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Pool and Billiards for Dummies
Practical, step-by-step tips for players of all levelsFrom Snooker to Carom to good-old-fashioned 8- or 9-Ball, Pool & Billiards For Dummies reveals the tips, tricks, and rules of play, covering the variety of the ever-popular games that make up pool and billiards. This hands-on guide discusses everything from the rules and strategies of the games to how to set up a pool room to choosing the right equipment, and is accompanied by dozens of photos and line drawings.See how hard to hit the cue ball and where to hit it, the angle to hold the cue stick and how much chalk to use, how to use a bridge, and how to put spin on the ball Includes advanced pool techniques and trick shots for the seasoned pool sharp With Pool & Billiards For Dummies, even a novice can play like a champion!
- GenresNonfiction
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2010
68 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 21, 2010
I actually like the format of the "dummies" books, and this one doesn't disappoint. Most pool books say a lot of the same things, but I managed to glean some good information and tips from this book - mostly because of the way it's written and organized.
December 22, 2017
Leider, N. (2010). Pool & billiards for dummies. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley Publishing.
Throw is mostly 1-3°, but can max out at 6°. - p. 51
1/4 ball hit = 45°
1/2 ball hit = 30°
3/4 ball hit = 15°
- p. 55
billiards.colostate.edu - p. 67
The miscue limit is half the radius. - p. 82
The cue ball deflects about 30° from the tangent line for most shots. - p. 95
Keep cue level when drawing. - p. 110
If your bridge length is 7-11 inches, by shifting your grip hand, you should be able to use English without compensating for deflection. - p. 121
The head ball is on the foot spot. - p. 136
Keep the bridge closed on your break. - p. 143
Hit the head ball flush with slight follow on the break. - p. 148
Use pocket speed - just enough strength for the object ball to drop in. - p. 159
Think three balls ahead. - p. 161
Play TO a zone for the next object ball, not across it, so there's more room for error. - p. 163
Aim to overcut a ball too thinly, to compensate for throw. - p. 174
Pockets are at least two balls wide (4.5-5"). - p. 177, 184
For rail shots, aim to hit the rail just before the object ball; this prevents the ball from being thrown into the rail. - p. 180
If the line of centers between two balls is perpendicular to the pocket, the object ball will go in. - p. 206-207
Angle your jump cue 40-45° and hit (just below) centre. - p. 212
The jump cue will bounce up after contact and avoid the table cloth. - p. 214
Aiming banks with intersecting lines:
1. Draw a line from target pocket to where object balls meets the rail.
2. Draw another line from object ball to pocket opposite target pocket.
3. Find the point where lines 2 & 3 intersect, and aim the object ball where this point meets the rail.
4. Shoot medium-speed with slight outside running English.
(An alternative is the ghost-table system where the pockets overlap.)
- p. 222-226
Measure how far the object is from the rail using the cue. Extend this outside of the table. From this outside point, draw a line from it to the cue ball. See where on the rail you'd need to kick to, with running English. - p. 229-232
Types of safeties:
•blockers (stun shots)
•distance
•freezing cue ball to rail or object ball (stun shots)
•clustering balls
- p. 236-240, 243-244
Two-way shot: making it easier for your next shot, and difficult for your opponent's if you miss - p. 242
8-ball rack: 8 at centre, alternate in back corners - p. 248
8-ball: Leave blockers to last. - p. 258
Having the correct angle is more important than being close to the object ball; avoid straight shots for position. - p. 259
8-ball: Start with the balls further from the 8 ball. - p. 260
Deal with problem balls as soon as possible. - p. 261
Wing balls (and head ball) are more likely to go in on a 9-ball break. - p. 269
Three balls must be pocketed or go past the headstring on a 9-ball break. - p. 271
Three consecutive fouls in 9-ball loses you the game. - p. 278
Straight pool: On the last ball, the 14 pocketed balls are reracked, so get position to break up the stack. - p. 284
Straight pool: A foul loses you a point, with no ball in hand; three consecutive fouls loses you 15 points. Play to 30 points. - p. 284-285
Straight pool safety break: Send two wing balls to rails, and bring the cue ball back to the head rail. - p. 285
Straight pool: Start from balls away from the foot spot. - p. 286
Willie Mosconi ran 526 consecutive balls in straight pool; aim for 100. - p. 290
In rotation, you score the number on the ball; you win when you score 61, one more than half the total 120 points available. - p. 293
Multiplayer games:
•Cutthroat: Keep your five balls on the table.
