Tony Crosby drilled into me the importance of getting in line with the shot. Getting in line means walking into the shot down the line that you sight to pocket the ball or play safe. Tony watched me for just a few minutes and summarized my old approach as table hugging. That is I walked across the line for the next shot.

Stand back and sight the line to pocket the ball or play safe. Once you have sighted the line to pocket the ball or play safe walk into the line to get set on the table to pocket the ball or play safe.

My shot making percentages go up when I walk into the line to pocket the ball. Oftem times when I miss I reflect that I did not get in line to make the shot but rather I walked across the line to get set like a table hugger.

When you stand back from the shot and follow the path to the line of the shot you are more likely to set correctly into the shot.

Quit the table hugging and get in line with the shot. Simple. Yes. But difficult if you have spent a life time as a table hugger.

In my post 10 Ways to Improve Pool Skills I discussed two tools to build a straight pool stroke. I have found another tool that can aid in developing an efficient stroke for your pool game.

Over at PoolClinics.com Tom Simpson a BCA master instructor, has come up with the Stroke Groover. It is a simple device used to keep from putting your entire arm into the stroke. Using this device I have developed through muscle memory a smooth efficient stroke. The principle is the least number of moving parts in a stroke the more accurate the delivery of the cue stick to the cue ball.

Consistency in pool requires that you hit the cue at the intended spot every time. The Stoke Groover trains your muscle to deliver the cue stick without moving the elbow up or down so that your forearm acts as a pendulum to deliver a consistent swing.

I have combined this tool with the stroke trainer and use both tools at the same time. I try to do 150 strokes at a time and do this several times a week. This has been very effective in developing a purer stroke.

I recommend Tom Simpson’s Stroke Groover.

Stan Shuffett’s CTE Pro One DVD instructs the pool and billiard player in using the CTE (Center To Edge) aiming system and then demonstrates his adaptation of the CTE technique. I found the DVD useful, frustrating and rewarding.

Stan starts the video explaining the CTE aiming system. I had heard about CTE from a friend who had a lesson from Stevie Moore. Stevie is featured on Stan’s DVD. Stan’s explanation was clearer than my friend’s demonstration and so I went right out and started using CTE.

After the explanation and demonstration of CTE Stan introduces his Pro One method. Stan, his son Landon and Stevie Moore explain a number of shots and then show how to shoot using the Pro One method.

I get the CTE approach but have had a difficult time understanding and using the Pro One method. Personally, I think it would require Stan’s one on one session with him to get it.

What I have learned for me is that CTE can be used part of the time but not all the time. I think it is best suited when the cue is less than 3 to 4 feet from the object ball. I think it is best suited for straight pool or one pocket. I have read that CTE originally came from Ralph Greenleaf through Hal Houle. Ralph was one the games greatest straight pool players.

I find it frustrating using CTE and applying English right or left. Stan says his Pro One approach can solve the applying English.

Stan also demonstrates CTE / Pro One bank shots on the billiard instructional DVD. I have found using CTE for bank shots very useful and rewarding especially in one pocket games.

I recommend this DVD for improving your pool game but you need to have an open mind and understand this is not a complete package for aiming. Learn to adapt and use the best tool for each situation.

Stan’s .

Technorati Tags: aiming systems, CTE

Billiards and Pool Instruction DVD Review

An accomplished billiards and pool player friend told me about Villalpando’s Kick Shot DVD and recommended it. I looked for the DVD and found it here http://pooliq.net. I found the DVD to be informative and had a new approach for me for two rail kick shots. I had not seen this two rail approach before and it seems simple to learn. I went over to Bank Shots in Jacksonville and tried it out. It worked. The DVD covers 3-rail kick system, 2-rail kick system both from the end rail and side rail and a 1-rail kick system. Joe teaches by using a clock face on the cue ball.

Repeating Shots – Key to Improving Billiards and Pool Skills

I liked the repetitive shots performed by different players in video with the graphic overlay. This helped me remember the kick shots quickly. Some on the AZ-billiards forum complained but remarked after watching it again said that it helped their learning curve. I agree. The 2-rail kick system I had never seen before and the repetition helped me remember the system quickly.

Recommended Billiards and Pool Skills Instructional DVD

Joe’s kick shot dvd is recommended for beginners to advanced playes as another tool to improve your pool skills.

