Allowing headphones during league or tournaments has become a bigger conversation among tournament directors and pool players. It wasn’t that long ago a few players were using headphones during practice, and even fewer were using them while playing league or during a local tournament. However, in recent months there has been a striking upswing in use. It appears that more players are seeing a benefit to their game by blocking out peripheral noise and getting into the “zone.”

Sometimes we face a shot with a tentative spirit. In our mind we remember missing that shot. Missing that shot has become a perception and we turned that perception into our mind set. From our mind set we act, we think and we perform. Practice is designed to erase our faulty perceptions about a missed shot. But we have missed too many shots, and even in practice we miss those shots. How do we develop a confident stroke? There will always be that shot that sticks out in our m

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

The Monk Willie said, “Don’t Miss” if you want to win more games. Players talk to me about missing the winning shot, the key ball or the shot that will open up the run for them. They miss the shot and then see how the table has opened up and they could have run out easily. They complain that they will make a great shot only to miss the next one and there is always that guy in the audience who says, “gee, the same guy shot that one”. When the value of making the shot increase

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!

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary to Facebook, always remember that pool is the buzz! Yes indeed! Pool players worldwide are uniting, networking, and getting the word out about the game we all love, “Extra! Extra! Read all about it!” And the word is spreading, and people are listening — and we may be entering a new enlightened age of billiards, where all saunter through the kaleidoscope universe cyberspace of billiards pontification, proliferation, pool

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

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

For pool players, we live in a day and age where there’s a plethora of varying products for the billiards enthusiast to choose from. We have low deflection shafts, phenolic tips, jump cues, break cues, cue extensions, billiards gloves, layered tips, etc. With all the gear to select from, it can be hard to determine what’s the best choice for the individual. In most cases (pun intended), players are proud to show you what’s in their cases. Many players I’ve seen have expensive

The iCue cue ball. This thing is so simple that it should have been invented a long time ago. Three quadrants that make it easy to see where you hit and how that stroke affects the cue ball. I keep one of these in my pool case and love having it on hand to teach others about English and how, what they apply affects the outcome of their stroke. The three different quadrants allow you to see simple apply and get results. The ball itself is an Aramith cue ball that has been las

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 promised a friend, Ron Kirk, a few years ago that I would try to write a story about Pool, especially about our Pool Hall hangout in Glens Falls, New York, known by several names: Charlie’s, Jake’s, or its legal name, The Empire Billiard Lounge. Now, before I start the story, I feel I must write on why I have been hesitant. I lack a proper education. Yes, I have two years of college in Glens Falls and two more in Florida, but I never graduated from high school and cheated o

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 bad, 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 chains

Turn the butt on the lathe using the butt taper bar. (figure 1) Figure 1 The points in the butt sleeve are looking good. (figure 2) (figure 2) The points in the forearm also look good. (figure 3) (figure 3) The butt of the cue will need a weight bolt and a rubber bumper. Drill the butt in about 6 inches with a long 5/16 drill. (figure 4) . (figure 4) Tap the weight bolt hole with a 3/8-16 long tap. (figure 5) (figure 5) Using a boring bar we bore a recess for the rubber bu