The Sport of Pool Billiards 1. Ralph Eckert

      before the first shot

      A lot of people feel more comfortable with an open bridge at the beginning. I do understand this, but a closed bridge is still the most effective in pool billiards, as opposed to snooker where the open bridge is the norm. Since shooting techniques in pool billiards are more complex, but actually hitting the ball is easier, it goes without saying that in pool billiards you have to use a closed cue bridge to guide the cue, especially if you have to stretch out further across the table or if you want to add a bit more side spin to your shot. Players who use an open bridge tend to raise the cue during the shot which is not at all desirable and often leads to miscued. What I am trying to say is that with a closed bridge, not only can you have a greater effect on the ball, but you can also control it better. So the earlier you get used to the closed bridge, the better.

      If you still refuse, then we‘ll do a deal! You make an honest attempt and I‘ll accept your decision at the end of it. An honest attempt must last for at least two weeks! That means for two weeks you play every ball with a closed bridge – however unpleasant you find it.

      The excuse I hear time and time again is that even a lot of the top players play with an open bridge occasionally. Well, yes. That may be true but these players have all played with a closed bridge for years and can cue in a straight line whenever necessary. There‘s no way out of it! If the cue doesn‘t glide through your fingers smoothly, try putting a bit of talcum powder on it. Not body or baby powder – that‘s too fine and perfumed and will just make your cue dirty in the long run! My tip: just use talc from the drugstore. It‘s very cheap and perfectly adequate!

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      Chapter 1

      Andreas Huber, German national coach:

      Players should be allowed to choose – between a closed bridge, a closed bridge or alternatively a closed bridge…

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      before the first shot

      The Mechanical Bridge

      The mechanical bridge, sometimes called a „rest“ or simply „bridge“, is used to extend a player‘s reach on a shot where the cue ball is too far away for normal hand bridging. It comes in a number of different forms.

      When using a rest you should still remember to aim with both eyes. The cue should still be centered, but is now in front of and not below the head. The cue is guided loosely between the thumb and fingers. It is important to make sure that the bridge arm is horizontal and the mechanical bridge itself rests firmly on the table in such a way that you can quickly remove it if necessary. If you look at the photos you can see how to use a rest correctly.

      Standard rest for shots that are so far away that you would have to practically lie on the table ´to reach them. The old rule that one foot has to touch the floor still applies – and rightly so!

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      Chapter 1

      The important thing is to make sure you can still hold the two cue ends firmly in you hand.

      Andreas Huber, German national coach:

      Playing with a rest must be practiced regularly at virtually every level. Just play for an hour every now and then using one.

      Standard rest held up-right to avoid intervening object balls

      A cross bridge is guided over a standard rest held upright so that even larger intervening objects can be avoided.

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      Training program

      Training Program

      (based on PAT 1, officially recommended by the WPA!)

      The Playing Ability Test (PAT 1-3) was developed in spring 2003 and since fall 2004, following its recognition by official billiard sport associations all over the world, has been officially recommended by the World Pool Billiards Association (WPA)!

      The PAT 1 program and test serves as a sound basic guideline for learning to play a good game of pool billiards. If you like, you can now skip the next few sentences and go straight on to the first topic or exercise. Or you can read on and learn something about the PAT System.

      The WPA awards official colored emblems on the basis of points individually attained in these 3 tests so that, like in the martial arts judo and karate, you can see what level a player is at! In billiards, though small emblems were considered more appropriate.

      The emblems bear the inscription Sport & WPA in the color for your level.

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      Chapter 2

      More details about how to get a color emblem and about PAT in general can be found under: www.pat-billiard.com

      All the skills you need in order to play a good game of pool billiards are included in these three tests and have been sub-di-vided into ten areas. Each of these areas is tested through spe-cific exercises. Depending on your score you can see whether you require more training in this area or whether you can go on to another area. For each exercise in each area a target score is given. Your total points attained is a percentage of the target score. It should be added that it is also possible to get more than the target score (i.e. more than 100% is possible).The target – or rather the ideal value – for the ten separate areas is therefore 10 x 100% - a round 1000%. Theoretically, including the extra points mentioned above, the maximum score in PAT 1 is 1,549 points.

      The areas tested in PAT 1 and 2 are basically identical. They differ only in the level of difficulty, exercises and the target values required. PAT 3, which is not dealt with here, includes more advanced exercises requiring special skills.

      PAT 3 is aimed at top class players who play at national league level and also professional players.

      In this book, the exercises in the ten different areas are de-

      PAT Start:

      PAT 1:

      PAT 2:

      PAT 3:

      White (600 Points) and black & white (800 Points)

      Light green (600 points) and dark green (800 points)

      Light blue (600 points) and dark blue(800 points)

      Black (550), red (700), gold (850) and pink (from 1000)

      Recreational players

      Sportsmen

      Professionals

      Colors