Top 3 instructional books and videos.

[acedotcom]

1. Play Your Best Pool - Phil Capelle
2. Byrne's Standard Book of Pool & Billiards
3. Mosconi on Pocket Billiards (sentimental favorite)
4. The 99 Critical Shots in Pool - Ray Martin

 

[Billy_Bob]

So far as starting out playing pool...

1st is the Billiard Sanctuary Academy of the Cueing Arts DVD's which go into extreme detail about stroke. Expensive, but you get what you pay for.
http://www.billiardsanctuary.com

2nd is Dr. Dave's DVD. This teaches you how to avoid scratching or get position using the 30 and 90 degree rules. Also follow, stop, draw, etc. The *fundamentals* of shot making. How you can get the cue ball to do what you want after pocketing that ball. How to tell where the cue ball will go after pocketing a ball.
http://www.engr.colostate.edu/~dga/pool/cd_dvd/dvd_description.html

3rd is Jimmy Reid's Art of 8 Ball DVD. This video takes you through entire runouts. He tells you what he is doing and why. You learn what you SHOULD be trying to do. Also he makes mistakes and this is not edited from the video. He then explains what he is doing to deal with the mistake (safety or whatever).
http://www.freepoollessons.com/video/DVDsindex.html

 

[PKM]

2nd is Dr. Dave's DVD. This teaches you how to avoid scratching or get position using the 30 and 90 degree rules. Also follow, stop, draw, etc. The *fundamentals* of shot making. How you can get the cue ball to do what you want after pocketing that ball. How to tell where the cue ball will go after pocketing a ball.
http://www.engr.colostate.edu/~dga/pool/cd_dvd/dvd_description.html

You're probably better off buying Dr. Dave's book, all of the videos on the DVD are available for free on his website. They're a good supplement to the book, and the book provides a lot of good material that won't be on the DVD.

Link to book:
http://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-Principles-Pool-Billiards/dp/1402714289/sr=8-2/qid=1170860441/ref=sr_1_2/105-9710086-5206847?ie=UTF8&s=books

Edit: I should add, as you're probably aware by looking at it, the book goes from fairly elementary to intermediate concepts. His semi-technical approach is a good supplement to other books, and the illustrations are well done.

 

[dmgwalsh]

I like Ralph Eckert's book, too. I've been practicing his standard shots a few times each week. I keep shooting until I can make the shot at least 3 times in a row. I've got his video but it's in German. I just watch it a little with the sound off. Thorsten Hohmann demonstrates some of the drills for him.

For 14.1 lovers, Phil Capelle's play your best straight pool is a must.

For the third book, I'm not sure. I like Pleasures of Small motions, anything by George Fels or Robert Byrne.

 

[Island Drive]

Johnny Holidays, position play for High Runs. Its geared towards 14.1 but that game should be learned to play great 8-ball and learn about going into balls and clusters. This book also shows you how to get the cue ball around and back down table which in 9-ball is extremely important.

 

[Moorespeedr]

Sure this is an old thread, but it is just what I was trying to find. A buddy linked me to this site and to this thread, and it has certainly been a huge help for me.
Thanks to those who posted in this thread. I ordered some of these books before I ever finished reading the thread.

 

[mattman]

Tough to answer because different books help in different parts of your game.

For beginners,
Byrne's Standard Book of Pool
Byrne's Advanced Book of Pool
99 Critical Shots of Pool

My current reads,
Pleasures of Small Motions
8-Ball Bible by R. Givens
Play Your Best Eight Ball by Phil Capelle

If you play 8-Ball in a league, those last two books will TOTALLY change the way you think when playing the game of 8-Ball.

 

[CrownCityCorey]

Obviously this will be a matter of opinions, but to those who have read many different instructional books and have viewed many different instructional videos, give me your opinions on the "Top 3" of both that address most/all aspects of the game. I'm sure I'll have more specific related (ie: banks/caroms/kicks/breaks/etc) materials in the future, but for now I want the ones that cover a wider range of topics.

I'm in the midst of turning my garage into my "pool room" as I'm finally going to own my own table and would love to have your opinions on what books/videos are top notch and are must have's. Thanks.

Trevor.

I have personally yet to see an instructional video or book (I have seen many) that came even close to the knowledge possesed by the following.


Videos:
"The Color of Money" Efren vs. Earl Race to 120
Accu-Stats 1992 US Open 14.1 ChampionshipsMike Sigel (150 & out) vs. Mike Zuglan
Accu-Stats 2006 Derby City Classic One Pocket: Reyes/Pagulayan (Semi's) & Reyes/Miller * (Finals) (DVD)

Books:

"Golf is not a game of perfect" by Bob Rotella
"Mosconi on Pocket Billiards" by Willie Mosconi
"Don't Sweat the Small Stuff--and it's all small stuff" by Richard Carlson, PhD.

 

[Str8PoolPlayer]

I 2nd this recommendation ...

"99 Critical Shot of Pool" by Ray Martin. I like Byrne but this one book has more instructional value than any other in my humble opinion.

A great book for beginners & intermediate players ... and also a "wake-up call" for those of us who think we have it all memorized, but really need to take a refresher course once in a while ...