New Here? - Introduce Yourself

Cornerman

Cue Author...Sometimes
Gold Member
Silver Member
Thank you. My blog link is https://www.yamazaki-shinji.com/pool/ , but older post might be wrong.

And our machine holds with relatively firm grip, because of technical limits. But I believe there is a little, or even no significant, difference between firm and softer grip. I can't discriminate them at least now.

Thank you.
There is a huge difference between a firm mechanical grip vs a compliant grip. This is a physics 201 concept, but very well known for about 25 years.

If you’d like to know more, you can ask the question on the Main forum. I and others will answer there.
 

Old Iowan

New member
Going on 71 - Haven't shot pool for over 50 years until the other day - Another thing to challenge me and keep me out of trouble!! For a living I used to consult and teach computer graphics specializing in VECTOR and 2D CNC file creation - I don't mind trying to help people out when I can!
 

PoolIsScience

New member
Hey everyone newbie here. Started playing pool at 17 then quit at 19. Started back up again 5 years ago and have been playing since. Originally from IN, now in GA. I play with some unordinary sticks. I use a PureX cue with 11.75 shaft for my wood choice, I have a Cuetec Natural Series(not the new style) that has a 11.75 Cuetec Carbon shaft and I use a Dufferin ($50 buy) for a break stick with a LePro tip that I've hardened to break with. Not a fan of jumping, I've learned the ins and outs of "seeing" angles. I'll play literally any type of game, 8 or 9 are still favorites.
I've recently adapted a new playing style that fits me better and in turn has me consistently making more balls. I despise leagues after 2 different divisions of APA. I'll be a Salotto player or tournament playing more soon.
All in all, I'm here to learn or help whoever, however I can. I love this game and love the challenges or challengers it comes with!

Thanks for having me!
 

bpeacock

Active member
Shooting pool was an important part of my teenage years through college but got away from it after marriage. I bought a table about three years ago and was excited to start back shooting but had no one to shoot with so I joined a local league. It was a good experience but really didn't like the format of APA. We recently switched to BCA and I thoroughly enjoy it. All my pool playing has been in Mississippi. I have an 8ft Brunswick at home and I shoot with a McDermott G225. I am currently using the Check Billiards App to structure my training.
 

wizard77

New member
Hello all. Only played occasionally, in bars mainly, until a handful of years ago until I was asked to play in a pool league at my current favorite watering spot. Found right away I was in way over my head with these "league players" and suffered beating after beating for a couple seasons, then had a very bad accident that kept me disabled totally for nearly 3 years. This year I began taking this addiction more seriously, determined to at least get the matches competitive and start winning my share, it's going pretty well actually, but with most skill hobbies there is a learning curve, and my joining here is part of that effort to improve, along with the books, videos, lessons and coaching.
 

George the Greek

Well-known member
Hello all. Only played occasionally, in bars mainly, until a handful of years ago until I was asked to play in a pool league at my current favorite watering spot. Found right away I was in way over my head with these "league players" and suffered beating after beating for a couple seasons, then had a very bad accident that kept me disabled totally for nearly 3 years. This year I began taking this addiction more seriously, determined to at least get the matches competitive and start winning my share, it's going pretty well actually, but with most skill hobbies there is a learning curve, and my joining here is part of that effort to improve, along with the books, videos, lessons and coaching.
Taking lessons with someone knowledgeable is a good thing and watching some of the streams with the top players will help. Another nice exercise is put the 15 balls on the table loose everywhere and try and pot 14 and play shape on the last ball. Then put the other balls back up loosely and continue to the last ball again. This will help with position and getting used to potting balls repetively
 

Prfxshn

New member
Long time lurker, but finally joined. Played growing up and represented my University in the old ACU-I tournaments for 5 years (including grad school) back in the mid-late 90s (had the pleasure of losing to Max Eberle during his run at his 2nd ACU title). I think a couple of my trick shot videos are some of the first ones ever uploaded to Youtube. I didn't appreciate it back then but I was fortunate to have known and met several of "names" in the game. I didn't know until he was moving out, but Grady Matthews lived just down the street from my parents house for several years outside Columbia SC... I only found out when he called me to help him dismantle his pool table because he was moving (I had a side gig as a local table mechanic). Still hate that I didn't know that sooner to try to get some time learning from him. I was also friends with a couple locals that were kind of representing (I use that term loosely) Mike Masse, Allison Fisher and Gerda H. back then... They took me to the BCA trade show in 98 where I worked the booth selling Mike Masse's trick shot videos and ended up going to Epcot with Allison and Gerda and a few others. I remember seeing a young Jeremy Jones, Rodney Morris, Johhny Archer, Coltrain, and several others I've forgotten come through our local pool room and realized pretty quick that as good as I thought I was (or could be), I was never going to be that good and better stick with school.

So, as with many pool players... a job, marriage, and kids pushed pool to the back burner and hadn't played much at all for 15+ years. I got back into it seriously about 2 years ago after buying a 9ft Diamond and using Covid downtime to take on a DIY conversion of the unfinished walk in attic in our new house into a gameroom.

The table I bought was a 9 ft Red Label Diamond with Dymondwood rails that I sent off to Diamond to have converted/re-profiled to a Blue Label. Just to show how out of the game I was... until 2 years ago, I didn't know Diamond had changed from red to blue labels, didn't know what a Fargo score was and I hadn't heard of many of the games top players like SVB, Alex P, Gorst, Shaw, etc. Now I can't get enough of watching the streamed tournaments and money matches.

I'm back at it now and I can't get enough... and I can't believe how long I was away from it and how much I missed. Trying to get back out into local and regional tourneys, but family schedules still keep me from playing much outside the home. After going 0-6 in 3 open tournaments last year, I finally showed up at a couple tournaments more recently, pulled off a few upsets and while I didn't cash in any of them, I'm no longer embarrasing myself. I'd love to play in the Derby one day and maybe even throw my money away at the US Open.
 

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Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Long time lurker, but finally joined. ... I'd love to play in the Derby one day and maybe even throw my money away at the US Open.
Welcome to AZB. Looks like you have a very nice setup.

You may want to go to International Open in Norfolk. Five or six events there, it's a very nice location, and you get to visit Q-Masters.
 

Prfxshn

New member
Welcome to AZB. Looks like you have a very nice setup.

You may want to go to International Open in Norfolk. Five or six events there, it's a very nice location, and you get to visit Q-Masters.
Hi Bob... big fan of yours BTW. It's funny you mention the Int'l. I was looking into going last year but Diamond wanted to deliver and install my rails that week. It turns out, the crew that ended up bringing my rails back to me had been in Norfolk setting up for that event. After having done plenty of table installs myself in the past, I was looking forward to seeing how the "experts" did it nowadays. Unfortunately, they didn't end up doing the actual install... there was a mix up and the simonis cloth I ordered didn't make it on the truck with my rails (no biggie... things happen). But it was going to be several weeks before they could get another installer to my area...I had waited 7 months to get the rails back already and was eager to play so they just shipped me the cloth and I finished it myself. Will defintely try to make it to Norfolk this year.
 

bpeacock

Active member
Long time lurker, but finally joined. Played growing up and represented my University in the old ACU-I tournaments for 5 years (including grad school) back in the mid-late 90s (had the pleasure of losing to Max Eberle during his run at his 2nd ACU title). I think a couple of my trick shot videos are some of the first ones ever uploaded to Youtube. I didn't appreciate it back then but I was fortunate to have known and met several of "names" in the game. I didn't know until he was moving out, but Grady Matthews lived just down the street from my parents house for several years outside Columbia SC... I only found out when he called me to help him dismantle his pool table because he was moving (I had a side gig as a local table mechanic). Still hate that I didn't know that sooner to try to get some time learning from him. I was also friends with a couple locals that were kind of representing (I use that term loosely) Mike Masse, Allison Fisher and Gerda H. back then... They took me to the BCA trade show in 98 where I worked the booth selling Mike Masse's trick shot videos and ended up going to Epcot with Allison and Gerda and a few others. I remember seeing a young Jeremy Jones, Rodney Morris, Johhny Archer, Coltrain, and several others I've forgotten come through our local pool room and realized pretty quick that as good as I thought I was (or could be), I was never going to be that good and better stick with school.

