CHAPTER PAGE
1. INTRODUCTION…………………….........…………..................................….. 1
THE GAME OF NINE-BALL
EIGHT-BALL VERSUS NINE-BALL
RULES OF NINE-BALL
MEASUREMENT UNITS
BALL-SPEED TERMINOLOGY
ESTIMATING ANGLES
DIAMOND AND POCKET DESIGNATIONS
2. EQUIPMENT………………………………........................................……….…. 7
TABLE .
Table size -- Pocket characteristics -- Pocket difficulty
Cushions -- Cloth -- Leveling
BALLS
BALL RACK
CUE STICK
Glue lines -- Points -- Shaft -- Ferrule -- Tip -- Joint -- Wrap
Stick length -- Stick weight -- Balance point -- Stick overview
CUE CASE
Side opening -- End opening -- Size of case 23
CHALK
Chalk tests -- Test results -- Chalking technique -- Practical chalk test
TALCUM POWDER
GLOVE
MECHANICAL BRIDGE
EYE GLASSES
3. CUE-STICK INDUCED DEFLECTION…………………..........…..…… 31
STICK FLEXIBILITY
BEND OR BUCKLE
CUE-STICK INDUCED DEFLECTION TESTS
RELATIONSHIP OF FLEXIBILITY TO DEFLECTION
EXAMPLE SHOTS
ACCIDENTAL SIDE ENGLISH
EXTREMES OF FLEXIBILITY
DEFLECTION OVERVIEW
Stiff mind-set -- Getting used to a stiff shaft -- Importance of shaft flexibility
Non-uniform flex -- Estimating cue-stick induced deflection 38
4. STANCE & STROKE…………….......…………..………………….……...…. 41
LEGS AND FEET
EYE POSITION
DOMINANT EYE
BRIDGE HAND
BRIDGE DISTANCE
WEARING A WATCH
GRIP HAND AND WRIST
FOREARM AND ELBOW
CUE-STICK POSITION
STROKE
OVERVIEW
5. ENGLISH………………….......………………........………………………...……. 49
DEFINITION
QUANTITY OF ENGLISH
BOTTOM ENGLISH
Straight-in shots -- Cut shots -- Elevated cue stick -- Curve off cushion
TOP ENGLISH
Straight-in shots -- Cut shots -- Cue-ball jump -- Curve off cushion
SIDE ENGLISH
Mechanics of side english -- Side english problems -- Stick alignment
English induced throw -- Cue-ball curve -- Rebound angle off cushion
COMBINED ENGLISH
SELECTING ENGLISH
CUSHION-INDUCED ENGLISH
COLLISION-INDUCED ENGLISH
TRANSFER OF ENGLISH
INADVERTENT SIDE ENGLISH
6. BREAK SHOT……………………….................……………………………...…. 61
TABLE SIZE
LAG FOR BREAK
BREAK OBJECTIVES
RACKING THE BALLS
The mechanics of racking -- Racking problems
RACK ANALYSIS
AIMING POINT
ENGLISH
Top english -- Bottom english -- Side english
CUE-BALL PLACEMENT
Cue ball near side rail -- Cue-ball placement between center and side
STRIKING THE 1-BALL OFF-CENTER
IMPERFECT RACK
Rack alignment -- Off foot spot -- Gaps between balls
CUE-BALL ACTION
Cue-ball bounce -- Bridge type -- Bridge distance -- Distance to pack --
Change sides -- Strike point on cue ball -- Slow down -- Bounce test
STANCE AND STROKE
BREAK STICK
Stick weight -- Stick length -- Grip -- Stiffness
EXAMPLE BREAKS
BREAK OVERVIEW
7. PUSH OUT……………………………........…………………………......……..... 83
PUSH OR SHOOT
CUE-BALL POSITION
TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT
PUSH-OUT EXAMPLES
PUSH-OUT TESTS
8. SAFETIES……………………………………………….........……......……...…… 91
ETHICS OF SAFETIES
THE POWER OF A SAFETY
WHEN TO SHOOT A SAFETY
ELEMENTS OF A SAFETY
Assign a priority -- Physics of safeties -- Hide cue ball or object ball --
Cue-ball position -- Object ball position
SAFETY STRATEGIES
Picket fence defense -- The head-on shot -- Nudging balls --
Object ball nudge -- Stop shot safety -- Stop object ball -- Leaving long --
