Bob Jewett

99 Critical Points
Bob Jewett splits some important hairs.

In the M a y issue was an extensive is an example straight-pool break shot

review of the top billiard instruction books. taken from the book (p.141). The cue ball
Among the cream was Ray Martin's "The and object ball are larger than the pocket.
99 Critical Shots in Pool and Billiards," Notice that the balls in the rack are smaller.
which was the best pool book available It would help to show the cue applying
when it was published in right English, but this is
1977. While other books shown in a separate inset
are now better, as a first about where to hit the
book for beginners, ball.
"99CS" remains required Another problem is the
reading for any serious shading of the balls. The
cue student. rack balls are supposed to
I have found that there be gray, but in both the
are many layers to under- original paperback and
standing. I recall when I the reprint, they are very
was first learning pool hard to tell from the black
from Willie Mosconi's of the main object ball. In
"Winning Pocket the illustrated shot, this puzzle to understand them. Two examples
Billiards" 40 years ago, isn't important, but other of authors with excellent diagrams are
that on each of four or shots can only be deci- Byrne and Capelle — open both "99CS"
five readings that were phered if you can figure and one of their books and compare for
perhaps three months out which ball is very, yourself.
apart, I learned some- very dark gray but not Finally, to the shot itself. The line of the
thing new from each black. stick is nearly parallel to the end rail.
review. Part of it was that my game was The path the cue ball takes also needs to Willie says to use left, not right, English for
developing at the same time, and Willie's be fixed, and this applies to nearly all the this shot, and I think Willie was right. Try
help on draw shots couldn't do me much diagrams in the book. The cue ball in the shot yourself, and see which works the
good — or really make any sense — until Diagram 1 is shown leaving the object ball best for you, and then make a note in
my arm moved more or less straight. With from the middle of the object ball, when it "99CS" about what you discovered.
each new reading, more parts fit. fact it comes from a location a ball closer to The fundamental how-to-play section at
As my game and understanding have pro- the shooter. This means that the cue ball the start of "99CS" is quite good, but could
gressed further, I now see that there's more will not hit the indicated rack ball first, but use some updates. Few people now recom-
than one mistake in Willie's book, and its neighbor. The details are hard to see mend using 600-grit sandpaper to clean
some of them can seriously hold up a stu- because the balls aren't even close to the shafts. Modern cue papers seem to be at
dent's progress beyond the beginner level. right size. Also, when the cue ball hits the least twice as fine as that. The photos for
It could be that in another 40 bridge and stance are excellent,
years I'll have a very different but the open bridge and the
take. A sad part of this further snooker-player stance deserve a
learning is the loss of an old more positive mention — just
friend. Well, maybe not a loss, watch the top players on TV for
but it can hurt to see a friend in a examples.
new, clearer light that shows fea- In Diagram 2 is the banking
tures you wish weren't there. system that Martin explains as
When "99CS" was reissued ten Shot 27. Maybe there is some-
years ago, I was glad to see this one, somewhere, who actually
classic available again for a new shoots banks this way, but I
generation of pool fanatics, but I was not so rail, the contact point and turning should be doubt it. Willie shows the same system.
happy to see that Ray didn't take the oppor- shown at the rail groove, where the center Both of them actually have the ideal con-
tunity to update the book and fix some of of the cue ball makes its turn. struction wrong, but the ideal construction
"the features we wish weren't there." Here Martin doesn't have the worst diagrams in doesn't work anyway. I think the student
are some of the things I hope will find their billiards. There are some carom diagrams would be better off spending time with the
way into a second edition. where the balls are the size of pumpkins. mirror system, which is much easier to
The diagrams need to be fixed. Pool is a Most of the time it's possible to puzzle out visualize but which Ray doesn't mention.
geometrical game, and scale, proportion, what Ray means, but diagrams should be In my very first column for this magazine,
and accuracy are important. In Diagram 1 clear enough that you don't have to solve a in 1992,1 asked the reader to do an experi-

24 BD-JULY 2002
 Bob Jewett

ment to find the best way to run a frozen as a stop or stun shot, with no spin on the but the BCA
ball down the cushion without English on cue ball. This is the sort of bogus system address has
the cue ball. All the experimenters found that can be debunked with a few examples. changed at least
the same thing: you must land the cue ball If the second object ball is at a right angle twice, and the
about a quarter-inch up the cushion from to the line of your stick, the system says to rules a dozen
the object ball. The reason, of course, is aim your stick at the edge of the first object times, since then.
collision-induced throw; the motion of the ball. This is our old friend the half-ball hit, The old rules may
cue ball across the object ball drags it and the cue ball is deflected 60 degrees on be okay for
towards the cushion. Koehler had shown the shot and not 90. Even worse, if the beginners to start
the same thing in his 1989 book, "The object ball is ahead of the right-angle line, with, but they are
Science of Pocket Billiards," complete with the system says to hit the first object ball likely to cause
diagrams of the changes with inside and even fuller, which means you will miss the confusion among
outside English. It's high time that all bil- second object ball by even more. better players
liard authors expunge this myth of "hit ball A very interesting kiss situation is illus- who try to play in
and cushion at the same time." trated in Diagram 4, drawing from its tournaments. For
Shot 42 of 99 shows an example of what appearance in both the examples on page example, in 9-
I call the "twice as full system," in which 165 of "99CS." A ball is frozen between ball, you are no
the cue ball is blocked from the desired two others. Where does it go if struck into longer permitted to push out at the start of
path by a close ball. The system as both of them simultaneously? You might every turn at the table — yes, people really
described doesn't have the geometry quite think that it will go along one of the kiss did play like that in the last millennium.
right, but more importantly, it doesn't have lines (A or B), but in fact it will seem to The above is not an exhaustive list. As
the cue ball frozen to the object ball, which ignore both balls and go nearly straight you read or re-read "99CS," or any other
is absolutely required for this shot to be away from the cue ball. You could make a book about pool, be sure you do it critical-
legal and to work well. proposition shot from this. In "99CS," the ly. Maybe you don't have to be so tough on
In Diagram 3 is the carom system ball is incorrectly said to go along one of the author the first time through; go for
explained in Shot 43. Unfortunately, it the kiss lines. comprehension of what he may have been
doesn't even come close for a half-ball hit. Finally, I have a bone to pick about the trying to say. But if you ever hope to get
The point of aim — the point on the first rules listed at the back of the book. They past that first, superficial layer of under-
object ball your stick is aimed at — is the were the official Billiards Congress of standing, you will need to get out your
point on the first object ball that is closest America rules in 1977 when the BCA was microscope and fine-toothed comb and put
to the target ball, and Martin says to play it on Michigan Avenue in Chicago (as listed), away your mercy.

26 BD -JULY 2002