Favorite instuctional pool book?

Luxury

Luxury

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Unbelievable! I just tried to drive home from work but it's impossible because of all the snow here in Tacoma Washington. Luckily I sell beds in a mall and am safe inside my store where I will sleep tonight.

I have Phil Capelle's play your best 8 ball here with me and will finish reading it tonight for the second time. I like his books regardless of the countless typos.

Robert Byrne's books are very funny and good too.

What's your favorite instructional book and what might you recommend? I play all games.

Also someone pm me. I'm dying here at work all night!
 
I have all of Byrne's and Capelle's books but
my favorite pool book is "the 99 critical shots in pool" by Ray Martin.
It is a very basic and small book. Once in a while when I was bored and my game is bad,
I will look through it and relearn the basics again. It is very helpful.
 
Last edited:
I like Byrnes' books, though I could do with less 3-cushion billiards, and Ray Martin's 99 Critical Shots, though I don't need all that straight pool advice, and Phil Capelle's excellent Play Your Best Pool; but my favorite, for sentimental reasons, is Mosconi's little red book Willie Mosconi on Pocket Billiards. It was the book I learned by. :D
 
I have almost every book published and many videos and DVDs'. Just picked up "Modern Pool" by Ralph Eckert. It has contains almost all the stuff that the other books have just not as wordy or repetitive. It has drills and a progressive program to follow to help build your game.

I think at this time if I were to recommend a book this would be it.

Well worth looking into.
 
i like phil capelle's play your best 9 ball. i really have to pay attention to staying on the correct side of the ball. i really like Byrne's Complete Book of Pool Shots 350 Moves Every Player Should Know . it's full of helpful shots. i used like 3 the second day i had the book. and saw someone else use a couple
 
Phil Capelle's books are the best, but my favorite is Ewa Mataya Laurance's "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pool & Billiards".

Maniac
 
99 Critical Shots and George Fels's Mastering Pool. I got the most out of those two and I've pretty much read all the rest.
 
The PAT training spiral books are a must have for any poolnut. From the first drill of the first one, to the last drill of the third one, they are the best for training. Plus they're recommended by several pros. Bebob publishing sells them. Worth every cent.
 
I almost forgot how much I enjoyed ewa mayayas complete idiots guide to pool. It was hilarious and informative. 350 moves is awesome and I totally agree with 99 critical shots. You can just periodically flip through it, glance at the shot and keep it fresh in your head so that you will remember it when it comes up. Thanks for all the input. I think I might pickup "modern pool"
 
chunchin said:
I have all of Byrne's and Capelle's books but
my favorite pool book is "the 99 critical shots in pool" by Ray Martin.
It is a very basic and small book. Once in a while when I was bored and my game is bad,
I will look through it and relearn the basics again. It is very helpful.
Click to expand...
I had a first edition of Ray's book that he autographed for me. Loaned it to a friend about 6 or 7 years ago...............you know how the story ends.

Went and bought a new copy in 2003. Still my favorite.:D

I met Capelle at Boston Billiards once and he autographed his book for me, I still have that one. I have a few of the Bryne's books also.

And some old Books by Mosconi and Jimmy Caras.

I will try and remember to take some pictures and post them.:)
 
acedotcom said:
I like Byrnes' books, though I could do with less 3-cushion billiards, and Ray Martin's 99 Critical Shots, though I don't need all that straight pool advice, and Phil Capelle's excellent Play Your Best Pool; but my favorite, for sentimental reasons, is Mosconi's little red book Willie Mosconi on Pocket Billiards. It was the book I learned by. :D
Click to expand...

It's funny how as many tapes, books, etc. I own, yet I somehow return to 99 Critical Shots. The book, front to back, just shows enough how to get it done, without any unnecessary fluff.
 
You say you're into to all games.

You might try Eddie Robin's two books on one pocket, "Winning One-Pocket" and "Shots, Moves and Stategies".

They are pretty hard to find but definetely worth a peek.

One suggestion: Move out one of those beds and put in a pool table.
 
Winning One Pocket is my favorite with Shots Moves and Strategies and then Byrne's Standard Book of Pool and Billiards.


Speaking of the 99 critical shots book, a friend from our local pool hall told me a funny story once. Ray Martin is in a tournament match and it comes down to hill hill and Martin gets the spot shot with BIH behind the line to win (old days pre Texas Express). Martin misses the shot and a sweator in the stands yells out " THATS SHOT #100!!!"

Apparently the spot shot is not in the 99 Critical Shots book.
 
uwate said:
Winning One Pocket is my favorite with Shots Moves and Strategies and then Byrne's Standard Book of Pool and Billiards.


Speaking of the 99 critical shots book, a friend from our local pool hall told me a funny story once. Ray Martin is in a tournament match and it comes down to hill hill and Martin gets the spot shot with BIH behind the line to win (old days pre Texas Express). Martin misses the shot and a sweator in the stands yells out " THATS SHOT #100!!!"

Apparently the spot shot is not in the 99 Critical Shots book.
Click to expand...

It is in the Book. He tells you to place the Cueball on the Balkline 1/2 diamond toward the side rail from the center diamond, and aim for the center diamond on the head rail and pretend the ball is not even on the spot.:)
 
My favs are:

Pleasures of Small Motions
99 Critical Shots
Banking with the Beard
 
For straight pool Babe Cranfield's Straight Pool Bible is awesome and an easy read, while Cappelle's Play Your Best Straight Pool is more comprehensive. George Fels Advanced Pool is very good too.
 
Pretty close between the Byrne Standard Book and Babe Cranfield's Straight Pool Bible, but Byrne deserves the nod here. Not far behind these is The Science of Pocket Billiards by Jack Koehler.
 
Byrne books
 

Attachments

  • poolbooks1.JPG
    poolbooks1.JPG
    57.5 KB · Views: 194
Sure wish I had my first edition of 99.:mad:

That's what I get for being nice and loaning it out.
 

Attachments

  • poolbooks2.JPG
    poolbooks2.JPG
    57.2 KB · Views: 196
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top