So, as with many pool players... a job, marriage, and kids pushed pool to the back burner and hadn't played much at all for 15+ years. I got back into it seriously about 2 years ago after buying a 9ft Diamond and using Covid downtime to take on a DIY conversion of the unfinished walk in attic in our new house into a gameroom.

The table I bought was a 9 ft Red Label Diamond with Dymondwood rails that I sent off to Diamond to have converted/re-profiled to a Blue Label. Just to show how out of the game I was... until 2 years ago, I didn't know Diamond had changed from red to blue labels, didn't know what a Fargo score was and I hadn't heard of many of the games top players like SVB, Alex P, Gorst, Shaw, etc. Now I can't get enough of watching the streamed tournaments and money matches.

I'm back at it now and I can't get enough... and I can't believe how long I was away from it and how much I missed. Trying to get back out into local and regional tourneys, but family schedules still keep me from playing much outside the home. After going 0-6 in 3 open tournaments last year, I finally showed up at a couple tournaments more recently, pulled off a few upsets and while I didn't cash in any of them, I'm no longer embarrasing myself. I'd love to play in the Derby one day and maybe even throw my money away at the US Open.
Well done on the gameroom! I think it is good for training to have a dedicated room.
 

Seoul Destroyer

New member
Hey everyone, from London, UK.

Played cue sports for 40 years but still utterly inconsistent and can make the unmissable...missable 🙈

Used this forum as a lurker for a while but thought I had better sign up at long last. Had loads of great information that I've gleaned from here, so a huge thanks to everyone that's ever contributed.

I help run weekly tournaments in London too, so if ever anyone is in London, give me a holler and play pool with some of London's Finest Pool players.

Thanks for having me too.
 

klikr

Member
Hello fellow Billiards afficionados,

greetings from Germany. I'm in my early fifties, returning to Pool after a break of some 28 years for studies, family... - you probably know the story. Sometimes feels a bit like starting from scratch, but with a constant hint of "you're already able to do this" in the back of my mind - confusing :D

For starters I bought a JOSS 10-07 and put a Molavia tip on it, and I love it. The queue reminds me of my Pool times in the nineties, when I also had a JOSS, which was "my precious" back then. For convenience, I also bought a J/B from the "Classic" brand (JB-1). Still got to get used to that, especially jumping, though.

I wish you all "Gut' Stoss", as we say here.
 

TLDamian

New member
Just dropping in to say hello as a new member. Picking up the game again after a 20 year break. I'm in Tulsa, Ok and used to play in Billiard Palace on 21st and Memorial and stop into Magoo's once in a blue moon. Since I work from home, I convinced my loving wife to allow me to put a 7ft table in the living room and play during lunch and an hour after work wraps up.

Currently my playing cue is a Shurtz 00, and I have a 70's Joss West that saw lots of bar play back in the days and has the beauty marks to show for it. I'll probably make a thread for it at a later time just to get a feel of what it may be worth.

I look forward to chatting with you all. ☮️
 

Angus

Member
Hello AZB,
New member from Central/Eastern KY
Starting back shooting again after a 20 year break, due do taking over 2 family businesses when my father got cancer. When I met my wife she ran one of the local pool rooms and I lived in there for YEARS. Just had a new table delivered this week and excited to get back into it again. All sparked from finding two McDermott c series and a Huebler sneaky hidden in a closet at my moms since about 2000. Excited to be back at it again.
 
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