Facebook feedback and unique design inspires Predator
to also create new Special Edition cue
Two finalists are now in the running to become the winner of Predator Cue’s MyKon Cue-Design Contest! The contest, held Nov. 8 through Dec. 31, 2010, gave fans the opportunity to contribute to the design of Predator’s next gen
Read more: Predator MyKon Billiard Cue-Design Contest Narrowed to Two Finalists
Brought to you by the American Poolplayers Association, the APA Black Widow Tour is aimed at getting more people to participate in the sport of pool -- a game that can be enjoyed by nearly anyone, regardless of age, gender or physical ability.
...Read more: Check Out this New Video Featuring Footage from the APA Black Widow Tour!
The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF), a 501c3 corporation that raises funds for scholarships, the annual Junior Nationals, and pool in school programs, has a new poster!
The poster is being mailed to hundreds of BCA members as part of their BCA membership packet to display in rooms and retail outlets. But, if you
Bill Morse from Marietta, Ga., joined the United States Navy in September 1968. He served aboard the USS Prichett (DD561) completing a 6 month deployment to Vietnam. Bill then transferred to the USS Rogers (DD876) and completed three 6 month tours to Vietnam. While on active d...Who’s afraid of a little snow? Not APA Support Representative Alex Gooch who recently joined APA Consultant Bris Robinson on a field visit to the Akron/Canton APA (akron.apaleagues.com) during what news outlets were calling “Snowmageddon 2011”. It really wasn’t as bad as all that. Alex (pictured at right in the first panel) can be seen with Loca
...Read more: Akron/Canton APA Road Trip - The Perfect Cure for Snowmageddon 2011!
It’s a new year and for many of you it’s also the start of a new APA session! This may have you thinking about New Year’s resolutions or improvements to make to your pool game. Setting goals are important in all aspects of your life, but what is even more important is understanding how to reach those goals.
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There are a few key
...Read more: Cristina Instruction: Setting Goals for the New Year
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APA member Jim Adams from Howell, N.J., is a member of the United States Marine Corps. He’s currently stationed in New Orleans for 18 months. During his nine years in the military, Jim has been stationed in New Jersey and Tampa. He’s also been deployed to combat in Iraq and Djibouti and has visited many other countries in the process. While dep
During my learning process in pool, my instructor always taught me base shots that come up often. We would slowly work on all the variations of that shot and how to get different shape from that shot. That way, when that shot would come up in a match, I didn’t have to think about whether or not I could play shape to a certain spot from that shot—I
...Read more: Cristina Instruction: Using English to Find New Paths for Shape
APA is excited to announce the 2011 APA Black Widow Tour! It will feature exhibitions by Jeanette Lee in 10 cities throughout North America! Visit https://www.apablackwidowtour.com for tour stops and information on the tour. Only 7 of 10 cities have been announced because the final...Read more: BREAKING NEWS—APA Announces 2011 BLACK WIDOW TOUR!
During December, Brunswick Billiards Facebook fans can register to win an exclusive piece of memorabilia – the limited edition Exposition Novelty cue, which was designed to commemorate the company’s 165th anniversary. To win the cue – a retail value of $999 – contestants must be a Brunswick Billiards Facebook fan and e
Read more: Brunswick Facebook Fans: Win a Piece of Billiards History!
Watch your blog posts for a few fun holiday offers, beginning with our own! From now until December 31st, readers can select a one or two year subscription as a gift for a friend, and get a second subscription for themselves at no charge!
A one year subscription is just $34.95, and the second subscription is free. CLIC
Read more: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas in Pool Town! TSKRSKR5BPUX
This year for the holidays, Brunswick Billiards is offering a fun consumer promotion packed with savings. Brunswick Dealers all across the country will be asking customers to “Play it Your Way” for the holidays.
