Straight Pool instruction?

acousticsguru

acousticsguru

player/instructor
Silver Member
Not sure if this question belongs here or in the instructor's section, but here we go:

Suppose someone who's already a three-digit-ball runner wanted to take lessons improving his/her Straight Pool game, who would you send said player to and why?

Thanks in advance!

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti
 
Allen Hopkins / Mike Sigel... because they're the smartest 14.1 players alive, imo.

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I would put them on a plane and send them to New York City to work with Danny Barouty, who is a multiple hundred ball runner. The reason I would suggest Danny is because he is actively playing the game and teaching, and he is one of the smartest people in pool (he's also a chess grand master) and an expert in game strategy.

And he also happens to be a nice guy. I don't care how great a player is --- if they're a jerk, it makes the whole learning experience lousy.
 
I think people have Mike all wrong. I've taken lessons from him 3 times--- all 14.1 lessons. He's NOT for a beginning player. His is, however, a SUPER instructor. People often misinterpret extreme confidence as being a jerk, but he's a good guy. I learned a lot from Mike.
 
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SpiderWebComm said:
I think people have Mike all wrong. I've taken lessons from him 3 times--- all 14.1 lessons. He's NOT for a beginning player. His is, however, a SUPER instructor. People often misinterpret extreme confidence as being a jerk, but he's a good guy. I learned a lot from Mike.
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Agreed. Mike is awesome.
 
Blackjack said:
Agreed. Mike is awesome.
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Second that, Mike is a great guy, a bit self-absorbed, but then many of the sport's greatest (Earl springs to mind, I like him a great deal, too) are, and I've always been of the opinion that top athletes have the right, indeed an obligation to be - it's part of their commitment to the sport.

What is rare in players of that stature is for them to really watch and care how well others do - that may be asking too much, plus didactically, it's hard to teach if one doesn't recognize problem areas except (let alone including) one's own.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti
 
My choice would be John Schmidt...a nice guy, very good with one-on-one, isn't a 'super-ego' like some other players, and they don't call him Mr. 400 for nothin'...oh yeah, and he owns his own poolroom!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
FranCrimi said:
I would put them on a plane and send them to New York City to work with Danny Barouty, who is a multiple hundred ball runner. The reason I would suggest Danny is because he is actively playing the game and teaching, and he is one of the smartest people in pool (he's also a chess grand master) and an expert in game strategy.

And he also happens to be a nice guy. I don't care how great a player is --- if they're a jerk, it makes the whole learning experience lousy.
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Cripes....I think I'd better go on record here that the post that came in just before mine --- suggesting Alan and Mike as teachers, wasn't there when I was composing my post (above). I can just picture someone coming up to me saying, "Hey I heard you called Alan Hopkins and Mike Sigel jerks."

Nope. Not guilty. That reminds me of the time someone told me that pool player Ernie Costa had died. I then told a friend that someone told me Ernie had died and asked if he knew if it was true. He said he didn't know. Two weeks later, Ernie comes into the pool room and straight up to me. He said, "I heard you're telling everyone that I died." Yikes.

As for who I think are jerks, I keep that to myself and close friends who I know won't rat me out. :D
 
FranCrimi said:
Cripes....I think I'd better go on record here that the post that came in just before mine --- suggesting Alan and Mike as teachers, wasn't there when I was composing my post (above). I can just picture someone coming up to me saying, "Hey I heard you called Alan Hopkins and Mike Sigel jerks."

Nope. Not guilty. That reminds me of the time someone told me that pool player Ernie Costa had died. I then told a friend that someone told me Ernie had died and asked if he knew if it was true. He said he didn't know. Two weeks later, Ernie comes into the pool room and straight up to me. He said, "I heard you're telling everyone that I died." Yikes.

As for who I think are jerks, I keep that to myself and close friends who I know won't rat me out. :D
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I never once thought you were referring to Allen. When I read your post, I definitely thought you were referring to Mike... that's why I wanted to clear that up :) (juuuust in case)
 
Jim Rempe

Jim is a great straight pool player and a great instructor. He gives lessons in his home which is also great because there are no distractions. I have taken lessons from Jim and he is excellent.
 
John Schmidt, hands down. Other than him, Dallas West. You could search for some recent experience of AZers with Dallas.
If you are in Switzerland - either any of Dutch players (Feijen, van den Berg, maybe even Lely or Diks), or might be better Germans Souquet or Hohmann.
 
Ray Martin or Jim Rempe....you really can't go wrong with either of these guys. Both nice and easy to talk to and very, very knowledgable.
 
Danny Diliberto

acousticsguru said:
Not sure if this question belongs here or in the instructor's section, but here we go:

Suppose someone who's already a three-digit-ball runner wanted to take lessons improving his/her Straight Pool game, who would you send said player to and why?

Thanks in advance!

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti
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Here is someone that Stephan Cohen found helpful:
 

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FranCrimi said:
That reminds me of the time someone told me that pool player Ernie Costa had died. I then told a friend that someone told me Ernie had died and asked if he knew if it was true. He said he didn't know. Two weeks later, Ernie comes into the pool room and straight up to me. He said, "I heard you're telling everyone that I died." Yikes.
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I hate to bring up an old thread, but I heard his name mentioned today over at Drexeline Billiards. Is he still kicking?
 
Danny

FranCrimi said:
I would put them on a plane and send them to New York City to work with Danny Barouty, who is a multiple hundred ball runner. The reason I would suggest Danny is because he is actively playing the game and teaching, and he is one of the smartest people in pool (he's also a chess grand master) and an expert in game strategy.

And he also happens to be a nice guy. I don't care how great a player is --- if they're a jerk, it makes the whole learning experience lousy.
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Dont know where Danny plays / teaches out of these days as I know he left Amsterdam at the end of this past summer...but yes he's a great 14.1 player and teacher.
 
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