Instructional Material

[bud green]

Awesome having you here, Deno.

My question is what instructional materials would you recommend?

I have Byrne's books, Eddie Robins Positional Play, Ceulemans, Billiard
Atlas I & II, and a German book ( I can't remember the authors name but its a very well made book; no translation though.)

Are there other quality books you would recommend? I haven't seen it but I heard Sid Banner has a new book out. I think what I'm looking for is a European book with an English translation on modern training techniques that the European pros use to learn or instruct pupils with.

I have a copy of an old World of Billiards magazine that Roberto Arana published but I haven't seen anything else like it, especially with current info.

Since I'm asking about books, do you know where I might find a copy of Lion and the Lambs about the old pool hustlers. I just want to read it, I can't afford to buy a 1st edition for hundreds of dollars.

Thanks... oh yeah, I watched your tape on fixing tips and maintaining equipment and it was excellent. Sorry for all the questions but I know your an excellent source of info.

 

[Deno J. Andrews]

Hi Bud,

That video is very old...please throw it away...FAST!

Arana's magazine was going to be really cool, but right after he started it he got hit with the big Hurricane and lost pretty much everything. He never really had the energy to get it back up and running. Too bad.

You already have all the books you will need. The only exception is Caudron's new book (which is in French though), which is outstanding, and costs about $90. If you have a well made book in German, you probably have Weingartner's book. It is excellent!

Sid's book is probably going to be interesting if you are into tons of different systems. I am not. Although, I did order a copy of his book from his web site 5 weeks ago, and have yet to receive it...so I can't really comment any further on it.

As far as learning goes, I would seriously steer you to the ACCU-Stats tapes. There you can see the shot selection of the best players, and hear some pretty good commentary (I did a few that were ok). From there, you want to chart the shots that you see on the tapes, take your charts to the table, and try to reproduce the shots. Be sure to be accurate in your charting because the shot differences can be subtle. Remember, you can only really learn how to play on the table. Books are great, but the shots look different on paper than they do on the table...and so much of making the shots is being in stroke for them and knowing the subtleties of the table, balls, and your cue. If you really want to improve quickly, I suggest playing some straight rail and looking in Daly's Billiard Book to get you started. You can buy a later printing (though you probably already have one) for about $10. Straight rail will help your aiming technique because it demands good mechanics. I usually play about 20 minutes of straight rail before starting my 3 cushion practice.

Lions and the Lambs is going to be a tough one to come across. I have a first ed. that is virtually brand new. I don't know if there were later printings, or how many there were, but I have had my eye out for a reading copy for a couple years and have yet to come across one. I have read my copy, but very carefully.

Deno Andrews

 

[Bob Jewett]

> and a German book ( I can't remember the authors name but
> its a very well made book; no translation though.)

If it has color pictures from a high-speed video, it could be Andreas Efler's new book. He has a Spanish translation in progress and he may do an English version. See http://www.bskunion.at/efler.htm

The Caudron book that Deno mentioned is available in both German and French so it might be the one you have. Stephane Nole has done a very nice book with Richard Bitalis called (roughly) "3 Cushions and More." Both are available on the French site

http://www.kozoom.com/

-- look under the Boutique/Livres menu pick on the left. The Nole book is illustrated well enough that you don't need much French to understand what he's saying.

Also available on that site are some amazing DVD videos. The one on the 2003 World 18.2 Championship (they call it 47/2) is a must have for any carom fanatic. Caudron wins the tournament, and helps with the commentary on the semi-final he played in and the final. The commentary is in English (or French, if you prefer). You already know who wins. Caudron's opponents don't get to shoot much.

Another DVD on Kozoom shows Jean Reverchon shooting all 100 of the shots of the Artistic Billiard competition, again with English explanations available.

The site also has a 2-DVD set of instruction from Caudron, but I haven't gotten around to viewing my copy yet, so I don't know if it has an English sound track available. The Kozoom DVDs should play in any high-end DVD player or in any recent computer. Go now to Kozoom and buy something.

> I have a copy of an old World of Billiards magazine that Roberto
> Arana published but I haven't seen anything else like it, especially
> with current info.

World Report 3-Cushion is the best way to keep up with 3-C developments, but it has no instruction. It is published in The Netherlands in English.

> do you know where I might find a copy of Lion and the Lambs
> about the old pool hustlers. I just want to read it, I can't afford
> to buy a 1st edition for hundreds of dollars.

Hundreds of dollars is a rip-off unless it's in mint condition. There was only one edition. They go by relatively frequently on eBay. Here are final prices for the ones I've seen there:

$72 Feb 00
$55 Mar 00
$47 May 00
$62 Jan 02
$103 Sep 03
$59 May 04

 

[candyman]

Forgive me for my ignorance, for I really do not know much about 3 cushion billiards. So I need to ask what is straight rail and how do you do it. My common sense tells me that you are rolling the ball straight down the rail, to achieve a straight stroke. Thanks in advance for the input. C-Man

 

[Deno J. Andrews]

Forgive me for my ignorance, for I really do not know much about 3 cushion billiards. So I need to ask what is straight rail and how do you do it. My common sense tells me that you are rolling the ball straight down the rail, to achieve a straight stroke. Thanks in advance for the input. C-Man

Straight rail is a game played on a carom table. Where in 3-cushion your cue ball must hit both other balls and three or more cushions (before touching the second ball), in straight rail, your cue ball needs only to touch the other two balls. There is no rail requirement. It sounds easy, and in theory it is...but the best players can run in the hundreds and even thousands without missing (not every time of course).
Deno

 

[candyman]

Thanks Deno, for the reply, and it is very nice to read your comments and replies on this forum. Like I said I don't know much about 3-cushion or carom billiards, but I think I will read up on it. I don't know if anyone in my area even plays, but I will do some research and find out. Again thanks for the clarification. C-Man

 

[Bob Jewett]

Forgive me for my ignorance, for I really do not know much about 3 cushion billiards. So I need to ask what is straight rail and how do you do it. ... C-Man

For some really neat demo animations of the simple caroms go to Jim Loy's pool and billiard page. For example, http://www.jimloy.com/billiard/rail.htm shows a simple way to hit the two balls (which is all that's required in straight rail) and return to the same position a little further down the rail. He has a couple of other repeating (or nearly repeating) shots there too -- see http://www.jimloy.com/billiard/billiard.htm

 

[bud green]

Thanks Deno (and Bob J.) for your responses.

I have a ton of Accu-Stats videos. My favorites though are the ones with Blomdahl or Sayginer doing the commentary; they see the game with greater depth and this is the kind of instructional stuff I'm looking for. There are only so many with these guys though.

I have at least one tape with you doing commentary Deno and you did a very good job. Accu-Stat tapes are excellent but sometimes you wish they were player review tapes (imagine if you had a tape of Sang Lee where he talks about what he was thinking before he shot,etc..). A lot of times Byrne will be oohing and awwing and Shamos will be calculating the average every shot and you wish a touring pro was commenting instead.

>Go now to the Kozoom site and buy something ---Bob J.

I still need to get my copy of Freddie Bentivegnas' new banking book from onepocket.org , but after that it looks like my credit card might set off the smoke detector if I see all that Caudron stuff and the artistic shots dvd on Kozoom.

Thanks again.

 

[Bob Jewett]

...
The site also has a 2-DVD set of instruction from Caudron, but I haven't gotten around to viewing my copy yet, so I don't know if it has an English sound track available. The Kozoom DVDs should play in any high-end DVD player or in any recent computer. Go now to Kozoom and buy something.
...

I watched the first DVD of this set this morning for breakfast, and WOW! If you play carom billiards or want to learn about carom billiards, this is something you have to get. (Even before books about banking pool balls -- sorry Freddy.)

The audio is in English, French and Dutch. Particularly interesting is Caudron's story of how he learned to become a great player and his attitude. On the first DVD, he explains straight rail and 18.2 (47/2) balkline, going through a detailed explanation of long runs at each. The runs are not perfect, in that there are times when he has to recover position, and this lets you see what to do when you get into a little trouble. I'm looking forward to Volume 2.

Buy this one first.

 

[Bob Jewett]

I watched the first DVD of this set this morning for breakfast, and WOW! If you play carom billiards or want to learn about carom billiards, this is something you have to get. (Even before books about banking pool balls -- sorry Freddy.)
...
Buy this one first.

Yup. This should be your next billiard instructional purchase. Volume II includes 28.2 (71/2) balkline, 18.1 (47/1) balkline, cushion caroms and 3-cushion. You will learn what it means to control the balls. In the 3-cushion section, he shows a run of easy shots with playing for position, then he shows how to get out of difficult situations that your opponent might leave you in when he plays safe.

 

[demonrho]

...The site also has a 2-DVD set of instruction from Caudron...

Bob,
Is that DVD set the one titled "Le Virtuose du Billard" ?

 

[Bob Jewett]

Bob,
Is that DVD set the one titled "Le Virtuose du Billard" ?

That's the one. Don't be put off by the French title -- there is also a good English audio track. I think this DVD set is a must-have not only for carom players but for anyone interested in cue sports. Maybe not to own, but I think they need to see it at least once to understand what's possible. Beginners will need to see it a second time after they understand how hard the techniques are.

 

[demonrho]

... I think this DVD set is a must-have not only for carom players but for anyone interested in cue sports...

I don't read French but I can sort of decipher a little of it. The cost plus overseas shipping seems to be around $100 (83.12 Euros) Does the checkout automatically go to a credit card like Mastercard that will make the exchange? And is the checkout process intuitively self explanatory? I take it "mot de passe" is password but why do you need it?