What books on Billiards would you buy?

Stylez777

Stylez777

New member
I am curious about this question since there are TONS of books written and published about pool/billiards. I'm sure some are "must haves" while others are "not really worth it".

If your an avid poker fan and you wanted to get just one book about poker any poker fan/player would tell you "Super Systems" by Doyle Brunson was like the end all be all bible of poker. I am curious if there is a similar book on pool/billiards?

I wanted to head over to the book store to check on what selection they had for pool/billiards books and I'd like to pickup maybe 1 or 2 but don't want to waste my time or money getting an "unworthy" book. I don't need a book that has 60 pages devoted to the rules of 9 ball, 8 ball and other games since I know these already. I'd rather have something more informative about position play, safety play, high/low percentage shots, drills, etc etc. Anyone got some opinions?
 
Stylez777 said:
I am curious about this question since there are TONS of books written and published about pool/billiards. I'm sure some are "must haves" while others are "not really worth it".

If your an avid poker fan and you wanted to get just one book about poker any poker fan/player would tell you "Super Systems" by Doyle Brunson was like the end all be all bible of poker. I am curious if there is a similar book on pool/billiards?

I wanted to head over to the book store to check on what selection they had for pool/billiards books and I'd like to pickup maybe 1 or 2 but don't want to waste my time or money getting an "unworthy" book. I don't need a book that has 60 pages devoted to the rules of 9 ball, 8 ball and other games since I know these already. I'd rather have something more informative about position play, safety play, high/low percentage shots, drills, etc etc. Anyone got some opinions?
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Phil Capelle's "Play Your Best Pool" and "Practicing Pool" (Capelle also has other game-specific books, i.e. "Play Your Best Eight Ball", "Play Your Best Straight Pool" etc.. all of them are quite good.)

Robert Byrne's "New Standard Book of Pool and Billiards"

Ray Martin's: "99 Critical Shots in Pool and Billiards"

Kanov and Stauch's: "Precision Pool"
 
years ago, this book took me from C- speed to C+ speed immediately.

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Secaucus Fats said:
Phil Capelle's "Play Your Best Pool" and "Practicing Pool" (Capelle also has other game-specific books, i.e. "Play Your Best Eight Ball", "Play Your Best Straight Pool" etc.. all of them are quite good.)

Robert Byrne's "New Standard Book of Pool and Billiards"

Ray Martin's: "99 Critical Shots in Pool and Billiards"

Kanov and Stauch's: "Precision Pool"
Click to expand...



I second that nomination for all of Capelle's Books !!!!

Steve
 
If you are a good player these are the books that should help a whole lot.
1) "I came to win" by the monk
2) "the inner game of tennis"
3) "the pleasures of small motions"
4) "the power of now"
5) "play your best 9ball" by phil capelle
 
Secaucus Fats said:
Phil Capelle's "Play Your Best Pool" and "Practicing Pool" (Capelle also has other game-specific books, i.e. "Play Your Best Eight Ball", "Play Your Best Straight Pool" etc.. all of them are quite good.)

Robert Byrne's "New Standard Book of Pool and Billiards"

Ray Martin's: "99 Critical Shots in Pool and Billiards"

Kanov and Stauch's: "Precision Pool"
Click to expand...

Add to this list.......

Byrnes Advanced P/B

Phil Capelle Play your best Series.....8 ball....9ball....pool

and my personal favorite

R. Givens The Eight Ball Bible....perhaps the best book written for the barbox 8 ball league player.
 
For instructional:

99 critical shots
Pleasures of small motions
and Play your best anything by byrne


For reading enjoyment:

Rags to rilfeman
Cornbread red pools greatest money player
Pool wars
 
There is alot of new material and information on the game know,the best information source bar none is az billiards,you got dedicated players ,teachers and players of all calibers likely having the same problems at the same time,but taking the internet out of the equation ,bob byrne has 2 great videos explaining in good detail the effects of spin and its effect on the tangent line.Byrnes standard book 1 and 2 I think everyone should watch them its good material
 
Thanks for all the replies guys.

