Dr. Dave's "Illustrated Principles"
Billiards and Pool Instructional Articles
from Billiards Digest magazine

with online resources at:
The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards
(the resources are also available on a CD-ROM)

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For more background information, illustrations, explanations, and examples, see the book, DVD,
Video Encyclopedia of Pool Shots (VEPS), and Video Encyclopedia of Pool Practice (VEPP).

Links to new articles will be posted after the articles appear in print.

  1. "Ball Weight and Size Difference Effects – Part II" (March, 2012).
  2. "Ball Weight and Size Difference Effects – Part I" (February, 2012).
  3. "Coin Proposition Shots" (January, 2012).
  4. "Draw Shot Cue Ball Directions" (December, 2011).
  5. "Rolling Cue Ball Deflection Angle Approximations" (November, 2011).
  6. "The Lag Shot" (October, 2011).
  7. “How High or Low Should You Hit the Cue Ball?” (September, 2011).
  8. “Aim, Align, Sight - Part III: Sighting” (August, 2011).
  9. “Aim, Align, Sight - Part II: Visual Alignment” (July, 2011).
  10. “Aim, Align, Sight - Part I: Introduction and Ghost Ball Systems” (June, 2011).
  11. "VEPS GEMS - Part XVII: Trick and Proposition Shots" (May, 2011).
  12. "Bank Shot Lesson Plans - BD Coaching Special - Speed and Spin" (May, 2011).
  13. "VEPS GEMS - Part XVI: The Masse Shot" (April, 2011).
  14. "VEPS GEMS - Part XV: The Jump Shot" (March, 2011).
  15. "VEPS GEMS - Part XIV: 'Spot-on-the-Wall' System" (February, 2011).
  16. "VEPS GEMS - Part XIII: Corner-5 System Adjustments" (January, 2011).
  17. "VEPS GEMS - Part XII: Corner-5 System Example and Benchmark" (December, 2010).
  18. "VEPS GEMS - Part XI: Corner-5 System Intro" (November, 2010).
  19. "VEPS GEMS - Part X: Plus System Examples" (October, 2010).
  20. "VEPS GEMS - Part IX: Plus System Adjustments" (September, 2010).
  21. "VEPS GEMS - Part VIII: Plus System Intro" (August, 2010).
  22. "VEPS GEMS - Part VII: Contact-Point Mirror Kick" (July, 2010).
  23. "VEPS GEMS - Part VI: One-Rail Kicks" (June, 2010).
  24. "VEPS GEMS - Part V: Banks and Kicks" (May, 2010).
  25. "VEPS GEMS - Part IV: Safety Play and Strategy" (April, 2010).
  26. "VEPS GEMS - Part III: English and Position Control" (March, 2010).
  27. "VEPS GEMS - Part II: Basic Shot Making and Position" (February, 2010).
  28. "VEPS GEMS - Part I: Introduction" (January, 2010).
  29. "Rules - Part V: miscellaneous fouls" (December, 2009).
  30. "Rules - Part IV: Which ball did you hit first?" (November, 2009).
  31. "Rules - Part III: rail cut shots" (October, 2009).
  32. "Rules - Part II: double hits" (September, 2009).
  33. "Rules - Part I: introduction" (August, 2009).
  34. "Draw Shot Physics - Part IV: cue elevation effects" (July, 2009).
  35. "Draw Shot Physics - Part III: spin ratio" (June, 2009).
  36. "Draw Shot Physics - Part II: examples" (May, 2009).
  37. "Draw Shot Physics - Part I: basics" (April, 2009).
  38. "Fundamentals - Part VII: speed control" (March, 2009).
  39. "Fundamentals - Part VI: CB control examples" (February, 2009).
  40. "Fundamentals - Part V: CB position control" (January, 2009).
  41. "Fundamentals - Part IV: bridge length" (December, 2008).
  42. "Fundamentals - Part III: DAM aiming system" (November, 2008).
  43. "Fundamentals - Part II: aiming" [French translation*] (October, 2008).
  44. "Fundamentals - Part I: MOFUDAT" [ French translation*] (September, 2008).
  45. "Return of the squirt robot" (August, 2008).
  46. "End-of-game frozen-rail shots - Part II" (July, 2008).
  47. "Beer-goggle effects" (June, 2008).
  48. "Stroke Tuneup - BD Coaching Bonus" feature article (May, 2008).
  49. "End-of-game frozen-rail shots - Part I" (May, 2008).
  50. "Squirt, swerve, and throw wrap-up" (April, 2008).
  51. "Squirt - Part VIII: squerve effects" (March, 2008).
  52. "Squirt - Part VII: cue test machine results" (February, 2008).
  53. "Squirt - Part VI: tip shape" (January, 2008).