Technorati Tags: kick shots, kicking system

I promise, this is my last vid from Filecabi.net. Anyways, this is a video of a guy participating in a pool trick contest, and sets up a riduculous contraption. Watch it, pretty cool.

Duration : 0:1:6

Technorati Tags: awesome, cool, dwayne, Funny, hilarious, insane, james, knock, kobe, lebron, nba, nfl, nhl, nice, out, shaq, shot, sweet, tko, wade

This is our ECE 4180 “Embedded systems” Final Project.

Duration : 0:5:22

[click to continue…]

Technorati Tags: ECE 4180, Final Project, Georgia Tech

2011 Super Billiards Expo Alex Pagulayn v Shane Van Boening from the Diamond Player Championship played March 10-13, 2011. See more free live streaming at http://www.insidepoolmag.com

Made possible by http://www.simoniscloth.com http://www.tigerproducts.com http://www.billiardcommunity.com http://www.hammerheadhustling.com http://www.cuesight.com http://www.thecutshot.com

Duration : 2:35:45

Technorati Tags: Alex Pagulayn, billiards, Shane Van Boening, Super Billiards Expo

The “Honeymooner” (at least that’s what they called him in 2004) John Schmidt of Florida faces off with the powerful Larry Nevel. Both players break the balls with great power. But pool is a finesse game and pocketing balls with surgical efficiency is the key to winning. This is the second of 13 feature matches from the 29th Annual U S Open 9-Ball Championship, the pool and billiard world’s most prestigious title. Every September pool payers from around the world converge on Chesapeake, Virginia to compete for their share of the $200,000 prize fund.

This is a production of Billiard Club Network, in association with Accu-Stats Video Productions.

What was the turning point of the match? Post your comments…

Buy Cues @ http://www.billiardclub.net/shop/pool-cues-c-3.html
Accessories: http://www.billiardclub.net/shop/pool-table-accessories-c-9.html
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Table Cleaner: http://www.billiardclub.net/shop/pool-table-cleaner-c-79.html

Duration : 0:53:51

Technorati Tags: 9-ball, billiard, billiards, championship, nevel, pool, schmidt

This is a Classic 9-Ball match from the PBT Legends of 9-Ball Tournament, January 1996, at the the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, between two of the sports best players of the time, Efren Reyes and Jim Rempe.

Steve Mizerak commentates with Nick Varner and host Tom Kelly.

Seen in the audience are Johnny Archer, Tony Ellin, Jimmy Reid, Kim Davenport, Billy Incardona, Carmine Sardo and many more.

The last 5 games are spactaculor and this is truly one of the greatest matches of all time.

Do yourself a favor and watch it from beginning to end, without skipping forward. You’ll be glad you watched.

This Pro Billiards Tour presentation on BCn is brought to you by:

MedActive @ http://www.medactiveoral.com/

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and
The Billiard Club Pro Shop @ http://www.billiardclub.net/shop/index.php

All Comments will be screened in order to maintain the integrity of the match results.

Duration : 1:10:43

Technorati Tags: 9-ball, amazing, angeles, bata, billiards, casino, commerce, cyrus, efren, gulf, james, jim, kelly, KING, legends, los, Magician, mexico, mizerak, oil, palin, paul, pbt, pool, pro., rempe, reyes, ron, sarah, shots, spill, sports, tournament, trick, urdu music, varner

Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBV9c-PtaPA

Audio note: There is background audio from the tournament director in the beginning, until the 6:30 mark. But don’t let that turn you off this great match.

Facing the world’s greatest player in Efren Reyes, John Schmidt looked untouchable after ten racks and was shooting a .980 performance average and leading 6-4.

Then, Efren tied it at 8-8, watch what happens next.

What was the turning point of the match? Post your comments…

Buy Cues @ http://www.billiardclub.net/shop/pool-cues-c-3.html
Accessories: http://www.billiardclub.net/shop/pool-table-accessories-c-9.html
Balls: http://www.billiardclub.net/shop/billiard-pool-balls-c-15.html
Cue cases: http://www.billiardclub.net/shop/pool-cases-c-24.html
Table Cleaner: http://www.billiardclub.net/shop/pool-table-cleaner-c-79.html

Duration : 0:50:46

Technorati Tags: 2005, ball, billiards, champ, efren, open, sports