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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.

Drills

• Circle Drill
• Run Three Balls
• Time to Play Safe?
• Rail Shots
• Draw-shot Progressive Drill
• Position: Three Choices
• Position: Progressive Drill
• Position: Progressive Drill II
• Position: Progressive Drill III
• Kicking, Part I
• Kicking, Part 2
• 1, 2, 3 Rails
• Cut Shots
• Pop Quiz
• Position: Four Square
• Ride the Rails
• Thirty’s a Crowd
• Channel One
• Avoid the Rails
• Stop on a Dime
• Spin Around
• Get in Line
• An Imperative Pair
• Going for the Kill
• All in One
• Speed Demons?
• The Right Way(s)
• Delicate Touch
• Banking Line
• Bottled Up
• Quick Draw
• Split the Pair
• Six Pockets
• Pull It Back
• Three in One
• Safety Dance
• Cowboy Up
• Spin Right Round
• Legal Cheating
• A Ball A Stroke
• Scenic Route
• Master Masse
• Duck & Cover
• Repeat That
• Got a Feeling?
• Let’s Kick It
• One & Done
• Side to Side
• Bend It
• Easy Does It
• Turning Back
• The Draw Back
• Spinning Class
• Under Control
• Six Stops
• Rainbow 9
• Side Show
• Middle of the Road
• Cluster Buster
• Aim to Win
• Rail to Rail
• Build a Bridge
• Back & Forth
• Hiding Spots
• Deadly Ground
• Off the Rails
• Inside Track
• Three Degrees
• Cross Here
• Frozen Ropes

Time to Play Safe?

Get in the habit of weighing your options. To wit: Should I shoot, or play safe? The diagrams contain the same shot, but suggest different ways of handling it. The shot itself is pretty common — not exactly a 50-yardline scratch risk, but no gimme either. Assume the 2 is on the opposite short rail. Ask yourself, is there a reward for sinking the 1 (Diagram 1)? (You’re liable to hook yourself behind the 3, 5, and 7, and position on the 2 would be tough in any case.) Or, would it be smarter to play safe (Diagram 2) and perhaps get ball in hand? We like the latter option. No matter what, practice this opposite-ends-of-the-table safety for a while. It’s simple, deadly and usually available.

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Since 1978, Billiards Digest magazine has been the pool world’s best source for news, tournament coverage, player profiles, bold editorials, and advice on how to play pool. Our instructors include superstars Nick Varner and Jeanette Lee. Every issue features the pool accessories and equipment you love — pool cues, pool tables, instruction aids and more. Columnists Mike Shamos and R.A. Dyer examine legends like Willie Mosconi and Minnesota Fats, and dig deep into the histories of pool games like 8-ball, 9-ball and straight pool.

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