  54. "Squirt - Part V: low-squirt cues" (December, 2007).
  55. "Squirt - Part IV: BHE, FHE, and pivot-length calibration" (November, 2007).
  56. "Squirt - Part III: follow/draw squirt and swerve" (October, 2007).
  57. "Squirt - Part II: experimental results" (September, 2007).
  58. "Squirt - Part I: introduction" (August, 2007).
  59. "Throw - Part XII: calibration, and hold shots" (July, 2007).
  60. "Throw - Part XI: everything you ever wanted to know about throw" (June, 2007).
  61. "Throw - Part X: the big picture" (May, 2007).
  62. "Throw - Part IX: spin transfer follow-up" (April, 2007).
  63. "Throw - Part VIII: spin transfer" (March, 2007).
  64. "Throw - Part VII: CIT/SIT combo" (February, 2007).
  65. "Throw - Part VI: inside/outside English" (January, 2007).
  66. "Throw - Part V: SIT speed effects" (December, 2006).
  67. "Throw - Part IV: spin-induced throw" (November, 2006).
  68. "Throw - Part III: follow and draw effects" (October, 2006).
  69. "Throw - Part II: results" (September, 2006).
  70. "Throw - Part I: introduction" (August, 2006).
  71. "Draw Shot Primer - Part VII: tips of English" (July, 2006).
  72. "Draw Shot Primer - Part VI: draw shot practice drill" (June, 2006).
  73. "Draw Shot Primer - Part V: how to achieve good draw action" (May, 2006).
  74. "Draw Shot Primer - Part IV: game examples" (April, 2006).
  75. "Draw Shot Primer - Part III: using the trisect system" (March, 2006).
  76. "Draw Shot Primer - Part II: aiming" (February, 2006).
  77. "Draw Shot Primer - Part I: physics" (January, 2006).
  78. "Coriolis was brilliant ... but he didn't have a high-speed camera - Part VI: maximum rolling deflection" (December, 2005).
  79. "Coriolis was brilliant ... but he didn't have a high-speed camera - Part V: masse shot aiming" (November, 2005).
  80. "Coriolis was brilliant ... but he didn't have a high-speed camera - Part IV: maximum cue tip offset" (October, 2005).
  81. "Coriolis was brilliant ... but he didn't have a high-speed camera - Part III: cue ball paths are like satellite dishes" (September, 2005).
  82. "Coriolis was brilliant ... but he didn't have a high-speed camera - Part II: high-speed video" (August, 2005).
  83. "Coriolis was brilliant ... but he didn't have a high-speed camera - Part I: introduction" (July, 2005).
  84. "90º and 30º Rule Follow-up - Part V: the final chapter" (June, 2005).
  85. "90º and 30º Rule Follow-up - Part IV: English effects" (May, 2005).
  86. "90º and 30º Rule Follow-up - Part III: inelasticity and friction effects" (April, 2005).
  87. "90º and 30º Rule Follow-up - Part II: speed effects"  (March, 2005).
  88. "90º and 30º Rule Follow-up - Part I"  (February, 2005).
  89. "Just How Big are the Pockets, Anyway - Part III" (January, 2005).
  90. "Just How Big are the Pockets, Anyway - Part II" (December, 2004).
  91. "Just How Big are the Pockets, Anyway - Part I" (November, 2004).
  92. "Billiards on the Big Screen - Pool Hall Junkies" (October, 2004).
  93. "Billiards on the Big Screen - The Color of Money" (September, 2004).
  94. "Billiards on the Big Screen - The Hustler" (August, 2004).
  95. "90º and 30º rule review"  (July, 2004).
  96. "The 30º rule: Part III - carom vs. cut" (June, 2004).
  97. "The 30° rule: Part II - examples" (May, 2004).
  98. "The 30° rule: Part I - the basics" (April, 2004).
  99. "The 90° rule: Part III - carom and billiard shots" (March, 2004).
  100. "The 90° rule: Part II - breakup and avoidance shots" (February, 2004).
  101. "The 90° rule: Part I - the basics" [Polish translation**] (January, 2004).

NOTE: discussion and Q&A concerning the articles and related topics can be found in the:
FAQ section of the website

*: French translations provided by Pascal Proust, a French Air Force English instructor (proust.pascal@neuf.fr)
**: Polish translations provided by Marcin Ożarek of www.polskipool.pl

 

Other excellent pool and billiards instructional articles available online: