25 Advanced Game-Winning Pool Shots – BU Exam III

[dr_dave]

Dave, not to criticize your other BU exams, but I think you did something different with this one that is going to garner more response and excitement.

These are fun.

As much as the drills in your older exams are undeniably helpful if applied and practiced, this exam is fun.

The shots are difficult, but the satisfaction of learning and making them is exponentially higher than having to play perfect in the drills X number of times.

Well stated. I agree 100% (even though I know that most players would benefit more from Exam I and II and probably shouldn't be spending time on Exam III, unless their only goal is to have fun).

Content like this is engaging and exciting. With this video and your previous one, I think you have found a niche in pool; educational and exciting, which I think some of your past content has lacked.
...
All your content is great, but if you are looking for better views and engagement, I think you have found a sweet spot!

I am gradually realizing this, and will try to keep a similar trend going forward for my YouTube-only videos. With any future full-formal DVD/stream/download instructional videos, I will still plan to include the depth of coverage people have come to expect, while still trying to make them more fun and exciting to watch.

With all that being said, I still think your referee video is the best pool video on the internet.

Bob will like hearing this, since that was mostly his idea. For those interested, the videos and documents related to this project are available here:

Pool Rules Quiz

Thank you for your insightful comments,
Dave

 

[BRussell]

Here's one where Corey jumps the ball and it lands on the rail goes down table.

 

[dr_dave]

You just gave up all my secret weapons!

/jk

Great vid. I have practiced all these shots a lot when I was young. Many of my competitors called me {Finnish language terms) bankmaster, or special man for special shots.
Gotta try this one when have time(and maybe refresh my skills on these shots).

Thanks again Dave.

I look forward to seeing a video from you showing us what is possible for a good score on this new Exam. I honestly don't have a clue what to expect. I plan to give it a go myself and post a video in the near future.

P. S my only concern is that some of these shots need really good cloth/fast table. Have to try it before really judge anything. Just a thought that came to my mind.

Agreed. Some of the shots will definitely be tougher on some equipment.

Thanks for the comments, and I hope you decide to post a video,
Dave

 

[Low500]

I gotta' be the worst player alive.
I can't do that stuff......except the spot shots (and I'm dead meat with those too when the cueball is frozen on the rail)
Depression time...break out the whiskey and drugs.

 

[Bic D]

Dave....which of these shots did you have to re-shoot the most during the filming?

 

[hang-the-9]

The Billiard University (BU) just released a third installment in the playing-ability Exam series: BU Exam III (Advanced Shots). It consists of 25 challenging and advanced pool shots that are fun to practice and can help you get out of jams and win games. Shot diagrams, instructions, and a score sheet can be found under "Exam III" here:

Billiard University Playing-Ability Exams

A video demonstration of all of the shots in the Exam is available here:

25 Advanced Game-Winning Pool Shots – BU Exam III

Enjoy,
Dave

I was just about to do a post on this video, ran across it last night. Good stuff to train with, tough shots but those that do come up often enough and can make a difference in winning a set if you know them and practice them. In some of the cases I would play safe instead of try the shot.

Some would be pretty much impossible on poor equipment. The spin shots need good rails and cloth to execute, in several rooms I play in no way would the cueball grab enough to play those shots since the cueball slides off the rails and end up with very little spin on it. ( Edit --- I see this was already mentions by others..)

 

[dr_dave]

I find this video to be one of the most entertaining you've done so far, Dr. Dave. Kudos to you and Sam!

Thanks!

My only concern would be that I'm not sure how many people can ever approach 100 on this exam. I would assume the very best of world's professionals would be unable to get a 100 on this. And is an exam really valid if it's (nearly) impossible to get a perfect score?

Good points. However, the purpose of Exam III is to challenge even the best players in the world. If it were easy to get a perfect score of 100, it wouldn't be much of a challenge.

We intend to use BU Exam III in a future BU Exam Challenge where we offer cash prizes for whoever can post the highest scores. The scores don't need to be 100, just higher than scores from others.

I can see this video as a fun illustration of a bunch of useful shots that come more or less often in a game. And while shots like 10, 11, 12, for example, are among the shots that will be used practically in every session, and should be mastered by all, shots like 18, for instance, will seldom be used (if ever) and therefore qualify more as a trick shot, than a shot most players will ever really use in their matches. And not that it's not helpful to know it (it is!), but I don't think that shot (along with some others) belongs in this sort of an exam.

Good points.

Thanks for the feedback,
Dave

PS: Nobody has gotten a perfect 100 on either of Exam I or Exam II yet either. I like it that way. Once somebody gets a 100, there won't be as much incentive to try to get 100 anymore.

 

[dr_dave]

Craziest thing, this is a shot I know and can execute, same with another from Dave's video when you are straight in near a rail and bouncing the ball on the rail and rolling up... Yet when they come in a match, I never thing to use them.

That's why it is good to practice shots like these ... so you can be more confident executing them when you really need them.

Regards,
Dave

 

[MeeLosh]

Thanks for the feedback,
Dave

No problem, looking forward to your next (in)valuable contribution to the world of pool!

 

[dr_dave]

Watched the video last night when it hit YouTube. Great vid as always. I would say that every one of these shots has some value in knowing how to execute them because we have all encountered something similar at some point in a match... However, there is a chunk of these shots that you might want to add to your regular drills as they come up way more often then the others.

In my opinion, those are the real game winners. Some of the others are helpful in some cases but almost a bit trick shot-ish... Where a safe might be the more reliable option. It is good to know the stroke and technique of those shots as they will apply to others.

Well stated. I agree.

To you and others, which of the 25 do you think are the most difficult, and which are your favorites?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

Here's one where Corey jumps the ball and it lands on the rail goes down table.

Could you please post the video links from where these GIFs came from? I would like to start compiling them, and it would be nice to identify the sources.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

I gotta' be the worst player alive.
I can't do that stuff......except the spot shots (and I'm dead meat with those too when the cueball is frozen on the rail)
Depression time...break out the whiskey and drugs.

That's the best excuse for whiskey and drugs that I have heard in a while. I like it.

Regards,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

Dave....which of these shots did you have to re-shoot the most during the filming?

The toughest for me, in order of difficulty, are:

1.) A14 – Inside across the Table
2.) A18 – Hop on Cushion Nose for Shape
3.) A24 – Large Curve Massé
4.) A20 – Jump Draw

These required the most attempts; but after lots of practice, I can see being able to get points on them during an official Exam III run.

Which would you expect to be the toughest, and which are your favorites?

My favorites are:

1.) A21 – Jump over Obstacles with Draw (because it is fairly easy and it looks so cool)
2.) A18 – Hop on Cushion Nose for Shape (even though it is tough, but it looks so cool when it works)
3.) A9 – Inside Draw for Position
4.) A14 – Inside across the Table (even though it is tough)
5.) A13 – Rail-First Spin across Table

I'm curious to see what other people list.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

I was just about to do a post on this video, ran across it last night. Good stuff to train with, tough shots but those that do come up often enough and can make a difference in winning a set if you know them and practice them. In some of the cases I would play safe instead of try the shot.

Some would be pretty much impossible on poor equipment. The spin shots need good rails and cloth to execute, in several rooms I play in no way would the cueball grab enough to play those shots since the cueball slides off the rails and end up with very little spin on it. ( Edit --- I see this was already mentions by others..)

Good points. I agree.

Which do you think are the toughest, and which do you like the most?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Bic D]

Which would you expect to be the toughest, and which are your favorites?

9
18
21

Were some really nice shots. Once I try these out, I'll let you know which ones were the toughest.

 

[dr_dave]

Here's an example of "A22 – Hop off Cushion Nose" from https://youtu.be/FIn-ZA2R5oQ:



If other people know of or find other game examples of other shots on the list, please post a video link and I'll create the GIF.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

9
18
21

Were some really nice shots. Once I try these out, I'll let you know which ones were the toughest.

Sounds good.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[BRussell]

Here's the video with Jayson Shaw's kick masse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJY-mz42iMY

 

[dr_dave]

Here it is as a GIF:

Here's the video source for this one: https://youtu.be/VVDrZK6VpuU

It is an example of "A7 – Power Draw off Side Rail."

Please post others if you can find them.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[BRussell]

Could you please post the video links from where these GIFs came from? I would like to start compiling them, and it would be nice to identify the sources.

Thanks,
Dave

Here's the link for that one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc4KuL81wDg

Unfortunately the camera cut away before the cue ball came to a rest.