As far as books on 8-ball go, if I was going to start out with one book would it be the 8-ball Bible by Givens or Play your best 8-ball by Capelle?

I'll eventually own both most likely as I love to read.
 
Stylez777 said:
Thanks for all the replies guys.

As far as books on 8-ball go, if I was going to start out with one book would it be the 8-ball Bible by Givens or Play your best 8-ball by Capelle?

I'll eventually own both most likely as I love to read.
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You won't be disappointed with these choices, I own both. "The Bible" as I said previously, is my favorite. At the risk of turning this into a mini review I will say the proof reading and illustrations in the "Bible" were better done. Sometimes the text in Capelles book doesn't correspond with the diagram depicted......makes for some head scratching......but the info contained is top notch......Dan
 
A few suggestions

I agree with most of the recommendations here.

Personally, I think if you are more than a beginner "The Pleasure Of Small Motions" is invaluable in helping learn how to view the game in a positive and negate all/any negatives. It helped me a great deal. Iv'e heard that tennis book is also good.

As for the regular pool books go, Anything by Joe Tucker is really good. The 8 ball bible is very good and Anything from the Monk series is also good as long as you can put aside the fact he pimps a different book almost every other page. Its as if everything he shows you, he has a different book that goes into more detail.....very irritating
 
I own alot of these books mentioned, except the 8 ball bible (havent found it yet), capelles books are good. But if i had to keep just one, it would be 99 critical shots by Ray Martin. It has helped me the most.
 
Thanks again for all the recommendations.

I wish my local Barnes and Noble carried the books by Capelle but every Barnes an Nobles in a 50 mile radius is out of stock. I'm just gonna order 2 of them off the net along with the 8-Ball bible and I'll pickup Dr. Daves "The Illustrated principles of Billiards" at Barnes and Noble tomorrow (I love his website has tons of great info) Once I get through those I'll work on picking up more books. I feel if I buy too many at one time I'll never be able to concentrate on one since I'll keep wondering what info is in the other books!
 
"99 Critical Shots in Pool" by Ray Martin and Rosser Reeves,"Mastering Pool" and "Advanced Pool" by George Fels are absolute must haves.
Anything by Robert Byrne and Phil Capelle.
ANY Training devices by Joe Tucker.
 
There are many really good books available-

But for 8-Ball and 9-Ball just look for the books from Capelle and G. Fels about 8 and 9 Ball- both authors are must-haves in my opinion(all of them ^^)-


and further:
If you want to increase your general abilities (position,technics, general knowledgement): Practising Pool (Phil Capelle), PAT 1-3 Series (books + dvd-extremly good for training!) and 99 Critical Shots (Ray Martin)

If you want to increase your abilities on straight-pool:
*play your best straight pool* (phil capelle), *Mastering Pool* (George Fels) and of course the *straight pool bible*(by Arthur Cranfield)

If you wanna increase your 9-Ball: *Play your best 9-Ball*

The are several more books which could be recommended- all depending on what you re lookin for :) unfortunately there is no *all in one* book. I think that would be bigger than the bible ^^

lg from overseas

Ingo
 
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Old Technology

I say skip the books - old technology. The best instructional for progressing beyond fundamentals is Dr. Dave's and Tom Ross's Video Encyclopedia of Pool Shots. Dr. Dave tells you what's about to be shown and then Tom Ross shows it. No wasted time on the DVDs, and a large body of knowledge is crammed in there. You will be hitting pause a lot because it goes by pretty fast.

I've only seen the first two DVD's of the five that will ultimately be produced, but they are by far the best pool instructional of any kind that I've ever seen or read. I trust that the last three volumes will be likewise. Dr. Dave and Tom have really produced a superb product.
 
skankhammer said:
I own alot of these books mentioned, except the 8 ball bible (havent found it yet), capelles books are good. But if i had to keep just one, it would be 99 critical shots by Ray Martin. It has helped me the most.
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This kthxgg
 
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