exactly can they do to improve the show?

I suppose the first question to ask is whether or not they need to change The Hustlers. In my opinion, the answer is a resounding YES, but I am one single person. My opinion may be in the minority. TruTv is in the business of making money with a show that appeals to the greatest audience. “Real” pool players might be a very small demographic for them. In any case, if I had my say, here’s what I would do:

First and foremost, rename the show. These guys are not true hustlers. Sure, there may be some level of showmanship and misleading information, but it’s very minor, and limited. Hustlers do not have their name put on lists, and they do not make consistent $500 or $1000 bets. I think it’s pretty clear that the producers are giving them to money to gamble with, and it’s always $500 or $1000.

Second, leave Steinway Billiards. I get it — it’s much easier to get one pool room to agree to a film crew, and it would be difficult to get multiple rooms to allow them. But it would be a much more compelling show if we got to follow good pool players as they travel around the world playing in various events. I am in Vegas as I type this, at the BCAPL National Championships, where I have seen Mike DeChaine, Gregg McAndrews, Jennifer Baretta, and Emily Duddy. They should be showing us what they have to go through to get there, how they do throughout the competition, and how it affects their relationships and personal lives.

Travel with Shane Van Boening, so we can see what it’s like to live like he does. Take us to China or Europe to show us some of the big competitions, and allow us to live vicariously through him. Show us that even though he is considered the best in the world, that sometimes he doesn’t win. Even he has bad days where nothing seems to roll his way. I really want to see that!

I’d love to see what goes on behind the scenes for a large event, too. What do they do to prepare? Where do they get all of the tables? How long does it take them to set them all up, and tear them all down? How are they keeping track of all of the matches? Show us this interspersed with some stories of teams from all over the country, who would absolutely love to be interviewed and have their stories told.

My third idea is to interview some old hustlers. Show some vignettes of old players, and listen to them tell tales of seedy back room parlors, guys getting their fingers broken for welshing on a bet, and stories of great pool action. Even some re-creations of amazing shots would be fun to watch, and would encourage people to get on a table to try them out themselves.

My last suggestion is to get a pool player to help edit the cuts. Stop only showing us the ball going into the pocket — we want to see the whole shot, including the path the cue ball is taking. Show these shots with an overhead camera. Don’t follow the ball with the camera, because there is no way to truly appreciate the shot that way.

And make sure that the shot they are taking is the same shot that was shown in the previous frame. Some of the editing is so bad, they are shooting a completely different ball into a completely different pocket! I realize there are always continuity errors in these types of shows. An arm in a different position or a drink that changes sizes between shots is no big deal. But when you’re showing a game of pool, continuity is of the utmost importance. You really need to be very diligent there.

What do you think? Do you agree? Would you watch a show with these types of stories? I know I would. I am tired of bickering and name-calling and all of the other petty stuff we see in typical reality shows. I want to see pool. I would love to get some feedback on this – what do you do to change The Hustlers? Do you enjoy it, or think that it detracts from our sport? Please feel free to contact me at pool@billiardsprofessor.com, or reply to this article to join the discussion.

Do you have any suggestions for future articles? Drop me a line at pool@billiardsprofessor.com. You can also find me hanging out at various pool rooms in the East San Francisco Bay Area. Be sure to say hello if you see me!

Posted in Article, Table Talk, Television, The Break / Rackem / Stroke Magazines

The Hustlers

Posted on by mkglass

A review of one of TruTV’s newest reality series

Recently, Tru TV brought us a new series about the “cutthroat, high-stakes world of competitive pool.”  I had been looking forward to finally seeing a show that can let the rest of the world know what playing pool is all about.  Unfortunately, I don’t think it is quite living up to that expectation.

Let’s talk about hustling for a moment.  Although there are multiple definitions for “hustler,” we all know that in this context, we’re talking about getting an advantage over your opponent, usually by underselling your skill set or making a sucker’s bet.  To hustle pool meant that you travelled around the country, betting people on a game or series of games while making them think you stink at the game.  Any good shots you make are just “dumb luck.” Give yourself an advantage, take their money, and move on.  The fewer people that know you, the better.

Here are the problems I have with The Hustlers:

They do not travel around the country.  Every episode takes place at Steinway Billiards in New York. These people are all regulars, and know each other very well, and you rarely see them play anyone outside the Hustlers circle.

Every challenge match has all of the cast members sitting around the table watching the latest matchup.  These matchups are almost always a challenge between two players on William Finnegan’s list, and they are always for $500 or $1000. I have heard that the producers give the money to them, so they are not even betting their own cash.

About that list: a true hustler would never have his name put on a list.  He does not want others to know how good he is, especially ranked against other players.  Don’t get me wrong – there is nothing wrong with such a list, but it is not representative of the typical hustler.

As for the games themselves… when they do finally get down to playing pool, this is where I believe the producers of this show got it all wrong.  The music is all “original” tunes that sound like they belong in a porno.  The camera work is fast and jerky, sort of like an MTV video.  The best way to watch a game of pool is to see the whole table, not following a ball into the pocket.

The editing of these games is the worst part.  I have seen numerous shots where the player was lining up for a shot in the corner, and the next frame shows them pocketing the ball in the side.  Or, they clearly got hooked behind the 8-ball, but the next shot shows them making a clear shot, with no 8-ball in the way.  I get that sometimes shots need to be re-filmed, but how hard is it to set it up the way it was previously?  It gives the impression that everything is fake.  Yeah, I get it – it’s TV.  But I had hopes. This shows me that the producers really don’t care about the pool… they just care about the drama.

Ah yes, the drama.  You just couldn’t have a “reality” series without drama, could you?  My impression of this show is that the producers told all of the players to add some drama and fighting to make things more “interesting.”  They say things to each other that I wouldn’t say to my worst enemies… and the reactions are almost always a smirk with some lame comeback. It just seems forced.

Recent episodes had the Irish guy, Gary O’Callaghan, getting incredibly steamed and threatening to fight other players.  And Jennifer Barretta’s husband Gregg McAndrews interrupted her game, throwing balls and causing her to forfeit that game while he was “fighting” with Gary.  True pool players have a lot more respect for the game than that. I’m sure these guys are true players in real life, but in this show, they act like disrespectful idiots.

If I were playing a game for $1000 and a spot on the list, and my spouse interrupted my game and caused me to forfeit by fighting with my opponent, I can assure you that we’d have some serious problems.  I have a lot of respect for Barretta’s game and personality.  She’s very level-headed.  But I still find it hard to believe she would just sit there with a smile on her face, watching “the men” go at it during her match.

It’s not a horrible show… I see The Hustlers as a show about some friends who like to challenge each other to see who is the best.  But the show is not about true hustlers, and is quite obviously aimed at reality TV fans, not pool players.  Pool is just the vehicle that allows this drama series to exist.  It has its place, I suppose, but do not look to this show to help us promote the sport.

I would love to get some feedback on this – what do you think of The Hustlers?  What would you do differently?  Do you enjoy it, or think that it detracts from our sport?  Please feel free to contact me at pool@billiardsprofessor.com, or come to www.billiardsprofessor.com to join the discussion.

Do you have any suggestions for future articles? Drop me a line at pool@billiardsprofessor.com. You can also find me hanging out at various pool rooms in the East San Francisco Bay Area. Be sure to say hello if you see me!

Posted in Article, Table Talk, Television, The Break / Rackem / Stroke Magazines

Running a Tournament, Part 2

Posted on by mkglass

A Practical Example of How it’s Done Right

In January, we talked about how to run a tournament.  I’d like to share with you an experience where they did almost everything right.  This happened in Vegas, so I hope I’m not breaking any rules by sharing this!

I recently had the pleasure of participating in the American CueSports National Championships at the Tropicana in Las Vegas.  It was my first time playing in this format, which is very similar to the BCA.

When I found out that there were approximately 500 people participating, I thought there was no way it would compare to the BCAPL tournaments I have attended in the past, boasting almost 10 times that number.  I imagined a tiny room, frazzled tournament directors trying to keep up with table assignments, poorly maintained tables, and in general just mass confusion and chaos.

I couldn’t have been more wrong!

The conference rooms that were used were huge, and they had about 120 tables available. All of them were Valley tables, were very well maintained, and were open for practice at any time, as long as you weren’t next to a live match. The walk from my room to the table took no more than 5 minutes.  A short elevator trip to the casino floor, a walk down the corridor and down a flight of escalators, and I was there.  Anyone who has played in the BCAPL at the Rio (or the Riv before they moved) knows how rough it can be to get to the event from their room: Aurora ran to our room to get my chalk once, and it took her 20 minutes round-trip!

As I mentioned in the January article, time management is very important in running a good tournament.  The ACS Nationals really impressed me in this respect.

I played two events – Men’s 9-ball Singles (121 participants), and Advanced Scotch Doubles (24 teams) with my partner, Shawn Modelo.  She also played in the Women’s Senior 8-ball Singles 50+ (20 players).

First of all, there were plenty of tables for each round, so you didn’t have to wait for a table to be available in order to play your match.  Because they supplied plenty of tables, they were able to schedule every match ahead of time.  If I had made it to the finals, I would have known where and when I was playing before the first round even started.  This earned points from me immediately.  As a person with certain dietary needs, it’s nice to know when I have time to grab a meal, or whether I have time to take a short nap in my room.

The matches were tracked live through compusport (www.compusport.us), and there were plenty of monitors around the venue to check on match results and schedules. This was also available through the web, so people at home could see as well, and players could access it via their smartphones.  They even had an app that could notify you of wins/losses, when your match was about to start, and any last-minute changes to the schedule. I’m a tech geek, and this was another huge bonus point from me.

And this wasn’t the best part!

The score sheet itself was printed and placed in a slot corresponding to your table assignment.  When your match was up, you grabbed the sheet, met your opponent at the table, and played your match.  There was a QR code under each person’s name.  The winner of the match would take the score sheet to the tournament desk and scan the code under their name.

The computer screen would immediately congratulate you, and display the information about your next match (time, table, and if available, your opponent).  My phone would buzz about 2 seconds later, notifying me with this same information.  My family back home also got notified that I won, and who I was playing next. Cool stuff!

All systems are prone to glitches.  $#!& happens, right?  Somehow, ACS managed to pull this off without any hiccups (at least, for the time I was there).  There were times when I was scheduled to play a Scotch Doubles match at the same time as a 9-ball match, and they handled the conflict very well.  My opponent had to wait a bit, unfortunately, but it still went very smoothly.

American CueSports, you have my respect and admiration.  You truly “get it,” and know how to run a tournament very well.  I can only hope that other associations can learn from you, and do as well.

I managed a 5/6th win in 9-ball, and Shawn and I took 5/6th in Scotch Doubles as well. I will be playing in the BCAPL tournament in July: Scotch Doubles with Shawn Modelo again, and Men’s Team Open 8-ball.  I am very interested to see how their tournament is run this year.

And I’m definitely packing my walking shoes!

Do you have any suggestions for future articles? Drop me a line at pool@billiardsprofessor.com. You can also find me hanging out at various pool rooms in the East San Francisco Bay Area. Be sure to say hello if you see me!

Posted in ACS, Article, Table Talk, The Break / Rackem / Stroke Magazines, Tournaments

Pool Table Install Time-Lapse

Posted on by mkglass

Posted in General, Video

Billiards is Not a Stand-Up Sport

Posted on by mkglass

Why should you stay down on your shots?

If you’ve been holding a cue for more than a week, then you have heard it a hundred times: “You missed because you stood up on the shot.”  You’ve probably noticed others doing, too, and you told them as much.  Right?

So… what does that mean?  Why is standing up during your shot a bad thing?

Let’s start with looking at the mechanics of a well-executed shot:

You have surveyed the layout, and chosen the ball you want to pocket. You visualize the shot in your mind, including the aim line.  After chalking your tip, you approach the shot, lining up your cue on the line of aim.  Everything looks good, as you plant your feet in a comfortable stance.  Your head lowers over the stick, your back arm settling in at a beautiful right angle, perfectly perpendicular.  You take a couple of practice strokes, and you’re confident the ball is going to go in.  The only thing moving is your back arm; elbow and shoulder are locked in position.  You deliver the stroke, the cue ball strikes the object ball cleanly, and the object ball finds the bottom of the pocket.

It’s a beautiful feeling, isn’t it?

Now, I want you to remember one of the many shots you took where you missed.  I’m going to bet that somewhere in the sequence of events above, something was… off.  You may not have followed your routine exactly, or your aim was a little off, or you didn’t take enough practice strokes.  You might not even know exactly what it was, but somehow, your subconscious mind knew that you weren’t going to make it.

And chances are you stood up.

I have a friend who uses “body English” when she shoots sometimes… it’s quite humorous to see her do a little “rain dance” right after she shoots, trying to will the object ball into the pocket.  Her subconscious mind told her she was off, but she didn’t listen, and tried to use the force to make the ball do what she wanted.  Not only does she stand up, but she leans to the side, dances up and down, and sometimes even yells at the ball!

Standing up on your shots is usually indicative of your subconscious mind screaming at you “NO, you’re going to miss!” It sometimes will act on its own, throwing in a little swerve of your back arm, or adding English to the shot, in order to compensate.  Your head comes up, and you start walking back to your seat before the cue even hits the object ball.

People will tell you “you need to stay down on your shot,” but that isn’t the whole answer.  Standing up isn’t the actual problem.  It’s a symptom of a larger problem. Your subconscious mind takes over to compensate, and makes you move your head, your bridge, your elbow, or your shoulder.  Your hips might move as well.  Standing simply exacerbates the problem by moving more body parts.  And the more parts are moving, the greater the chance of the shot going awry.

Listen to your inner voice. Don’t shoot the shot until he says he’s satisfied.  Once your inner voice is ready, you’re ready to shoot with confidence.  And when you shoot with confidence, you’ll find yourself staying down on the shot, watching the ball drop into the pocket every time.

Then you can stand up, and high-five your teammates.  Just don’t forget to shake your opponent’s hand.

If you would like to share some of your success stories (or even the failures), or have suggestions for future articles, please feel free to drop me a line at pool@billiardsprofessor.com.

Posted in Article, Fundamentals, Table Talk, The Break / Rackem / Stroke Magazines

What am I Doing Wrong?

Posted on by mkglass

One of the Most Common Questions Asked

I recently received the following question from a reader:

Hello Michael,

I think I am considered a fair pool player at our Community Center, but would be a better player if I did not so often “freeze” on the Eight Ball shot. I will run 3, 4 even 6 balls then miss a number of easy shots on the Eight Ball. Any suggestions?

– Jerry

Yes. Most likely, you are telling yourself to miss the shot.

The fact is, we know how to shoot.  Most of the time, you can make the ball. Like driving a car, you can usually do everything you need to do without even thinking about it – and believe it or not, that is the key to playing well!

Our subconscious minds are not capable of understanding negative thoughts. It is perception oriented, not verbally oriented. So, when I tell you not to think of the color red, that is the first thing you do!  Your subconscious mind does not understand the concept of “don’t.”

How many times have you said to yourself, just before a shot: “Ok, whatever you do, don’t overcut this ball,” only to take the shot and overcut it?  It has happened to me many times, and I am sure it’s happened to you as well.  Now, think about how many times you have shot a ball into the pocket, and all you were really focused on was cue ball position.  Making the ball is a foregone conclusion; you just want the cue ball to get to the perfect spot to make your next shot.  Most of the time, the object ball goes in, right?

That’s because your subconscious mind and your muscles already know what to do.  Sometimes, you’ll be down on your shot, and something nags at you, telling you the shot isn’t going to go in.  You ignore it, shoot the shot, and you miss.  How often have you heard someone say “I knew it was going to miss before I even shot it!” That was the subconscious mind trying to get your attention. Learn to hear it, and pay attention. If it’s telling you something’s wrong, stand up, reset yourself, and get back down on the shot. Don’t shoot the ball until it feels right.

So, Jerry, why are you missing the 8-ball?  Because you are telling yourself to miss the 8-ball!  Most likely, you are thinking to yourself, “I always miss this, and I’m probably going to miss this one too.  Please, don’t miss it!”  Your subconscious mind listens, strips away the negative “don’t,” and it receives the message: “Miss this shot!”  Now, you get down on the shot, take a couple of practice strokes, and listen for that inner voice.  Oh, good, it’s not giving you warning bells, awesome!

You shoot, and promptly miss!  There were no warning bells in your head, because your subconscious mind was told to miss, and it knew you were on track to miss.

When we are running a table, and getting to the last ball we have to make to win, it’s very difficult to stop listening to that voice that tells us “Don’t screw this up now.”  If you can manage to get into the zone, and just make balls until you have nothing left to shoot at, then your ego won’t get in the way.

This is not an easy lesson to learn; I’m still struggling with this myself.  When you are having this problem consistently, it makes it even harder to get out of it. Figure out a way to distract yourself, so you don’t have time to doubt your ability to make that final 8-ball.  If you find that your conscious mind is trying to interfere, get up.  Go take a sip of your beverage, chalk your tip, get down on the shot, and make it.

