Banking With the Beard

GADawg

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I got Freddie's book a few days ago from Amazon and want to restate for anyone who has not read it that it is a fantastic resource for banking and kicking.

I have just started practicing and using some of the techniques in the book and am astounding and amazing myself and friends already.
 
Could you be so kind as to give everyone an overview of contents???

I know banking and kicking, but I mean does he get into 2/3 rail systems, one pocket banks or systems for very odd banks?

I've been wondering what else was there besides your basic 1 rail kick/bank shots...
 
MacGyver said:
Could you be so kind as to give everyone an overview of contents???

I know banking and kicking, but I mean does he get into 2/3 rail systems, one pocket banks or systems for very odd banks?

I've been wondering what else was there besides your basic 1 rail kick/bank shots...


All of the above. 1/2/3/4 rail banks and systems; long rail first/short rail first; cut and English effects and techniques; two rail Z banks and whatever else you can think of.

Well explained with good diagrams, using the Sailor Barge basic aiming system.
 
freddy the beard said:
Thanks guys,
Now please send money.

the Beard
:D

BWTB is the best book on bankpool hands down. I rank this book up there in the top 5 of all pool books, being bested by only Winning 1p/SMS and Byrne's Standard Book of Pool and Billiards. BWTB covers so much info on banking its a book that you can go back to over and over because its hard to digest but a fraction of the info in there in a single sitting. There is great stuff on the effects of cutting across the face of balls on banks and recognizing high percentage "automatic" banks.

BWTB can help you win the cheese. It has done it for me, most recently last Thurs in a one pocket session. Giving up 10-8 I ran ten and out and banked two of the balls using info from BWTB. One shot was the side step bank (inside english to shorten up a bank) and the other was this three rail "automatic".

START(
%AC0[5%BB3\0%CB6B7%DO1O5%EB5\0%FB6\4%GB8C0%H[2\3%IB8\0%PI2K5
%WC9Z9%Xg2C1%Yh0C9%Zs7N0%[s3N5%\^6[5%]]9Z9%^O5O6
)END

I am not very good with the WEI table so the setup and my line angles are probably off a bit, but you get the picture. Object ball on the spot and cueball lined up for a straight line shot at the first diamond past the side pocket is one of Freddie's "Automatics". Its a high percentage shot that up until reading the book I did not know.
 
I will second all the opinions on the book. It's a must have-must read if you want to improve your banks. Some of the systems took a lot of guess work out of my banks.

Brian
 
The book sucks. :D If everyone used this book I will lose the small advantage that I have.

I think Fred made a lot of enemies by coming out with this book.

First of all because he gives away a lot of banking secrets and advice.

Secondly because he beat all the other pros to the punch and also had the ability to put it into book form.

There is also a mix of good stories.

It is well worth the money. There is a lot of information and maybe more than the average player would ever have to know.
 
i've read about half of this book and i found it kind of vague. it tells you how to adjust for some variables. but it does this assuming you already know where the object ball will hit. i haven't finished it though and it looked like there was a lot more information to go over
 
As Freddie says in the book just reading wont make you better. He also assumes that your game is at the level that you have a good handle on shotmaking ability and are capable of hitting balls where you aim them as well as solid fundamentals. This book is not aimed at the "beginner" but more at the upper intermediate to advanced players out there. Everyone will get something out of this book but a more advanced player will get more in my opinion. It has defineately made me more confident in my bank shots. I no longer avoid them at all costs but use their positions to keep me in line.
 
I only had time to scratch the surfice but this book helped me in the recent 14.1 Comp in NJ. I can recall atleast 3 occassions when I made a bank that helped me win the match, against Archer, Foldes, Wehner.

I hope I can find time to read it all soon.
 
A top CA player told me, last year after reading BWTB, "Every player can benefit from reading this book...but if you gamble at pool, you MUST have it!" Good advice, I'd say!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
shag_fu said:
As Freddie says in the book just reading wont make you better. He also assumes that your game is at the level that you have a good handle on shotmaking ability and are capable of hitting balls where you aim them as well as solid fundamentals. This book is not aimed at the "beginner" but more at the upper intermediate to advanced players out there. Everyone will get something out of this book but a more advanced player will get more in my opinion. It has defineately made me more confident in my bank shots. I no longer avoid them at all costs but use their positions to keep me in line.


I have the book and I totally agree that you can't just read it and expect it to help you a lot. You really need to practice what's in the book. Everyone has a different stroke and you have to adjust accordingly.

I loved some of the stories in this book. He tells them just like you'd hear it if you were in the ph. Very well done, funny, and insightful. You got a winner here Freddy.
 
shag_fu said:
As Freddie says in the book just reading wont make you better. He also assumes that your game is at the level that you have a good handle on shotmaking ability and are capable of hitting balls where you aim them as well as solid fundamentals. This book is not aimed at the "beginner" but more at the upper intermediate to advanced players out there. Everyone will get something out of this book but a more advanced player will get more in my opinion. It has defineately made me more confident in my bank shots. I no longer avoid them at all costs but use their positions to keep me in line.

You've got it right. Every page requires study and practice and study again. Full of super information, tips and systems, but no magic to replace hours of repetition.
 
The book offers excellent guide lines.
I find in one pool hall the formula's work, however, in another pool hall adjustments are needed because the tables bank short.All in all, it is a most excellent book on banking and some of the stories are quite interesting as well.
RJ
 
Back
Top