Customer Reviews (2)

You get what you pay for
This small sequel to the Billiards for Beginners volume is really more for intermediate players.While a book like Byrned's Advanced or Play Your Best Pool will teach you a lot more, there are a handful of gems in here.My rule of thumb: Get every pool book you can find, because you'll learn at least one thing from each of them that the other authors forgot to write about.(This is especially true if you re-read them, more than once - you won't absorb every detail in every book the first time through.Absorb what you can, play for 6 months, and start re-reading; repeat).Anyway, yes, this book doesn't get very in-depth about anything (what do you expect for such a small publication?)But it's cheap.And at roughly the price of one (good) beer, how can you lose?

Don't waste your money!!!
This was certainly one of the worst pool books I have ever read.I bought this book because it was supposed to be for advanced players.There was absolutely nothing in this book that I didn't already know.And I am certainly not advanced enough to know everything about pool.It is more a book of fundamentals than anything else.The book by George Fels was 100 times better.I would definately not recommend this book ... Read more

Book Description


Astonishing answers to unspoken questions revealed!

One of the reasons the author wrote this book is because of the failure of other pool writers to go deeper in explaining things happening on top of the pool table. Years of regular issues of pool magazines and the emergence of pool instructors in countries where the game is popular, yet it took the publication of this book to advance the knowledge in pocket billiards. This book is also an excellent guide for pool instructors, players of any level, pool stick and cue tip makers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A comprehensive discussion of3 cushion and carom billiards
Of the dozens of books and videos I have read and viewed, there is no better discussion on the mathematics and subsequent use of the diamonds. Very few authors even touch on this subject. Mr. Hoppe also explains in detail the use of caroms, english and how to determine the path of cue and object balls after they make contact with each other. All guess work is removed because Mr. Hoppe uses scientific principles in his discussion of this grand old game.

On another note, I found this book in a small bookstore in a small town fifteen or more years ago. I lost this book ten years ago and have not been able to find it anywhere. I now know that it is out of print.

A classic by one of the greatest billiard players ever.
Willie Hoppe provides you with everything needed by dedicated person to become competitive in 3-cushion billiards play. He begins his book with the proper selection of a cue stick for playing billiards, then for thirty pages of text, detailed diagrams, and clear photographs, takes you through the fundamentals (stance, balance point of the cue, bridge, cueing the ball, stroke, english, and speed). The next twenty pages introduce you to the carom (natural, follow, and draw) and the use of the rails in cushion caroms and straight rail billiards. The second half of the book is dedicated to the game of 3-cushion billiards. In it Mr. Hoppe outlines the key shots of the game, misunderstood shots, and finally the science of the game. He discusses why english curves the path of the ball, the effect of the nap of the cloth on the table, the effective size of the target, long and short rolls, and the various diamond systems. His explanation of these systems alone is worth the price of the book. It is complete, detailed, and, most important, clear. In all, this book is exceptionally dense with information. Even after twenty years of use, each time I come back to this book, I gain a greater understanding of the game. It combines clarity of description with 95 well though out diagrams and thirty-seven black and white photographs. All in all, it is one of the best explanations of the royal game to ever have been published. Players of all levels of experience and skill will find something of value, and most will find enough to keep them learning and improving their game for many years. If you have the dedication of purpose to work your way through his approach to learning billiards, you too can become a Player (with a capital "P") using this book alone. As Willie Hoppe says in his forward to this book "You or anyone else who reads these instructions can become a good billiard player beyond the shadow of a doubt -- if you follow them." I agree, and I think you will too. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Highly informative!!
Great book full of valuable information.Only hope there is an updated version in the works!! ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Entertaining, informative and at times useful, too
Highly entertaining, and informative to boot, with plenty of tips you can use in your game.Anyone who already has Byrnes Standard Book of Pool and Byrne's Advanced should also get this, and his Treasury of Trick Shots book, as all four volumes regularly refer to (useful) information in eachother.While this is MOSTLY a fun book about colorful characters, billiards history, tricks shots, and amusing stories, your casual, league and even tournament play can learn a few good pointers from the materials herein.

Byrnes another treasure
It's fun, informative and useful. I have several Byrne books and videos and I review them once in a while. I hesitated buying this in fear it was merely a revamping of old material. I found it used...and bought it anyway; I was so wrong, it's totally new and fresh and a great addition to my library. Byrne comes thru once again and shows why he's been inducted into the BCA hall of Fame.

