Here are some of the reasons that distinguish this book from others currently available on the market:

• Understanding: This book develops understanding of basic principles. Many pool and billiards books are “cookbook” style telling you what to do but not always why or how it works. Some also contain countless examples of different kinds of shots. These examples are useful, but often do not produce a level of understanding that can truly make someone a better pool player. This book contains examples and many illustrations, but the main goal is to present the fundamental principles of the game. By developing an understanding of these principles, you can anticipate and predict all types of shots that you might face, not just limited examples that might be presented. If you understand a few basic principles, you can figure out shots on your own without being shown examples of every possible shot.
• Illustrations: This book contains numerous, well illustrated, full-color photographs and graphics that visually explain all of the principles. Also, unlike many books on the market, all figures are drawn precisely to scale. See examples in the sample pages.
• Supplemental Material: This book is supplemented by a website that provides additional resources. The website, located at billiards.colostate.edu, includes:
  • Cross-referenced video clips that help illustrate concepts in the book. Visual clipart markers throughout the book indicate where clips and proofs are available to reinforce the topics being described. The video clips were taken with two types of cameras: a sophisticated high-speed camera and a digital video camcorder. The high-speed camera was able to capture some of the motion that is impossible to see with normal vision or with a standard video camera. Seeing the stick, ball, and cushion dynamics in slow motion will help you understand the principles by seeing them in action. The numerous video clips (high-speed and normal) are valuable because:
    • They are easily accessible on the Internet with the click of a mouse for quick viewing while you are reading or practicing.
    • They are closely tied to the content in the book to help reinforce your learning.
    • Seeing something in action is much better than just reading something with still illustrations. However, doing is even better, so you should duplicate and practice everything you see in the book and video clips.
    • There is no need to buy separate video product that may or may not directly parallel the book.
  • Technical proofs that provide technical background and mathematical formulas to support many of the principles in this book. This information may not be of interest to non-technical readers, but those of you with engineering or physics backgrounds (i.e., the nerds and geeks out there) might enjoy it.
  • Links to additional information and resources available on the Internet.
• Organization: This book is well organized, has easy-to-read format and layout, and is not verbose. The video clip clipart markers; lists of figures, principles, and video clips at the beginning of the book, and the glossary and index at the end of the book make it easy to use the book and website for learning and for quick reference. Also, cross-references to principles, figures, and sections appear throughout the book (with page numbers). This makes it very easy to find what you want and need with minimum effort.

This book is appropriate for novice players who want to learn efficiently. It is equally appropriate for experienced league and tournament players who want to strengthen their games with an improved understanding and an expanded arsenal of shots. If you are new to the game, you might want to refer to the Glossary in the back of the book to familiarize yourself with some of the lingo. The book website also provides useful links if you want to browse the web and better experience the world of pool.

Here are the topics covered by the book:

See more details in the table of contents.

Note – a companion instructional DVD is also available.