Pool on YouTube: An invaluable training tool

Sometime in the last couple of years or so, YouTube started allowing users to upload videos longer than 15 minutes.  This has created a treasure trove of billiard videos you can use as a training tool.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to attend professional tournaments and watch the pros in action or live in an area where the pros hang out.  So the next best thing (that's free) is to watch billiard videos on YouTube.  Just for fun, I searched for "Billiards" on YouTube.  The search says there are about 350,000 videos related to that search term!  I narrowed it down some by applying filters of "Upload in the last year", "HD quality", and "Long 20 ~ minutes".  That returns a little over 2,000 videos.

So how can you use billiard videos on YouTube as a training tool?  I'll give you my list of what I watch for, then break each down a little.

1.  Pattern play
2.  When to play safe
3.  How the pros escape trouble
4.  Commentary
5.  How the pros approach/think a shot

1.  Pattern play.  This, for me, is one of the most important things I like to watch.  After the break, look at the layout of the table.  Where are the trouble balls?  Are some balls tied up?  How will the pros break those up?  Try to play the rack out in your mind.  Watch how the pros play the rack out.  Did they play out the rack how you thought it out?  Also watch how they set themselves up for the next shot.  Invaluable stuff.

2.  When to play safe.  A lot of times when I'm watching the pros play, it's interesting to see when they play safe and when they go for a shot.  Watch what factors play into when they play safe.  Is the next ball tied up?  Is it early in the match or a hill-hill, do or die situation?  Also, watch how they play safe.

3.  How the pros escape trouble.  This is also interesting to watch.  Most of the top pros have such precise cue ball control they can really lock their opponent up.  Does the pro jump over the ball, kick at the next ball, or play an intentional foul, further tying up balls?  If they kick to escape trouble, is it a 1 rail kick? 2 rail kick, or more?  Try to figure out why they played that particular shot.

4.  Commentary.  All of the tournament matches will have commentators calling the match.  Most of the commentators are former or current pros, or have been around pool a long time in some fashion.  For the most part, the commentators will give you a good idea of what the shooter is thinking and how he or she will play the shot.  Not only will you get insight into the match, but maybe some good stories too!

5.  How the pros approach/think a shot.  Every player approaches the shot a little differently.  Some walk around the table really studying the layout, some use their cue to point where the cue or object ball will go or where they are attempting to have the cue ball stop.  And some players like Earl Strickland just bang the balls in.

Watching the pros play, how they play the rack, when they play safe, and listening to the commentary is an important training tool.  Check out some of these videos on YouTube, take notes, practice some of the layouts to see how you do, and improve your game!