A great piece of literature and "how to" book
Originally after I read Byrne's "Skyscraper" novel I thought he had absolutely no talent in placing words together, placing him in the moronic catagory, as well as a complete bore!But he swings and connects with this work! Bravo! ... Read more

Book Description

The secrets of billiards--taught by two of its greatest players

Pool legend Steve Mizerak has teamed up with Ewa Mataya Laurance, the "Striking Viking," to write A Quick-Start Guide to Pocket Billiards, an essential resource for players of all levels to learn the skills required to attain proficiency at the game and then take their games to the next level.

In clear, step-by-step instructions and friendly language, it teaches readers how to:

Customer Reviews (1)

Great biography of a billiard champion
I hope this book will be reprinted soon.This book was written when Willie Hoppe was in his late 30's.In the book Hoppe describes his rise to the top of the billiard world.What I like the most about this book arethe vivid descriptions of billiard players Hoppe encountered in his carreerand the matches between them.If you are a billiard player, you'll lovethis book. ... Read more

Book Description
The Pro Book broke the mold for books on pool.Now...there's The Advanced Pro Book!

Seven years of additional research from the author of The Pro Book, widely considered the most advanced training resource in pool. This new book covers five major areas of strategy and training techniques for the serious pool player:

1. Honing Your Technique

This section outlines the distinctions and self-knowledge that can take a players technique all the way to a professional level.

2. Mastering the Shot Routine

This section is an in-depth examination of the Shot Routine so that a player can design and refine his or her's to perfectly express themselves.It shows how to take advantage of one's own unique body type.

3. Mastering Advanced Tools

This section covers all the shots of advanced execution, including advanced shots, safeties, kicks, banks, the break shot, and the specialty shots.They are outlined in a structure for practicing them.The concepts behind them are fully explained.

The sections on Kicking and Banking Maps are exceptional and clearly demonstrate why excellent players kick and bank so well.They know the shots!

The sections on Pro Shots and Pro Safeties extends the high-performance Reference Training part of The Pro Book into more complex and creative uses.

4. Getting Your Game Out

Everybody can play great on a practice table.This section reveals the secrets that top players use to get their best game out and into a match.It shows how to train mentally and physically to master this extremely important part of the game.

5. Match Strategy.

This section breaks the competitive match and game into front, mid, and end scenarios and outlines the different strategies for maximizing position, control and power in each.Sometimes it's as easy as proper shot selection!

The Advanced Pro Book is designed for you to:

Train to execute advanced shots, position play, defensive play, banks and kicks.

Learn to get your best game out when you need it! Keep your focus under pressure!

Discover advanced strategies for the front, mid, and end games. Learn to take control!

Hone your technique to a master's edge by using your own natural coordination!

Increase your consistency by incorporating personal alignment, stroke and rhythm.

Master the shot routine, visualization, timing, and flow. Discover what is natural for you! ... Read more

Book Description
This book covers one of the most exciting but most difficult topics in the modern theory of dynamical systems: chaotic billiards. In physics, billiard models describe various mechanical processes, molecular dynamics, and optical phenomena.

The theory of chaotic billiards has made remarkable progress in the past thirty-five years, but it remains notoriously difficult for the beginner, with main results scattered in hardly accessible research articles. This is the first and so far only book that covers all the fundamental facts about chaotic billiards in a complete and systematic manner. The book contains all the necessary definitions, full proofs of all the main theorems, and many examples and illustrations that help the reader to understand the material. Hundreds of carefully designed exercises allow the reader not only to become familiar with chaotic billiards but to master the subject.

The book addresses graduate students and young researchers in physics and mathematics. Prerequisites include standard graduate courses in measure theory, probability, Riemannian geometry, topology, and complex analysis. Some of this material is summarized in the appendices to the book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

complicated dynamics
The basic idea is easy enough. In classical physics, imagine hard spheres indulging in specular reflections off each other and off some confining walls. Then add in some source of chaotic behaviour. The result is some quite complicated dynamics. Where Lyapunov exponents might arise in trying to characterise these trajectories. Unstable manifolds arise. The book goes into their ergodic and statistical properties. The authors report some quite elegant conclusions. As well as applications in various fields.

Maybe the best value of the book is how it centralises results scattered over many research journals and many years. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Most Excellent
This book is the most excellent book for beginners to advanced players.Jack is an incredible teacher, coach, tournament director and pool shooter and his techniques and tips are crucial to the mastery of the game of pocket billiards. This book is a must have.To my long-lost friend who borrowed my copy of it ~> Please return it as I miss it dearly.Thanks.

P.S. - The only other book that I could not live without was "The Science of Pocket Billiards" by Jack H. Koehler

Get this if you can!
This is the absolute greatest book ever written on the subject pocket billiards by one of the most knowledgable players to have ever played the game.The book is written in much the same manner as Jack's clinic's and his one-on-one instruction is styled.This book will give you a great understanding of the mental, basics and andvanced techniques of the game.The story of Azul and the section on Jack's Magic Silver Spot will dramatically improve your mental game as well as the technical aspects of your game.Learning to 'control the rock' and how many bands to use will easily move your game to the next level.This book is a MUST read for any player, beginner to advanced. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Fantastic reference work, and very entertaining
There is only one billiards encyclopedia in the world better than this one (and it costs upwards of [$$]!)This is a *great* reference on the terminology, history, and facts of pool, billiards, snooker and other cuesports, written by the curator of the Billiard Archive (i.e., he knows what he's talking about.)I can't recommend this enough.The trade paperback version is more affordable than the hardback, but I'm really happy to have the hardback version. ... Read more

Book Description
Few players have left a more indelible mark upon a sport than the late Willie Mosconi. For nearly half a century, Mosconi dominated the game of pocket billiards, winning the coveted World Title fifteen times from 1940 to 1957 and pocketing a string of records along the way. His unparalled skill with the cue humbled opponents and astounded audiences worldwide.

In this timeless classic, Mosconi shares his expert advice on every facet of the game, from the essential fundamentals to more complex trick shots. Detailed diagrams and step-by-step illustrations guide beginners and advanced players alike through such basics as the selection of the cue; the proper grip, stance, and bridge; the stroke and follow-through; cueing the ball; and hitting the object ball. Players of any level can improve their game by following Mosconi's invaluable instruction on the finer points of combination and kiss shots, the proper application of English, and the speed of stroke. A section of practice drills encourages players to develop their skills toward mastery.

Mosconi was also renowned for making seemingly impossible shots with confidence and ease. Through diagrammed explanations, he reveals the secrets behind such shots as the "Machine Gun," the "Football Shot," the "Handkerchief Shot," "Jump the Rack," the "Railroad Shot," and more. With a bit of practice and patience, any player can play like the indomitable Willie Mosconi.

Includes a glossary of terms and official rules ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good book for beginner, not much info for moderat to expert
The book is well written and easy to read.The instruction is well presented so the novice can uderstand and with practice will be able to advance in the game.For the intermediate on up player this book has little to offer except to learn a little about Willie which could be better spent reading a book that is devoted to Willie and not a sideline intro.depending on your skill level it is either good and well worth your time or is not worth reading.Even though i did not gain much useful information i still enjoyed the book.

He is the master after all.
This book really does not have a lot of content or instruction. If you really want to learn more about pool you'll find more in other books by less prominent pool players (ie, Robert Byrne, Phil Capelle), but he does make some very good points about the fundamentals. However, above all other things, Willie Mosconi is the greatest pool player to have ever lived and any serious pool player should read his book out of respect if nothing else.

Words and pictures from the Master of pocket billiards
I originally purchased this book when it was fresh off the press (at a cover price of $2.50).

Over the years, my pool game has had its ups and downs, but when I get into a 'slump', I get out "Winning PocketBilliards" and go through the entire book as if for the first time. Mygame seems to undergo an immediate improvement!

I highly recommend thisbook for both beginners and "those that THINK they know it all"!

A must read
Mosconi's Winning pocket billiards with a copyright date of 1965 might seem a bit dated... but it's a must read.It's advice from the master!It has pictures of Mosconi hitting various shots and graphics that, whiledated, are very easily understood.The graphics are done with tape on thefelt... indicating direction of the object ball and the cue ball.

I haverecently gotten back into the game and can sink a few... but I learned newthings in this book.Definately worth it!! ... Read more

Book Description
Explains, in step-by-step fashion, every phase of billiards, from complete instruction for beginners to the finer points of combination and kiss shots, and finally, the championship game of 14.1 rack. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Game Improver!
I have played pool off and on for years and never real got very good. Then I purchsed this book and my game changed dramatically. Instead of getting beat all the time I began beating them. Some of my friends have said that overnight I got better at pool. I must say I owe most of it to this book. One of the nice things about this book is you will be able to read the whole thing in an hour!

