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BD House Pro
Tony Robles

A longtime teaching pro at Amsterdam Billiard Club in New York City, Tony has dozens of regional and national titles to his name, including the 2004 BCA Open 9-Ball Championships. He's a 7-time Tri-State Player of the Year, and has run 267 balls in straight pool.

• April 2024: Three for the Road
• March 2024: Rail Birds
• February 2024: Fear Factor
• January 2024: Taking It on the Chin
• December 2023: A Matter of Degrees
• November 2023: Coming Back From Injury
• October 2023: Routine Shots
• September 2023: Take Out the Guesswork
• August 2023: Stay Present
• July 2023: English Class
• June 2023: Deflecting Blame
• May 2023: Safety First?
• April 2023: Basic Training
• February 2023: Incremental Growth
• January 2023: Getting Pushy
• December 2022: Follow Me Home
• November 2022: Playing Off the Rail
• October 2022: Hanging by a Thread
• September 2022: Off On A Tangent
• August 2022: Going Straight
• July 2022: Take A Break
• June 2022: A Cut Above
• May 2022: Keep Your Chin Up
• April 2022: Where’s the Fire?
• March 2022: Be A Soft Touch
• February 2022: Focus on Task
• January 2022: A Cut Above
• December 2021: Sit and Win
• November 2021: Ready or Not
• October 2021: A Most Important Time
• September 2021: Never Stop Learning
• July 2021: Stay the Course
• June 2021: Not As Easy As It Looks
• May 2021: Watch Your Speed
• April 2021: Speed Kills
• March 2021: Uncomfortable? Good
• February 2021: Watch and Learn
• January 2021: Angles Off The Rail
• December 2020: When You Slip
• November 2020: The Inside Track
• October 2020: The Inside Dope
• September 2020: Experimentation
• August 2020: Challenge Yourself
• July 2020: Drill Sergeants
• June 2020: No Table Required
• May 2020: Opening Eyes
• April 2020: Three birds, one stone
• March 2020: Red Alert
• February 2020: Endless Possibilities
• January 2020: Starting position
• December 2019: Advanced Safeties
• November 2019: Frozen Solid
• October 2019: It’s A Thin Line
• September 2019: Joy in Repetition
• August 2019: Soft Touch
• June 2019: Thin To Win
• May 2019: Perfection Not Required
• April 2019: Shake ’n’ Break
• March 2019: Hangers
• February 2019: Correct Easy Errors
• January 2019: Weight Problems
• December 2018: Position, Everyone!
• November 2018: Be a Chairman
• October 2018: Never Stop Learning
• September 2018: Carom Corner II
• August 2018: Carom Corner
• July 2018: Slump Dog
• June 2018: Stopping Is Power
• May 2018: Professional Help
• April 2018: Break Dance
• March 2018: A Safe Path
• February 2018: Stunning Results
• January 2018: Know Your Rails
• November 2017: The Straight Dope
• October 2017: Confidence Boosters
• September 2017: The One-Armed Man
• August 2017: Making a Check List
• July 2017: Trust Issues
• June 2017: Rails Away!
• May 2017: Weight Watchers
• April 2017: Opposites Attract
• March 2017: Reach For It!
• February 2017: Adapting to New Rules
• January 2017: Systems vs Feel
• December 2016: It Happens to the Best
• November 2016: Maintaining Focus
• October 2016: Riding the ‘L’
• September 2016: Tips on Tips
• August 2016: The Art of Deflection
• July 2016: Note To Self
• June 2016: Object of Safety Play
• May 2016: Speed Zone
• April 2016: Frozen Ball Shots
• March 2016: Hide and Go Seek
• February 2016: Two-Rail Kicks
• January 2016: Staying Down
• December 2015: One-Rail Kicks
• November 2015: Breaking Bad
• October 2015: Call Shot, Call Safety
• September 2015: Own the Shot
• August 2015: Patterns - Part II
• July 2015: I Notice A Pattern
• June 2015: Two-Way Prt. 2
• May 2015: Two-Way Shots
• April 2015: The Fine Line
• March 2015: Straight Break
• February 2015: The 'Walkaway'
• January 2015: Pushing Your Luck
• October 2014: Walk This Way
• August 2014: Attitude Adjustments
• May 2014: Adapt to the Equipment
• Mar 2014: Turn The Beat Around
• Feb 2014: Straight Is Great
• Sept 2013: Cover the Basics
• June 2013: Getting It Right
• May 2013: Strength Training
• April 2013: Rust Proof?
• March 2013: Not So Fast
• February 2013: Two-Step Jump
• January 2013: Open Your Eyes
• December 2012: Feeling Good?
• November 2012: Hang In There
• October 2012: Back on Track
• September 2012: Straighten Up
• August 2012: On the Rail
• July 2012: Mental Checklists
• June 2012: Respect & Fear
• May 2012: Chin Music
• April 2012: On the Line
• March 2012: Balancing Act
• February 2012: Creative Drilling
• January 2012: Power Outage
• December 2011: Jumping In Line
• November 2011: Soft on Soft Breaking
• October 2011: Find Your Stroke
• September 2011: The Path Off the Rail
• August 2011: Short Position
• July 2011: Inch Along
• June 2011: Into the Unknown
• May 2011: Sharpened Focus
• April 2011: Never Flatline
• March 2011: Stop For A Review
• February 2011: One To Watch
• January 2011: The Straight Answer
• December 2010: Shoot The Lights Out
• November 2010: Never Overmatched
• October 2010: Drawing Conclusions
• September 2010: Through & Through
• August 2010: Along the Rail
• July 2010: The Small Stuff
• June 2010: Three in One
• May 2010: One Ball At a Time
• April 2010: Going Thin to Win
• March 2010: Know Your Game
• February 2010: 14.1 For 8-Ballers
• January 2010: Setting It Straight
• December 2009: Hanging Out, Part II
• November 2009: Hanging Out
• October 2009: Control Your Speed
• September 2009: Busting Out of a Slump
• August 2009: Easy Errors, Part III
• July 2009: Easy Errors, Part II
• June 2009: Easy Errors, Part I
• May 2009: Body Language & Breaking
• April 2009: The Break: Body Language
• March 2009: Must-Reads from Robles
• February 2009: Position: Four Square
• January 2009: Romancing the Stance
• October 2008: Look Out for Boingy Rails
• September 2008: Build a Better Break
• August 2008: Q&A: Ask the Pro
• July 2008: 'Buzz' Kill: Stay Down
• June 2008: Stop Shots Safeties III
• May 2008: Stop Shots Part II
• April 2008: STOP-SHOT Safeties
• March 2008: How to Keep Winning
• February 2008: The Dreaded Straight-In Shot
• January 2008: Trying the Soft Break
• December 2007: The Hard Way Makes It Easier
• November 2007: How to Sight the Cue
• October 2007: Win from Your Chair

Instruction Articles

Plan of Attack
Secrets of Pattern Play
• Navigating 9-Ball
• Eight Rules for 8-Ball
• Two Shots You Must Know
• A 14.1 Primer
• Hill-Hill: What Would You Do
• What Worked for Thorsten
• Now Try This

Play Great Safeties
Upgrade Your Game by Improving Your Defense
• Bob Jewett: Great Safety Drills
• Tony Robles: Knowing How and When
• Mark Wilson: Practice Pays Off
• Larry Schwartz: Clusters - Muck It Up
• George Fels: Playing Safe in Straight Pool
• Nick Varner: Cooling Your Opponent
• Tom Ross: Stunning Safes from One-Pocket
• Allan Sand: Have It Both Ways

Stroke Tuneup
Shoot Straight with Our Fundamentals Checklist
Part 1: Equipment, Grip, Bridge & Stance
Part 2: Aiming, Preparation and Execution
Print & Save: Tuneup Checklist & Drills [PDF]

Smash The Rack
28 Tips from the Pros for Improving Your Break
Part 1: Tips 1-7
Part 2: Tips 8-14
Part 3: Tips 15-21
Part 4: Tips 22-28

20 Tips for Intermediate Players
George Fels provides pointers to help
you soar to the next plateau.

Featured Video:
Mosconi Cup

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