I just sat down with the guys of Gaijin Custom Cues, and they want to make a cue to suit you. Robby, Marshall, and Josh are just typical southern guys with a love of the game of pool and non-traditional design. They have a simple philosophy, each of us has a natural stroke and the closer a cue is taylored to the player, the closer the player can stay to the stroke they were born with. Armed with this simple idea, Gaijin Customs was formed. Multiple veneers in the points in v

When you study my concept in teaching you will find that I focus on skill development. I can show you a shot and you will know it before you build the skills for the shot, so I spend most of my workshop and private lessons time on skill development. I want you to return to your home room with increased skills. Here is a safety you will know right away. Can you do it five times in a row? Do you have the speed skills to put the cue ball where you want? https://www.youtube.com/w

It seems like often the best things in my life come to me unexpectedly. When I was in college the local music shop had a bass guitar that I loved. I would go and visit it and sit to play it several times a week for months. While saving up my money to take it home. One day, as expected, I went in and it was gone, to another home no doubt. Years went by when my then girlfriend were out one night at a local watering hole that happened to be featuring a live band. Low and beh

When I first walked into Mafia Mike’s pool hall, a semi-circle layout of tables, evenly measured out in a big open space, thriving with light and vigor a pool Oasis — the place was alive and thriving with people playing pool. It was like coming home. I felt at ease — at one with the game. The pool arena exudes pool, and opens up into a room awash with green. Mafia Mike’s pool hall is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars on Google — but I rate it a 5. It’s a small place, but has a big

Nick Varner’s Hall Of Fame No other player dominated professional pool in the 1980’s quite like Nick Varner. In fact, in 1989 alone, Nick won 11 professional events, which is currently recognized by many as the greatest single season ever recorded in professional pool. During his heyday, Nick won eight World Championships in various pool disciplines. He traveled to the Philippines and is one of the few to defeat Efren Reyes on his home turf. Many pool experts consider him to

A cold breeze and the sputter of snowflakes marked a cold February afternoon back in 2007. Robert Walker, a close friend, hosted a monthly 9-ball tournament at The Billiard Café’. It was a small, old time pool room nestled in the heart of Lancaster, Kentucky’s city square. Even though the pool room was small, local talent was big! Players like Mike Patton, Landon Shuffett, Mike Blevins and Robert Frost lined the room. They were all regular suspects in quest of the monthly

Hello everyone, This month, we are going to analyze a very interesting follow shot. This shot was recently added to the world championship of Trick shots and is classified as a 10/10 in difficulty. I have to say it is actually both very useful and pretty. Unfortunately, also quite hard. Anyway, this shot definitely finds some applications in the game of 9-ball, and if any of you encounter the same type of shot in a game and make it, it will probably become a great highlight!

There are several powerful exercises that you can do using a mirror. You can use it to break bad habits or to help you visualize a bank/kick shot. For example, if your cue stick is not staying level, it is typically due to inadvertently raising or dropping your elbow. Fixing this bad habit usually requires more than having a coach just tell you that you are moving your elbow. And, a video recording only shows you what happened in the past. You need to know, in the exact

The Tao flows through all things, and is the underlying current that electrifies CJ Wiley’s pool game — guiding him towards a greater meaning and purpose in life — the life of a consummate martial artist, and professional pool player. “Lao Tzu, in the Tao Te Ching explains that the Tao is not a ‘name’ for a ‘thing’ but the underlying natural order of the Universe whose ultimate essence is difficult to circumscribe due to it being non conceptual yet evident’ in one’s being of

It’s hard to come up with something new in this industry much less recreate something and make it better. What the crew at the Billiard Engineers did was take the micro sandpaper film, they created a malleable silicone handle to give you a better grip to hang onto. It comes with three different grittiness’. This microfilm can be washed and rinsed to be used many times over. Sometimes your hands just get a little too sweaty and your shaft picks up grit and grime chalk from t

Dave Proctor — Starcade Billiards “I know what they don’t wanna tell you Just hope you’re heaven-sent, and you’re hell-proof I walk up in the world and cut the lights off And confidence is a stain they can’t wipe off” — Lil Wayne. When I think of all the pool players that have won various Starcade open 9 ball events — always a cascading escalator of legendary champions comes to mind, and the “confidence is a stain they can’t wipe off” speaks words of wisdom, and I realize the

Jacoby custom cues have a long-standing relationship with innovation and most of all above average customer service. The introduction of the jump cue over the last 20 years has really changed the face of the industry. Now every other company has a form of a jump cue. Some of them have a specific. Like Marty Carry and Dr. Popper as well as the Black Magic. Those are all in my opinion specialty cues. Now Jumping is a somewhat easy shot whereas perfecting the aim is the diffic

There is a part of your brain that quietly sits back and monitors what you are doing, constantly on the lookout for trouble. Not...

Pool is a game of ups and downs. Most pool players experience a slump at some time or another. Slumps occur when you play below your expected ability for a prolonged period of time. Most pool players do not know why they are playing badly, so they tend to look for solutions in all the wrong places. Sometimes this causes the player’s performance to drop even more. Often, the player falls deeper and deeper into despair. Pool players are often unable to break free from the chai

www.theroadplayer12.com As you know, I am always willing to help my fellow pool players. I have been doing that for thirty-five years. Instead of an article this time, I am going to make you work on your skill development. I have a great exercise for you. Shoot the nine ball and stop right there. It would be a mistake to think this is an automatic shot. There is something about this stop shot that gives players fits from time to time. Build good alignment skills with this sho

Knowing the 4 main variables that affect bank shots such as contact point, force, English, & collision induced throw are one thing, but training your muscle memory is another. This drill provides my excellent practice routine covering virtually every type of common bank shot on the table. There are 135 total reference shots here. Not only do you train your muscle memory for pocketing different bank shots, but you also must get shape on the next ball. Diagram 1 shows each pos

NO BULL! James Hanshew Jump cue First, of I have to say that is was a pleasure working with James. As far as a cue maker goes he is on my top 10 list for quality. I had the pleasure of doing this product review on his jump cue. I honestly have started to classify jump cues in two different areas. There are normal cues which are for an array of shots but generally not for the super close up shots. Then there is the specialty cue like the Marty Carry, Dr. Popper, Black Magic,

Years ago you kicked, banked or found your way around problem balls on the table. In today’s pool playing society, there are so many options and everyone has their own spin on things. I recently had the wonderful opportunity to test the Dr. Popper Jump Cue. I have tested many cues and jump cues alike. I have honestly found there to be a few different categories; some cue’s crossover and some don’t. With that being said, there are what I would call specialty jump cues like thi

I am truly impressed and amazed by this 12-year old’s list of accomplishments that it gives me hope that the sport is alive and well. Coached and motivated by his father, takes lessons from a billiard author and instructor and is sponsored by one of the biggest names in the industry, this young man is destined to be on a short list of the nation’s top players. Charlie Marshall Jr.’s accomplishments: First and currently the only junior player sponsored by Predator® Products, W

I first met Rich Kranicki a little over 5 years ago when my business partner, Al Tonelli, introduced me to him in our new pool room. “He’s a person of great interest with great ideas; gives lessons to a few guys too,” he said. Over the years, I discovered that Al was right – Rich did have ideas brewing with a couple coming to fruition. As a student of the game myself, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of discussing, dissecting and learning about the mechanics and physics of pool