Book review "start winning pool"

Gerry

Gerry

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I just finished reading this book by Alfredo Llana. It's about Phillipino players and how/why they play like they do. The book mainly focuses on Reyes, Parica, Bustamante, and Pagulayan, but of course includes many more.

It's easy to see Alfredo is VERY proud of his heritage, and to be a Phillipino pool player. I liked the fact that he included more stories and information on the players early years, and what goes through their heads when playing. The book also describes the mental attitude of the players and how it was developed.

If I wanted to be picky I would tell Mr. Llana to have an American editor go over the book for typos and wording, but I kind of like how it is written. It's a little like talking with a person with an accent.

All in all I would recommend the book just because it fills in some of the blanks about the GREAT players from the Phillipines!

Gerry
 
Thanks for the book review. :p

I'd be interested to learn more about the Filipino pool culture in the '60s and '70s. Does it go back that far?

Before Efren Reyes, Jose Parica was 'da man, King of Filipino Pool. When you talk to Jose on the offs, you can tell he's got a lot of pride, and rightfully so. :)

A few years ago, he beat Efren Reyes in the finals at a California tournament. I spoke to Jose a few weeks after the event, and he was, shall I say, disgruntled, for lack of a better word, that the pool media didn't pick up on the story. He was pretty proud of that win and wanted to shout it out to the world! :D

I'm a pretty good proofreader, doing it for a living, going on 30 years. I'd offer up my services to proofread the book, maybe to get me a free copy. :D

But in case I want to buy it, where can one purchase this book? :)

JAM
 
I haven't read the book yet JAM but let me tell you something that's based
on my experience living there for most of my life up until 3 and a half years
ago. There's NO winning formula for Filipino pool except tons and tons of
experience on money games. Pool academy in the Philippines is the streets. If
you lose, you and your family could skip a meal. They have no clue on
Geometry but instead, they rely on imagination and their memory bank of
complicated game patterns. They tend to gamble more by going for the
difficult shots instead of dogging it, specially if they can smell the dough from
the finish line.

And one more thing, most Filipinos grew up playing "Filipino pool" first, which is
a smooth wooden table (5 by 3) with 4 pockets. The balls were replace by 10
wooden pucks (5 for each player), a wooden cue puck which is much heavier
than the 10 wooden pucks and the table is sprayed with a mixture of Borax
and baby powder to get the pucks to slide smoothly on top of the wooden
table. That's prolly why they learned the game of 8 balls faster than anyone
else that doesn't play that game that often.

And do you know how the Filipino pool players concentrate? They just think of
the currency conversion, 49 pesos to a dollar!
biglaugh.gif
 
gopi-1 said:
I haven't read the book yet JAM but let me tell you something that's based
on my experience living there for most of my life up until 3 and a half years
ago. There's NO winning formula for Filipino pool except tons and tons of
experience on money games. Pool academy in the Philippines is the streets. If
you lose, you and your family could skip a meal. They have no clue on
Geometry but instead, they rely on imagination and their memory bank of
complicated game patterns. They tend to gamble more by going for the
difficult shots instead of dogging it, specially if they can smell the dough from
the finish line.

And one more thing, most Filipinos grew up playing "Filipino pool" first, which is
a smooth wooden table (5 by 3) with 4 pockets. The balls were replace by 10
wooden pucks (5 for each player), a wooden cue puck which is much heavier
than the 10 wooden pucks and the table is sprayed with a mixture of Borax
and baby powder to get the pucks to slide smoothly on top of the wooden
table. That's prolly why they learned the game of 8 balls faster than anyone
else that doesn't play that game that often.

And do you know how the Filipino pool players concentrate? They just think of
the currency conversion, 49 pesos to a dollar!
biglaugh.gif
Click to expand...

The book sounds really intriguing to me, and I am going to buy it.

I think a lot of American players developed their game from gambling, but today in the States, gambling is thought of as a dirty little secret. Most in the American culture would like to shove it under the rug and forget about it. I, however, stand in the minority and think it's part of the lure that makes pool exciting. :p

JAM
 
I too think that gambling is much of the lure of pool. But we can't have it both ways. Just like cigarettes and other things are looked upon in the negative now, so is gambling, unless it's poker:rolleyes: Johnnyt
 
Gerry said:
I just finished reading this book by Alfredo Llana. It's about Phillipino players and how/why they play like they do. The book mainly focuses on Reyes, Parica, Bustamante, and Pagulayan, but of course includes many more.

It's easy to see Alfredo is VERY proud of his heritage, and to be a Phillipino pool player. I liked the fact that he included more stories and information on the players early years, and what goes through their heads when playing. The book also describes the mental attitude of the players and how it was developed.

If I wanted to be picky I would tell Mr. Llana to have an American editor go over the book for typos and wording, but I kind of like how it is written. It's a little like talking with a person with an accent.

All in all I would recommend the book just because it fills in some of the blanks about the GREAT players from the Phillipines!

Gerry
Click to expand...
:) Thanks a lot, Gerry.
It's just a petty that some writers are really bad editors and some editors can't really write. I'll heed your advice, next time I'd go for an American editor and printer to suit the American taste of writings.
Heartwarming and soothing review! Thanks once again.:)

Bing
www.filipinopool.com
 
gopi-1 said:
I haven't read the book yet JAM but let me tell you something that's based
on my experience living there for most of my life up until 3 and a half years
ago. There's NO winning formula for Filipino pool except tons and tons of
experience on money games. Pool academy in the Philippines is the streets. If
you lose, you and your family could skip a meal. They have no clue on
Geometry but instead, they rely on imagination and their memory bank of
complicated game patterns. They tend to gamble more by going for the
difficult shots instead of dogging it, specially if they can smell the dough from
the finish line.

And one more thing, most Filipinos grew up playing "Filipino pool" first, which is
a smooth wooden table (5 by 3) with 4 pockets. The balls were replace by 10
wooden pucks (5 for each player), a wooden cue puck which is much heavier
than the 10 wooden pucks and the table is sprayed with a mixture of Borax
and baby powder to get the pucks to slide smoothly on top of the wooden
table. That's prolly why they learned the game of 8 balls faster than anyone
else that doesn't play that game that often.

And do you know how the Filipino pool players concentrate? They just think of
the currency conversion, 49 pesos to a dollar!
biglaugh.gif
Click to expand...

:) hit it right on the head, man!
all of those 'recollections' are in the book!:) .....except that it's Php 47 pesos to a dollar lately....he he he!

Bing
www.filipinopool.com
 
gopi-1 said:
I haven't read the book yet JAM but let me tell you

And one more thi most Filipinos grew up playing "Filipino pool" first, which is
a smooth wooden table (5 by 3) with 4 pockets. The balls were replace by 10
wooden pucks (5 for each player), a wooden cue puck which is much heavier
than the 10 wooden pucks and the table is sprayed with a mixture of Borax
and baby powder to get the pucks to slide smoothly on top of the wooden
table.

QUOTE]



It is also called `Carrom Board`.The big heavy puck is called `striker`.bank shots are called `doubling`, combo shots are called ``chub``
I remember seeing it ,to my surprise, in some of the recent Derby City classic photos posted on AZB.
Click to expand...
 
JAM said:
Thanks for the book review. :p

I'd be interested to learn more about the Filipino pool culture in the '60s and '70s. Does it go back that far?

Before Efren Reyes, Jose Parica was 'da man, King of Filipino Pool. When you talk to Jose on the offs, you can tell he's got a lot of pride, and rightfully so. :)

A few years ago, he beat Efren Reyes in the finals at a California tournament. I spoke to Jose a few weeks after the event, and he was, shall I say, disgruntled, for lack of a better word, that the pool media didn't pick up on the story. He was pretty proud of that win and wanted to shout it out to the world! :D

I'm a pretty good proofreader, doing it for a living, going on 30 years. I'd offer up my services to proofread the book, maybe to get me a free copy. :D

But in case I want to buy it, where can one purchase this book? :)

JAM
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot JAM!....am sure will need your services soon....:)
it's available on eBay (pool books/video section)
Bing
www.filipinopool.com
 
:) Thanks a lot to AZBers!!!!!!!!:)
Also grateful for the book reviews and the 'early birds' here who got their copies while it's 'hot'......

Check it out.....It's still selling too at eBay (pool books/video section)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top