(About the author)

(This is today's bit of advice from the book Safety Toolbox.)

Maybe an effective hidden ball safety worked or your opponent badly screwed up to give you a ball in hand situation. A momentary thrill starts in your belly and shoots up your spine. You can barely suppress your joy. All the while, you struggle to maintain a mild expression of sympathy while offering insincere condolences to your opponent. (It would be poor sportsmanship to express pleasure in the midst of your opponent's disappointment.) Continue reading →

(About the author)

(This is today's bit of advice from the book Safety Toolbox.)

This is a variation of the hidden ball safety. A wall of balls provides overlapping shadow zones that together make a huge table area to set up a hidden ball safety. This enlarged table area makes it easier to roll a ball into it. Your opponent is forced to kick the cue ball off other rails in an attempt to make a legal hit. Continue reading →

(About the author)

(This is today's bit of advice from the book Safety Toolbox.)

A safety battle is an exchange of safeties, each shooter taking his turn at placing the balls in difficult or awkward locations. Such battles usually occur during the end-game when fewer balls are on the table and there is more room to move things around. Continue reading →

(About the author)

(This is today's bit of advice from the book Safety Toolbox.)

As you become more able to make good decisions, you are more able to consider consequences. There are situations where you don't want to pocket an easy shot. Doing so would force you to play a layout that you don't want to handle at that time. Since a delay would be better suited to the game conditions, you want to dog the shot. This would be a tactical miss. Continue reading →

(About the author)

(This is today's bit of advice from the book Safety Toolbox.)

When you are selecting a defensive shot from the many options available, you have one supreme goal and purpose:

Control the table by limiting your opponent's options. Continue reading →

(About the author)

This is today's bit of advice from the book Safety Toolbox.

All defensive shots can be categorized into a small set of basic safety types. Every safety played in your entire lifetime is a variation of one or a combination of the types. Each of these, when wisely selected and carefully played, improves your chances to win. As you study and practice the various safety exercises; your knowledge, abilities, and confidence expands. Continue reading →

(About the author)

(This is today's bit of advice from the book Safety Toolbox.)

A shadow zone is the table area behind one or more blocking balls. It is the key element of a hidden ball safety type. Any target ball within the shadow zone can be reached either by jumping the blocking ball (if rules allow) or shooting the cue ball off one or more cushions. Continue reading →

(About the author)

This is today's bit of advice from the book Safety Toolbox.

This shot does not follow the rules of the game. When made, the penalty is loss of turn, and in official rules competitions, includes giving cue ball in hand to your opponent. These can be considered illegal: Continue reading →

(About the author)

(This is today's bit of advice from the book Safety Toolbox.)

Side spin (also known as English) occurs when the cue tip contacts the cue ball to the left or right side of the vertical line (12:00 to 6:00). The cue tip contact can range from a very small off-line of 1/8 to 1/4 tip away from true vertical) to contact points that are so far out (2.5-4 tips out from zero position) that the cue tip cannot make a firm contact. The result is a miscue with the cue skittering away and the cue ball reacting strangely. Continue reading →

(About the author)

(This is today's bit of advice from the book Safety Toolbox.)

There are situations during a game, if the opportunities are recognized, when the table layout offers tremendous flexibility. There can be many choices that are to your advantage and to your opponent’s disadvantage. Continue reading →