Phil Capelle's Play Your Best Pool

[wabacokid]

I have purchased the new book by Phil Capelle called Play Your Best 9-Ball and have read quite a bit of it. My question is about another book by Phil called Pay Your Best Pool. Would you recommend this book also or is it pretty much the same as the 9-Ball book? I know he discusses some 8-Ball in the older one but is this the only difference? Has anybody looked at both books?

[sellis]

I have never read Capelle's 9-ball book. However, I heartedly recommend his original book "Play Your Best Pool" (or whatever the title is exactly). It is a hard call for me as to whether I think Byrnes Vol I & II are better or this is, but Capelle's book is good.

BOOKS I LIKE (you need both books to cover all aspects of the game)
1. Advanced Technique in Pool and Billiards by Robert Byrne
2. Play Your Best Pool by Phil Capelle

If you can't shoot the cue ball from the head string to the foot rail and it return and hit the tip of your cue consistantly, your stroke sucks (I mean your stroke needs work). Until you can do this the rest of the game is hopeless. Practice this for just a few minutes at the beginning of each practice session. Once it gets pretty consistant and you can feel good about your stroke, the more advanced skills will be more successful. The books above have great practice drills for different types of shots: bank, cut, straight, cue ball position, etc.

I wrote the following:

THE POCKET BILLIARD SHOT
The stroke motion should always be the same and feel the same. This way your stroking arm will remember the feel of the stroke. The cue tip/shaft should always pass straight through the cue ball no matter what english you are using. Never change your mind or stroke during the final execution. The cue should always be as level as possible and follow through is essential. This in itself requires practice. Repetition is the key. The only time the stroke should change is when shooting over a ball, jump or masse shots, etc. These types of shots require different execution but still should be shot with consistent technique.
A note on learning cue ball position: When learning cue ball position I think the best way to start is not to try to control the cue ball. Try setting up different cut shots and then make the shot with no English at all. Shoot the same shot with different stroke strengths and watch where the cue ball goes. I repeat, WATCH WHERE THE CUE BALL GOES. This way you will KNOW where the cue ball will go if you hit the shot the same way. The idea here is that you can’t CONTROL the cue ball. You have to do what the cue ball wants, and then it will go where you want it to go. After you know where the cue ball will to on a given shot then start using different English (top, bottom, left, right) and then WATCH WHERE THE CUE BALL GOES. Adjust your shot during practice and pay attention to the results. I believe that with this attitude we will learn how the cue ball will behave and then with practice the shooter will be able to appear like he/she controls the cue ball when the reality is that what we want the cue ball to do controls how we shoot the shot. This is more of a psychological theory I have. It works for me but some people may think I’ve lost my mind.
Practice makes perfect but it takes perfect practice. If you have a bad habit that results in inconsistent play go ahead and work on changing it. Reinforcing bad habits won’t get anyone anywhere.
Planning a shot:
1. Where do you want the cue ball to be after the shot?
a. Decide which pocket to shoot the object ball into.
b. Plan the path the cue ball will take to reach that location.
c. Decide on the english and stroke strength needed.
d. Decide where the cue ball needs to hit the object ball given the throw effect and/or the English you are going to use.
2. Using this information, create a mental image of the shot from approaching the table through follow-through. The idea here is that what we are thinking about when we execute the shot is usually what actually happens. This indicates that our thoughts control to a great degree what we do. We need a specific plan before we act. Example: You are trying to cut a ball that is a couple of inches away from the opposite side rail, two diamonds away from the corner pocket, into that corner pocket. The cue ball is one diamond straight out from the side pocket on your side of the table. The cue ball path for shape is to bounce back to this side of the table on one side of the side pocket or the other and on down to the other end of the table. As you stroke the cue ball you are thinking, “I sure hope I don’t scratch in the side pocket on this side of the table”. I’ve done this several times and most of the time I do scratch. That’s because during the stroke I had in my mind a cue ball path that led to the pocket instead of where I really wanted it to go. I was shooting in fear, not confidence.

Execution
3. Approach the table and establish a stance that when you bend over and set your bridge with the tip in the proper position at the cue ball, there will be little or no adjustment necessary.
4. Now bend over the table and set your bridge. See how close you are to perfection. Don’t start warm-up strokes. Just check for accuracy. If more than minor adjustment is necessary stand up and start over.
5. As you start your warm-up strokes try to establish a mental imagine of the shot you planned and the feeling that you should feel in your arm when you strike the cue ball.
6. As you strike the cue ball you should be looking at the target spot on the object ball and picturing in your mind the object ball going in and the cue ball doing what you had planned. Follow-through is essential.

When the shot goes well you should get the feeling of the image you created in your mind after planning the shot. It should feel smooth and feel good.
When the shot doesn’t go well you should be able to identify what went wrong. Sometimes the desired cue ball path is cluttered with balls. Missing by just a little bit can be disastrous. No one is perfect so don’t expect perfection. Realize your strengths, weaknesses, and skill level. Keeping this in mind try to determine your mistakes. Did you shoot without thorough planning? Were you not concentrating on your shot image? Did you change your stroke just before striking the cue ball? Did you follow-through properly? Did you allow something to distract you? I have make ALL of these mistakes. It is essential that you can identify exactly what you did wrong. That way you can work on correcting your error. Being able to identify the mistake quickly and then to successfully pocket a ball and get shape two or three times in a row after the missed attempt is very satisfying. Keep in mind however; in competition there are NO second tries. One shot is all you get.

BOOKS I LIKE (you need both books to cover all aspects of the game)
1. Advanced Technique in Pool and Billiards by Robert Byrne
2. Play Your Best Pool by Phil Capelle

If you can't shoot the cue ball from the head string to the foot rail and it return and hit the tip of your cue consistantly, your stroke sucks (I mean your stroke needs work). Until you can do this the rest of the game is hopeless. Practice this for just a few minutes at the beginning of each practice session. Once it gets pretty consistant and you can feel good about your stroke, the more advanced skills will be more successful. The books above have great practice drills for different types of shots: bank, cut, straight, cue ball position, etc.

I wrote the following:

THE POCKET BILLIARD SHOT
The stroke motion should always be the same and feel the same. This way your stroking arm will remember the feel of the stroke. The cue tip/shaft should always pass straight through the cue ball no matter what english you are using. Never change your mind or stroke during the final execution. The cue should always be as level as possible and follow through is essential. This in itself requires practice. Repetition is the key. The only time the stroke should change is when shooting over a ball, jump or masse shots, etc. These types of shots require different execution but still should be shot with consistent technique.
A note on learning cue ball position: When learning cue ball position I think the best way to start is not to try to control the cue ball. Try setting up different cut shots and then make the shot with no English at all. Shoot the same shot with different stroke strengths and watch where the cue ball goes. I repeat, WATCH WHERE THE CUE BALL GOES. This way you will KNOW where the cue ball will go if you hit the shot the same way. The idea here is that you can’t CONTROL the cue ball. You have to do what the cue ball wants, and then it will go where you want it to go. After you know where the cue ball will to on a given shot then start using different English (top, bottom, left, right) and then WATCH WHERE THE CUE BALL GOES. Adjust your shot during practice and pay attention to the results. I believe that with this attitude we will learn how the cue ball will behave and then with practice the shooter will be able to appear like he/she controls the cue ball when the reality is that what we want the cue ball to do controls how we shoot the shot. This is more of a psychological theory I have. It works for me but some people may think I’ve lost my mind.
Practice makes perfect but it takes perfect practice. If you have a bad habit that results in inconsistent play go ahead and work on changing it. Reinforcing bad habits won’t get anyone anywhere.
Planning a shot:
1. Where do you want the cue ball to be after the shot?
a. Decide which pocket to shoot the object ball into.
b. Plan the path the cue ball will take to reach that location.
c. Decide on the english and stroke strength needed.
d. Decide where the cue ball needs to hit the object ball given the throw effect and/or the English you are going to use.
2. Using this information, create a mental image of the shot from approaching the table through follow-through. The idea here is that what we are thinking about when we execute the shot is usually what actually happens. This indicates that our thoughts control to a great degree what we do. We need a specific plan before we act. Example: You are trying to cut a ball that is a couple of inches away from the opposite side rail, two diamonds away from the corner pocket, into that corner pocket. The cue ball is one diamond straight out from the side pocket on your side of the table. The cue ball path for shape is to bounce back to this side of the table on one side of the side pocket or the other and on down to the other end of the table. As you stroke the cue ball you are thinking, “I sure hope I don’t scratch in the side pocket on this side of the table”. I’ve done this several times and most of the time I do scratch. That’s because during the stroke I had in my mind a cue ball path that led to the pocket instead of where I really wanted it to go. I was shooting in fear, not confidence.

Execution
3. Approach the table and establish a stance that when you bend over and set your bridge with the tip in the proper position at the cue ball, there will be little or no adjustment necessary.
4. Now bend over the table and set your bridge. See how close you are to perfection. Don’t start warm-up strokes. Just check for accuracy. If more than minor adjustment is necessary stand up and start over.
5. As you start your warm-up strokes try to establish a mental imagine of the shot you planned and the feeling that you should feel in your arm when you strike the cue ball.
6. As you strike the cue ball you should be looking at the target spot on the object ball and picturing in your mind the object ball going in and the cue ball doing what you had planned. Follow-through is essential.

When the shot goes well you should get the feeling of the image you created in your mind after planning the shot. It should feel smooth and feel good.
When the shot doesn’t go well you should be able to identify what went wrong. Sometimes the desired cue ball path is cluttered with balls. Missing by just a little bit can be disastrous. No one is perfect so don’t expect perfection. Realize your strengths, weaknesses, and skill level. Keeping this in mind try to determine your mistakes. Did you shoot without thorough planning? Were you not concentrating on your shot image? Did you change your stroke just before striking the cue ball? Did you follow-through properly? Did you allow something to distract you? I have make ALL of these mistakes. It is essential that you can identify exactly what you did wrong. That way you can work on correcting your error. Being able to identify the mistake quickly and then to successfully pocket a ball and get shape two or three times in a row after the missed attempt is very satisfying. Keep in mind however; in competition there are NO second tries. One shot is all you get.

[SneakyPete]

The only thing that is is the same about Play Your Best Pool, Straight Pool and Nine Ball are that they all have the same principles of position play (although slightly adapted for each game). Also, fundamentals (word for word I think) are covered int eh Straigt Pool and Nine Ball books. Other than that, they are different.