Q. What type of cue do you shoot with?

A. I shoot with a Fisher Signature Cue from Cuetec Cues. It is 18oz with a 13 mm shaft and a Moori tip.

Q. How do you practice? Do you shoot drills or play against other people?

A. When I am at the table I basically spend my time practicing my technique. I concentrate on the different parts from the stance to the grip to what my eyes are doing when I am striking the ball. I think about what each body part is doing when I am shooting the ball. I really focus on my technique when I am practicing. I don't play against anyone very often when I practice, I generally just practice alone. As for practice routines, I shoot a lot of spot shots, a lot of straight in shots and a lot of shots that come up regularly in games. I may work on 10 key shots that frequently come up in games.

Q. How do I practice positioning the cue ball after a shot?

A. You need to be looking at your technique. You are not going to have consistent positional play if you don't consistently have proper technique.You really need to focus on your technique and cue delivery if you want to start positioning the balls better and more consistently.

Q. What is the secret to cut shots?

A. To be honest, I would recommend you ask Vivian Villarreal as she is one of the greatest cut shot players in the world. She can be reached at her web site at www.vivianvillarreal.com

Q. How long does the pool season run?

A. It is really a year long thing. We have a little more time off in December and maybe a month off in the summer which some players fill with other tournaments or with coaching other players or spending time with family.

Q. I have a problem drawing the cue ball. Can you help?

A. The secret of the draw shot is a good follow through. I recommend a nice slow back swing and good follow through. Hit low on the cue ball and concentrate on a smooth delivery.

Q. Do you have any tips on banking and putting english on the ball?

A. Really, I am not the greatest banker in the world so I may not be the best person to answer this. Banking is something that you really need to practice. If you change the speed on the shot, it is going to change the angle. When you are learning, you need to concentrate on shooting at one speed and gradually add or subtract speed so you can learn how it changes the shot.

As for putting english on the ball, I use, what is called, parallel english. For example, if I am lining up a ball and putting left or right english on the shot, I move my foot so that I am parallel with where I would normally start. My cue is then running parallel instead of cross stroking where you start in the middle and adjust you point of aim from there. If you start in the middle and adjust, you are really just twisting your cue inwards or outwards. So, when I am shooting, if I am going to put right english on the ball, I move my whole stance over to the right a bit. Then it is a case of how much your cue deflects and how much distance you are shooting the cue ball. If the two balls are close together, then you don't have to compensate very much. This is really learned by trial and error. You need to stay down on the shot and watch where that cue ball is going to learn this.

Q. When you shoot, do you think or free up your mind?

A. You do your thinking when you are standing and looking at the shot you are going to play. You think about how you are going to hit it and where you want the cue ball to go. When you are down, you just concentrate on a nice smooth delivery. The time for thinking is when you are practicing on your own. That is when you think about everything that you are doing. The more you do that, the more things become natural in a game situation. When you are playing someone, you don't want to be thinking about a million different things. You really just want to be thinking about your delivery and focus on that.

Q. I have a problem with pattern play. Can you give me some tips?

A. I think when I first came over from England, I used more one rail shots than I do now. Now, I use a lot more two rail shots. I think that might be one of the major differences between snooker and pool. In snooker you use a lot of stun and draw shots while in pool you use a lot of follow and spin shots. So, I would suggest getting used to using more two rail shots. My top suggestion for learning pattern play is to watch the pros and how they do it. Most of the top players play the same patterns unless they get way out of position where they might tackle a shot differently. Even if you can't get out to see a professional event in your area, Accu-Stats Videos sell some great tapes of professional matches.

Q. When I used to practice my stroke, I would pay all of my attention to the forearm and would just let the wrist act naturally. I recently noticed that I was inconsistent in what my wrist was doing. On some shots I would barely move my wrist while on others I would swing it freely back and forth. I watched Efren play on Accu-Stats and noticed that his wrist and forearm move in perfect harmony. Right before he contacts the ball, his wrist is almost fully extended towards the cue-ball and accelerates with the forearm into the shot. Then I watched Kim Davenport and noticed he has almost no wrist movement. I was wondering what you do and what you recommend me practicing. Should I time the wrist movement with the shot or stiffening the wrist like Kim and letting the forearm do all the work?

A. The best way is to have a little bit of both. Wrist movement gives you power in the stroke and players like Jimmy White in snooker use only wrist and he is a very powerful player with a very powerful stroke. I think the perfect combination is a little bit of both forearm and wrist movement. Make sure you concentrate on not twisting the wrist.

Some people teach students to use the wrist to turn the cue when they use english. Personally, I don't like this technique. I think you should always come through with the same wrist movement every time.

Q. Do you find other pool games boring compared to snooker?

A. Snooker and Pool are totally different sports. Snooker is very limiting as far as what you can do at the table. With pool, there is much more variety. I always find it much harder to practice pool. I find there is much more variety in the shots. By using spin, you can affect the object ball, you can shoot jump shots. There is just much more variety and I find it much more fascinating than snooker. In snooker, you need to have a fabulous technique to play the game well, in pool you don't necessarily

Q. Have you ever thought about playing in open events against the guys?

A. I occasionally enter open tournaments but I don't see this becoming a regular thing in the foreseeable future. If there was to be a match between myself and one of the best male players, I would like to do it in a one on one TV situation.

Q. Do you have any tips for an intermediate player?

A. If you don't have proper and consistent technique, you are not going to be a great player. Natural talent will take you so far but the consistency will not be there.

