Tom Wirth: Controlled Aggression review

As I've said before, the physical quality of the book is top notch! High grade paper and the illustrations are photographs of the different situations and their solutions. I worked in the book binding field for 27 years and I know what I'm talking about. Also, the book is spiral bound making it convenient to lay on a pool table.
For a tome like this one, $60 is a bargain to say nothing of the excellent information inside, some of which I'm sure most, if not all, of the posters in this thread have seen.
If you play One Pocket buy the damn book!!!
 
The book is good groundwork for players new to 1 pocket, and good reading for veteran players. There are examples of ways you
can trap your opponent and also herd a few balls toward your side of the table.

This book is filled with pictures of table layouts and situations where you can turn the table in your favor. The book has a spiral
binder so you can lay it down flat, and try situation examples while at the table.

You may think $60 is high, but Tom has given much thought to this book. The game involves much more strategy than some may
think, and this book may keep more than $60 in your pocket if you're gambling.

One Pocket: A Game of Controlled Aggression.. 207 pages of useful and thought out information.. from early stages to end game.

.
 
Cracktherack said:
I wouldn't pay $60 if a topless Miss America laid my head in her lap and read me the book, set up shots and showed me how to shoot them.
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Ralph Kramden said:
The book is good groundwork for players new to 1 pocket, and good reading for veteran players. There are examples of ways you
can trap your opponent and also herd a few balls toward your side of the table.

This book is filled with pictures of table layouts and situations where you can turn the table in your favor. The book has a spiral
binder so you can lay it down flat, and try situation examples while at the table.

You may think $60 is high, but Tom has given much thought to this book. The game involves much more strategy than some may
think, and this book may keep more than $60 in your pocket if you're gambling.

One Pocket: A Game of Controlled Aggression.. 207 pages of useful and thought out information.. from early stages to end game.

.
Click to expand...
$60 is chump change there is some moves in there that could bring several times that back in cash won ,
Now if I'm playing and stuck
I think WWTTD and come up with a shot

1
 
I have just recently started to get more interested in 1P. I got the book and can only say that it gave me so much more to think about while playing the game and I still have a lot to learn. Book is in my opinion top notch and well worth the price.
 
Intereresting replies. Sways from Controlled Aggression (endorsed by some of the world's best 1p players) to ... I have no idea what I'm talking about and won't pay diddly squat for it.

I play with a regular group. We started together a few years ago. I have been studying/practicing the WWYD's. I'm killing these guys. I'm learning to move balls & trap. The first illustration set the stage for me. I'm a beginner. I do not have a lot experience playing higher level players but I'm not afraid to play them. I'm gaining a good foundation of things to work with thanks to Controlled aggression. The endorsements by the pro's and Steve Booth of 1P.org says it all. $60 for the book.... $60 is a wow. It's fun reading/learning from it and taking it to the game. If you don't play 1pocket...don't buy it...don't post here. Don't bash what you do not know. Fair enough?

I would post a few examples from the book but it's not my business to do that without Tom's permission. Maybe he will post 1 or 2 scenarios with his commentaries.
 
GoldCrown said:
Intereresting replies. Sways from Controlled Aggression (endorsed by some of the world's best 1p players) to ... I have no idea what I'm talking about and won't pay diddly squat for it.

I play with a regular group. We started together a few years ago. I have been studying/practicing the WWYD's. I'm killing these guys. I'm learning to move balls & trap. The first illustration set the stage for me. I'm a beginner. I do not have a lot experience playing higher level players but I'm not afraid to play them. I'm gaining a good foundation of things to work with thanks to Controlled aggression. The endorsements by the pro's and Steve Booth of 1P.org says it all. $60 for the book.... $60 is a wow. It's fun reading/learning from it and taking it to the game. If you don't play 1pocket...don't buy it...don't post here. Don't bash what you do not know. Fair enough?

I would post a few examples from the book but it's not my business to do that without Tom's permission. Maybe he will post 1 or 2 scenarios with his commentaries.
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Can't wait to see your improvement in one pocket. We'll play after the Expo.
 
60$ is nothing for a great book. Some folks are so tight that they squeak when they walk and still ***** about the price of nearly everything. I'm really interested in the book Tom.

Sent you an email.

jbk
 
Nits, nits everywhere I tell you. If one pocket were an oyster then this book is its pearl
 
Sure, here is the table of contents

Table of Contents

THE BEGINNING 1
PART I - THE EARLY STAGES 3
SITUATIONS 5
FIVE KICK SHOT SITUATIONS 54
EARLY GAME CONCLUSIONS 65
PART II - THE RUNNING OF THE BALLS 67
PATTERNS 68
BREAKING BALLS LOOSE FROM THE STACK 73
PART III - A SERIES OF DRILLS 81
PART IV - MID GAME SITUATIONS 99
PART V - TAKE-OUT SHOTS 128
PART VI - END GAME OFFENSE 144
KICK BANKS 164
PART VII - MOVING MULTIPLE BALLS 174
PART VIII - A WORD ABOUT LATE GAME SAFETY PLAY 187
PART IX - A STRATEGIC BLUNDER BY A GREAT PLAYER 196
FINAL CONCLUSIONS 205

Later I will provide one of the situations from the chapter "The Early Stages"

Tom Wirth
 
HawaiianEye said:
I'm sure it is a fine book, but IMHO, the only thing more boring than playing or watching one-pocket is reading about one-pocket.

I've played it numerous time and gambled at it, but it is too slow a game for me. Especially when you are playing really slow players. There needs to be a time limit on games or a shot clock, if you ask me.

I'd rather play one-ball one-pocket than a full rack.
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Keelili Plays slow so dont let that sway you :cool:
1 pocket is a great game. Lots of layers to it.
Ebb and flow are beautiful.
 
There are certain books which are regarded as "Classics." This means that they do not, and have not, lost any value no matter how many years have gone by. Off the top of my head, Watson's THE PLAY OF THE HAND AT BRIDGE (1934) and Barry Meadow's MONEY SECRETS AT THE RACE TRACK (1980's) are two. It doesn't matter what else happens in the world of bridge, as long as the Ace ranks higher than the deuce, Watson's book on what order to play your cards in will not lose its value. As long as two-to-one odds pays two dollars for every one dollar bet, Meadow's book will not lose its value. It you haven't read Watson and you play bridge, you've already lost when you sit down. If you play horses and you haven't read Meadow, you're driving home a loser.

I have the same impression with Wirth's CONTROLLED AGGRESSION. This is a pool "classic." It will have timeless value.
 
Tobermory said:
There are certain books which are regarded as "Classics." This means that they do not, and have not, lost any value no matter how many years have gone by. Off the top of my head, Watson's THE PLAY OF THE HAND AT BRIDGE (1934) and Barry Meadow's MONEY SECRETS AT THE RACE TRACK (1980's) are two. It doesn't matter what else happens in the world of bridge, as long as the Ace ranks higher than the deuce, Watson's book on what order to play your cards in will not lose its value. As long as two-to-one odds pays two dollars for every one dollar bet, Meadow's book will not lose its value. It you haven't read Watson and you play bridge, you've already lost when you sit down. If you play horses and you haven't read Meadow, you're driving home a loser.

I have the same impression with Wirth's CONTROLLED AGGRESSION. This is a pool "classic." It will have timeless value.
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i agree 100%
toms book is a classic and a terrific book on onepocket
toms book teaches you how to fish to use the cliche
"give a man a fish he eats today
teach him to fish he eats for life"
so you can use what you learn from the book for the rest of your life
 
bbb said:
i agree 100%
toms book is a classic and a terrific book on onepocket
toms book teaches you how to fish to use the cliche
"give a man a fish he eats today
teach him to fish he eats for life"
so you can use what you learn from the book for the rest of your life
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Teach a person to play excellent one pocket and they will not have to fish,:grin:
 
TRWpool said:
Sure, here is the table of contents

Table of Contents

THE BEGINNING 1
PART I - THE EARLY STAGES 3
SITUATIONS 5
FIVE KICK SHOT SITUATIONS 54
EARLY GAME CONCLUSIONS 65
PART II - THE RUNNING OF THE BALLS 67
PATTERNS 68
BREAKING BALLS LOOSE FROM THE STACK 73
PART III - A SERIES OF DRILLS 81
PART IV - MID GAME SITUATIONS 99
PART V - TAKE-OUT SHOTS 128
PART VI - END GAME OFFENSE 144
KICK BANKS 164
PART VII - MOVING MULTIPLE BALLS 174
PART VIII - A WORD ABOUT LATE GAME SAFETY PLAY 187
PART IX - A STRATEGIC BLUNDER BY A GREAT PLAYER 196
FINAL CONCLUSIONS 205

Later I will provide one of the situations from the chapter "The Early Stages"

Tom Wirth
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there is no other onepocket book that i am aware of that really provides the insight tom discusses to the various phases and aspects of the game
 
I wish to thank you all for your contributions to this thread. Thanks to GC for posting it, and thanks also to English, HawaiianEye, and pocketpooler for providing so many others an incentive to chime in defending my book. I loved it all. In less than a single day my book got lots of exposure and a number of sales to boot! Thanks to you bbb and you Alphadog for your generous offer to reimburse English should he buy but not appreciate. Now that's confidence, belief, and support. However I doubt he would accept or expect reimbursement. I don't know him but I think he is bigger than that. It's all good.

Ain't pool great!? Without the negative there can be no positive, and to the rest of you who I have not mentioned by name, you showed you had my back. What could be better than that!

Thanks to you all. You made my day!

Tom
 
TRWpool said:
thanks also to English, HawaiianEye, and pocketpooler for providing so many others an incentive to chime in defending my book.
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Maybe someday they will get the 1p itch and love the game enough to get some professional instruction or reading material. Love it enough to play and encourage others to play. It keeps the game alive.

I hate go backwards....I'm sorry I did not start earlier...about 55 years earlier. Also would have liked to see you play coming up. I heard stories about people going out of their way to watch you compete. You're a legendary 1P player.
 
If you'd really want to blow back your hair, you should try to price a copy of Winning One Pocket sometime, or test the waters for what it would cost for some "lessons" from your local 1p cognoscenti.

Tom's book, aside from being an invaluable modern resource, is more than reasonable by comparison.
 
Generally it's proper forum etiquette not to comment on price. Too high too this too that. Let's say you are selling a cue and a post says it can be found cheaper or Its not worth it.
Let's support each other. Keep it 100% or don't reply.
I connected with Scott Lee, Bob DeTurk and Tom Wirth strictly on other players reviews.
If enough people give positive replies.... The item is good. Try to trust that. Or simply don't buy it or comment just for the sake of an opinion. Fair enough.
 
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