Willie Mosconi was the master pool player and one of the best to ever live so who better to take lessons from then the master himself. He starts out by showing you how to properly hold the cue stick. What a difference that makes. Then proper stance, making the bridge, stroke, cueing the ball, hitting the ball, english, combos, strategy, practice and more. This is a compact guide that can help anyone improve there game in as little as a couple games. There are also numerous illustrations included in this book to help you to visualize just how to make shots. Overall I would say this is a GREAT book on learning how to play pool.

An excellent introduction to the subject
When I went away to college in 1985, my girlfriend's father gave me a copy of the then-current edition of this book. I'd played a lot of pool before, but this book changed my game from mediocre to excellent, which is why I recently bought a new copy to give to a friend who is just learning the game. The tips on holding the cue stick alone made a difference in my game; when I spent the time to practice the other principles Mosconi discusses, I began to win more often than not, and could honestly say, "I meant to do that," when I'd just made a particularly difficult shot. The fact that the book is small enough to roll up and stick in your back pocket helps; you can whip it out whenever you need to review a particular concept. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Another ho-hum basic pool book
Like many books of this sort, it is out of print, and for a good reason: It's been supplanted by much more in-depth works, such as Play Your Best Pool and Byrne's Standard Book of Pool.That said, there's certainly nothing wrong with this book.It covers the key basics, and gives some excellent, time-tested practice drills to hone skills.The whole second half of the book is dedicated to trick shots, which are entertaining of course.(Me, I tend to look for applicable, game-improving information in my pool books, so this one was a little disappointing.Others with a real penchant for trick shots will probably find it more interesting.) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An indispensable reference book
This book is not an instruction manual on how to play pool or billiards, but is instead a first- rate guide to all of the language used in every cue sport.Terms are clearly defined and, where appropriate, well illustrated. If you want to know what word the British use for "English," or where the often misunderstood "tangent line" actually is, this book will give you a clear and authoritative answer. The author is a true scholar and is the curator of The Billiard Archive, the most complete collection of books and periodicals about pool, billiards, and snooker.

Comprehensive reference for billard players
This is an outstanding resource book for anyone interested in learning more about biilards generally, or for someone with a specific questions about any aspect of the sport.I found many topics to be very extensive,providing background data, and perspective far beyond simple defititions.Many times after looking up a term, I would continue to read items over thenext few pages just to learn about other topics. This is the mostinteresting and informative book about billiards that I own.. ... Read more

Product Description
The book is arranged using a belt system similar to the martial arts, starting with white belt and working through to black belt (11 belts in all). The book is 127 pages and has been spiral bound so that it will lay flat on the table. The right hand page diagrams the shot, drill or pattern. The left hand facing page includes cue ball location, object ball(s) location, objective of the shot, drill or pattern, and in many cases suggestions, comments and/or opinions to help the user understand the skills that should be learned with the shot, drill or pattern. The book contains recommended competencies for each belt level. In addition, there are recommended competencies at the black belt level for each shot, drill or pattern. The facing page includes these recommended competencies. For example competencies for one of the basic white belt shots is Temporary white belt - Execute the shot successfully 5 out of 10 times Permanent white belt - Execute the shot successfully 7 out of 10 times Permanent Black Belt - Execute the shot successfully 10 times in a row. Also included on the facing page is a "journal" which includes a space for the user to indicate the date they executed the shot, drill or pattern at that competency level. There is also a space to note your personal best at that shot, drill or pattern. The beginning of the book includes a glossary of terms, an explanation of the diagrams, and a section on how to use the book. In addition, there are recommendations for practice which include a detailed discussion of the thought processes involved in developing a solid pre-shot routine to be used during practice and actual play. The book was written to be taken to the table and in a format to help the learning process, make practice more challenging and enjoyable, and enable you to chart your progress using the journal. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Correction
The Hustler was NOT based on Wanderones life.Wanderone chose the name Minnesota Fats after the movie came out.This have been clarified by Walter Tevis, the author of the book "The Hustler" many times.

The character in the hustler would appear to be based on a short story by Tevis.

Wanderone was by many accounts not a world class pool player, but he was certainly a gambler, and an interesting personality.

Fun and Fanciful
A very fun book to read.Does not have as much instruction on how to make killer shots as I would have hoped, but still a great book.Just remember to keep your tongue firmly in your cheek as you read about the Fat Man's adventures. ... Read more