Perfect The Art Of Playing Billiards - Part I

Knowing your outcome will more often produce the results that you want in the competitive arena in billiards. Focus on playing to make a shot and most likely you will land the cue ball where you want it to land. When you play with this kind of clarity, the details will take care of themselves.

Basically, if you ever feel that your billiards game is going awry, try reviewing your fundamentals

Just treat all shots equally. What I mean by this is that regardless of how easy or how hard a shot is, the three key elements must always be respected, which are planning, body stance and lastly shot execution.

1. Planning

Stand up, look over the table, and plan the shot. All elements of planning must be completed before you get down into your shooting stance. The elements of good planning are;

• Thinking three shots ahead
• Seeing the ghost ball
• Evaluating how much draw or follow to use
• Evaluating if spin is needed, and
• Determining the correct speed.

2. Body Stance

Get into your shooting stance, and run through the following checklist;

• Feet shoulder width apart
• Back foot planted
• Front foot half a step forward
• Back leg straight
• Front leg bent
• Short bridge
• Level cue
• Nose over cue
• Back arm angle correct, and
• Check balance.

3. Shot Execution

At this point you’ve already determined the best plan of action. You’ve made a decision regarding the speed, angle, and spin needed for success. No more thinking about the shot; it’s now time to execute. The key elements of excellent shot execution are;

• Proper grip
• Three practice strokes
• Pause
• Eye movement
• Thinking about the finish
• Stroking to the finish, and
• The freeze.

With these items, I am certain you can perfect the art of playing billiards.

Glass Top Pool Table Review

The Glass Pool table is like no other pool table. It is a fusion of modern styling and new technology; featuring a transparent playing area with glass top and patented resin playing surface.

Although, personally I think it looks like another piece of furniture.

It has an ultra modern frame with integrated ball return and plays just like a regular table, but with more style. But apparently, the future is here. The playing surface and glass top.

Considered as the most advanced pool table in the world, the G-1 features a glass and resin playing structure and striking modern design. The patented transparent playing surface replaces the traditional felt but allows the balls to roll at the same speed.

The Glass Pool table incorporates two exciting technological developments. One of them being the patented transparent Vitrik playing surface replacing the traditional felt surface and the toughened glass replacing the traditional slate bed. The Vitrik playing surface is transparent and it replicates the rolling resistance of a traditional felt playing surface. It also creates a stunning floating on air effect as balls glide smoothly and quietly. It also seems to retain the same roll characteristics over its entire lifetime. It is transparent, tough and about four to six times stronger than standard glass. It features a beautiful exposed polished edge. The frame is modern and an all new design. It is lightweight and open style and has a solid and robust ensuring a stable playing area

Bumpers, pockets and playing area are built to international standards, so you can play your game the same, with more style. The minimalist modern frame features integrated ball return allowing pocketed balls to be seen through the transparent top.

It is available in a wide range of colours with additional features that include integrated ball return which is aesthetically integrated into the table design.

The best part is that the pocketed balls can be seen cascading through the frame into the storage area. It also meets international BCA-specification pockets, K-66 bumpers, playing area size and height Accessories (included)

The quality custom cues come in silver finish with a Vitrik surface polishing agent and glass playing bed.

Personally, I think that some shots, such as draw, jump might be difficult without the cloth, which creates the friction that is needed for these shots. Also, if it played as well as a pro table, then they should have some pro testimonials, but I have not found any.

The Kamui Tip

I recently decided to change my tip because my game was getting a bit hazy. In other words, I was losing too many games. So, I thought of changing my tip and the thought of changing the tip goes through every pool player’s head, especially when the shot goes bad. Furthermore, I started using it as an excuse and that was just not acceptable.

Besides, I had recently visited the Kamui site and seen the videos that were there, and was highly sold on it. So I decided enough was enough and thought that I was not going to hit any more balls with my old Moori-medium tip.

I was contemplating on going for a Kamui soft, but it was then I met a professional at a pub, who he advised me that Kamui soft is similar to the Moori-medium, and I should go for something softer, preferably the Kamui super-soft.

Kamui tips are made in Japan and the tip is made of compressing ten layers of pig skin leather. What makes the Kamui tip stand out is that the ten layers are glued or pasted together. During the gluing process, the porosity of the pig skin is not affected. As a result, this process leaves the pores of the pig skin open. This allows the chalk to penetrate inside just enough to hold on to the chalk. Any tip that can hold on to the chalk allows the player to give most of his shot.

No wonder, it is widely considered as the best tip in the market.

Kamui, which is pronounced kah-moo-ee, is another word for divine or powerful in Japanese.

So, watch out guys here I come with my newly acquired divine power !

Focus on winning

Knowing your outcome will more often produce the results that you want in the competitive arena. Always be aware that you are playing to win. If you know that in all likelihood you would win. Focus on playing to make this shot and most likely you will land the cue ball where you want it to land.

That is to say, if you are playing with such a kind of clarity, the rest of the game will take care of itself. Focus, is another name for success.

You will find the answers, the teachers, the success, the wins, and the pure enjoyment from shots, games, and tournaments well played.

For example, about a few weeks ago, I won a trophy at a local pool contest - another addition to my trophy cabinet. It may not be huge, but I like the trophy. Mainly because, I struggled to win it and not a minute did I lose my focus. I knew it from the start itself that I was going to win this trophy. Besides, in the last 6 months, I have won over close to 65 percent of my tournaments, although most of them were either club or pub-house wins. Not bad huh ?

I guess, I should turn professional.

i sincerely wish that I run into a pro billiards player and try playing a game with him. it would be much better than going through guides and handbooks that I purchase so as to improve my game a bit.

Personally, I fell that I am still a beginner, because, when you watch the pros playing, you feel that there is so much to learn.

Next week we'll discuss more about the tip.

Till then, have a good game.

Billiards Made Better

There is no doubt that watching people play billiards is far less exciting than playing the game itself.

Ofcourse, then there is the option of socializing - you visit your local pub and make a lot of new mates. There is nothing satisfying than getting tips from a new bloke whom you have met at the pub and who happens to be a pro.

They say that the most important thing in playing pool is your breathing. Although, I am not in a position to substantiate this, I guess you have to take my word against yours, and use it to perhaps elevate your game to a greater level of excellence.

Although most people give little thought to their breathing as it is relatively an automatic response, something more of a survival instinct. Despite us ignoring the function of breathing, it will still be there, without our knowing. However, it is said that if we are able to control this function, we could achieve extraordinary things. That is to say, if we practice breathing in different ways, we can in a way control our brain, body and emotions. Whew! so much for breathing. Perhaps it would be useful in "pocket billiards" (pardon the comment)

Anyway, try it, experience it and let me know about it !

Hence, once you know your objective, control your breathing and try implementing the stroke with patience. I am certain you can develop it.

Billiards – A Boring Game ?

Although, I am not a complete newbie to billiards, I am surprised at the number of times that I keep learning something new. Once upon a time, I used to think that billiards was a boring game, but that was when I had stopped playing pool for sometime. No sooner I had started playing again, I realized that my earlier view was wrong.

As a matter of fact, Billiards is absolutely an amazing game which you can play with your friends in the comfort of your own home. Besides, nowadays online shopping has made purchasing billiards equipment even easier. The average price of a table can vary anywhere between $200 to $400. Of course, there are brands that are costlier and it all depends on individual choices. For a sum of less that $2000, you can not only buy a table, accessories and also remodel a room as well.

Once you start playing, first decide where you are going to shoot the ball and where you exactly want the ball to go and then going for the shot and waiting for it until it happens. Now this will take years of focused practice in addition to perseverance and determination in the long run. As a result, when you are focused and play with a clear sense of clarity, you will be surprised at how your pool game improves automatically and how you find enjoyment in your game.

So, if you belong to category of people who feel that billiards is one of those boring board games, then think again, as you are definitely making a mistake.

Billiards - Always Stay In Stroke

Billiards is a great game to play with your friends at the pub or at your home. While some of you may be struggling with the basics of the billiards stroke, there would definitely be a lot more of you out there who can generate the smooth stroke of a billiards pro. Although I can’t claim to be an exponent of the game of billiards, I am good enough to assess and analyze a fault in a person’s game.

It was sometime back when I was started playing billiards. I had taken a break from my job and had pretty much of time in my hands. Office didn’t interest me as much as playing pool, and was always looking for the evening pub shoot out at the billiards table. I was like always ready to test my skills against the local pub whiz-kids. This blog just sets the stage. What followed my billiards days was a dark age, when I played little pool and that too just as a social event.

Needless to say, instead of having a stroke, I went out of stroke.

What I am trying to imply here is the importance of keeping in touch with the game.

After gradually developing my game and my ball skills over the years, the most important piece of advice that I would give to youngsters and people who are starting out on billiards is to stay in touch with the game, or you will go out of stroke.

So let’s play billiards.