Chapter 1. Introduction

Pool, the game of knocking spheres around a table into holes, has created delight for millions of people over many centuries. Pool is great for all ages and can be played year-round. A pool table can be a centerpiece of social activity anywhere — a family room, a bar, or a retirement home. Pool requires physical coordination; but speed, strength, and stamina are not requirements, like in many other sports. Pool can also be mentally challenging where chesslike strategy and planning can have a big impact on your chances for success.

Pool crosses all socioeconomic and national boundaries. From the aristocrats of the past to today’s bar and pool-hall regulars, pool has been and continues to be enjoyed by all. It is a sport with true international appeal, with many followers around the globe. You can find a table practically anywhere, it costs practically nothing to play, and you don’t even need to have your own equipment. I once played at a hole-in-the-wall bar in Boquillas, Mexico. It was a poor community without electricity, but not without a pool table. I could not communicate with the locals via spoken word, but we had a great time. (I think the tequila helped.) I also once played in a pub in Bristol, England. We could communicate with spoken word (barely), but we still had a good time. (I think the warm, thick beers helped.) Who knows, maybe pool can be an integral part of a world-peace solution.

Hopefully, you have already experienced and enjoyed the game. Pool is one game that can truly be enjoyed at all levels of ability. Even someone picking up and stroking a stick for the first time can feel like they know what they are doing and have fun.

Now It Is time to start your journey with the book. This first chapter describes the book’s organization and explains how to use the book as a learning and reference tool. It also presents a concise but fairly complete summary of the rules for 8-ball and 9-ball, the two most popular billiard games.

Section 1.01 Pyramid of Progress

Figure 1.1 shows what I call the pool-skills development pyramid, or Pyramid of Progress. The foundation layers of the pyramid (A—D) represent successive levels of competencies required to become a good pool player. There is a natural progression of ability from the bottom layer to the top. The pyramid illustrates the importance of building your level of ability from the bottom up. The inspiration for the pyramid idea comes from Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs,” from the world of psychology. It states that people cannot reach their full potential unless they progressively meet their physiological needs (food, water, air, shelter), safety needs (security, freedom from fear), belonging needs (friends, family, love), and esteem needs (self respect, reputation). If a lower-level need is not met, it is difficult, if not impossible, to satisfy higher-level needs. With the pool pyramid, you cannot reach your maximum competitive ability unless you first develop and master the lower-level fundamentals.

The mortar in Figure 1.1, required to build the pyramid and hold it together, represents the mental focus, discipline, practice, and fun that is required to develop and maintain your pool game (see Principle 1.1). Continual practice, self-analysis, and improvement are required throughout the entire development and maintenance process. Confidence and intuition can come only with a great deal of practice and experience. As pointed out in Principle 1.1, it is also important to enjoy the game and have fun. If you do not have fun with the game, you will not have a desire to improve.

The Pyramid of Progress also parallels the organization of the book. Layer A (fundamentals) is covered in Chapter 2, which presents the important fundamental techniques involved with the cue stick and tip, the grip, the bridge, stance, and stroke. Layer B (Executing Basic Shots) is covered in Chapter 3, which presents the fundamentals of aiming methods, ball paths, shot planning, and pocket selection. Layer C (Position Play and Strategy) is covered in Chapter 4, which presents spin and English, and Chapter 5, which presents speed control, creating angles, defensive play, and safeties. Layer D (Shot Making) is covered in Chapter 6, which presents bank shots, and Chapter 7, which covers advanced techniques including power breaks, combinations, carom shots throwing, masse shots, and jump shots. The top of the pyramid (Maximum Competitive Ability) represents the ultimate goals of being all that you can be, having confidence, and winning often. This can be achieved only by having a solid foundation, created by the lower layers.

I want to reiterate the importance of building the “pyramid” from the bottom up, resisting the urge to jump right into the glitzy "shot making" stuff. This requires discipline, but there is a payoff—you will develop better and faster! The lower "building blocks" must be developed, to the point where they are comfortable, natural, and automatic, before progressing to the more advanced skills. Even if you are an experienced player, you should still review the early material and try to improve upon the fundamentals. There are many good players who could be much better if they had stronger fundamentals and a better understanding of basic principles of pool. Many good players rely strictly on experience and do not truly understand pool principles. They have seen so many different shots, they often intuitively know what to do; but if they were armed with an understanding of principles, they could better plan many shots that would be difficult to execute relying strictly on experience and intuition. I do not want to undervalue the importance of experience and intuition—they are absolutely essential to being a great player. However, understanding can be extremely valuable in helping to accelerate your learning and intuition-building process.

Figure 1.2 shows what I call the rack of skills, which lists important pool elements and skills corresponding to the pyramid levels discussed above. Like the pyramid, the rack of skills has five levels, each with specific topics. Each chapter begins with a version of this figure, highlighting the topics covered by the chapter. This will help you understand where each topic fits; and hopefully, it will remind you to reinforce the lower-level topics before continuing.

Section 1.02 Terminology

Section 1.03 8-ball and 9-ball rules

Billiards is a term used to describe all forms of cue games, including pool (aka pocket billiards) and snooker, played on tables with pockets, and carom games, played on tables without pockets. The most popular billiards games are 8-ball and 9-ball pool. 8-ball is the most popular game for casual and league play, and 9-ball is the most popular game for tournament play (especially on TV). This book presents examples for only 8-ball and 9-ball; however, many of the principles and techniques presented apply to all billiards games. The detailed rules for 8-ball and 9-ball can be found in the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) book Billiards: The Official Rules and Records Book. The rules are also available online at www.bca-pool.com in the "Play" section under "Rules". This section of the book presents a brief summary for the benefit of those that have not played much. This summary is also useful if you have never played in leagues or tournaments and have only played in bars, where everybody seems to make up their own rules. Even in leagues and tournaments, there are sometimes rule variations that are not standard. The summary presented here is based on the official BCA World Standardized Rules. If you are unfamiliar with any terms used below, you might find the glossary useful.

Figure 1.5 illustrates the required features of 8-ball and 9-ball racks. In 8-ball, all 15 balls are used, and in 9-ball only the balls numbered 1—9 are used. In an 8-ball rack, the only requirements are that the 8-ball must be in the center, one corner ball must be a solid (balls 1—7), and the other corner ball must be a stripe (balls 9—15). The remaining balls should be distributed randomly (i.e., solids or stripes should not be clustered together), although this is not a requirement. In a 9-ball rack, the only requirements are that the 1-ball must be in front and the 9-ball must be in the center. The objective of 8-ball is to pocket all of one of the groups (solids or stripes) and then pocket the 8-ball. In 9-ball, the objective is to pocket the 9-ball with the restriction that the lowest numbered ball on the table must always be struck first.

The general rules that apply to both 8-ball and 9-ball include the following:

• On the break, the first shot of the game, the cue ball must be played from behind the head string (i.e., in “the kitchen”). If an object ball is pocketed on the break, you get to continue with your turn, unless you scratch (i.e., you pocket the cue ball) on the break.
• For a legal shot, the cue ball must contact a legal object ball first (see the specifics for 8-ball and 9-ball that follow); then, if an object ball is not pocketed, a ball (the cue ball or any object ball) must contact a cushion. If the first object ball contacted by the cue ball is frozen to a cushion and nothing is pocketed, a ball must still hit a cushion after the frozen ball leaves the cushion.
• The following conditions result in a foul:
  • A The cue tip hits the cue ball more than once,
  • The cue ball is pushed by the cue stick (i.e., the cue tip remains in contact with the cue ball much longer than with a normal impact stroke). There is an exception to this rule if the cue ball is touching (i.e., frozen to) an object ball. In this case, it is legal to hit the cue ball with a normal stroke, even though the cue stick will push the cue ball.
  • Something other than the cue tip (hand, clothing, cue stick, mechanical bridge, etc.) touches or moves any ball. The only ball contact allowed during a shot is a single hit of the cue tip onto the cue ball during stroke impact. Note: in some leagues and tournaments, only "cue ball fouls" are penalized. In this case, if you accidentally touch or move a ball other than the cue ball, there is no penalty. However, your opponent has the option to return any improperly moved balls back to their original locations.
  • Neither foot is in contact with the floor during cue ball impact.
  • The cue ball is jumped illegally. This occurs when the cue ball is struck far below center to lift it off the table surface with a miscue stick assist (e.g., to clear an obstacle ball). A legal jump shot requires that the cue ball be struck downward with an elevated cue, so the cue ball bounces off the slate (see Section 7.10, starting on page 240).
  • The cue ball or any object ball is driven (jumped) off the table, coming to rest off the playing surface (e.g., on the floor). Object balls driven off are not returned to the table and are considered pocketed (except the 8-ball or 9-ball per the specific rules that follow). Note: in some leagues and tournaments, object balls driven off the table (except the 8-ball in the game of 8-ball) must be spotted (returned to the table). To spot a ball, you place it on the foot-spot space if no other balls are in the way. If other balls occupy the foot space, you place the ball as close as possible directly behind the foot spot.
• You relinquish control of the table (i.e., you end your turn) when you fail to pocket an object ball on a legal shot, commit a foul, or scratch.
• A scratch, foul, or illegal shot results in ball-in-hand, in which your opponent can place the cue ball anywhere on the table in preparation for the next shot. The only exception to this is the break (see the 8-ball and 9-ball differences that follow).

Additional rules specific to the game of 8-ball include the following:

• If you scratch on the break, your opponent can place the cue ball anywhere behind the head string (i.e., in the kitchen); and in executing the next shot, the cue ball must cross the head string before contacting any object ball.
• If the 8-ball is pocketed on the break, the breaker (or the opponent, in the event of a scratch) has the option to re-rack and break again or to have the 8-ball spotted. Note: in some leagues and tournaments, you win the game if you pocket the 8-ball on the break and do not scratch, and you lose the game if you pocket the 8-hall and scratch. This rule modification is appropriate on coin-operated tables where all pocketed balls are captured.
• The table is open after the break, even if balls are POCKeted on the break. In other words, solids or stripes are not yet chosen or designated. A group (solids or stripes) is assigned to a player only when he or she legally pockets a called ball in the group without a scratch or foul. When the table is open, any ball except the 8-ball may be struck by the cue ball first in making a legal called shot (e.g., you can hit a solid first to pocket a called stripe when the table is open).
• Once the groups (solids or stripes) have been assigned (i.e., when the table is no longer open), the cue ball must contact a ball in the assigned group first.
• A pocketed ball must be called, by designating the ball and intended pocket (e.g., "2-ball in the corner pocket"), unless it is totally obvious. The manner by which the ball reaches the pocket is of no consequence, provided the shot is legal. In other words, you do not need to specify rail contact, caroms, etc.
• If an object ball other than the intended (called) ball is pocketed, it remains pocketed, regardless of whether the called ball is pocketed. However, if the object ball being called is not pocketed in the called pocket, you release control of the table. Note: in some leagues and tournaments, object balls pocketed by accident when the called ball is not pocketed are spotted. However, this rule modification cannot be enforced on coin-operated tables that capture all pocketed balls.
• Normally, when you make a legal shot, your turn continues. An exception when you declare "safety" or "in and safe" before executing the shot. Whether or not you pocket an object ball, you return control of the table to your opponent after the shot. The term "safety" is used because this practice is generally used to leave the cue ball in a difficult position for your opponent, which is safe for you (see Chapter 5).
• You win the game when you pocket all of the balls in your assigned groupe and then pocket the 8-ball without scratching or committing foul.
• You lose the game if you do any of the following:
  • foul or scratch when pocketing the 8-ball (except on the break). Note: in some leagues and tournaments, a scratch or foul in a failed attempt to pocket the 8-ball also results in a loss;
  • drive (jump) the 8-ball off the table at any time;
  • pocket the 8-ball before pocketing all of the balls in your group;
  • pocket the 8-ball in the wrong (noncalled) pocket.

  Additional rules specific to the game of 9-ball include:

• If you scratch on the break, your opponent gets ball-in-hand.
• On the first shot after the break, the player at the table (the breaker, if a ball was pocketed; otherwise the opponent) has the option to push out, where the cue ball can be hit anywhere, with or without contact with object balls or rails. The opponent then has the option of shooting next or returning control to the push-out player. The purpose for the push-out is to give the player some choice about whether to face the somewhat random postbreak table.
• You win the game when you pocket the 9-ball, at any time, even on the break, provided the lowest numbered ball on the table is contacted first. Note: in some leagues and tournaments, pocketing the 9-ball on the break does not result in victory. Instead, the 9-ball is spotted and the game continues.
• No balls need to be called. In slang terms, "trash" (making a ball by accident) counts. Note: in some leagues and tournaments, the 9-ball must be called, and spotted if it is pocketed without being called.
• If the 9-ball is driven (jumped) off the table, it is spotted.
• If you scratch or commit a foul when you pocket the 9-ball, it is spotted.
• If you commit a foul on three consecutive shots, you lose the game.

The rules summary presented above is far from complete, but it covers most of the situations that come up in normal play. The complete rules, which are much more lengthy and tedious, occupy twenty eight pages in the BCA Official Rules Book! Everybody seems to have strong opinions about rules variations, so I thought I would throw in my own two-cents worth. I strongly believe and profess that everybody should always use the BCA World Standardized Rules outlined above, as written, without any modification or special cases. In the future, I would personally like to see measures added to prevent felt damage (marks, scuffs, divots, tears, etc.). Currently, it is not illegal to forcibly drive a ball into the slate (e.g., with a poorly executed jump shot or with an aggressive masse shot), or to drive the cue tip into the felt (e.g., with an aggressive or poorly executed draw shot or a power break with a downward follow-through). These actions can cause permanent damage to the felt, which should not be allowed. In my opinion, there should be penalties (e.g., ball-in-hand) to discourage people from attempting such shots. I feel this way because I own my own table and my felt has suffered damage (permanent scuffs and marks) resulting from shots that are currently legal. I am sure that most table owners and billiards establishments would agree with me that we should discourage or even disallow shots that can cause equipment damage. Despite my rantings, I still respect the rules and encourage their use as written. Also, I would not want to totally disallow jump and masse shots, because they add excitement to the game, especially for TV audiences.

Section 1.04 Using the book

This book contains numerous figures that help illustrate basic concepts and principles and show practical examples. Figure 1.6 shows two example shows that illustrate the graphical conventions used throughout the book. Cue ball motion is always shown with a solid arrow. Object-ball motion is always shown with a dashed arrow. English (see Chapter 4) and stroke speed are illustrated graphically. For the shot on the left, the cue ball is struck with no English (center hit) with a fast stroke. For the shot on the right, the cue ball is struck with bottom-right English with a medium speed stroke. I don’t think it is useful to try to define stroke speed in quantitative terms (e.g. , in terms of cue-ball travel distance). Speed control requires intuition that can only come through practice and experience. Over time, you will develop a sense for how slow or fast you need to stroke the ball to achieve the desired ball-travel distances. I use the qualitative terms "slow", "medium", and "fast" just to help provide relative comparisons between different shots. When English is critical to the action of a shot, a curved arrow is usually shown at the place where the English creates an effect. In the right-hand shot, the right (counterclockwise) spin on the cue ball alters the cue ball’s path off the end rail. When a shot involves multiple object balls (e.g., the right-hand shot), the object balls are numbered and colored; otherwise, the single object ball is shown black to distinguish it from the white cue ball (e.g., the left-hand shot).

One of the most valuable features of the book is the use of boxed principles to summarize important techniques and concepts. Figure 1.7 shows the format used for these. The principles, like figures, are numbered within a chapter (e.g., Principle 3.2 is the second principle appearing in Chapter 3). Following the number is a title, and below that is a concise statement of the principle. Finally, below that is a collection of concise bullet statements that provide more information including cross-references. A simple principle appeared above (Principle 1.1 on page 3) and many more appear throughout the book.

Figure 1.8 shows clip-art markers that are used throughout the book to reference supplemental resources available on the book website:
www.billiards.colostate.edu

The supplemental information includes video clips and technical background that directly support the information being presented. To get the most out of the book, you should view the information on the website when you come across the markers (especially the video clips). The normal video icon, labeled "NV" indicates that a standard video clip is available for viewing. The high-speed video icon, labeled "HSV," indicates that a slow motion, high-frame-rate video clip is available for viewing. The Technical proof icon, labeled "TP," indicates that analytical background and mathematical formulas are available for reference. The technical proofs will probably be of interest only to readers with engineering or physics backgrounds (i.e., "geeks"); but even if you do not have a technical bent, you might want to take a look at one of two of them for kicks ("whoohoo!")

Note: A CD-ROM can be purchased on the book website for quick access to all of the supplemental resources.

The glossary and index are other tools that can help you get the most out of the book. Refer to them anytime you do not fully understand a term or concept, or when you want to find additional information.

I hope you enjoy and learn from the remainder of the book. Good luck with your game! Pool is cool!