Best book for beginner

Another suggestion is to sit down and watch some videos on you tube of your favorite player and pay special attention to how they stand , grip the cue stroke different shots or as mentioned by many get with a instructor for lessons .
Keith M and Jimmy Moore I'd suggest staying away from trying to shoot like they do Jimmy's slip stroke was a thing of beauty that worked wonders for him and I cherish the time I got to spend playing pool with him .
I gave up trying to perfect a slip stroke like his and had Frank McGown give me some pointers that I still use today .
The bottom line is to try to find your own sweet spot and build off that to make a strong rock solid stance for each particular shot and situation I wish you well !
 
Robert Byrne's "Standard" book is the best of them all for a novice. Not too far behind is "Mastering Pool" by George Fels. More than any two books on pool, these classics have stood the test of time.
 
Let me share something very easy and very powerful to understand and get the skills you are searching for:

Go to the table, grab the cue ball and any other object ball. Put the object ball at the center point of the table and put the cue ball a palm or two straight behind from one side. On a straight line, both side pockets, cue ball and object ball must be exactly straight, ok?
Now, using follow or draw, try to pot both balls on a single stroke.
If the cue ball do not goes straight or come back straight to the pocket, there is your problem. Just practice it to understand where the "problem" is and adjust.
This exercise seems to be very easy, but i guarantee to you, it is not. If do this with no issue at all, fundamentals are not a problem to you, you should look for something more advanced.
 
891014+1 said:
Let me share something very easy and very powerful to understand and get the skills you are searching for:

Go to the table, grab the cue ball and any other object ball. Put the object ball at the center point of the table and put the cue ball a palm or two straight behind from one side. On a straight line, both side pockets, cue ball and object ball must be exactly straight, ok?
Now, using follow or draw, try to pot both balls on a single stroke.
If the cue ball do not goes straight or come back straight to the pocket, there is your problem. Just practice it to understand where the "problem" is and adjust.
This exercise seems to be very easy, but i guarantee to you, it is not. If do this with no issue at all, fundamentals are not a problem to you, you should look for something more advanced.
Click to expand...
Best response so far. 100% agree.

Shooting 12-18” straight in stop, follow & draw shots reveal pretty much all flaws. Getting to the point where you can do these perfectly 10/10 times - will take non trivial work for most folks. Slight variations from those make plenty of work - once those are mastered, adding progressive distance & thick to thinner cuts, with specific CB landing targets, is a quality workout. That & a $10 phone tripod - along with your preferred vids/books to review & methodically identify, isolate & work out problems - will yield massive gains.

✌️
 
Last edited:
phreaticus said:
Best response so far. 100% agree.
That & a $10 phone tripod - along with your preferred vids/books to review & methodically identify, isolate & work out problems - will yield massive gains.

✌️
Click to expand...
Watching yourself play is very helpful. First thing I notice is rushing my stroke. Not holding the backswing. Jumping up, etc
 
Find a pool hall or private owner with the ICA projector. Then work on drill after drill. You'll learn that way faster than playing pool.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bbb
NathanDetroit said:
I am not strictly a beginner. Began playing late 60s and stopped 1972. Now, I've been playing APA for five years. SL5 in both with trips to 6 and back in 9ball.

So, if I decide to take a rest/art, what book should I read first?

Right now, I am starting "Cue Tips" by Raftis.

Suggestions
Click to expand...
Best book out today is "How to play pool" by Mark Wilson. Read and practice chapter 3,4,5 and 6 several times. The whole book is like a college textbook on pool fundamentals and more.
 
tableroll said:
Best book out today is "How to play pool" by Mark Wilson. Read and practice chapter 3,4,5 and 6 several times. The whole book is like a college textbook on pool fundamentals and more.
Click to expand...
If anyone wants that book, I have one in brand new condition for $80 shipped. They are $100 new on MW’s website. PM me
 
Last edited:
sjm said:
Robert Byrne's "Standard" book is the best of them all for a novice. Not too far behind is "Mastering Pool" by George Fels. More than any two books on pool, these classics have stood the test of time.
Click to expand...

But be careful. I first got Byrnes' for the stroke basics and the pool section, but I dipped into the Billiards section a bit because it was all so foreign to me. Within a couple of years I had pretty much given up pool and played 3c exclusively as I still do, given the opportunity.
 
KissedOut said:
But be careful. I first got Byrnes' for the stroke basics and the pool section, but I dipped into the Billiards section a bit because it was all so foreign to me. Within a couple of years I had pretty much given up pool and played 3c exclusively as I still do, given the opportunity.
Click to expand...
LOL, I loved the section on billiards in Robert Byrne's "Standard" book, as well. These days, I am just as likely to play three- cushion as pool.
 
sjm said:
LOL, I loved the section on billiards in Robert Byrne's "Standard" book, as well. These days, I am just as likely to play three- cushion as pool.
Click to expand...
When i was 12 or 13 i was reading Brynes books. They were all really great. i also found Ray martins book in the library ... it was very good as well.
 
When I've told folks about Ray Martin's 99 Critical Shots in Pool I always suggest they read it through from cover to cover then sit it down and walk away and then later read it again and when your playing in league or with friends all of a sudden you'll start recognizing more and more shots that you read about in the book the same holds true in Robert Byrne's book as well .

All of a sudden when you read it again you'll pick up something you may of over looked before then the light bulb clicks on and your hooked on improving your overall game .
 
The best book for a beginner is Ray Martin & Rosser Reeves “The 99 Critical Shots in Pool”.
 

Attachments

  • 950359BA-4E79-4CF9-B0D1-2D357E29DF0F.jpeg
    950359BA-4E79-4CF9-B0D1-2D357E29DF0F.jpeg
    161.6 KB · Views: 71
phreaticus said:
No doubt it is a great book. As an example I think he definitely gives the best simple teaching on how to aim carom shots.
Click to expand...
And he was succinct…..very concise explanations……straightforward illustrations
and excellent variety of shots….fundamentally important shots to learn and master.
 
Rusty in Montana said:
Another suggestion is to sit down and watch some videos on you tube of your favorite player and pay special attention to how they stand , grip the cue stroke different shots or as mentioned by many get with a instructor for lessons .
Keith M and Jimmy Moore I'd suggest staying away from trying to shoot like they do Jimmy's slip stroke was a thing of beauty that worked wonders for him and I cherish the time I got to spend playing pool with him .
I gave up trying to perfect a slip stroke like his and had Frank McGown give me some pointers that I still use today .
The bottom line is to try to find your own sweet spot and build off that to make a strong rock solid stance for each particular shot and situation I wish you well !
Click to expand...
Rusty makes a great point. You will pick up a lot but if you learn the fundamentals by acquiring knowledge
beforehand, viewing videos becomes more meaningful because you understand how a stroke or a certain
type of shot is played correctly and differently. Just looking at pool matches doesn’t quite cut it because
you don’t understand what they are attempting, especially mechanically, to accomplish. It doesn’t tell you
how they did it. You could just watch pool tutorials and videos can be a strong motivator to go and practice.
Just make sure you are practicing right & include in your practice routines a few great books about pool play.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top