•Kelly pool: You've to pocket your secret ball first; if someone does it for you, you lose.
- p. 294-295
Three-cushion/pocket billiards: cue ball hits object ball and off three rails before hitting the third ball - p. 295-296
Snooker points:
1. Red
2. Yellow
3. Green
4. Brown
5. Blue
6. Pink
7. Black
- p. 297
Pool balls are 2.25" in diameter, snooker balls 2.083". - p. 299
Avoid flat and mushroomed cue tips. - p. 305
Average cue weights are 19oz (539g). - p. 305
A 58" maple cue costs between USD40-500. - p. 306-307
Balls are made of resin; buy a scuffer and shaper too. - p. 310
A good pool table costs at least USD1500, with a 1" slate bed and worsted wool cloth. - p. 311-313
Break down a difficult shot into simpler practice components, and tally how many you make out of ten attempts. - p. 317, 322
Take a break every 45 minutes; end your practice on shots you'll make. - p. 326
Drills: tip to tip, stop shots, object balls in an L enclosing a pocket or circle around the table centre - p. 327-331
Allen Hopkins' Q Skills:
1. Rack 15 balls & break
2. Each pot gets 1 point (till 10). Last 5 worth 2 points in order (scratch -1, OB -2)
3. If no shot, -1 point and:
•place CB behind head spot & shoot forward
•replace CB on head/foot spot
•move CB within 1 triangle
4. Inning over on miss
5. Play 10 innings. If above:
•0: recreational
•30: intermediate
•60: advanced
•90: developing pro
•120: semipro
•160: pro
•180: tour pro
- p. 333-4
Throw is mostly 1-3°, but can max out at 6°. - p. 51
1/4 ball hit = 45°
1/2 ball hit = 30°
3/4 ball hit = 15°
- p. 55
billiards.colostate.edu - p. 67
The miscue limit is half the radius. - p. 82
The cue ball deflects about 30° from the tangent line for most shots. - p. 95
Keep cue level when drawing. - p. 110
If your bridge length is 7-11 inches, by shifting your grip hand, you should be able to use English without compensating for deflection. - p. 121
The head ball is on the foot spot. - p. 136
Keep the bridge closed on your break. - p. 143
Hit the head ball flush with slight follow on the break. - p. 148
Use pocket speed - just enough strength for the object ball to drop in. - p. 159
Think three balls ahead. - p. 161
Play TO a zone for the next object ball, not across it, so there's more room for error. - p. 163
Aim to overcut a ball too thinly, to compensate for throw. - p. 174
Pockets are at least two balls wide (4.5-5"). - p. 177, 184
For rail shots, aim to hit the rail just before the object ball; this prevents the ball from being thrown into the rail. - p. 180
If the line of centers between two balls is perpendicular to the pocket, the object ball will go in. - p. 206-207
Angle your jump cue 40-45° and hit (just below) centre. - p. 212
The jump cue will bounce up after contact and avoid the table cloth. - p. 214
Aiming banks with intersecting lines:
1. Draw a line from target pocket to where object balls meets the rail.
2. Draw another line from object ball to pocket opposite target pocket.
3. Find the point where lines 2 & 3 intersect, and aim the object ball where this point meets the rail.
4. Shoot medium-speed with slight outside running English.
(An alternative is the ghost-table system where the pockets overlap.)