Ball-in-hand -- Safeties on the 9-ball
SAFETY QUIZ
RESPONSE TO SAFETIES
Hitting the object ball -- Can’t hit object ball
SAFETY ESCAPES
OVERVIEW
9. BALL-IN-HAND……………………………......……………………....…...…. 107
FOULS
THREE-FOUL WIN
SAFETIES
INTENTIONAL FOULS
9-BALL COMBINATIONS
TWO-WAY SHOTS
CUE-BALL PLACEMENT
OVERVIEW
10. BANK SHOTS…………………………………………….....…….....……….. 113
DIAMOND SYSTEM
EQUAL ANGLE SYSTEM
EQUAL DISTANCE SYSTEM
CRISSCROSS SYSTEM
IMAGE TABLE SYSTEM
PARALLEL SYSTEM
Single rail -- Two rails
COMPLIMENTARY SYSTEM
RAIL TRACK SYSTEM
ROTE SYSTEM
VARIABLES AFFECTING ANGLE OF REBOUND
Cushion distortion -- Roll -- English
OVERVIEW
11. KICK SHOTS……………………………….………....…………......…..…… 125
KICKING SYSTEMS
Equal angle system -- Crisscross system -- Image table system --
Parallel system -- Complimentary system
ENGLISH
Side english -- Top english -- Bottom english
MULTIPLE RAIL KICKS
Diamond system -- Two-rail parallel system -- Adjusting the parallel system --
Effects of side english -- Double kick
KICK SHOT OBJECTIVES
Evaluating potential shots -- Big ball target -- Kick to make --
Kicking safe -- Kick speed
OVERVIEW
12. JUMP SHOTS…………………………………………….......…...…………... 139
JUMP STICK
TABLE VARIABLES
JUMP DYNAMICS
JUMP TECHNIQUE
AIM ADJUSTMENT
JUMP OFF CUSHION
JUMP OFF OBJECT BALL
OBJECT BALL JUMP
ENGLISH
13. POSITIONING THE CUE BALL.…………….……….…........……… 147
POSITION SPOT AND ZONE .
CUT SHOTS
Cut angle options -- Proper side
CHEATING THE POCKET
SPEED CONTROL
Speed alone -- Speed extremes -- Using a stopper
ENGLISH
Bottom and top -- Side english -- Combination english --
English and speed
SHOOTING DUCKS
USING CUSHIONS
Single cushion -- Multiple cushions
POSITION EXAMPLES
OVERVIEW
14. STRATEGY………………………………………………........……...……….. 167
STRATEGY FLEXIBILITY
PACE OF GAME
PROBABILITIES
STRATEGY VARIABLES
Equipment -- Opponent -- Score -- Judgment
SHOT OR SHAPE
OFFENSE VERSUS DEFENSE
THREE-BALL SEQUENCE
CHOOSING A POCKET
CLUSTERS
Secondary objective -- Shooting directly at clusters
BALLS ON CUSHION
SHAPE OPTIONS
Random shape -- How much shape -- Slow or “back and forth” --
Easy side of object ball -- Avoid hopeless areas – Avoiding scratches --
Side or end rail -- Can you reach it
INTENTIONAL FOULS
9-BALL COMBINATIONS
Ride the 9-ball -- Skill level and odds -- Recognize opportunities
SHOOTING THE 9-BALL
EXAMPLES AND ANALYSES
OVERVIEW
15. STATISTICS……………………………………………........…..……………. 197
DATA SOURCE
BRIDGE TYPE
BREAK SHOT
Cue-ball break position -- Making a ball on the break --
Pocketing multiple balls -- Scratch on break -- 9-ball on break --
Which balls into what pocket
PUSH-OUT
JUMP SHOTS
SAFETIES
KICKS SHOTS
FOULS
COMBINATION SHOTS
LENGTH OF GAME
SUMMARY
16. PRACTICE………………………………………..………….......………....… 209
INTRODUCTION
The learning process -- Competition -- Balance your errors --
Types of practice -- Practice tables -- Practice ball -- Opposite hand --
Recording results
STANCE AND STROKE
AIM
Cue-ball aim accuracy -- Object-ball accuracy
SPEED CONTROL
Cue-ball speed -- Object-ball speed -- Cue ball and object ball --
Lag shot -- Sound and feel
BREAK SHOT
ENGLISH
CUT SHOTS
Thin cut shots -- Moderate cut shots
RAIL SHOTS
Maximum forward -- Maximum backwards
BANK SHOTS
Systems -- Rote banking -- English and throw -- Double banks
KICK SHOTS
Kick to hit -- Cushion first
COMBOS AND CAROMS
Combination shots -- Carom shots
JUMPS SHOTS
Cue-ball jump -- Object ball jump
CURVE SHOTS
SAFETIES
Speed control -- Thin hit -- Leaving long -- Nursing shot -- A safety game
CUE-BALL POSITIONING
Wrong side -- In the jaw -- Three-ball run
PRACTICE GAMES
Reposition balls -- Adding difficulty -- Variety of games -- Making up games
SPECIALTY SHOTS
Jump off rail -- Massé shot -- Cue ball on rail -- Other specialty shots
INSTRUCTION
PRACTICE OVERVIEW
The basics -- Good days and bad days -- Playing plateau --
Resistance to change -- Practice conditions -- Practice time
17. TOURNAMENTS……………….........…………………………....…..……. 237
TYPES OF TOURNAMENTS
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
RUNNING A TOURNAMENT
Tournament director -- Tournament date -- Number of participants --
Rules -- Seeding -- Draw method -- Bye positions -- Buy-in and buy-back --
Flow chart -- Scoring system -- Playing order -- Payout
HANDICAPPING
PERSONAL SCHEDULING
FOOD AND REST
Food -- Rest
RANDOM DRAW
OBSERVATIONS
PRE-MATCH WARM-UP
MENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
Tournament site -- Tournament jitters -- Win mentality -- Determination --
Psyching by your opponent -- Sportsmanship
PLAYING THE MATCH
Stay informed -- Early game -- Risk-reward -- Keeping score
POST TOURNAMENT ANALYSIS
SPECTATING
SPONSORSHIP
Events -- Players
18. SKILL RATING………………………………………………............……… 251
DESIRED COMPONENTS OF A SKILL RATING SYSTEM
Simplicity -- Precision -- Consistency -- Opponent influences
Reflect all skills -- Random chance
KOEHLER SKILL RATING SYSTEM
Description -- Break shot -- Safety shot -- Push-out -- The pass
RECORDING THE GAME
ADJUSTING SKILL RATING FOR POCKET DIFFICULTY
SYSTEM ASSESSMENT
USE OF SKILL RATING
Goal setting -- Self-appraisal -- Equipment evaluation -- Your physical state --
Your mental state -- Handicapping
19. HANDICAPPING……………………………….......….………………..….. 261
COMPUTER SIMULATION
THE BREAK
SPOTTING SPECIFIC BALLS
Racked easy to make -- Racked hard to make
MULTIPLE-BALL HANDICAP
LAST BALLS HANDICAP
GAMES ON-THE-WIRE
SKIP HANDICAP SYSTEM
OVERVIEW
Comparison evaluation -- Mathematical chance -- Human variables
20. MIND AND BODY…………………………......………….....……...………… 277
RIGHT-BRAIN – LEFT-BRAIN
MOTIVATION FOR PLAYING
CONCENTRATION
CHOKING
PSYCH-UP
PSYCH-OUT
MENTAL ISSUES
Mental training -- Mental conflicts -- Imaging -- Setting goals --
Expectations -- Routines and rituals -- Rehearsals -- Displaying emotions --
Taking responsibility -- Patients -- Confidence -- Self analysis --
Self coaching -- Reputation and labels -- Distractions
PERPETUAL LOSER
AFFIRMATIONS
Affirmations as a seed -- Designing affirmations --
Affirmations for every occasion
PHYSICAL FITNESS
Food -- Meals -- Records -- Smoking -- Eyesight -- Exercise --
Circadian rhythm -- Rest
OVERVIEW
21. GLOSSARY OF SELECTED TERMS…………………………......... 303
22. EPILOGUE………………………………....…...…………......……………… 317
UPSCALE NINE-BALL
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