After your match, I suggest that you set up the shot you missed, and practice it until you make it ten times in a row.  You need to put a successful shot into your memory bank, so that your brain has a reference for the future.  Then, next time you are faced with that final 8-ball shot, picture it going in the center of the pocket.  Get down on the shot, and listen to your inner voice.  It will tell you when you’re ready to pull the trigger.

 

If you would like to share some of your success stories (or even the failures), or have suggestions for future articles, please feel free to drop me a line at pool@billiardsprofessor.com.

Posted in Article, Table Talk, The Break / Rackem / Stroke Magazines, Tip of the Day

Integrity

Posted on by mkglass

Pool’s Image Needs an Upgrade, and it Starts With You

Merriam-Webster defines integrity as follows:

Firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values :  incorruptibility

I have seen many examples of integrity in the game. For example, people who call a foul on themselves even when nobody else saw the transgression.  Unfortunately, I have seen many instances where players have been a bit unscrupulous.

Recently, I participated in the 7th Annual Chuck Markulis Memorial Tournament in Sacramento, California.  It was a wonderful event as always, and I enjoyed every moment.  Well, almost every moment.

Several pro players attended as well.

Before the tournament, a Calcutta auction was held, where you can bid on the player you feel will win, and all of the money collected is put into a prize pool.  If your player wins one of the top spots, you win a portion of the prize money.  Obviously, the better players demand a larger bid.

I won a bid that allowed me to choose any player I desired, and picked one of the pros.  I won’t reveal who it was, for reasons you’ll understand shortly.

Traditionally, the player you bid on gets the option to buy half of the bid, which was the case here.  I won the bid for $300, so the player I chose had the option to split it with me for $150.  I asked him if he wanted to buy in, and he told me he wasn’t sure yet.  He’d let me know.

I didn’t see him again until after the tournament had started, and he had already played two matches. I had been playing on another table, so I didn’t have much of a chance to talk to him again.  When I finally did see him, he told me he still wanted to buy his half.  I was a bit put off by this… if he had lost, I’m sure he would not have opted in, and I’d have been out $300.  As it was, he won his first two matches, so it was a wash.  I let it slide.

He then handed me $140 and asked if that was cool.  Seriously?  You’re a pro player, and you’re trying to weasel out of $10?  I accepted it, very grudgingly, because if I hadn’t, he might have chosen not to pay.  And he knew I knew that.  Plus, if I had told him no, he might have just dumped his games. I smiled, accepted, and wished him well in the tournament.

That was not the end of his shenanigans.  During one of his matches, he was positioning his racks about an inch forward of the center of the spot.  His opponent called him on it, and he stated that the rules specify that it’s legal as long as the ball is on the spot marker.  They went back and forth on this, to the point of him threatening to just quit the tournament because “everyone always does this to him.”  Of course, all I could think about was “thanks for putting the money I bet on you in jeopardy.”  From that point forward, the tournament director racked every game.

On top of all of this, despite the rule of “maximum power breaks,” he was consistently hitting his breaks around 16 mph (the average of all other breaks I measured topped 22 mph).  He even put a ton of spin on the cue ball to soften his breaks so that it would look like he was breaking harder than he really was.

Did he break the rules?  Not really.  But he bent them about as far as they would go, clearly demonstrating a propensity for dancing on the line of morality and integrity.  I completely understand the desire to give yourself the best chance to win matches.  But to what lengths, and at what cost?

Billiards already suffers from the image of the seedy hustler always trying to cheat people out of their money.  Our community is struggling to make the sport more mainstream, to garner more interest in the game, and even get included in the Olympic Games.

To all of my friends and acquaintances who are working hard toward this goal, thank you. I believe that we will get there some day, although we have quite a way to go.

To those of you who are not, please rethink your position.  Think about all of the other sports that suffer when a lack of integrity is demonstrated.  Baseball, basketball, football. Even cycling. Don’t take the easy path to get a few extra bills in your pocket.  Take the high road, and show the world that we in the billiards community have integrity and honor.

 

If you would like to share some of your success stories (or even the failures), or have suggestions for future articles, please feel free to drop me a line at pool@billiardsprofessor.com.

Posted in Article, Etiquette, Table Talk, The Break / Rackem / Stroke Magazines

Draw Shot in Slow Motion

Posted on by mkglass

Posted in Advanced, Draw, Video

Jump Shot in Slow Motion

Posted on by mkglass

Posted in Advanced, Jump Shot, Video