“We’re excited to offer an opportunity for our customers to complete their gameroom,” said Austin Rothb
James Spires from Bristol, Tenn., was in the United States Navy for three years. He joined at the age of 17 in 1965. James served three years aboard the USS Dewey DLG14 and spent six months in Vietnam. In 1966, they were pulled out of Vietnam and sent to North Korea. Unfortunately for the avid poolplayer, they were unable to have a pool table on
The 2nd Annual APA Illinois State Invitational took place Nov. 12-14. APA members from all over the state of Illinois traveled to the Grand Hotel in Peoria, Ill., for a weekend full of pool, pressure and fun!
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The tournament was a modified single elimination format comprised of 5-8 person teams using the standard 23-Rule. The team
...Read more: The Last Hoorah Wins APA Illinois State Invitational
The APA Great Lakes Invitational took place Nov. 5-7 at the Causeway Bay Hotel in Lansing, Mich. Fifty-five teams from Michigan and Ontario, Canada competed in the 8-Ball tournament, vying for their share of over $16,000. The event also featured a Tom “Dr. Cue” Rossman exhibition, MiniMania events, and a Last Chance tournament for teams who lost
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An informational video highlighting the National Singles Championships is now available on our YouTube Channel! Not familiar with the National Singles Program? Looking for another chance to make it to Vegas? Check out this video to get a taste of the National Singles Championship...Read more: National Singles Championship Video Now Available!
It’s inevitable that someday you’ll have to play pool against people you know and players that are your friends. When this happens, all skill levels go out the window and it’s a whole new ball game. On paper, you might be a 10-1 underdog, but when you play against friends, there are so many additional mental factors that come into play.
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Read more: Cristina Instruction: All is Fair in Love and Pool
David Shaw from Panama City, Fla., retired from the United States Air Force in 2005. He’s been an APA member since 1997! While in the USAF, David was stationed all over the world—Blytheville Air Force Base in Arkansas, Kadena Air Base in Japan, Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, Camp Humphreys in Korea, Camp Sla
CHESAPEAKE
He has five sponsors, and a cranky personality when he's tired.
Keith O'Dell Jr. is drawing a crowd at this week's U.S. Open 9-Ball championships, and he's not even among the 256 billiards professionals vying for the $180,000 purse at the Chesapeake Conference Center.
He's
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When it comes to playing on teams, I would absolutely rather be the worst player on a team than the best player. This may seem a little bit backwards because most players strive to be the best and take pride in “leading” their team. I’m not saying not to try to be better and progress. But in the years I’ve played pool, there are two things that wi
Read more: Cristina Instruction: I’d Rather Be the Worst Than the Best
APA members now receive 20% off roundtrip train travel or 10% off discounted packages from Grand Canyon Railway! Each train tour is bursting with local and Grand Canyon folklore and history, as well as Grand Canyon knowledge. Strolling musicians and an old fashioned shoot-out and...Terry Bell, APA Co-Founder and former professional poolplayer, has developed this series of instructional videos to assist players in furthering their game.
The Master Series discusses what to look for in equipment, as well as how important good equipment is for shooting well. He also provides instruction on the fundamentals of the game, aiming,
...Read more: Master Instructional Series with APA Co-Founder Terry Bell
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First Home on a Budget Video : Decorating : Home & Garden Television
Shelia's ready to become a first-time
WPBA.com has launched its new facelift this week. Fans are invited to follow all of the action at the WPBA Atlanta Classic on WPBA.com. The live stream can be found at www.wpba.com/tournaments/2010-atlanta-classic and will kick off with a behind the scenes look at the Classic Tour with a Membership Drive Telethon
Aside from the break and the shot on the 9-ball, one of the most important shots in a game of 9-Ball is the first shot after the break. This shot sets the tone for the entire rack. As player skill levels progress, this shot becomes more and more important. The consequence of missing, or not correctly executing this shot, is more detrimental
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The Billiard Congress of America (BCA) today announced it has finalized an unprecedented national partnership with Coca-Cola that provides pool room members of the association with national account pricing on the Coca-Cola family of products. In addition to preferred pricing, members of the Billiard Congress of America committing to exclusively
Read more: Billiard Congress of America Inks Deal with Coca-Cola
Matthew Grenz of Gretna, La., is a member of the United States Marine Corps. He was originally stationed in Camp Pendleton, Calif., from 1995-1998. Grenz spent 1998-2001 in Okinawa, Japan, 2002-2004 in Twenty Nine Palms, Calif., 2004-2008 in Camp Lejeune, N.C., and he’s been in New Orleans, La., since 2008. Grenz has been an APA member since March
For the second consecutive year, APA League Operator Andy Segal won the 2010 ESPN Trick Shot Magic Championship held at the Green Valley Ranch Casino in Henderson, Nev., Sept. 1-2. Segal defeated Jamey Gray in the finals, taking home the $10,000 grand prize.