- p. 222-226
Measure how far the object is from the rail using the cue. Extend this outside of the table. From this outside point, draw a line from it to the cue ball. See where on the rail you'd need to kick to, with running English. - p. 229-232
Types of safeties:
•blockers (stun shots)
•distance
•freezing cue ball to rail or object ball (stun shots)
•clustering balls
- p. 236-240, 243-244
Two-way shot: making it easier for your next shot, and difficult for your opponent's if you miss - p. 242
8-ball rack: 8 at centre, alternate in back corners - p. 248
8-ball: Leave blockers to last. - p. 258
Having the correct angle is more important than being close to the object ball; avoid straight shots for position. - p. 259
8-ball: Start with the balls further from the 8 ball. - p. 260
Deal with problem balls as soon as possible. - p. 261
Wing balls (and head ball) are more likely to go in on a 9-ball break. - p. 269
Three balls must be pocketed or go past the headstring on a 9-ball break. - p. 271
Three consecutive fouls in 9-ball loses you the game. - p. 278
Straight pool: On the last ball, the 14 pocketed balls are reracked, so get position to break up the stack. - p. 284
Straight pool: A foul loses you a point, with no ball in hand; three consecutive fouls loses you 15 points. Play to 30 points. - p. 284-285
Straight pool safety break: Send two wing balls to rails, and bring the cue ball back to the head rail. - p. 285
Straight pool: Start from balls away from the foot spot. - p. 286
Willie Mosconi ran 526 consecutive balls in straight pool; aim for 100. - p. 290
In rotation, you score the number on the ball; you win when you score 61, one more than half the total 120 points available. - p. 293
Multiplayer games:
•Cutthroat: Keep your five balls on the table.
•Kelly pool: You've to pocket your secret ball first; if someone does it for you, you lose.
- p. 294-295
Three-cushion/pocket billiards: cue ball hits object ball and off three rails before hitting the third ball - p. 295-296
Snooker points:
1. Red
2. Yellow
3. Green
4. Brown
5. Blue
6. Pink
7. Black
- p. 297
Pool balls are 2.25" in diameter, snooker balls 2.083". - p. 299
Avoid flat and mushroomed cue tips. - p. 305
Average cue weights are 19oz (539g). - p. 305
A 58" maple cue costs between USD40-500. - p. 306-307
Balls are made of resin; buy a scuffer and shaper too. - p. 310
A good pool table costs at least USD1500, with a 1" slate bed and worsted wool cloth. - p. 311-313
Break down a difficult shot into simpler practice components, and tally how many you make out of ten attempts. - p. 317, 322
Take a break every 45 minutes; end your practice on shots you'll make. - p. 326
Drills: tip to tip, stop shots, object balls in an L enclosing a pocket or circle around the table centre - p. 327-331
Allen Hopkins' Q Skills:
1. Rack 15 balls & break
2. Each pot gets 1 point (till 10). Last 5 worth 2 points in order (scratch -1, OB -2)
3. If no shot, -1 point and:
•place CB behind head spot & shoot forward
•replace CB on head/foot spot
•move CB within 1 triangle
4. Inning over on miss
5. Play 10 innings. If above:
•0: recreational
•30: intermediate
•60: advanced
•90: developing pro
•120: semipro
•160: pro
•180: tour pro
- p. 333-4
January 16, 2023
"I really liked it." - 3.5 star rating, with a round up to a 4.
Best Pool & Billiards book I've ever touched. I'm at 3-4 now I believe, with a few more to the right of this queued up. Right now, For Dummies book's continue to deliver quality content.
This is the perfect balance between not being overwhelmingly technical and finding that sweet spot to be on target, yet not feeling bare-bones/lacking in depth. Which for a book about playing pool, is quite the challenge.
There's a number of training exercises/drills that this book provides too... that actually look really great. I've got some notes and some to-do list additions to give this drills a go. I think it'll be fun and absolutely improve my pool game. Excited to check them out.
If you are only going to read one (1) book on pool.... so far from what I've seen, this is the one.
Awesome job/kudos to author Nicholas Leider.
Best Pool & Billiards book I've ever touched. I'm at 3-4 now I believe, with a few more to the right of this queued up. Right now, For Dummies book's continue to deliver quality content.
This is the perfect balance between not being overwhelmingly technical and finding that sweet spot to be on target, yet not feeling bare-bones/lacking in depth. Which for a book about playing pool, is quite the challenge.
There's a number of training exercises/drills that this book provides too... that actually look really great. I've got some notes and some to-do list additions to give this drills a go. I think it'll be fun and absolutely improve my pool game. Excited to check them out.
If you are only going to read one (1) book on pool.... so far from what I've seen, this is the one.
Awesome job/kudos to author Nicholas Leider.
July 27, 2021
内容简单清晰，非常适合新手。
可以当做速查手册跳着看也可以从头到尾按顺序阅读。
可以当做速查手册跳着看也可以从头到尾按顺序阅读。
May 10, 2018
As with most of the "Dummies" books, this one is a great reference tool.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews