is the tip.

Give me a good tip on a broomstick and I

would still beat everybody."
Bob Byrne related a story where Ceulemans once said that when
he found a good tip, he would remove it from his shaft and save it
for future use since he favored a good tip that is broken in.
As new cue information arrives it will be added here---check back





A Good Tip
During the 2001 Las Vegas World Cup, many of the worlds best 3-C
players were surveyed on what cue tips they use, along with other
cue data.
It seems that most Belgium players stayed with tradition, which is to
use a smaller tip size, while most other top players use tip sizes bet-
ween 11.5 and 12.0 mm.
Name
Tip Size
mm
Tip
Make
Type Shaft type
Bitalis 11.4 Mori Hard Extra Stiff
Blomdahl 12.0 Mori Medium Varies with table
Ceulemans 12.0 Triangle Medium Stiff
DeBacker 11.6 Mori Medium Medium Stiff
Dielis 9.5 Chandivert Hard Stiff
Habraken 11.0 LePro Medium Stiff
Jaspers 11.7 Mori Medium Stiff
Leppens 10.5 Mori Medium Extra Stiff
Piedrabuena 12.0 Mori Medium Medium Stiff
Sang Lee 12.0 Mori Medium Medium Stiff
Sayginer 12.0 Mori Medium Stiff
Theriaga 12.0 Mori Medium Stiff
Sanetti 12.0 Chandivert Medium Medium Stiff
While all were quizzed on their tip size and shaft configuration selections, Dick
Jaspers summed up this subject best by stating that the 12 mm size was best for
power shots, while the 11.5 size handled cue ball spin best---an 11.7 mm tip was
his selection.
In my 3-C travels, it seems that the average 3-C player does not use a cue that
has tip and shaft configurations that compares to the above.
Incidently, most new cues come with inexpensive tip material.
The stiff shaft allows for much better cue ball deflection, thus much better object
ball hits---same for 12mm tip sizes---yet, having a good feel for cue ball spin, is important.


Ball Polish

For those players who desire cue ball slide, a certain product is available
and is listed below---coatings are not to affect the cushion edge, or the
cue tip.

The 3-M corporation has one liquid as the cleaner and the other liquid
as the final finish---the cleaner is named Finesse-It and the final finish
is named 3-M Liquid Polish, Clear Coat Face---this is a two coat
operation and can be hand buffed or machine buffed, to a final gloss---
usually found at automobile supply stores.

Corner Pocket in Ft Lauderdale Florida, and Master Billiards in New
York, use this type of ball conditioning.

Top pocket billiard players are known for not liking this type of ball slide
---someday, somewhere, a 9-ball event will feature this type of cue ball
slide, and the locals will have the advantage---maybe China ?




Ten Second Lesson

At the 1999 Las Vegas World Cup I asked Raymond Ceulemans
what would be the most important "stroke advice" he would offer
the average player.

"Try to move only the arm below the elbow and do not use much
wrist for most shots", was his reply..
Much can go wrong if you do not follow his advice. This has a lot to do
with losing control of the shot and becoming a better player.

Its easy to classify billiard players; those who stroke the ball correctly,
and those who do not. For example, most players move their head or
upper body as they strike the cue ballnotice this when observing others.
The player must stay motionless until the cue ball is gone. Peeking at the
shot too quickly causes problems such as slightly pulling up and not follow-
ing through completely.
Shoot most shots without using much wrist, especially short angle shots.
The forearm and hand work as a unit and have much more control of the
cue ball with better results.

Once practiced, your stroke will magically improve.





A Ladder Tournament

River City Miracle

In Wichita, I selfishly organized these locals recently using Bondzinski's
ladder club concept so that they could see their averages and have their
hearts on improvement. It worked too. There are 14 players. In one month
they've played over 100 games and the housemen are cleaning the table
everyday. Without 4 pounds of chalk, they play longer and rather well.
Then, I make available the Atlas books for those that stand still long enough
to read a select page or two. Most will.

Those of us that rely on the books and our working our way through them
(one new thing at a time) "call our shots" to each other, so we can compare
and discuss the many approaches. It's a minor miracle, right here in River
City. One guy will say, "Rising Sun," another offers, "Dead Ball here", "Sid",
"Walt's," "Sang Lee," "Plus," all those familiar names in the books.

Here's the punch-line: "these writings have given even Wichita a body of infor-
mation that is improving play and interest in the game...not just for students and
3 cushion fanatics, like me, but for the newcomers and converted pool players
in town. The way these books play a part in the improvement of the game is
probably greater than Walt will ever know."

Author of the above, David from Wichita, Kansas , December 12, 1998
< DKS411@aol.com> Ladder expert, Frank Bondzinski,1301 Ironwood Dr.
Mount Prospect, IL 60056.





Simple Reverse-the-Rail System (Cho-dan-cho)

One of Korea's World Class Players CHUL MIN KIM donated this simple
reverse-the rail system.

Table and ball conditions vary so you may have to adjust a little....a level cue
with a full follow through stroke is needed....shoot softly for desired cue ball
spin....Cho-dan-cho makes billiard life easier.
Q-ball at 20 on short rail---Object balls at 10 on short rail.
20 + 10 = 30 Aim point on long rail is 30.



























99 to 1

Many thanks to Sancho, the Frenchman, for locating this fourth rail cue ball path
---which originates from the short rail (A)--- to a target on the opposite short rail
(B)---with numbers as shown.

The odds of scoring a billiard here are 99 to 1 !
Example: Cue ball (Q) origin = 25---fourth rail destination = 30.
Select a point on the origin rail (A) that is opposite the fourth rail target on (B)
(which is 30)---then divide by 2 (which is 15), this is the base line.
Formula is: Origin on rail (A) is 25, minus 15 = 10---aim at 10 on rail (B).

Cue ball origins from 15 to 0 are outside the system limits





Greek Backout

Antonios Gallopoulos, a 3-Cushion systems player from Greece, donated this
unique "Backout" system.
If cue ball is at position "5 or 12" and first ball (Red) is at position "5 - 3" the
first rail hit point is 5.

If cue ball is at position "5 or 12" and first ball (Red) is at position "7 + 4" the
first rail hit point is 12.

For other short rail cue ball origins put together the origin rail multiplier and first
ball (red ball) number and make the calculation e.g. as in the drawing. (cue ball
origin number is at 3x).
3 x 7 + 4 = 25 when red ball is at position "7 + 4".
3 x 5 - 3 = 12 when red ball is at position "5 - 3".







Two Thirds System

Here's another short angle gem from Greece (where the angle into the first
rail is less then 45 degrees).

Antonios Gallopoulos has simplified the Billiard Atlas's "two thirds" system
---and it becomes "3/2"

Suppose we want an arrival at diamond 3---multiply 3 x 3/2 = 4.5

On the line 4.5 to 0, find a spot on the wall , aim the cue ball---et viola !!

Center Cue ball hit---soft stroke---spot on the wall distance is important---
for distance, use the distance from the cue ball's origin rail to the first rail.

Latest Word Note: With practice, a player can use this aim point and add one,
two, or three tips of side english to the cue ball---each tip of side english adds
1/3 of diamond to the third rail hit point---an excellent drill for accuracy---note
that a center cue hit can spell path trouble on certain tables.

A short angle example is shown here:






Billiard Posters from Professorqball


Thanks to Paul Frankel, the billiard world can finally see large colored posters
showing "systems and techniques"