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$3.95 US $2.95 CAN$3.95 US $2.95 CAN MAY 2021MAY 2021

PHIL'SPHIL'S300th300thArticle!Article!

WEBTACULARWEBTACULARPool's Online PresencePool's Online Presence

LEARNLEARNBetter BreaksBetter BreaksNew Practice SkillsNew Practice Skills

Finally abi l l iard clothcleaner thatdoesn’t suck

The truth is, most methods for cleaning billiard cloth are lacking. A vacuum sucks up chalk dust but it can damage your cloth if not used correctly. A traditional brush just moves chalk dust around and other maintenance products can stretch or discolor your cloth. Now there’s a better way to clean and condition your Simonis cloth and that’s with the new Simonis X-1®. The Simonis X-1® removes chalk dust by creating its own static charge which lifts chalk particles out of the cloth and traps them in its revolutionary high tech structure. It’s quiet, it’s effective, and it keeps The Truest Playing Cloth playing truer longer. The Simonis X-1®.

A u t h e n t i c . A c c u r a t e . A l w a y s .

Finally abi l l iard clothcleaner thatdoesn’t suck

The truth is, most methods for cleaning billiard cloth are lacking. A vacuum sucks up chalk dust but it can damage your cloth if not used correctly. A traditional brush just moves chalk dust around and other maintenance products can stretch or discolor your cloth. Now there’s a better way to clean and condition your Simonis cloth and that’s with the new Simonis X-1®. The Simonis X-1® removes chalk dust by creating its own static charge which lifts chalk particles out of the cloth and traps them in its revolutionary high tech structure. It’s quiet, it’s effective, and it keeps The Truest Playing Cloth playing truer longer. The Simonis X-1®.

A u t h e n t i c . A c c u r a t e . A l w a y s .

www.poolmag.com P&B May 20214

Volume 38 - Number 05 - May 2021

DEPARTMENTS

INSTRUCTIONINSTRUCTION

FEATURES: FEATURES:

COVER STORY: Enjoy our picks for top websites and

get a look at all the ways you can interact with your favorite players

and products online. Story p.24

6 Editor’s Desk

08 Pool Town

12 Play Your Best Pool: #300 - Capelle Method Phil Capelle

16 Drill Instructor: Offensive Break Drill Dominic Esposito

18 Striking Viking: Go the Distance Ewa Laurance

20 Hill-Hill: Back to Basics TJ & Tommy Hill

22 Nick's Tricks: Encore Shot Nick Nikolaidis

24 Webtacular: Where to Shop & Learn P&B Staff

26 P&B's Top Web Picks for 2021 P&B Staff

30 Kiamco Wins Behrman Memorial Shari Stauch

SNEAK PEEK JUNE 2021

BCA EXPO PREVIEW Back to the Business of Billiards!

28 P&B Mall

32 Cool Pool Calendar

mcdermottcue.com/defy

BOLDNEWLOOKSame great performance.

Defy now features a grey ferrule and joint collar!The new ferrule provides more contrast for better sighting.

EDITOR ’S DESKMAY 2021

EXECUTIVE STAFFPUBLISHER: Harold L. Simonsen

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Shari J. Stauch CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Philip V. Thomas

COLUMNISTS

Phil Capelle

Dominic Esposito

Loree Jon Hasson

TJ and Tommy Hill

Ewa Mataya Laurance

Nick Nikolaidis

Allan P. Sands

Charlie Williams

CONTRIBUTORS

Sean Chaffin

Jerry Forsyth

Tony Fox

Tina Hardt

Karin Kaltofen

Ted Lerner

John Lewis

Jojo Lirio, Jr.

Lawrence Lustig

Luke Riches

Tom Rossman

Dale Shank

Dave Thomson

Pool & Billiard Magazine is published by:

Sports Publications Ltd.

115 S. Main St. Summerville, SC 29483

Telephone (843) 875-5115

Web Site: www.poolmag.com

e-mail: poolmag@poolmag.com

cannot be reproduced without express

written permission of this publication.

Pool: We're Baaaacckkk...

It's been over a year since the face of the planet and pool changed. Now, slowly but surely, we're seeing more events

announce their return, including this year's Junior National and World events, the BCA Trade Expo, and the International Open!

Previous to last year’s pandemic cancellations, the INTL brought over 200 players from over 23 countries together to play under one roof. The event returns this fall as Jayson Shaw attempts to defend his title, playing in the same Sheraton Waterside Hotel ballroom as in the past thanks to Diamond, Simonis and Aramith equipment and sponsorship.

For players restless to return to the pro arena, the competition will be f ierce. Plus, the winner of the 2021 INTL leads the Mosconi Point standings right away! Also, being sanctioned by the WPA, the INTL is one of the last stops on the WPA 2021 tour and the last chance at the coveted points is sure to make for some heated play! With past winners such as 2018’s Chang Jung-Lin and 2019’s Jayson Shaw, the players will definitely be charging out of the gate!

With $50,000 added, the INTL now has an expanded field AND lower entry fee – 160 player f ield and $500 entry fee – and first place is still $30,000. This year, the INTL joins all other International Pro events by shifting to single elimination for the final 32 players. And, while 9-ball is the centerpiece, producer Pat Fleming is grooming the INTL into something more than “ just a 9-ball tournament.”

In addition to the 160 player 9-Ball Open, the International will be showcasing the inaugural 32-player 2021 INTERNATIONAL ONE-POCKET OPEN, taking place the first Friday and Saturday of the 2021 INTL, prior to the start of the 9-Ball Open, extending the INTL two extra days. With $5000 added, an entry fee of $300, and a $4500 first prize, this is going

to be filled fast – and fast paced – with the world’s best one pocket players! It is double elimination until the final 8 players. Then watch the sparks f ly! It is sure to be the start of yet another great yearly INTL event.

Not content with two pro tournaments going on at one event, Pat Fleming, in partnership with Ra Hanna of On the Wire, is bringing back the junior’s event. Better than ever, the 2021 Junior Invitational Championship will have both a Junior Men’s and a Junior Women’s division. Eight Junior Men and four Junior Women, decided through qualifying events, will compete in their divisions to be the 2021

Junior Championship Men’s and Women’s 9-Ball Champions!

The 2021 Diamond Big Foot Challenge, a most popular 10-Ball event on a Diamond 10-Foot table and a favorite discipline at the Derby City Classic, is being added to the schedule as well. This

event will be featured in the Simonis-Aramith Arena for three days while the 9-Ball Open is simultaneously being competed in the ballroom. Sixteen of the world’s best are invited, so each match will be worthy of a f inals match. This three-day event, Sunday-Tuesday, October 24-26, 2021 has a $16,000 purse with the winner pocketing $8,000. Don’t miss it!

The Simonis-Aramith Arena will be center stage for all of the 2021 INTL disciplines.

For more up to date info and tix, visit both the INTL website and Facebook page at https://www.intlopen.com and https://www.facebook.com/theinternational9ballopen/

And now, onto this month's fun, including ways to bone up on your game, live and online!

'Til next month, stay safe, and shoot straight!

POOLTOWNPOOLTOWN

Matchroom is delighted to announce

the acquisition of Loop Streaming and Productions Limited, the live streaming and production specialists,

with the company becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Matchroom Media Limited.

Loop have played an integral part already at Matchroom through the years working across an array of sports producing streams for both Matchroom’s

OTT platform Matchroom.Live, Social Channels and Broadcasters around the globe.

Matchroom Media was formed earlier this year utilizing over 40 years of experience in producing and globally

distributing live sporting events and is headed up by Director of Programming and Chief Executive Katie Hearn with the division home to production of live events, original documentaries and shoulder programming for all broadcast platforms.

Matchroom Acquires Loop StreamingMatchroom Acquires Loop Streaming

Kelly ‘Kwikfire’ Fisher Signs With N’ The Zone SportswearKelly ‘Kwikfire’ Fisher Signs With N’ The Zone Sportswear

Multiple time World Champion & Hall Of Famer Kelly

Fisher recently announced that she has signed a new sponsorship deal with N’ The Zone Sportswear.

N’ The Zone, based in Illinois, has been making quite a splash in the pool world in the last few years, and the addition of the British great is aimed at taking the company to even higher levels.

“We are proud to have partnered with Kelly Fisher,” said Jemal, owner of N’ The Zone. “She is a great

player and ambassador for the sport. Kelly is very personable, she is very famous in the U.S. and China. We feel she will help our company and product grow.’

“I am really happy to join with N’ The Zone,” remarked Fisher, the current World Champion. “Their company has grown rapidly and they are well respected in the industry. They have quality apparel with cool & unique & customized designs. I am proud to be a part of their team.”

For more info visit www.nthezonesportswear.com

Loop have led the way in pioneering in the latest live production technology; combining cutting edge technology with traditional broadcasting techniques and an eagerness to push boundaries in sport production that has ensured high-quality shows for fans all over the world.

The acquisition will take Matchroom’s vast experience and Loop’s world leading live production innovations to new levels delivering content for some of Matchroom’s pillar stones including Boxing, PDC Darts, Matchroom Pool, World Snooker Tour and

a host of Matchroom Multi Sport events.

Nick Oldfield, current Head of Production at Loop will become Managing Director: “Katie and Matchroom’s plans to grow its in-house production arm is very exciting. Loop prides itself on its innovative, aggressive and streamlined production workflows. Myself and rest of the team can’t wait to get started!”

Katie Hearn: “After many years working alongside Loop, we’re delighted that they will now be a part of the Matchroom Group and look forward to joining forces to grow our production services.”

P&B May 2021 9

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4 NEW MODELS FOR 2021!

POOLTOWN

The Billiard Education Foundation

(BEF) has announced registration for the 33rd annual BEF Junior National Championships presented by Iwan Simonis is now open! To register for this year’s event please visit BilliardEducation.org and click the blue “Registration for the 33rd BEF Junior National Championship is Open!” link on the website’s home page.

This year’s event will feature an “open” registration for any junior competitor wanting to compete in the country’s National Junior Pool Championship and will take place at the South Point, Hotel, Casino and Convention Center

Predator World Junior 9-Ball This September!Predator World Junior 9-Ball This September!in Las Vegas, July 27 – 31, alongside the BCA Billiard and Home Leisure Expo.

Allocations for the prestigious 2021 Predator World Junior Pool Championship, September 9 – 11, at the Rio in Las Vegas (see P&B April issue), will be provided to the top three finishers in the boys open 18 & Under 9-Ball division and in the girls open 18 & Under 9-Ball division, and to the top

five finishers in the boys 16 & Under 9-Ball division.

“There is still a possibility that we could

receive additional allocations due to international travel restrictions,” said Shane Tyree BEF associate director. This year, the BEF

Junior National 9-Ball Championships presented by Iwan Simonis will have three categories in the 9-Ball division for boys and girls. The categories include: • 14&U* (cannot turn

15 in 2021); • 16&U* (cannot turn

17 in 2021);• 18&U (cannot turn

19 in 2021). Divisions are based on

minimum field or players will participate in the open divisions.This year’s BEF Junior National Championship will include two new events: a 21&U 10-Ball National Championship (min. age 18), and an 18&U Junior National 8-Ball Championship. Both of these new events will feature an open field of male and female competitors.

To register for this

year’s events please visit BilliardEducation.org

Registration for this year’s event will be open until June 1, 2021. No late or onsite registrations will be accepted.

The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) was formed in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity committed to promoting a lifelong love of pool and building the next generation of players through youth programs and academic scholarships. The BEF also sanctions Junior State Championships, produces the annual BEF Junior National 9-Ball Championships and qualifies young players each year for the WPA World Junior Championships. Visit BilliardEducation.org to learn more about junior programs in your area.

Here comes the World Cup of Pool and you can grab a

front seat to the viewing!Austria will begin

their World Cup of Pool title defense against Slovakia, while hosts Great Britain A will face debutants Belarus in the first round of the doubles, which begins on Sunday, May 9 live on Sky Sports.

Among the standout first-round ties is Great Britain B (Kelly Fisher & Allison Fisher)

World Cup of Pool – Countdown to Kickoff!World Cup of Pool – Countdown to Kickoff!against three-time champions Philippines (Roberto Gomez & Jeff De Luna), while 2019 semi-

finalists Spain will face Italy.The 16 seeded teams

were automatically placed into the draw brackets, with 16 unseeded teams drawn at random. The draw is set for the

whole tournament, with some mouth-watering potential second-round match ups including USA vs. Philippines.

Defending champions Austria (Albin Ouschan & Mario He) also wpm the World Cup in 2017 and could become the first pairing to win the trophy three times.

The tournament begins May 9 with fan-faves Japan (Naoyuki Oi & Masato Yoshioka) in action against Croatia (Philipp Stojanovic & Roberto Bartol). All first round

matches are race to 7, with three matches per session and two sessions per day. The first round will complete on Tuesday, May 11 with Great Britain A (Jayson Shaw & Chris Melling) facing Belarus’ all-female pairing of Margarita Fefilova & Yana Halliday. Halliday’s husband, Richard, will represent South Africa alongside brother Vincent. They face Canada (Alex Pagulayan & John Morra) in the first round. Keep up at poolmag.com!

P&B May 2021 11

#300: The Capelle Method

by Phil Capelle

It was a typical morning in April, 1996 when I received a call from Tom Shaw, then managing editor

of Pool & Billiard Magazine. Shaw, who had written a glowing review of Play Your Best Pool for the October 1995 issue, said that if I could get a column to him in two hours, they would run it. I met the deadline with one titled, "The Spectrum of Force" (“The Spectrum” is one of my 22 Principles of Position Play).

Pool & Billiard and I clicked and this guest slot turned into 300 consecutive columns spanning 25 years from May 1996 through May 2021. (Note: there were only 11 issues in 1998). I am so pleased to have reached this milestone, one that I never considered until I crossed the 200 mark in January 2013.

I want to celebrate #300 with a column that will deliver maximum value to you and your game, so I am going to focus on five of the most critical components of The Capelle Method.

My recommended techniques have evolved over my 52+ years in the sport as a player, student, and author. I have conducted extensive research, spent countless hours watching the world’s best players and, to this day, I continue to think about pool theory seven days a week. My one big objective with writing projects like this, and with my books, is to provide you with the most relevant, accurate, and best instruction possible. Let’s get started!

SPECTRUM OF SPEEDI initially called my scale for speed

of stroke the Spectrum of Force. But I changed the name to Spectrum of Speed in the first edition of Play Your Best Nine Ball (2001). I am convinced that every non-pro struggles with speed control, so if you want to improve your game, right now, today, consider increasing your emphasis on speed control.

One key is to develop a keen awareness of the variety of speeds pool demands in the course of a game or

match. My 1-9 spectrum for position is your framework for choosing your speed. (The Spectrum is featured in several of my books and columns). Those at the B Player level or above can begin to refine their speed control by considering the grades between the whole numbers. For example, if a shot requires a firmer stroke than medium (5.0), but less than medium-hard (6.0), it might be a 5.3 or a 5.6.

Most players have trouble with speeds of 7.0 (hard) or above. And, even pros have problems using slow speeds (3.0 or less) on medium to long distance shots. So, be sure to work on these speeds in practice.

The big key to speed control is to evaluate a shot’s Speed Picture, and then to develop the speed you need during your warm-up strokes. You must then “lock-in” your feeling for speed as you settle on your final line-of-aim and prepare to shoot.

THE STROKE The holy grail of pool is to master

a perfectly straight stroke. However, this idea is flawed because we humans cannot move our hand and arm in a ruler straight line. Want proof? Try drawing a straight line on a sheet of paper. Trust me, you can’t do it. And you can’t swing your cue on a perfectly straight line either.

After you land and adjust your stance and bridge, it is natural to think that you are lined up perfectly for the shot. But, as you go through your in-stance routine, you will make minor modifications to your line-of-aim. To compensate for these slight changes, your hold hand, at contact, will have to be a little to the side of where it was after landing. This means that you will need to use a stroke that is NOT perfectly straight! So, you don’t actually want to make a perfectly straight stroke on your final stroke – but the good news is that you don’t need to!

P&B May 2021 13

Play Your Best Pool

The final stroke should feature a smooth motion with a relaxed change of direction. Then accelerate evenly, release your hand and wrist into the shot, and be sure to follow through. Only then is it okay to come to a stop. At this point, you should take a moment to learn something(s) from your shot.

For those needing more proof of concept, I refer you to an exercise in column #213 in "Capelle’s Columns." To do it, start by lining up to make a straight stroke, one that will send the object ball a couple of inches wide of the pocket! On the final forward stroke your eye-hand coordination will kick in, and you will end up making a non-straight stroke that magically pockets the ball!

NATURAL AIMING I believe strongly in the Natural

Aiming method. Rather than cluttering up the precious real estate of your mind with things like contact points, fractional hits, and parallel lines, you simply need to feel IT, IT being the correct line-of-aim. And then you must commit to IT just before making your final stroke.

Shot Pictures are the heart and soul of Natural Aiming. Each shot has one. With enough attention to your aiming process, you will learn to recognize when a shot looks right. Your memory will guide you to IT and prepare you to see IT, commit to IT, and then to play the shot with IT firmly etched in your mind.

Importantly, once you know the Shot Pictures and the line-of-aim for each one, you cannot not see it! When your aim looks wrong, you will know it, and you will make the needed corrections. These alterations almost always take place during your warm-up strokes. And, best of all, your well-trained subconscious does the heavy lifting by instantaneously making

a series of complex calculations. In sum, you learn to aim not by hitting a million balls, but by concentrating on every shot, and by learning to see your shots.

One big secret to aiming for amateurs up to the B+ Player level is to limit your use of english. English requires that you balance aiming factors such as deflection, throw, contact induced throw, and lining up off the vertical axis. These factors greatly complicate the aiming equation. This means you will have put in many hours of practice and play using more than a basic level of english to gain the proficiency needed for competition.

CONTINUOUS MOTION APPROACH

I recommend the Continuous Motion Approach (CMA) to the shooting process. Once you begin to land on each shot, stay in motion. This means no freezing or pausing to check your aim, or to make transitions. As motion expert David Wolpert says, “A stop and start pattern (is) called

a ‘discrete movement.’ Discrete movements are volatile. They are noisy.” In short, they can wreak havoc with your game!

The case for using the CMA is bolstered by athletes from other sports. Basketball's Stephen Curry, a career 90.7% free thrower, stays in constant motion during these shots. Tennis players like Roger Federer move constantly as they prepare to serve, and while waiting for the serve to arrive. When a pitcher is about to throw the ball, the infielders go through a series of non-stop motions including the famous hop move. Turning to pool, a marquee list of the pros who use the CMA includes Jason Shaw, Joshua Filler, Efren Reyes, Oliver Ortmann, Dallas West, Tony Robles, Jose Parica, Earl Strickland, Charlie Williams, Mika Immonen – and so many, many more!

One of the main components of the CMA process includes making several medium to full length warm-up strokes. I view these strokes as God’s gift to pool players because they enable you to rehearse your motion right up until the split second before you play each shot!

THE SHOT CYCLEIn 2006 I presented The Shot

Cycle in Capelle’s Practicing Pool, then in the July 2007 issue of P&B. Now, if you asked me to name what I feel is my number one contribution to pool players, I think it would be The Shot Cycle.

To play pool at a reasonably high level you must successfully execute a nearly infinite variety of shots, one after another. To do this, you need a process that produces Complete Pool Shots no matter what their level of complexity. And you need a flexible method, one that Next up from Phil Capelle,

Pool is the Answer! Continued on p. 14

#300: The Capelle Method

Continued from p. 13

enables you to meet the continuously changing demands of your shots.

In short, The Shot Cycle is comprised of three main phases: 1) planning, 2) execution and, 3) learning. This produces the acronym of PEL. That’s easy enough to remember. Each of these phases has several sub-phases, the number varying with the shot, and the player’s level of skill.

The Shot Cycle was purposefully designed for those who believe that playing pool well includes joy-filled acts of thinking and creating pool shots. Indeed, you might think of pool as a game for Shot Makers – those who make balls and who make (up) shots that often burst with creativity. Think Efren Reyes!

Two big decisions must be made during The Shot Cycle. The first concerns the shot you are about to play. After weighing all relevant variables – offense or defense, possible patterns, position routes, cueing and speed, and more, it is then time to make an ultra-firm decision. At this point you are now, finally, ready to stand and land.

Once you have settled into your stance and adjusted your bridge, it is time to go through your pre-shot preparations. (These are known to some as the pre-shot routine). I

recommend a series of free-flowing warm-up strokes to loosen up your arm. These movements will also buy you precious seconds to zero in on your final line-of-aim, and to refine your feel for the speed you need.

During the execution phase of The Shot Cycle, your conscious or sub-conscious will deliver the Go Signal. It should come at your moment of maximum readiness – so when it comes, it is time to shoot! The learning phase begins immediately after contact. It includes staying in place for a couple of seconds, if possible, so you can digest the results and the feeling of your shot.

CONCLUSION We’ve come to the end of #300,

but not to my efforts to help you, my pool playing friends, with your games. My efforts will include a more detailed look at the topics of this column in few special chapters in my upcoming book, Pool Is The Answer.

In closing, I think all of us would admit that there is a sizeable gap between how we play today and how well we could play. I hope my review of these foundational elements to great pool will help you with your game as you continue your quest to Play Your Best Pool!

Good luck!

Click on the image above to view all Phil's books!

POOL IS THE ANSWERThis month‘s column is adapted from Capelle's new book, which is scheduled to be released around mid-year. The book offers Capelle’s ideas on why pool is the World’s Greatest Sport, and how we can spread this message across the coun-try and the world. It also offers cutting edge ideas on improving your game. PHIL CAPELLE Phil Capelle is billiard’s most prolific author with 11 books that feature more than 4,000 pages of instruction on all facets of the game. He has been involved in the sport for over 50 years. His column has appeared in every issue of P&B since May, 1996. Visit Phil’s site at www.billiardspress.com and on Facebook at www.facebook. com/ pcapelle.

P&B May 2021 15

THE DRill InstructorTHE DRill Instructor

How to Shoot a Great Offensive Break Shot by Dominic Esposito

The Drill Instructor, Dominic Esposito, is a world-ranked PBIA Master Instructor. Be sure and watch “The Clinic” LIVE on facebook.com/thedrillinstructor every Tuesday night 8:00 p.m. EST. Want to see it all? Visit: www.thedrillinstructor.us

The other day a player asked me, “Hey Sarge, please explain to me, what is a great break shot?”

The overwhelming majority of players who struggle with their break shot have one critical issue in common: they never practice breaking. They don’t do breaking drills.

So this month’s Drill Shot is, “The Break Shot.” To get started, we need to establish some basic rules to operate by. Practicing these will greatly improve your break shot.

Rule 1. Don’t have a spot on the table you always break from. Every table has a “sweet spot” that changes every day for every player. Therefore, always test the table you’ll be playing on to know where the sweet spot is located for that table on that day or night.

Rule 2. Make your “aim spot” on the head ball specific. The break shot requires as much aiming as any other shot! Imagine a pocket somewhere on the rail directly in line with the cue ball and the head ball. Like a straight-in shot, aim to pocket the head ball into that imaginary pocket with your break shot. If you don’t do this, you are recklessly breaking the balls.

Rule 3. Shoot your break shot with an intentional desired result. As an example, if it’s an 8-Ball game, intentionally plan to pocket the eight ball on the break or land the cue ball in the center of the table. If it’s a 9-Ball game, intentionally plan to pocket the head ball in the side pocket, intentionally plan to pocket the wing ball in the corner pocket, or intentionally plan to leave your opponent safe. Just don’t bust the rack and hope for the best.

Rule 4. Plan in advance where the cue ball will finish. Like any planned pool shot, the cue-ball’s finishing position should be predetermined—intentional. In most cases, you’ll want the cue ball to stop in the middle of the table. Apply the needed shot speed stroke and english to cause the cue ball to stop where you intend it to stop. If it’s hit by another ball and that’s the cause of it not finishing in the intended position, then so be it.

Again, the break shot is a critical shot in the game; to be executed with the same intentionality as every other shot.

The Break Shot Drill1. Keep your cue as level as possible

through the entire break shot. 2. Follow-through as if you’re batter-

ramming the head ball. Don’t raise the butt handle of your cue at any time throughout the break stroke.

3. Follow my break shot aiming rules to create an imaginary pocket on the rail and see the break shot as a straight-in shot (See the imaginary pocket on the table).

4. Use a half tip above center and cause the cue ball to stop in the middle of the table. Any higher a half tip above center and the cue ball will run to the bottom rail. Any lower than a half tip above center and the cue ball will recoil back to the top of the table.

5. Your speed should only be as hard as you can shoot while maintaining full control and accuracy. If you are breaking with less than a 10 Speed Shot Stroke, you can use your playing cue to break. This should result in you having much more control than you would using a break cue.

P&B May 2021 17

Ewa Mataya Laurance has been a top player on the WPBA tour for over twenty years and is one of the sport’s most famous personalities. She is in both the BCA and WPBA Hall of Fame, is a former WPA World 9-Ball champion and the reigning women’s world trick shot champion. Ewa is an ESPN color commentator, and co-author of the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Pool & Billiards with former P&B managing editor Tom Shaw.

Striking Viking

A Smooth Follow Stroke

by Ewa Mataya Laurance

In Straight Pool – and 8-Ball, for that matter – players don’t need to send the cue ball two or three

cushions around the table as often in order to get position on the next ball. One reason among many is that there is usually more than one ball available to pocket, cutting down on the need.

9-Ball is different; players have to learn new skills and a new way of thinking. How do you get the cue ball to travel greater distances without smashing the daylights out of it and losing accuracy?

Top spin or follow let the cue ball roll farther than a center ball hit. Hit the cue ball with a follow stroke and it can travel forward into clusters you need to break out. Practice your follow stroke with straight in shots to see how far the cue ball can travel after impact with the object ball, even with a full ball hit!

Once you get the feel for the smooth follow-through required, work on off-angle shots. Be sure to watch how the cue ball reacts as it comes off the object ball, and how the reaction changes when you increase your power. A follow stroke can be used to minimize the angle at which the cue ball travels after contact, because it will roll forward from the normal center ball tangent line.

The softer and smoother the hit, the more you can diminish the natural angle the cue ball will travel after contact. This becomes useful in moving the cue ball around the table, and in avoiding a scratch or other balls that you know the cue ball would encounter on its natural path.

When you combine follow with side spin and hit a cushion at an angle you’re going to a) put some good distance on the cue ball, and b) send it to a place that’s different from where it would go with just side spin. Follow gives you another level of cue ball control.

But on off-angle shots, the cue ball does more than just roll forward with a follow stroke. To demonstrate this to yourself, use a striped ball as your cue ball. Set up a shot by placing the striped ball horizontally. Then watch the actual path of

this ball and observe the forward spin as the striped ball comes off the object ball.

This should help you recognize two important elements. Besides the forward spin being placed on the “cue ball,” you’ll see that when you’re cutting a ball to the left, the hit will put some right-hand spin on the cue ball (and vice versa). This is called collision-induced sidespin or english.

How much spin is transferred depends on the angle of the shot. With a thin cut on the object ball, you’ll pick up very little spin from the collision of the object ball and cue ball. With a full hit, you’ll also pick up very little spin. The most spin will result from an angle range of 30 to 60 degrees.

Running english can put even more oomph in your follow stroke. When a spinning ball with outside english hits the cushion the spin “grabs” and the cue ball takes off. But that doesn’t always put it where you want it, so players can use more top spin and, even more often, a combination of top spin and outside spin (outside the angle of the shot) – hitting the cue ball in either the 10:00-11:00 area or the 1:00-2:00 area of the clock face.

Keep in mind that with greater force (higher cue ball speeds), the cue ball will remain on its natural path longer, because of the greater forward momentum. And, shooting too high, or too hard and too high, will actually cause your cue ball to leave the surface of the table, resulting in less control. (To test this, shoot a cue ball high and hard down the length of your table, but first, put a dime in its path; the cue ball “hops” right over that dime.) A cue ball that’s airborne obviously won’t offer the predictability gained by hugging the table’s surface!

As in all areas of our great game; experiment in tiny increments, using just a bit of follow and staying in control, before you work up to extreme follow and/or spin!

P&B May 2021 19

Shoot Straight!

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TTommy: I am 52 years old. I’m fat, I’m blind, I’m stubborn and I can’t make a ball. I think

that’s going to be my new mantra.Back in February, TJ and I went

to one of my absolute favorite pool halls in the country for a tournament: Hard Times Billiards in Sacramento, California. Hard Times is owned by professional player, former Mosconi cup team member and friend, Oscar Dominguez, along with his wife Desiree.

So, we enter this tournament and get a practice table to warm up on. I’m not hitting the balls so sporty but I’ve never really warmed up all that great, so I don’t think much of it.

As I’m looking around I see that Oscar isn’t there. In fact, quite a few of the top California guys seem not to be in attendance and I’m thinking to myself that I have a real chance to take this thing down.

Well no, didn’t happen. Got the big goose egg, two and out. I played just terribly and I realized that I need to practice more.

TJ: Dad and I played in a tournament at Hard Times. I did well but dad went two and out. If the food wasn’t so darn good at Hard Times dad would have had a terrible time while I was playing. On the drive home we talked about the need to practice more. Dad gives a lot of lessons and in his real life he is a swimming pool contractor. This time of year he has very little free time to practice and let’s face it, practice can be quite boring when you are not motivated.

Tommy: I have some drills that I use but mostly I play the ghost for practice. It’s a good way to keep myself interested in what I am doing. A while back I was working with one of my students and he wanted me to give him a practice regiment to help his progress. I explained to him the concept of playing the ghost. But as we worked together I realized this wasn’t a good way for him to practice. In fact, it became detrimental to his

confidence and was tearing him down. This player is high C at best.

TJ: Playing the ghost is fun, it keeps you interested and you have a sense of competition even when playing against yourself. As an instructor the drawback to using this technique for students is that it only celebrates the break and run or at minimum breaking and having a high run. This is a competition and drill for the higher skill level players.

My dad came up in an era where you would gamble away your lunch money every day and when you got tired of going hungry you would learn to play better. Dad says forty years ago it was hard to find someone to give you lessons or help you along the way. The main form of practice was throwing balls out on the table and shooting until someone came up and asked you to play, usually a better player.

It was the negative sense of losing that gave most players the drive to keep coming back, followed by the great feeling of confidence when you started winning. That’s what turned the lookers into players. At the same time I’m sure many would-be players fell by the wayside and quit coming to the pool room due to their lack of confidence, lack of winning –and most of all– the lack of a good mentor.

Tommy: As an instructor we are taught to give positive reinforcement to our students. I don’t want to give my students a drill that’s geared for a higher skill level. I know when I am playing the ghost and don’t get out I get mad at myself but I know I can run out. I know I have the skills to break and run so of course I get down on myself and that motivates me to concentrate more and play better.

Not everyone has the skills to do that. I love playing the ghost and I think it is a great form of practice but I need to have a way to create that positive reinforcement for my

Tommy Hill is a former touring profes-sional player. He played on both the Professional Billiards Tour and the Camel Pro Tour from the late eighties through the nineties. Tommy retired from playing pool and settled down in 2000 when his oldest son TJ was born. Tommy is now an advanced level in-structor with the PBIA and still enjoys playing competitively.

TJ Hill an up and coming California pool player. He competes regularly on the Mezz west coast tour and he also com-petes in other other local and regional tournaments. TJ’s goals include becom-ing a touring professional pool player. TJ enjoys sharing his skills and knowledge with others, and in 2019 he became the youngest player to ever become a PBIA instructor..

Back to Basics, Back to Practice! by Tommy Hill and T.J. Hill

P&B May 2021 21

students. So TJ and I sat down and figured out how to do just that.

TJ: That led us to develop a better way for our beginner and lower level students to play the ghost, improve their skills and offer positive motivation versus negative. We developed a score sheet for the players to use while practicing. Here’s how it works:

• It is a race to five games. • You don’t rack the balls; you put them out on the table with no balls within four inches of each other and not closer than four inches to a rail. • You take ball in hand and begin your run. • If you miss a ball you do not start over. Simply take ball in hand again and continue your run. • You continue this until you have successfully pocketed all of the balls. You keep count of how many times you missed on

the score sheet and after the five games have been played you count up your misses. That number now becomes the number you are trying to beat the next time.This offers confidence because no

matter how many balls were missed, each rack was successfully run and the student now has a mark to try and beat for the next time. They now have competition with themselves that is achievable and the ability to build confidence and learn to play better.

Tommy: Although I have never seen anyone use this technique I doubt I'm the first person to think of this. I’m just glad I finally did. Obviously this form of playing the ghost is geared for newer players. But even you stronger players out there should give it a try! It’s a very fun way to practice, and heck we can all use some positive reinforcement in our game, can’t we?

Well folks, it’s that time once again. Every month I say how much

I appreciate you all giving me this opportunity to spend time with my boy writing these articles. I hope every once in a while we write something you might agree with or enjoy reading.

TJ and I will be in Las Vegas July 27th through the 31st to support the Billiard Education Foundation Junior Nationals pool tournament and the Billiard Congress of America annual trade show, both taking place at the South Point Casino & Hotel. If anyone out there would like to visit or say hi you will most likely find us at the PBIA booth on the trade show floor. If any of the juniors out there would like to schedule a FREE lesson with TJ or myself please shoot us an email so we can set that up.

Thank you all so very much. If there is a topic you would like us to tackle or you just want to say hi please email us at tommyntj@aol.com and until next month folks, stay safe keep the cue ball rollin’...

Back by Popular Demandby Nick Nikolaidis

Nick’s Quick TricksNick’s Quick Tricks

Want to see how Nick makes this shot? Log on to: poolmag.com, OR watch it HERE in your Ezine! If you have a shot you’d like Nick to try, send it to us at shari@poolmag.com.

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Often when performing shows, I’m asked to perform and explain this shot as it seems to defy the

general rule of the masse. This month, I’ll be demonstrating what seems to be a leveled cue masse. This is due to the fact that the cue ball does not have enough time to resume its natural rotation due to contact from the first to the second ball is separated by a small fraction.

The Execution:The setup and execution is on a nine-foot

table. There will be a minor adjustment needed if the table is smaller. The one, two and three balls are all frozen to each other. Both two and

three are two balls off the rail with the three ball flush with the pocket edge. Align the one and two to the corner point. Place the nine as a hanger, and finally a row of balls as shown, with a two-ball gap to create the opening.

The cue ball is just below the centerline and aligned from the point to a two-three ball split. Although it appears you will split the two-three, in reality you will hit the two ball first, which naturally pushes the cue ball to the right, thus using momentum and an additional contact with the three. This allows it to maintain the masse effect to pass through the opening, curve and pocket the nine ball.

Make sure to watch the video and enjoy!

CUE BALL OBJECT BALL

P&B May 2021 23

There are over 1.2 BILLION (1,197,982,359 as of January 2021) active websites out

there. The fraction devoted to pool can still be daunting.

Search “billiard club” on Google: Over 66 million results. “Pool cue” yields another 32 million. Get the picture?

Drilling down to just what YOU need for YOUR game while working and playing from home is where we can help. We focus on sites most useful to today’s players and fans – where to shop, where to learn and where to get social with others in the sport.

Get surfing, but remember to take a break and play some pool!

Get SocialPoolmag.com’s own site lets

us continually share new content and interact with fans on social media, so make sure you’re heading over in between issues to join in the conversation!

We spend a lot of time on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PoolandBilliard with nearly 21,000 fans. We also post our poolmag.com stories at Twitter (@poolandbilliard), reaching thousands more.

Instagram continues to gain traction for pool fans, and Pinterest is still offering up tips, gameroom decorating ideas and more.

Most important: Follow your favorite players and instructors on social media. Players we know who are super active include Ewa Laurance, Charlie Williams, Jeanette Lee, Allison Fisher and Mika Immomen to name a few.

Get Visual If you haven’t checked out all the

cool pool videos on YouTube, you’re in for a treat, but set the timer! Everything from instruction to product demos to trick shots to pro player matchups are there for the viewing. (We maintain a channel to share cool products and tips there, too, including Nick's monthly trick shot demonstration.) On p. 26 we've given you several cool channels to subscribe to for free, offering instruction, matches, interviews and products.

But beyond purely pool vids, you can find advice to get in better physical and/or mental game shape!

Facebook is also a great source. Check out the Drill Instructor’s Facebook Clinic, with cool, useful, actionable tips to improve your game!

There's no excuse anymore - no matter your favorite social media outlet, it's easy to connect with us online!

WEBTACULAR! Cool Pool Websites - Places to Learn & Share

Did You Know?

P&B May 2021 25

Get SmartWe love sites that include info

you won’t easily find anywhere else. www.AZBilliards.com offers tons of rankings, stats, and regional tour results for casual players.

Looking for league action and event updates? The American Poolplayers (www.poolplayers.com), American Cue Sports (www.americancuesports.org) and CueSports International (www.playcsipool.com) can point you in the right direction.

www.OnePocket.org is a favorite that recognizes old-time greats, and www.bca-pool.com will settle any disputes over who’s really in the BCA Hall of Famous!

The BCA maintains separate sites for the BCA Expo (www.bcaexpo.com) and the Billiard Education Foundaation for junior events and info at www.billiardeducation.org

Get Schooled Need a coach or instructor? (Okay, it’s a rhetorical question; we all do!) Sites including www.americancues-ports.org and www.playbetterpool.com have useful features that let you search for a live certified instructor in your area. For online instruction, owww.thedrillinstructor.us, www.billiard-gods.com, www.poolclinics.com, www.billiardspress.com) and of course our own poolmag.com offer lots of useful tips and lessons to improve your game. And with pool-specific video sites (try www.drillinstructor.us), plenty of instructors and world champions can help you improve your game. YouTube offers several different billiard-specific channels (see next page for a few of our favorites!) Some savvy manufacturer and retail sites include instruction as well. Try free tips at www.predatorcues.com and www.pooldawg.com

Get Shopping We all love sites where we can learn more about products too, especially where the newest and most innovative technology is explained and displayed in vivid color and graphics. Better still, we get the chance to see our products in action! Some to check out include the ones shown above and on the following pages that let you look at your products in their natural settings. Following along at your favorite sites may also let you enjoy perks and discounts and the latest news, such as www.mcdermottcues.com and www.vikingcues.com who both offer useful cue of the month features. Also watch for terms; most savvy pool shopping sites offer shipping incentives, discounts, and warranties to protect your investment in your sport. Turn the page for this year’s Top Shopping and Top Learning websites as well as our latest favorite YouTube channels.

WEBTACULAR! Cool Pool Websites - Places to Learn & Share#

P&B’s “Top 25” Where to Shop! (supplies, cues, cloth, balls, instruction and more!)

Ace Products www.apmgi.comAramith Balls www.saluc.com

Brunswick Billiards www.brunswickbilliards.com Championship Billiards www.champbilliards.comCue & Case Sales www.cueandcase.comCue Silk www.cuesilk.comCuestix International www.cuestix.comDiamond Billiard Products www.diamondbilliards.comInternational Billiards www.intlbilliards.comJ&J America www.jjcue.comJ. Pechauer Custom Cues www.pechauer.comJacoby Custom Cues www.jacobycustomcues.comJoss Cues www.josscues.comKoplow Games www.koplowgames.comLegacy Billiards www.legacybilliards.comMcDermott Custom Cues www.mcdermottcue.comMuellers Billiard & Dart www.muellers.comN' The Zone Sportswear www.nthezonesportswear.comOB Cues www.obcues.comOlhausen Billiards www.olhausenbilliards.comOzone Billiards www.ozonebilliards.comPoison Cues www.poisonbilliards.comPooldawg www.pooldawg.comPrather Cues www.prathercue.comPredator Cues www.predatorcues.comSimonis Cloth www.simoniscloth.comTiger Products www.tigerproducts.comViking Cues www.vikingcue.com

P&B’s Top Pool Tube Channels (cool YouTube channels you can subscribe to free)Accustats Video http://bit.ly/accu-statsAmerican Poolplayers http://bit.ly/pool-playerCuesports International http://bit.ly/csi-poolDrill Instructor http://bit.ly/drill-instructorPool Action TV http://www.poolactiontv.comMatchroom Pool http://bit.ly/matchroom-poolWorld Pool Series http://bit.ly/world-pool-series

WEBTACULAR! Favorite Pool Websites - Shop & Learn from HOME!

P&B May 2021 27

In the Know! - P&B’s Top 25 (news, instruction, leagues and organizations)

American Cuemakers Association www.cuemakers.orgAmerican Cuesports Association www.americancuesports.orgAmerican Poolplayers Association www.poolplayers.comAngles as a Second Language www.poolteacher.comArtistic Pool Players Association www.artisticpoolplayers.comAZ Billiards www.azbilliards.comBilliard Congress of America www.bca-pool.comBilliard Education Foundation www. billiardeducation.orgBilliard Gods Productions www.billiardgods.comBilliard University www.billiarduniversity.orgBilliards Press www.billiardspress.comCueSports International www.playcsipool.comDragon Promotions www.dragonpromotions.comDrill Instructor TV www.thedrillinstructor.usI Play Pool (videos) www.iplaypool.comInternational Cuemakers www.internationalcuemakers.comPool & Billiard Magazine www.poolmag.comPool Instruction www.poolinstruction.netProfessional Billiard Instructors www.playbetterbilliards.comTAP: Pool’s Amateur Tour www.tapleague.comUltimate Guide to 9-Ball Karl Boyes www.homeleisuredirect.comUS Billiard Media Association www.usbma.comVirtual Pool Academy www.PoolTeacher.comWomen’s Pro Billiard Tour www.wpba.comWorld Pool-Billiard Association www.wpa-pool.com

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Bumpernets.com2000 Riverchase GalleriaBirmingham, AL 35244

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Classic Cue Billiards6055 Transit Rd. Buffalo, NY 14043

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From l-r: Dexter Real, champ Warren Kiamco, Q Masters Manager Gary Ornoff and runner-up Manny Chau

Kiamco wins 5th Behrman MemorialThe $5,000-added,

5th Annual Barry Behrman Memorial

Tournament was staged April 2-25 at Barry Behrman’s former club, the legendary Q Master Billiards in Virginia Beach, VA. Included among the 56 open entries were former U.S. Open champs Rodney Morris, Mika Immomen and Johnny Archer.

Warren Kiamco, who’s never won an Open, has racked up no less than eleven in-the-money wins, including a third place finish in 2008. It was no surprise when he came out of the gate eager to win, opening with a 9-2 pounding over Tom Czaplicki. Kiamco then narrowly defeated former champ Johnny Archer

9-8, Daniel Sardoncillo 9-3, and another squeak-by victory over Jeffrey De Luna 9-8.

That earned Kiamco a place in the semi-finals against Reymart Lim. With a 9-4 win he moved to face Mika “The Iceman” Immomen. Mika had defeated 2017 Behrman Memorial champ Brandon Shuff 9-4 and Jeremy Sossei 9-3. In yet another double-hill battle for Kiamco, Immomen rattled the eight in the deciding game and Kiamco was in the final, waiting for an opponent from the one-loss side.

Archer, working on the left side, had defeated Bill Mason, Jared Pitts, shut out Garret Vaughn, and eliminated Mhet Vergara, Jimmy Bird and Jeffrey De Luna,

to draw Sossei. Archer and Sossei battled back and forth to a 5-5 tie before Archer pulled a four rack streak to put him into the next match. But Manny Chau sent Archer packing 9-6 and advanced to a re-match against Immonen, winning 9-5 and earning him a title bout against Kiamco.

Warren Kiamco stormed out of the gate with a three game lead before Chau could get on the board, then led again at 5-1. Then Kiamco turned it up another notch to grab four more games to lead 9-2.

Chau grabbed just a few more racks chasing the strong lead, and with Kiamco down on the final nine ball Chau conceded the match, taking the runner-up spot in an 11-5 defeat.

P&B May 2021 31

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1

Legendary Player

Don Willis Born 1909

Happy Happy May Day!May Day!

4 5 6Happy B-Day

WPA Pro Marcus Chamat

9 10Happy B-Day

WPBA Pro Morgan

Steinman

11Happy B-Day

World ChampionTrick Shot

ArtistStefano Pelinga

12 13 14 15Happy B-Day BCA Hall of

Famer Nick

Varner

Lou Butera

Born 1937

16 17Happy B-Day BCA Hall of

Famer Ed Kelly

18 19Happy B-DayWPA Pro & Cuemaker

Bobby Hunter

30 Happy B-DayWPA Pro Shawn Putnam

31 Happy B-Day TrickShot ChampMathew McPhail

25 26 27Legendary

PlayerJerome Keogh

Born 1873

28 29Happy B-DayBCA Hall of

FamerBuddy

32 P&B May 2021 Thanks to Terry Ardeno for supplying numerous birthdays!

Get your...TIP of the Day

VIDEO of the Dayand

NEWS of the Day

at www.PoolMag.com

May’s Cool Pool News

brought to you by...

Happy Happy Memorial Memorial

Day!Day!

LegendBill

StatonBorn 1928

May, ruled by the bright five ball. Think up five new ideas to practice perfecting your game as May is certainly a good month for Hall of Fame champs like Lou Butera, Buddy Hall and Nick Varner. Geminis should have no problem playing a “ghost” partner in practice!

Stay Safe and Shoot Straight!

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