Segal earned his spot in the finals with a victory over Florian Kohler in the
...Read more: Andy Segal Crowned ESPN Trick Shot Magic Champion
If you are a fan of the WPBA and its players, you may be interested in the following! On Wednesday, September 29, between 2pm and 8pm in the pro arena, the WPBA will be holding a Membership Drive Telethon that will be streamed live and free for the viewers. Tune in to wpba.com, the official website of the WPBA, for
Read more: WPBA Membership Drive Telethon at the Atlanta Classic
Pool & Billiard Magazine subscribers and pool fans have been invited to participate in an online survey being conducted by one of our advertisers - The Predator Group. The Predator Group is surveying billiards enthusiasts around the world like you to better understand who you are, your needs, and your perceptions
Read more: Cristina Instruction: You Have to Learn How to Lose Before You Can Learn How to Win
Technical Sergeant (Tsgt) Annee Milewski from Scotia, N.Y., has been in the New York National Guard since 1999. She’s been an APA member since 2002, starting out with 8-Ball and then adding 9-Ball in 2005. She’s currently an E6 (Tsgt), 7-level Aviation Structural Mechanic (sheet metal and corrosion control) with Stratton Air National Guard Base, in
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Working
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With the National Team Championships quickly approaching, I’ve received several questions from players asking for advice on how to prepare for a tournament of this magnitude. While the particulars of what each player should work on will differ, the one commonality between most players is their inability to differentiate between practice and play.
Mike McDaniels of Grand Rapids, Mich., served in the Air Force (Air National Guard) as a Non-Destructive Testing Specialist for six years. He’s also been an APA member since 1995! His job was to verify that the parts on the plane were not cracked or degraded. Mike was stationed at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base in Michigan. During basic t
Between April and August, Las Vegas (more precisely the Riviera Hotel & Casino) is a Mecca for pool. Thousands of poolplayers and industry business owners from all over the world gather to be part of these grand events. I recently returned from what felt like a never-ending two week trip to Las Vegas. It made me reminiscent of my first visit
Senior Airman, Davis Lastrapes is a member of the United States Air Force. He was previously in the U.S. Army. He’s been stationed at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia for about a year now and is scheduled to be there for at least another five years. Davis has been an APA member for about two years now—and in that time, has accomplished a lot! Rec
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How many times has someone given you the advice to not worry about who your opponent is and just play the table? This statement is true if you’re talking about the mental game. Of course you don’t want to be intimidated by a strong player, or not try as hard against a weaker player. However, with regards to you
...Read more: Cristina Instruction: Identifying Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Planting The Seed
Read more: Cristina's Introduction to APA / Pro Players Play Safeties, Too!
Stephen Rhodes, owner of “Smokehouse Billiards” and an APA member himself, gave a warm welcome to APA during Wednesday-night’s “double jeopardy” in-house division, where teams play both APA 8-Ball and 9-Ball simultaneously. It was week 11 of the Spring Session, and the “Smokehouse” was buzzing with APA members doing what APA members love to do—pla
...Read more: APA Play is Smokin' at Smokehouse Billiards Pool Hall in Myrtle Beach, SC
In this last article I want to focus on the absolute best tips I give during a lesson. Some of what I write is fundamental things, but I want to relay some tips that you may not hear all the time. I will let you know what to look for to play the smartest position possible, and offer a few tips that I figured out on my own after years of playing
Read more: Lesson 10: In Parting, My Greatest Tips for Playing Great Pool
Pool DVDs can really add an extra dimension to the learning experience. Unlike books, you can see and hear an actual live person giving instruction and demonstrating aspects of pool and billiards playing.
These videos are a great way to learn and can be invaluable in clearing up misconceptions and answering questions about the complicated
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In this article I am going to tell you about the different equipment used in this game. I’ll go over cue sticks, the differences between different shafts on the market, tips and other general equipment I would recommend, as well as other good information about it all. I also provide links for you to find out more information on the items I am
There are pool books and DVDs out there that can really accelerate your skills-building and progress on the pool table. You can shave years off the time it takes to really become a high-level pool and billiards player.
Take a look at the following offerings and see which ones can help you get to the top of your game in record
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If you are at all serious about playing pool, there are a few pool and billiards accessories that you may want to have. Besides the cost of a pool table, none of them are really all that expensive. See this page for a more extensive listing of accessories than you will find here.
If you are just a casual pool player that visits the bars or pool
...The stance sets up the body to address the pool table and stroke the pool balls. It's vital that your stance be comfortable and balanced. Most people will have their feet about shoulder-width apart and will be bent at the waist and leaning on the bridge hand.
Experiment with foot positioning and find the angle that is...Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9
I think most people will agree that the most critical, but difficult, part of learning how to play pool is aiming. If you can perfect your aiming technique, you are well on your way to becoming a high level pool shooter that wins most of his games. In this long article, I will...Diagrams Bank 4 and 5 show the red object ball at a different position on the table. The principle is the same - determine your start of ball path and your bank point to get your angles.
The position of the red ball in these diagrams shows a little more clearly that, not only is the
...After you have developed your ability to make straight shots, you will naturally want to learn how to bank. One thing that will help you learn banking easier is to avoid putting any english on the cue ball at first.
Contact the cue ball with the cue tip at the horizontal and...This same scenario can be used for banks that go the long way on the table instead of across the short way, or cross-side as it's called.
An important point here is to determine the distance from the beginning of the ball path to the desired pocket, and cut that distance in half.This
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One aspect of pool playing that many people could use some help with is learning how to bank. If you approach the task with the following theory in mind, things should go much easier, and your shooting could certainly improve. Bank shots and kick shots are important weapons in your......... | |
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 Be sure to download my new free Ebook
"35 Tips To Pool Domination" so you too can Kick Butt on the pool table! |
The pool table layout for the modern pool and billiards table is shown in the picture below. This setup is typical for most of the pocket billiards type games.
The table is divided into a head and
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In this month’s article, I will address many questions I have been receiving from you. I want to start with an addendum to the coaching article I recently wrote. I have been getting a lot of questions from team captains and coaches about how to coach those who refuse coaching or get upset while being coached. This is a real problem. I have
Originally featured in the Fall 2006 issue of The American Poolplayer magazine.
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 3.0
CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 6 minutes per day for 3 days
SETUP/POSITION: 4-ball on foot spot; 3-ball frozen to 4-ball and setup aim line to right edge of BR as we...
Originally featured in the Fall 2006 issue of The American Poolplayer magazine.
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 2.9
CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 5 minutes, 48 seconds per day for 3 days
SETUP/POSITION: 1-ball slightly left and 1 inch out from pocket BC; 2-ball frozen to 1-ball and...
It was my goal when writing articles for the APA to write specifically for players with higher skill levels, while in another part of the same article write directly for players with lower skill levels. How and when to coach may appear to be only written for the higher skilled player. Advising the higher skilled players to ask
Originally featured in the Summer 2005 edition of The American Poolplayer magazine.
Great Falls, Montana… Rock Springs, Wyoming… Pueblo, Colorado… North Platte, Nebraska… St. Charles, Missouri… Decatur, Illinois… Indianapolis, Indiana… King’s Island, Ohio… Valley Forge, Pennsylvania… Las Vegas, Nevada… New Orleans, Louisiana… Utica, New
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This question comes from Tim Pyatt, an APA member from Central Illinois.
What is the best way to prepare yourself to play a person with a skill level (SL) much lower than your own? I'm a SL6, and I often have to play SL3s.
Many times during League play or at Nationals, we have to play people that are not close to our skill level, whether
Read more: Lesson 6: Playing an Opponent with a Higher or Lower Skill Level Than Your Own
For those of you getting ready for the APA National Team Championships, this event is different than any tournament that I have ever prepared for. Every tournament I have ever competed in had been just me—not a whole team. Everything still translates of course, just a little differently. If I decide I want to play well, prepare with a lot of p
Read more: Lesson 5: Preparing for Nationals, Individually and as a Team
Originally featured in the Spring 2005 edition of The American Poolplayer magazine.
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 2.4
CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 4 minutes, 48 seconds per day for 3 days
SETUP/POSITION: Place cue ball (c) on center spot of table; 2-ball on center edge of pocket... | |
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Originally featured in the Spring 2005 edition of The American Poolplayer magazine.
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 2.3
CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 4 minutes, 36 seconds per day for 3 days
SETUP/POSITION: Place 8-ball on foot spot; Freeze 9-ball to (8) toward foot cushion side...
APA Member Question to Tina Pawloski . . .
When I practice, my performance level is almost always better than my play in tournaments. Obviously, the desire to do well when it counts—for myself and my team—creates that tiny bit of tension that gets in the way of playing to my abilities. I would suspect that I'm not alone with this problem. Now
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This article addresses 8-Ball strategy for SL5s and above. Once problem balls are out of the way, and the table is open, usually a SL5 player can run out. I do not teach weak SL4s and below to play this way. You have to be able to run out and complete the rack if you are going to...
Orignally featured in the Fall 2004 edition of The American Poolplayer magazine.
As each of you approach local, regional, and national events in the APA League system, I hope you are experiencing victory in your practice and competitive play modes. In this regard, I want to provide you with a secret of sorts to improve your league and
...Read more: Trick Shot 5: The Doctor Is In - A Secret of Sorts
In this article, I will focus on strategy for the lower handicapped players. There is a different way to address 8-Ball for these players and those coaching these skill levels. As written in my article for higher skill level players, 8-Ball Strategy for SL5s and Above, there is definitely a difference in how a SL5 should consider their inning
Originally featured in the Spring 2003 edition of The American Poolplayer magazine.
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 1.2
CONFIDENCE FACTOR:
2 minutes, 24 seconds per day for 3 days
SETUP/POSITION: 1-ball as diagrammed; Cue ball 4 inches from the 1-ball and placed so that it is aimed (a) at 1/3 of the 1-ball straight on line. The 2-ball
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Originally featured in Spring 2003 edition of The American Poolplayer magazine.
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 1.1
CONFIDENCE FACTOR:
2 minutes, 12 seconds per day for 3 days
SETUP/POSITION: Place 1-ball and 2-ball 2 inches apart and each ball 1/8-inch away from...
Originally featured in the Fall 2002 edition of The American Poolplayer magazine.
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 1.0
CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 2 minutes per day for 3 days
SETUP/POSITION: Cue ball as diagramed and 2-ball/3-ball on top of coin wrappers. One quarter coin wrapper...
Originally featured in the Fall 2002 edition of The American Poolplayer magazine.
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 0.9
CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 1 minute, 48 seconds per day for 3 days
SETUP/POSITION: 15 balls in a snakelike setup across the table surface. Start with the 15-ball...Read more: Trick Shot 1: The Snake Shot (15 Ball Combination)
This video demonstrates the proper way to hit the cue ball for the majority of your pool shots. Most times you will want to hit the cue ball at dead center. This means to hit at the vertical and horizontal center of the ball.
Beginning pool players should especially concentrate on how they hit the cue ball. Developing a good stroke and
...This video is about how to do pool bridges correctly. There are two pool bridges - the closed bridge and the open bridge, as well as the mechanical bridge.
Unlike the grip on the stick with the other hand, the bridge hand should be grabbing the cue shaft quite snugly. This will prevent the cue tip from wandering around during the stroke,
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