Watch the professional pool players on ESPN & ESPN2
ESPN2
Dec. 1
2005 WPBA US Open 9-Ball
Women's Pro Billiards Tour
Sandia Casino Albuquerque, NM USA
12:00 pm to
1:00 pm
Dec. 1
2005 WPBA US Open 9-Ball
Women's Pro Billiards Tour
Sandia Casino Albuquerque, NM USA
1:00 pm to
2:00 pm
Dec. 1
2005 WPBA US Open 9-Ball
Women's Pro Billiards Tour
Sandia Casino Albuquerque, NM USA
4:00 pm to
5:00 pm
Dec. 1
2005 WPBA US Open 9-Ball
Women's Pro Billiards Tour
Sandia Casino Albuquerque, NM USA
5:00 pm to
6:00 pm
Dec. 2
2005 Women's Trick Shot Magic Billiards
Pro Billiards
Allison Fisher vs. Dawn Hopkins
ESPN Zone Las Vegas, NV USA
12:00 pm to
1:00 pm
Dec. 2
2005 Women's Trick Shot Magic Billiards
Pro Billiards
Gerda Hofstatter vs. Ewa Laurance
ESPN Zone Las Vegas, NV USA
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The Best Pool Movies Ever
We have to start with the classic, The Hustler, which is pictured above. Paul Newman plays Fast Eddie who is a alcoholic who can play some pool. He falls in love with someone who drinks just as much as he does and has some issues. She ends up dead, but hey...he ends up winning a lot of money at the end. So go Paul!
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 Next we have the sequel to The Hustler, The Color of Money. This is Tom Cruise in his young days. He looks like a cool dude back before all the scientology shit. Anyway, Paul Newman finds this kid who is a jackass but whoops anyone's ass he plays on a pool table. So he stakes him. Half way through their tour, he decides he's over the kid. And he's just going to get back in the game and play himself. They end up playing eachother in a game in a tournament. And Paul Newman thinks he beat the kid, but he soon finds out that the kid let him win. Cruise's character bets on Paul and dumps the game. It ends with them playing a real game, but you never know who wins. I hate when they end like that.
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 Poolhall Junkies. This was an HBO movie about a hustler who's backer fucks him over. So he tries to live a normal life without pool and gambling. Of course that doesn't work out, and he ends up back on the table. He plays Richie from the 80's show Silverspoon at the end for like $100k. Of course he wins and everyone's happy. Some cool shots in that movie though. Check it out.
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 Stickmen. This one I would have never known about if it wasn't for my Aussie Friend. It's a movie about 3 friends in New Zealand who end up in a hole. To get out of it they play in a underground pool tournament run by a Mob guy. Lots of drunk pool playing in this one. It's good stuff. Definately worth a watch.
Ray Hernandez - AddictedToPool.com |
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History of Pool and Billiards
Couple of years ago I used to play pool most of my free times. But somehow it changed may be coz I got lot of responsibilities / work. But now on weekends I play pool at least for an hour. Though I am not very good at it, I can surprise people with some shots. I found a nice article about the history of pool.
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Billiards evolved from lawn game similar to croquet played sometime during the 15th century in Northern Europe and probably in France. It was played indoors to a wooden table with green cloth to simulate grass, and a simple border was placed around the edges. The balls were shoved, rather than struck, with wooden sticks called "maces." The term "billiard" came from French, either from the word "billiard," one of the wooden sticks, or "bille," a ball.
This game was first played with two balls on a table with six pockets with a hoop similar to a croquet wicket and an upright stick was used as a target. During the eighteenth century, the hoop and target gradually disappeared, leaving only the balls and pockets. Most of the information came from accounts of playing by royalty and other nobles. It was known as the "Noble Game of Billiards" since the early 1800's, but still there is evidence that people from all walks of life have played the game since its inception. In 1600, the game was familiar enough to the public that Shakespeare mentioned it in Anthony and Cleopatra.
After Seventy-five years, the first book of billiard rules remarked England as "few towns of note therein which hath not a public Billiard-Table."
In the late 1600's, the cue stick was developed. When the ball lay near a rail, the mace was inconvenient to use because of its large head. In that situation, the players would turn the mace around and use its handle to strike the ball. The handle was called a "queue" - meaning "tail" - from which we get the word "cue". For a long time only men were allowed to use the cue while women were forced to use the mace because it was felt that they were more likely to rip the cloth with the sharper cue.
Before tables were originally flat vertical walls for rails and their only function was to keep the balls from falling off. Then players discovered that balls could bounce off the rails and began deliberately aiming at them. Thus a "bank shot" is one in which a ball is made to rebound from a cushion as part of the shot.
After the 1800’s, billiard equipment improved rapidly all over England, because of the Industrial Revolution. The leather cue tip was well developed by 1823. Chalk was used to increase friction between the ball and the cue stick even before cues had tips. Visitors from England showed Americans how to use spin which explains why it is called "English" in the United States but nowhere else, while the British themselves refer to it as "side". The two-piece cue arrived in 1829. Slate became popular as a material for table beds around 1835. By 1845 the vulcanization was used to make billiard cushions. By 1850 the billiard table had essentially evolved into its current form.
From about 1770’s until the 1920's, the dominant billiard game in Britain was English Billiards, played with three balls and six pockets on a large rectangular table. Before that time, there were no fixed table dimensions. The British billiard tradition game is carried on today primarily through the game of Snooker, a complex and colorful game combining offensive and defensive aspects and played on the same equipment as English Billiards but with 22 balls instead of three.
Ray Hernandez - AddictedToPool.com |
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New Hanes Pool Commercials
This is a very good time for pool. It's hard to go anywhere or even watch tv these days with out seeing pool on. With more tv time on ESPN for professional pool, the new Celebrity Pool on Bravo, and now
the new Hanes's Commercials with Michael Jordan and Matthew Perry playing each other. Just in case you haven't seen these commercials you can check them out here
Hanes Pool Commercials
Ray Hernandez - AddictedToPool.com |
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Bar Pool Ethics
I was asked by a friend of mine to break down some questions. I get asked a lot by girls at the bar playing pool. I hate saying girls cause the last thing I want to do is offend a female...I only say girls because the last few people that have asked have been very good female friends. So anyway, I thought I would go through and try to list out some Bar Pool Ethics that everyone should try to keep in mind when they want to play pool at a bar.
I guess we'll start with just getting on the table. Normally there's a list of names on the wall by the table or people put quarters on the table. At my local bar it's quarters so I'll go with that. First wait til no one is shooting to put your quarters down. So many people just walk up in the middle of someone's shot and put their hands on the table and drop their quarters around. One this is rude...and two this distracts the person shooting. K...now that you have a second to put your quarters down be sure see how many sets of quarters are in front of you to know how many games are going to be played in front of you. Then put your quarters down making sure that the quarters are pressed all the way against the rail. This one is very important because if your quarters are sticking out on the table they could actually get hit by a ball and make the person playing miss a shot that they could have made otherwise. And that's no way to make friends.
Aight...now it's your turn to play. Now I know you came there with your boyfriend or your girlfriend but that doesn't mean that you can automatically play doubles. It's the choice of the person who's table it is to how you guys play. Meaning the person that won the game before yours. Now I will always try to be nice and play doubles when someone wants to, but not everyone is always nice. Especially the guys that live to play pool at a bar. And you'll know these guys when you see them. They are the normally drunk guys talking shit about everything. Normally about how they're going to kick your ass when they play you. And how you better not miss cause they're not going to. Real prize winners.
So lets just say he says he doesnt' want to play doubles and you're gonna play one on one. It's his break. Try not to stand right around the table. Cause if he makes a shot he's going to be moving around the table, and it's considered pretty bad form to get in the person's way as they're moving around trying to get to their next shot. It's also a bad move to stand in front of the pocket they happen to be shooting at. It's taken almost as a taunt. So with that being said just give your opponent some room and you're off to a good start. Also apparently standing behind the guy is a potential dick thing to do as well. I was playing a guy at this bar by my house a few weeks ago, and I happen to be about 3 feet behind thing guy talking to my friend. He missed his shot so of course he turned around and said "Can you not stand behind me while I'm shooting!" So there you go he missed and it's your fault. But ah well it's your shot now.
Well if you're on the table you know the basics of the game. Hit your ball and try to make it. Now just try not to accidentally move the balls that you're not shooting at. For example after you shoot your shot...try to pick up the stick to make sure you don't bump the other balls on the table. Now most girls can give that cute "oops i didn't mean to do that face"...and most men will just melt and say "that's okay." But some men...as I said earlier are dicks. And things like that get them riled up.
If you happen to be playing against a hawk (meaning he's watching exactly what you're doing...and just staring at you) be sure and call the pocket you plan to be shooting at. This same rule is very critical when you get to the eight ball. Some guys will totally freak if you shoot at the eight before letting him know where you're shooting at.
So that should keep you pretty safe. There are plenty of more rules to go by, and if anyone has any suggestions to add be sure and let me know.
Ray Hernandez - AddictedToPool.com |
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Pimp My Ride the Pool Addict Edition
I have to confess that I have been in love with the show Pimp My Ride on Mtv since it came out. It's everyone's dream to have your rust bucket turned into a show car. Especially when a very person touch is put into the car. This weeks episode made me more jealous of anyone else the show before though.
This girl, Sarah, is about to move to tennessee to start a new life with her husband who is away in iraq. She's going to go to school for business becuase she wants to open up a pool hall. Hit's home cause that's my dream as well. Anyway...she has a very rusted early 90's Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck. It's multi-colored and has friends artwork all the way around.
Now they always do some cool stuff over at West Coast Customs, but this time they put a pool table in the bed of this girls truck. (pictured above) Now I don't know about you guys, but I spend a lot of time at the pool hall or even at a bar playing on the little tables. And I've always wanted a table of my own to be able to practice and play with my friends. This girl now has a portable pool hall. How awesome is that. Not to mention a bad ass truck that will stop anyone's eyes as she drives by. A killer jukebox that will shake the neighborhood, and a hot tattoo styled paintjob.
Sara...I envy you. If you get the pool hall open. I want to check it out. So keep us posted.
Ray Hernandez - AddictedToPool.com |
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Keeping Score with the Chain
I was recently asked by Fubuki over at Flickr "How do you keep score with the chains hanging above the pool tables?" So to answer his question I thought I'd add a few more things to this post.
First what the score chain is: Use these scoring beads to keep score! They hang either above your pool table or elsewhere from the ceiling or a wall. The chain of scoring beads feature large numbers to easily read the score during your match. One player has the white scorers, the other player has black. The "tens" are noted with large markers, while the "fives" are noted with opposite-color beads. A single bead scores a single point. Use your pool cue to slide over the appropriate score.
The majority of the time the chain is used in Straight Pool . Since not a lot of people play straight pool at the bar. I figured I'd go ahead and show the rules to that as well. Straight Pool is played with a full rack of 15 balls at the beginning of the game. Only one ball is left the next game is racked with the remaining 14 balls. If the fifteenth ball interferes with the rack it is spotted on the break end of the table. If the cue ball interferes with the rack, then the breaker has ball-in-hand behind the kitchen line.
Object of Straight Pool
To reach a point score agreed to at the start of the match - score more points that your opponent, such as 25, 50, 100. Each ball pocketed is worth one point. A turn continues until the player misses, commits a foul, or wins the game.
Winning the Game Straight pool
The player that reaches the agreed point score first.
Combinations of Straight Pool
You can hit and pocket any ball in any combination.
Fouls in Straight Pool
A foul on the break receives -two points, any foul after the break receives -one point. Three consecutive fouls receives -fifteen points. A foul results in the incoming player shooting from the current position, unless the foul was a scratch or jumped off table, which gives ball-in-hand behind the kitchen line to the incoming player. On the break the cue ball and two balls must hit a cushion.
Penalty For Scratching in Straight Pool
Ball-in-hand behind the kitchen line is given to your opponent. In this case the cue ball must cross the kitchen line before striking another ball or lose a turn.
Balls Jumped off the Table in Straight Pool
Balls jumped off the table are considered scratched and are spotted.
Now with all that said. You'll still see people playing nine ball and using the chain. All this means is that they're in a race to let's say 7, and they're using the chains to keep score on their race. Hope that helps.
Ray Hernandez - AddictedToPool.com |
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Here's the lowdown on Celebrity Pool
Hollywood hotshots hustle for charity in a new show from the network that brought you Celebrity Poker Showdown. Complete schedule >>
The Players for the First Episode
TOM GREEN (The Tom Green Show), playing on behalf of the American Red Cross International Response Fund
HONEY LABRADOR (Queer Eye for the Straight Girl), playing on behalf of St. Jude's Hospital
JOE ROGAN (Fear Factor) playing on behalf of the ASPCA
JOHN SALLEY (The Best Damn Sports Show Period), playing on behalf of Cedars Sinai Sports Spectacular
ANDREA SAVAGE (Significant Others), playing on behalf of Arts Share Los Angeles
MILO VENTIMIGLIA (American Dreams) playing on behalf of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation
HARLAND WILLIAMS (Dumb & Dumber) playing on behalf of the World Wildlife Federation
DEBRA WILSON (Mad TV) playing on behalf of Create Now, Inc.
 Rob Huebel
This South Carolina native now makes his home in New York, where he can be seen regularly on the stage of the Upright Citizens Brigade. In addition to his stint as host of Celebrity Pool, Rob has been seen on Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments and VH1's A2Z, and on the big screen as "Inconsiderate Cell Phone Guy" reminding you how not to behave in Loews movie theaters.
 Jeanette Lee
Known to billiard fans the world over as "The Black Widow," this Korean-American star turned pro in 1993 and within a year became one of the top ten players on the Woman's Professional Billiards Association tour. She led off the 1994 season with her first two championship wins. In all, she has won seventeen WPBA titles, a gold medal at the World Games and been dubbed one of the "Sexiest Female Athletes in the World" by ESPN.
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But...Here is what I thought about Celebrity Pool on Bravo
After 2 weeks of waiting for this show I guess you could say I had really high expectations. Those expectations only to get crushed after watching Celebrity Pool last night. It had what I expected out of the cast picked for the first episode. Tom Green doing stupid yet kinda funny antics, Debra Wilson flirting with honey and trying to make her laugh while she took a shot. John Salley smoking a cigar trying to look like a pimp and making big penis jokes. You know the usual. Don't get me wrong. If it's pool I'll watch it. I love pool. And I will continue to watch Celebrity Pool on bravo for as long as it's on. Cause this is what I love. And I would love to know who those pool sharks are in the world of tv who you never get very close to anyway. Seeing who shares the same passion as you would be awesome. Oh! and Jeanette Lee was gorgeous as always. She really knows the game and I love listening and watching her, but it would have been better with a comedian co-host. That guys isn't funny and doesn't know anything about the game. That's what makes celebrity pool so good. You have a pro and a comedian host but the comedian actually knows the game and can talk about it intelligently. But that's not the biggest issue. The problem is the format they have.
They start with 8 players matched up to make 4 teams. And the teams contain a good player and a bad player. Normal...that was expected. And then they play a race to 2 wins playing doubles. Now I love pool cause of the head to head action, so one on one is what I would have loved to see, but I do understand that for tv you want really hot stars, meaning both very beautiful people and big stars, and not all of those stars are gonna be very good at pool. So for that, Celebrity Pool I forgive you.
BUT...and I say BUT...very boldly...since you match up a good player and a bad player. You can't then put emphasis on that CHAMPIONSHIP game that will be against a team consisting of a good and bad player. I mean Joe Rogan was a damn good player. You could tell he's spent many nights at a pool hall in new york. And no offense to Debra Wilson who he played against in the champioinship, but she wasn't very good. You could tell she spent many nights getting those big tattoos on her back done...as you saw from when she bent over to take a shot. So that last game...I wonder who was going to win? Joe Rogan kicked her ass...and that's all there was to it.
Here's my fix
The great side of this show was that I had no idea that Harland Williams, Honey (from queer eye for the straight girl), and Joe Rogan could shoot a stick like that. That's why I was so pumped for this show. But again. I love the head to head action. So since you have big stars that can actually play. Why not match them up one on one. 4 players that can play and that are big stars playing a race to 2 then a championship match. I would love that, and I'm sure people that love pool would love that. But going back to what I said earlier...I understand. But keeping with the same format you could still have a good match at the end. 2 winning teams have a captain play their match for the championship. I mean there are a lot of ways to get this done.
If anything you could use the APA style of handicapping players. If you don't know what I mean it's set up like this. You are ranked by your skill level a 2 through a 10. 2 being a lower level player and 10 being the guy that will take your money. The way a match works between the to players is you have to win one less game than your skill level. So the player ranked a 10 regardless of who he's playing has to win 9 games. And someone ranked a 5 would only have to win 4 games. So then you could have a good race between two people that one happens to be good and the other not so good.
This is just my 2 cents, and like I said I will continue to watch the show. I want it to succeed. Cause I really think it will be great for the Game of Pool. So to end, I'll say this: "I wish Honey wasn't a lesbian...she's gorgeous and a pool player...I would so love to hang out with her :)"
Ray Hernandez - AddictedToPool.com |
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