In order to play pool at a high level you need to develop great skills at setting up to the ball as accurately as possible as well as great skills at controlling the cue ball with a perfect stroke. The equation of “perfect set up” plus “perfect stroke” should more often than not equate to a result of a “perfect shot”. This article will focus on how to set up to the cue ball as perfectly as possibl...
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Remember the days when you dropped math class to play a few frames. Relive those memories in the Bay Street Snooker League at the National Club (http://www.thenationalclub.com ).
Looking for players of all skill levels to participate in handicap play. The National Club will make its snooker room available for league players every Tuesday evening. The participation of other downtown clubs would be...
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This past weekend in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Ian's Cue Club played host to an open 9 ball event that boasted 54 entries with an $85 entry fee, and the room generously added $2,000 to the 9 ball event. This format was good enough to generate some interest with the best players in Western Canada, players from Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan were all in attendance. You could say that the f...
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Game: “Six and Out”
Here are the rules:
1. Rack 6 balls on the foot spot and make a break shot.
2. Spot any balls made on the break and start with ball in hand in the kitchen.
3. BEFORE your first shot, you must assign a pocket for each ball to go in to. After you make your decisions, you cannot change your strategy…you must stick with your original selections.
4. Now run the balls in any order, b...
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The (Modified) Corner Banking System
Here’s a very handy system to memorize. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve used this method to either make a tough bank or kick myself out of a good safe. All you have to do is memorize the numbers down the rail: .33 .85 1.35 1.75 2.25 2.75 3.25 4.0 4.5 5.0 6.0. These numbers tell you where to aim using the diamonds on the long rail opposite from where y...
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As I’ve stated before, the ability to execute a good safe can easily mean the difference between winning or losing a match against a tough opponent. Very few people practice safes. Don’t fall into that trap! If you practice your safties, you’ll have an advantage over more skilled players and you will win many more matches.
The Rolling Safe Drill
Here’s a drill I invented a few months ago to help m...
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These drills are designed to push you. You have to think ahead and you have to deliver the goods. I usually integrate a couple of these into each of my practice sessions.
Challenge 1 – Take ball in hand on the first shot, then make the 1 ball in the upper left corner pocket, the two ball in the lower right corner pocket, etc.
Challeng...
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Samm Diep demonstrated a couple of these drills to me earlier this year. These Oldie Goldies have been around forever…and for good reason. These drills develop your ability to move the cue ball relatively short distances with precision.
Classic 1 – Take ball in hand on the first shot, then pocket the balls in order starting with the ball closest to the rail.
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Here are some standard position route drills. I selected these shots because they all return the cue ball to the center of the table. This is a very useful skill to learn because when you play 8 ball or 9 ball, if you can make an object ball and return the cue ball to the center of the table, you will usually have other makeable shots. The objective of each of these drills is to pocket the object...
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The ability to plan and execute a cut shot is a base requirement for playing good pool. These drills are progressive in nature…they start easy and get harder with each shot. The secret to making cut shots is to start by focusing on your fundamentals and making sure they are solid first, then working on your aiming method. To determine the proper aiming point, I use the ghost ball aiming method as...
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WITH JUST OVER five weeks until the start of the 21st annual PartyPoker Mosconi Cup, Darren Appleton and Karl Boyes are named as the final two members of the European side charged with defending the title at the Tower Circus, Blackpool from 1st to 4th December.
With seven previous Mosconi Cup appearances between them including six on the winning side, both players bring plenty to the table as Team...
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The following drill is designed to calibrate your shooting arm. The objective is to develop your ability to deliver the cue ball down table with different speeds depending on what the shot requires. For this drill I have divided the table into five different zones, each zone is 2 diamonds wide. The zones on the ends of the table are actually two diamonds wide; one diamond going into the rail, and...
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2014 PartyPoker World Pool Masters
Draw and schedule set for 22nd Masters
REIGNING PARTYPOKER World Pool Masters champion Niels Feijen begins his title defence against European No.8 Daniele Corrieri of Italy when the 22nd annual Masters takes place at the Portland Centre in Nottingham from Friday 14th to Sunday 16th November.
With 16 top players from around the world, there are some exciting firs...
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2014 PartyPoker Mosconi Cup
America’s five for Blackpool announced
WITH JUST six weeks to go until the 21st annual PartyPoker Mosconi Cup breaks off at the Tower Circus in Blackpool, Team USA skipper Mark Wilson has named his five players to take on the huge task of winning back pool’s most prestigious team trophy.
Having assembled a squad of eight players at the start of the year, Wilson has now...
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Belinda Leephoto courtesy of Tim Smith
Belinda Lee cruised to her second win of the tour season besting Teresa Garland in the final, 7-5, capturing the event and the 2014 Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Tour Champion title. It was a long row to hoe for Lee, with the plethora of Texas talent who turned out for the final event. WPBA...
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Players & Fans,
Congratulations to our most recent winners:
Martin Daigle
Stop # 2, Martin Daigle $1,050 (main event) & Mike Hurley $320 (second chance event)
Mike Dechaine
Stop # 1, Mike Dechaine $1,000 (main event) & Sam Monroe $300 (seco...
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The second stop of the Four Points Tour is in the books. Forty-Three players were in attendance at Big Wigs Billiards in Newmarket, Ontario on October 18-19th. There has been plenty of discussion on the new handicap format. The results speak for themselves as many top players were eliminated early from this event.
Leading the top half of the bracket was Brad Guthrie with wins over Jay Secord, Tol...
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The final day at the U.S. Open took place on Sunday and what a day it was. The field was down to 4 players on Sunday with Shane Van Boening and Nikos Ekonomopolus being the two remaining on the winners side and Dennis Orcollo and Mike Dechaine were left on the losers side to match up in the 4th place match. I was not in attendance for the winners side final and the 4th place match but both matche...
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LIU MAKES IT TWO!
Liu Shasha wins her second WPA Women's World 9-ball Championship with a thrilling 9-8 win over Chen Siming.
By Ted Lerner
WPA Press Officer
2014 WPA Women's World 9-ball Champion Liu Shasha
Photos Courtesy Tai Chengzhe
(Guilin, China)--Lui Shasha did it again.
Not only did the diminutive and feisty 21 year o...
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THE FINAL FOUR REACH FOR POOL IMMORTALITY
Climactic final day looms as Korea's Ga Young Kim takes on China's Liu Shasha, while China's Chen Siming battles Taiwan's Tan Yo Hun at the Women's World 9-ball Championship.
By Ted Lerner
WPA Press Officer
Chen Siming
Photos Courtesy of Tai Chengzhe
(Guilin, China)--The 2014 Women’s...
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