Just a report for Joey A...like I promised. I'll post some photo's later if I can.
John Brumback, the bank pool legend and newly elected (but not yet inducted) member of the Bank Pool Hall of Fame, was gracious enough to visit for 2 days of bank pool lessons (with some one pocket strategy and technique interspersed). John was the one GIVING the lessons...just to clarify.
Elvicash was able to attend for most of the lessons, and I'm hopeful that he got as much out of it as I did. We had a TREMENDOUS couple of days with great pool, great instruction, great food, and great conversation. Had several really enjoyable meals with the local pro players; all quite impressed with John's level of play and accomplishments.
I think that between elvicash and I, the two of us have read probably every pool book written. What John covers in his lessons is not available from any of the sources we have seen. We were very pleased that he was willing to share. There is NO substitute for hands-on training when it comes to high level banking.
I think it would be quite safe to assume that no one on the planet knows any more about bank pool than John. He was extremely pleasant and knowledgeable. I learned more about banks in 2 days than I thought possible ("if you knew what you didn't know, then you wouldn't 'not know it'" as Danny D. always says).
He was quite persuasive in presenting the principles of maximizing your success rate on a large variety of banks. He also covered the differences in bank technique required when playing different games or when the score of a game demands a specific change in strategy. My bank game improved enormously in only a couple of sessions (not to say it was great before, but it wasn't terrible).
I have always rated my pool lessons by how I feel afterwards. If I feel like a "kid with a new toy", and just can't wait to get to the table to work on the new material; then the lesson was a resounding success in my book. Further, if I feel that there is no way I could have learned the material on my own in a thousand years of self-directed practice, then I'm ECSTATIC about the lessons. Also, lessons are 10 times better if you get the feeling that the instructor is sincerely interested and enthusiastic in teaching, and is truly a "pool fanatic."
Johns lessons qualify on all the above counts as some of the best I've had (and I've had exposure to quite a number of great instructors - Jeanette Lee, George Breedlove, Mark Wilson, Jerry Briesath, Danny DiLiberto, Grady Mathews, Johnny Archer, Earl Strickland, and sjm). He really went overboard, teaching into the wee hours of each morning even though he didn't "have to."
If you are interested in learning basic, intermediate, or advanced bank techniques, bank pool strategy, one pocket strategy or damn near anything else about pool - DEFINITELY take some lessons from John. A big TWO THUMBS UP.
John Brumback, the bank pool legend and newly elected (but not yet inducted) member of the Bank Pool Hall of Fame, was gracious enough to visit for 2 days of bank pool lessons (with some one pocket strategy and technique interspersed). John was the one GIVING the lessons...just to clarify.
Elvicash was able to attend for most of the lessons, and I'm hopeful that he got as much out of it as I did. We had a TREMENDOUS couple of days with great pool, great instruction, great food, and great conversation. Had several really enjoyable meals with the local pro players; all quite impressed with John's level of play and accomplishments.
I think that between elvicash and I, the two of us have read probably every pool book written. What John covers in his lessons is not available from any of the sources we have seen. We were very pleased that he was willing to share. There is NO substitute for hands-on training when it comes to high level banking.
I think it would be quite safe to assume that no one on the planet knows any more about bank pool than John. He was extremely pleasant and knowledgeable. I learned more about banks in 2 days than I thought possible ("if you knew what you didn't know, then you wouldn't 'not know it'" as Danny D. always says).
He was quite persuasive in presenting the principles of maximizing your success rate on a large variety of banks. He also covered the differences in bank technique required when playing different games or when the score of a game demands a specific change in strategy. My bank game improved enormously in only a couple of sessions (not to say it was great before, but it wasn't terrible).
I have always rated my pool lessons by how I feel afterwards. If I feel like a "kid with a new toy", and just can't wait to get to the table to work on the new material; then the lesson was a resounding success in my book. Further, if I feel that there is no way I could have learned the material on my own in a thousand years of self-directed practice, then I'm ECSTATIC about the lessons. Also, lessons are 10 times better if you get the feeling that the instructor is sincerely interested and enthusiastic in teaching, and is truly a "pool fanatic."
Johns lessons qualify on all the above counts as some of the best I've had (and I've had exposure to quite a number of great instructors - Jeanette Lee, George Breedlove, Mark Wilson, Jerry Briesath, Danny DiLiberto, Grady Mathews, Johnny Archer, Earl Strickland, and sjm). He really went overboard, teaching into the wee hours of each morning even though he didn't "have to."
If you are interested in learning basic, intermediate, or advanced bank techniques, bank pool strategy, one pocket strategy or damn near anything else about pool - DEFINITELY take some lessons from John. A big TWO THUMBS UP.