8-ball game is one of the most popular pool games in N.A., I wonder there are few books for this great game. Anyway, which one is your favorite and why?
Last edited:
Your Favorite Book for 8-Ball
- Thread starter Calgaryplayer
- Start date
THE ART OF 8 BALL by Jimmy Reid, not a book, I know, but a great DVD.
All about 8-Ball from Capelle, George Fels are super- and from Ray Martin *99 critical shots in pool* should help you a lot on eight-ball.
further 8-ball depends much on experience- next to those books play 8-ball against very good players as often as you can- 8-ball can get you very long at the table, if you re playin well
and on the other side it s very much about strategy (and so...you need experience)!
further 8-ball depends much on experience- next to those books play 8-ball against very good players as often as you can- 8-ball can get you very long at the table, if you re playin well
and on the other side it s very much about strategy (and so...you need experience)!
The Eight Ball Bible
Randi Given's Eight Ball Bible by a wide margin IMHO.
Beard
I have it available on my website and it is a big seller.
Randi Given's Eight Ball Bible by a wide margin IMHO.
Beard
I have it available on my website and it is a big seller.
Stylez777
New member
I have read Randy Givens "8-ball Bible" and "Play your best 8-ball" by Cappelle and I like both books equally. There were things I have learned from both books and incorporated strategies from both books.
One thing I want to mention is that the "8-ball Bible" was written for bar box play and a lot of the book and diagrams in the book take into account your shooting with a heavier cueball. Now this is not a bad thing at all but if you shoot on a bar box with a standard cueball (which in my league we do) you have to adjust certain things and if you play on a 9 foot table you'd have to adjust certain strategies also. No big deal really just wanted to mention it.
One thing I want to stress (and REALLY REALLY want to stress this to any avg league player wanting to improve their game and skill level) in the "8-ball bible" the section on safety play alone and cluster breaking is WELL worth the price you pay for the book!!! learning how to see and plan safeties in advance is so vital in bar box 8-ball and SO many avg players ignore this part of the game, I couldn't see until after I read this book how many games I lost because I didn't know how to play a safety or didn't plan ahead to play one when needed or the reverse how my opponent played me safe to death and how I played right into his hands and I had lost the game before it even begun!
In conclusion (finally! lol sorry) I'd buy both books, you'll spend $50 and it will be a worth while investment!
One thing I want to mention is that the "8-ball Bible" was written for bar box play and a lot of the book and diagrams in the book take into account your shooting with a heavier cueball. Now this is not a bad thing at all but if you shoot on a bar box with a standard cueball (which in my league we do) you have to adjust certain things and if you play on a 9 foot table you'd have to adjust certain strategies also. No big deal really just wanted to mention it.
One thing I want to stress (and REALLY REALLY want to stress this to any avg league player wanting to improve their game and skill level) in the "8-ball bible" the section on safety play alone and cluster breaking is WELL worth the price you pay for the book!!! learning how to see and plan safeties in advance is so vital in bar box 8-ball and SO many avg players ignore this part of the game, I couldn't see until after I read this book how many games I lost because I didn't know how to play a safety or didn't plan ahead to play one when needed or the reverse how my opponent played me safe to death and how I played right into his hands and I had lost the game before it even begun!
In conclusion (finally! lol sorry) I'd buy both books, you'll spend $50 and it will be a worth while investment!
I have both Capelle and Givens (thanks to the Beard!) but haven't yet read them. I'm still reading Capelle's general book on pool.
One heads up. Do NOT buy this product:
http://www.8ballsecrets.com/
You will learn NOTHING. And WASTE $20. I just did!
One heads up. Do NOT buy this product:
http://www.8ballsecrets.com/
You will learn NOTHING. And WASTE $20. I just did!
Ah jeez that sucks. Yeah that book is sort of a running joke on this site. If only you'd mentioned you were gonna buy it we'd have steered you away from it.
how BAD it is?
I have 2 of the three you list in your poll. My favorite by far is "The 8 Ball Bible" In my opinion it is much better illustrated and proof read than the works by capelle. I also agree with the poster that mentioned it was geared more twords the Bbox player. If I were only able to own one book on 8 ball play.......this would be it.
so far, I have owned "The 8-ball book" only and it provides not much about the technical skills about playing 8-ball, but the concepts of playing the game. It's the thinnest book of all three, and I enjoy to read it.
I voted for "other" and it to me to an "ask Keith Mcready" thread 
I chose other because one of the books that helped me the most was The Straight Pool Bible. Granted it doesnt talk about strategy of 8 ball. But learning to read racks, handle clusters and such while playing straight pool definately helped my 8 ball game.
I chose other because one of the books that helped me the most was The Straight Pool Bible. Granted it doesnt talk about strategy of 8 ball. But learning to read racks, handle clusters and such while playing straight pool definately helped my 8 ball game.
I'd focus on the plethora of 14.1 books that talk about pattern play and going into balls etc. The situations that come up once in awhile in 8 ball happen ever rack in straight pool. I've always played 14.1 to warm up for an 8 ball event.
Play Your Best 8 Ball is awesome! I swear by it. Play Your Best Pool also has a big section on 8 ball that I love as well! Both books courtesy of Phil Capelle.
any good 8-ball books recommended?
I'm reading "A Mind For Pool" by Capelle right now, and half way through it, I have found no less than a dozen spelling and grammatical errors. And I mean super obvious stuff. Stuff that makes a guy who scored in the 99th percentile in reading and writing (me) want to jab his eyes out with a pen every single time.
The next book I buy will be "The 8 Ball Bible." I continually hear nothing but great things about it.
I'm currently reading Capelle's "Play Your Best Pool". So far finding it excellent, but it also contains quite many obvious typos, grammar errors etc. Worst is the old favorite "it's" instead of "its". How often do we see this, generally??
It seems the author does not care to have someone check his work, or indeed check it himself. Not forgiveable in these days of electronic spellcheckers and professional proofreaders. The publisher and/or editor (if there is one
is equally at fault.
The spelling and grammer didn't bother me all that much. What irked the hell out of me was reading the description of a shot and being refered to an illustration that depicted a different layout entirely. Very frustrating and confusing and completely avoidable even for a half assed proof reader.
I also feel the inclusion of a cueball diagram showing precisely where to strike, puts 8 Ball Bible in the winners circle. It is a small matter, but having an illustration that gives a visual reference to a descriptive phrase.....ie 1 1/2 tips...right.......1/2 tip follow....etc...etc....helps the novice better understand.....IMHO
I'm currently reading Capelle's "Play Your Best Pool". So far finding it excellent, but it also contains quite many obvious typos, grammar errors etc. Worst is the old favorite "it's" instead of "its". How often do we see this, generally??
It seems the author does not care to have someone check his work, or indeed check it himself. Not forgiveable in these days of electronic spellcheckers and professional proofreaders. The publisher and/or editor (if there is one
your spelling and grammar aren't so fabulous in your post either buddy! :shakehead: