Customer Rating:  
Summary: Byrnes Complete Book of Pool Shots
Comment: Excellent reference to have around. We just had our pool table installed and plan on using this a lot in practicing shots.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Interesting book but won't necessarily improve your game
Comment: I am a beginner/intermediate level player and this review is for those who consider themselves falling into this category.
Byrne is one of the better authors on pool out there and has some very good books. His "Standard book of pool and billiards" is outstanding.
This book, however, is an advanced book for people who seek to find hidden secrets. Most of the 350 shots illustrated in this book are esoteric and would rarely be encountered in practice. Also, quite a few of these shots are impractical; they can be used when playing/practicing alone to see how the balls behave under weird conditions but cannot be applied in a real game as they are low percentage shots.
These are not shots that every player "must" know. The title is a misnomer.
Also a good number of shots illustrated are useful for three cushion and straight pool which are not popular these days.
On the whole, this is not a very useful book for beginner/intermediate players seeking to improve their shots and hence their game.
It's a terrific book for enthusiasts who would love to discover unusual shots which are rare and low percentage, which obviously precludes their use in a real game.
If you're an advanced player with a decade or more of experience under your belt and feel that you have a good grip on a lot of "regular" shots and want to find out more, this is the book for you.
If you're a beginner/intermediate player who is seeking to improve his/her game with a view to notch up more victories, look elsewhere.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Probably good for beginners, or is it pros?
Comment: I consider myself decent at pool. I'm ranked as a 4 in APA 8-ball and have been playing on a frequent basis for the past 2 years. While this book is good, it seems to be entirely offensive shots. There are many instances where instead of attempting the shot shown in the diagram in the book, it would probably be better to try and play a safe (meaning you make a legal hit, but leave your opponent with a difficult shot afterwards).
Most of these shots in the book are difficult to make once, but are incredibly difficult for most of us to make on a consistent basis. If you want to win, you should be playing the percentages and often a defensive shot has a much higher probability of success than these offensive shots.
I would've liked this book better if it discussed the alternative shots that could've been taken, and mentioned the pros and cons of those decisions. Without it, it isn't very convincing that the shots shown are the best options.
Therefore, I think this book is good for beginners who just want to know some cool shots, or pros who are so accurate and precise that these shots are possible nearly 90% of the time.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Fantastic book
Comment: I have read through my copy of this book 3 times so far and I'm sure I'll read through it many more times in the years to come. Something in this book is bound to improve your game or at least your knowledge of what is possible. He exposes a good number of shots and concepts that are really not very difficult to grasp and execute *if* you know about them. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to move beyond the intermediate skill level of playing pool.
Customer Rating:
Summary: My second copy
Comment: This is my second copy of this book. I gave it as a birthday present. It was well received.
Unlike "Byrne's New Standard Book of Pool and Billiards," which is 50% devoted to 3-cushion billiards, this book is devoted entirely to pool. It's about how to put the ball in the pocket, which ball to shoot, and don't forget not to leave your opponent a shot.
Byrne is good at this and explains the difference between what it appears is happening and what the balls are really doing. It is an enjoyable read and a book anyone who enjoys shooting pool should have.
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