Whether you're a beginning player interested in learning more about pool...

An amateur who enjoys competing in local leagues and tournaments ...

A dedicated semipro aspiring to break into the professional ranks ...

A skilled student of the cue sports .. .

Or a professional seeking new insights . . .

We guarantee that Precision Pool will teach you things you've never had the opportunity to explore in any instruction book on the cue sports.

Not so long ago in pool's history, all those well-kept secrets and tips of the professionals were passed down by word of mouth from legends and mentors to aspiring players deemed worthy. As pool's popularity has spread, an avalanche of instructional material has become available to supply new demands. Unfortunately, even the most comprehensive works spend a great deal of time rehashing basic information. Pool is a sport, requiring that players be taught not just rules of the game and how the balls move around the table, but how the players themselves should move, how they need to think, how to become mentally and physically tougher than their opponents.

It's time for a fresh new approach to teaching the cue sports! We go beyond the normal realm of available material written on the sport, opening a whole new world for the men and women who wish to improve their knowledge and their skills. Our goal is that you really enjoy the learning process, so as to appreciate the artistry, sport, and sheer fun of pocket billiards!

Precision Pool is organized into 10 concise chapters, beginning with "The Shooter's Checklist," which explains the different kinds of equipment you will encounter, how to choose and maintain your own equipment, and the fundamental skills you'll need to master first: proper handling of the cue, proper stance, stroke, approaching the table, and establishing your own rhythm of play. Of the thousands of people we encounter in billiard clubs across the country, the vast majority could improve their games 100 percent just by learning the proper fundamentals.

Next, in chapter 2, "Aim and Vision," we let you in on the secrets of aiming, beginning with a unique section on finding the pocket center and adjusting for

pocket movement. Perhaps the most often-asked question from our readers and fans is how to aim, and we've suggested the best and most popular options available. Then, in a special section completely unique to pocket billiard instruction, you'll learn how to improve your aiming accuracy with information on how your eyes work, optical illusions, perception, focus, and eye dominance?factors that can affect your aim, and quite often, your choice of aiming methods.

In chapter 3, "Cue Ball Control," we focus on the techniques and optimal results of using center ball, follow, draw, left and right english. In chapter 4, "Game Breaks," you'll learn how to develop a powerful break (one of the most important shots in every game) and the best breaks for each of the most popular cue games. Chapter 5, "Critical Shots," will teach you banks, combinations, and carom shots, along with stop, stun, and drag shots. Finally, we'll show you the advanced skills of executing kicks, jump shots, and masses?the crowd pleasers!

Next, in chapter 6, "Pattern Plays," you'll be able to use all your newfound skills in real game strategy, beginning with position and pattern play. Basic pattern types are discussed and diagrammed for the most popular games. Sound advice on how to look for patterns, natural paths around the pool table, and angles towards and away from the object ball are provided as keys to honing your own skills. Equally important, you'll learn in chapter 7, "Safety Play," when to recognize that a good pattern does not exist, and when a safety option is your best bet. Sample safeties are illustrated, and you'll learn how to create effective safeties.

Chapter 8, "Match Strategy and Tactics," will take you beyond pattern and safety play into actual game situations, including taking intentional fouls, winning games via the three-foul rule, and using an opponent's strengths and weaknesses to your best advantage. You'll discover a few secrets of team strategy, and how to find, enter, and compete in lucrative leagues and tournaments.

Chapter 9, "Mind-Body Toughness," transports you into that brave new world of billiard instruction that serious players have sought for years. Incredibly important to your high-performance pool game is heightening mental awareness. Part one of this chapter addresses the most practical methods of building concentration in your pool sessions, practicing mental imaging for runouts and pinpoint position play, building confidence in your skills, and playing pool effortlessly. We continue with your physical game, including exercises, stretching, and warm-ups to maximize your playing ability. Pool, like golf, tennis or bowling, is a sport, and these additional skills will furnish you with immediate improvement in your physical performance. And, it's a well-known fact that most pros go back to the basics when they're having problems with their own skills, so we've included a unique section that offers quick fixes for typical problems you might be experiencing in your game as a result of bad physical habits.

Finally, you can put it all together with chapter 10, "Practice Made Fun!" Included are several fun games that will maximize your practice sessions, without the dull repetition and monotony associated with practice "drills." Each exercise and game we've illustrated works specific target areas of your game. A sample one-week practice routine and goal-setting sections have been provided to stimulate your interest in continued participation.

Over one hundred million men and women worldwide have picked up a cue in the last year and played pool. Most of you are still looking for ways to improve your game. No matter what your current level of ability, no matter how far you wish to take your skills, Precision Pool will take you there faster!