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Pool/Billiards/Questions
| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| Clarification re: Cue Ball Placement - Scratch | 2/6/2012 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: I have been playing 8-Ball pool since 1990. It seems with the WalMac Rules being intergrated into ... A: All authoritative rule sources (and for a very long time) play ball in hand anywhere on the table ... | ||
| sinking the black | 2/4/2012 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: In an 8 ball match when you left with the black ball and your opponent has a ball left, but sinks ... A: If you're playing "Black Ball" a foul gives the incoming player a free shot plus a visit to the ... | ||
| Last pocket 8 ball | 2/4/2012 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: In last pocket 8 ball, two balls are sitting next to a corner pocket. The 14 ball and the 8 ... A: Last pocket eight ball is a offshoot game that is played different ways in different places and ... | ||
| Trying to change a ferrule on a pool cue. | 2/2/2012 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: My name is Jackie and I am trying to change some cue tips and ferrules for my uncle. I have some ... A: I can offer advice about how to remove the existing ferrule but first let me ask you if you really ... | ||
| Table Re-Slate Process | 1/31/2012 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: I have re-built a billiard table. I need help in what dimensions (playing area) is considered ... A: Playing areas of any size pool tables are always exactly twice as long as they are wide. Not sure ... | ||
| Eye Dominance right handed player | 1/21/2012 | Dan Werner |
| Q: I am left eye dominant and a right handed player. I miss a high percentage of distance shots. I ... A: Biggest thing is practice. Have you played for 10 years and practiced the long shots and STILL miss ... | ||
| ajay pool cues | 1/17/2012 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: I just bought an Ajay 493444 21oz cue for $6.00 at a swap-meet. Do you know the value? The cue is in ... A: These were relatively cheapo cues (they sold for about 8 bucks in the late 1970s) and today are ... | ||
| Heritage by Brunswick | 1/5/2012 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: I need info on how to disassemble it to move it. Can you offer any guidance? I tried to find a ... A: I'm sorry to be so slow in responding. I have searched through my older files and cannot find the ... | ||
| B.G.ICo Pat.9.92 | 1/1/2012 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: I found what to me appears to be a Wooden Gun cleaning rod with these markings on the metal ... A: Well, the company is B.G.I. Co., short for Bridgeport Gun & Implement Co. and the rest of it refers ... | ||
| 8 ball | 1/1/2012 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: If i am shooting for solids, and i sink in a stripe, but i still sank a solid first in that same ... A: It depends. You haven't told me all the information I need--specifically whether you contacted your ... | ||
| Rare pool cue | 12/31/2011 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: I'm trying to find out about a pool cue I bought in 1995 at some closed down store in San Antonio ... A: Sorry to disappoint but this is a cue of no great value. AMF Playmaster was a mass manufacturer of ... | ||
| Table specifications | 12/27/2011 | Dan Werner |
| Q: I'm having trouble finding specifications in regard to acceptable flatness and out of level ... A: I think the first part of the answer states that it needs to be flat the entire length within X ... | ||
| Table specifications | 12/24/2011 | Dan Werner |
| Q: I'm having trouble finding specifications in regard to acceptable flatness and out of level ... A: Table needs to be flat. Here is an excerpt from the BCA rules regarding table specifications: ... | ||
| Pocket size of league table | 12/18/2011 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: I play in the local league. I've just bought myself a pool diner table which claims it uses ... A: Having your own table and being able to hit a few balls whenever you want can improve one's game ... | ||
| Installing pool table on carpet | 12/14/2011 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: I am planning to buy a pool table. I am wondering if it is OK to install it in my game room which ... A: Good question. It depends on the "footprint" of the leg and the quality of the carpet and foam pad ... | ||
| double kiss foul in eight ball. | 12/7/2011 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: Cue ball and object ball are 1/4 to 1/2 inch apart. Shooter addresses the ball head on. Foul or not. ... A: Here's the problem: The captain let him get away with it, and has to abide by his decision to do so, ... | ||
| 1992 RCH VIP (Helmstetter) pool cue | 12/4/2011 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: Greetings Teacher, I acquired a Helmstetter, buy way of a pool game..... It is a signed ... A: This probably has a 5/16 x 14 pin, but you should be able to get information about specifications ... | ||
| K55 rails for a 7' coin op Murrey table | 12/3/2011 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: Bill, First of let me thank you for reading my question. We have a pool table that has some ... A: Wow! You have a little project to work on. I decided to answer this question publicly in case ... | ||
| vintage pool cue appraisal/interest in selling | 11/29/2011 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: For over 30 years, I have owned a pool cue made by Burton Spain. It has been in storage for about 20 ... A: Nice cue. Burton Spain made many one of a kinds. These are far less susceptible to an accurate ... | ||
| Pool player height | 11/29/2011 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: Is there a guideline for the height of a pool player. My 6 yr old wants a cue however I am afraid ... A: Interesting question, thanks. But no, I don't believe there are any established guidelines for the ... | ||
| 8 ball break | 11/24/2011 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: If a person breaks, and 2 balls go in first, then the eight ball , does that person who broke, win? A: <i>When it is played that you win when pocketing the 8 ball on the break</i>, it does not normally ... | ||
| 8 ball potted in the same turn as object ball | 11/16/2011 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: I have tried to find information on this situation, but could not find anything in the WPA or APA ... A: Yes, this happens from time to time. Sorry to say, you lost that game. Whether a player might call ... | ||
| A.E.Schmidt Snooker Cue (value) | 11/15/2011 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: Sir, I have an A.E. Schmidt, rainbow wrapped, snooker cue in perfect condition. I bought this cue ... A: First thing I'd do is call A. E. Schmidt at 800-325-9676. They have a website at ... | ||
| DOULE ELIMINATION TOURNEY | 11/14/2011 | Dan Werner |
| Q: DO WINNER IN THE FIRST ROUND OF A TOURNEY PLAY BEFORE THE LOSER PLAY IN A 11 MAN DOUBLE ELIMINATION ... A: Jim, Great question. Usually, the LOSERS play first. If they lost once and could lose again soon, ... | ||
| Breaking a rack | 11/8/2011 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: I was in a tournament ,I broke and a stripe ball went in , can I pick my next ball as a solid or ... A: Answering your question from authoritative rules, and assuming you are talking about 8-ball, the ... | ||
| Pool Cues | 11/4/2011 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: What brand pool cue do the pros use? whats the best brand to use? A: I try not to endorse particular brands. I will say that many pros prefer laminated shafts to ... | ||
| shaky on value | 10/27/2011 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: I just won a pool stick in a game and it seems like a good quality stick, it seems very well ... A: That's just it Dave, the whole point of the previous column (which had two parts, did you read ... | ||
| Disassembly of slate table | 10/26/2011 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: I am disassembling a 9x4, 3 piece slate table. Rails and cloth have been removed. All the screws (i ... A: Can you send me a photo or two showing the pieces of slate from the top and one showing a bit of the ... | ||
| pool coach/teacher | 10/16/2011 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: In one of your previous posts you mentioned that having a good qualified coach/teacher is important. ... A: I'm on the other side of the country, but I put the Internet to good use. Check out this search: ... | ||
| pool table light globes | 10/15/2011 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: Hi i played 8-ball comp for about 5yrs now and now have a table at home and was curious to what type ... A: The following is from a previous question that was similar: No doubt bad lighting will hurt your ... | ||
| 9 ball | 10/11/2011 | Dan Werner |
| Q: If I hit the one ball & the one ball hits the 9 ball & goes in; but the cue ball goes in the pocket ... A: Great question. First, alwaya agree to rules beforehand for any game. Use www.poolplayers.com or ... | ||
| Slate'' reparation | 10/10/2011 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: While transporting my billiard to the first floor at home, a little piece of the slate (if it's so ... A: I haven't used Plas-Co and I haven't seen it's chemical composition. Usually materials used to seal ... | ||
| Slate'' reparation | 10/8/2011 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: While transporting my billiard to the first floor at home, a little piece of the slate (if it's so ... A: Hard to say without seeing the type of damage you have. For damage to the surface of the slate my ... | ||
| Rich Q. pool cue | 10/4/2011 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: I was reading one of your other answers about a Rich Q and you mentioned a Plexiglass window. I ... A: Branded cues like to display their brand. Rich Cues have put out thousands of sticks over their 70 ... | ||
| Scratching..... | 9/29/2011 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: while playing straight ball with my dad (home table), he hit my ball first, then his & sunk his ... A: I will gladly settle the argument if you tell me what game you were playing. Are you talking about ... | ||
| Tournament brackets - assigning byes | 9/29/2011 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: With a 16 man bracket playing 8-ball, i see how to set it up with even number people but what if ... A: It's easy math, though why it works is less straightforward. The number of byes is always going to ... | ||
| pool stick | 9/28/2011 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: could you help me with how much its worth and what the id is. A: I can't help you with the other one. Too little to go on. That's a nice older McDermott, It's from ... | ||
| Gluing pool table slate and felt | 9/25/2011 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: I just bought a pool table and had to disassemble it to get it out of the previous home. In order ... A: As I state in my profile, though I know more than your average bear about pool tables, I am not a ... | ||
| Pool Tournament Formats | 9/22/2011 | Bill Newsted |
| Q: I have been running a weekly tournament for over two years that was the developed by the owner of ... A: I've scratched my head for you but come up basically empty. I'm pretty much a purest when it comes ... | ||
| break rules | 9/21/2011 | Pool_Teacher |
| Q: If you sink the 8 ball on the break, does it matter if you make any other balls in to win? Or does ... A: <i>When it is played that you win when pocketing the 8 ball on the break</i>, it does not normally ... | ||
Pool_Teacher
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I have wide ranging knowledge of all the cue sports, with the exception of snooker. I can answer most questions related to playing any of the standard games such as straight pool (14.1 continuous) eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and 3-cushion billiards and the variations on these games. Questions welcomed regarding technique, strategy and rules, history of the sport, trick shots, the mental game, practice, practice drills, pool/billiards publications, and so on.
Experience
I have been a dedicated player of pool and 3-cushion Billiards for many years. I have given lessons professionally and have run and participated in too many tournaments to name, including professional events such as the U.S. Open. I am also a cue collector and student of all aspects of the game.
Note: I was starting to get far too many questions about pool cue and pool table valuation and will no longer take these questions, sorry. I am a player and historian of the sport and the heart of my expertise is not product comparison or appraisal.
Education/Credentials
Doctorate
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