Q. Have you ever played 3 cushion and if so, what did you think of the game?

A. I do not play 3 cushion. I have played it once and I enjoy watching it when it is played well. I might play a little bit more of it in the future but I really don't play it at the moment. If they ever held a women's 3 cushion tournament, I would be interested in preparing for and playing in it.

Q. What videos and books do you recommend?

A. For better players, I would recommend the Accu-Stats videos. You get the chance to see better players in match situations which is always a good thing to learn from. You get to see the patterns and particular shots that come up.

As far as books go, I like Phil Capelle's Play Your Best Pool and A Mind For Pool. Robert Byrnes' books are also very good. There is a lot of good information out there in books.

Q. Why do you think the same players win almost every event on the WPBA tour?

A. In sports, you sometimes see maybe 4 players that really dominate the sport. I think the reason for that is their mental game. There are so many players out there with so much talent, I really think it is the mental game that separates the best players from the rest. It comes down to having a strong will power, determination and desire.

Q. What do you need to be a good player?

A. I was taught this when I was young. You need timing, technique, temperament, talent and luck.

Q. What would you suggest for teenagers who want to play professional pool?

A. I would suggest they contact the Billiards Congress of America. They have Junior tournaments each year that are a great start for young players. You can reach the BCA at www.bca-pool.com

Q. How do you stop the cue ball?

A. You aim a little below center on the cue ball. I tend to play shots at 'pocket speed'. You see a lot of players that whack the ball at 50 miles per hour because they like to hear the ball hit the back of the pocket. You have to be a lot more accurate that way. I tend to play 'pocket speed' depending on the shot I am playing. If you have a ball on the center spot and you have the cue ball lined up for a perfect straight shot, now you hit the cue ball a little bit lower, you can half the speed of the shot you just played and still stop the ball.

Q. Why change from snooker to pool?

A. I really got fed up with playing snooker. I wasn't enjoying it anymore. I wasn't motivated and I was really just getting by trying to make a living at it. So, I purchased a one-way ticket to America and decided to stay.

Q. Do you like to play 8-ball?

A. I never play 8-ball unless someone at a trade show wants to play it. However, we may look into adding an 8-ball event to the WPBA schedule in the future.

Q. How long have you been playing?

A. I have been playing 9-ball for the past 5 years. I came to the states in October 1995. Prior to that, I played professional snooker for 10 years. I started playing on a 12 by 6 table when I was 12 years old.

Q. I have a notion that 9-ball is supposed to be called in tournament play, what happens if you miss the called pocked and make the 9-ball in another pocket?

A. You do not have to call the 9-ball in a particular pocket in the WPBA rules. The only time we have ever played with a call pocket rule was in the ESPN Ultimate challenge. However, personally I would like to see it called.

Q. I used to play snooker but am now making the transition to American pool. Would you recommend I continue to use my snooker cue for American pool?

A. No. I don't recommend that. The snooker cue is too thin in the ferrule and tip. I would recommend moving up to a 12 or 13 mm tip and maybe an 18 or 19 oz cue but that is just a personal preference.

Q. How do you maintain your concentration when playing a match?

A. That is a very good question. I really enjoy playing in tournaments and I know that for 90 min or so, I have to give it all I have. I have to focus on every shot because it is too easy to miss an easy ball. It isn't so much maintaining concentration but focusing on the task at hand. I really enjoy tournaments so I find it easy to focus on the game I am playing. It is always a challenge though.

Q. What type of cue do you recommend?

A. Well, I am sponsored by and shoot with a Cuetec which I highly recommend. It really doesn't matter though if you are buying a $20 cue or a $10,000 cue. The most important thing is how it feels to you. It is a very personal thing to buy a cue and the cost should not come into play as much as the balance and how it feels in your hand.

Q. Do you work on certain shots more than others?

A. Yes, I pick out key shots that come up a lot in the game of 9-ball. I also practice using the rails a lot. I practice one-rail, two-rail and three-rail shots in order to get comfortable going in and out of rails.

Q. When did you realize you wanted to be a professional player?

A. I knew from about 14 years old that I wanted to be a professional snooker player.

Q. How would you describe your stance?

A. I always walk into the shot. I always have my right leg in line with the shot, and I stand very square to the table.

Q. Can you tell me why you pause for almost a full second before you begin the forward acceleration of your stroke and is it worthwhile to add this to my stroke?

A. That is to get my eyes focused on the object ball.

I think everyone has that pause but some people emphasize it more than others. It is always there but for some it is quicker than others.

Q. What is the perfect bridge?

A. There are many different bridges used in pool. I shoot with an open bridge 90% of the time because that is how I shot when I played snooker. The reason I don't like the closed bridge as much is because I keep my head down pretty low on the cue and I can't see beyond my index finger. The index finger becomes my point of focus which I don't like. For players who stand more straight and are off the cue a little bit, it is probably better. But for someone who is way down on the cue, I personally don't like it.

Q. How do I improve my game?

A. You really need to focus on your fundamentals because you are not going to get any better without good ones.

Q. Are you supposed to move your upper arm on your follow through?

A. That depends on whether you are a snooker player or a pool player. Pool players tend to drop their arm when they follow through because they stand differently. A snooker player with the square stance can only take the arm so far before they have to have body movement. The snooker stance is a little bit more compact. No, you do not have to move your upper arm and as a matter of fact, the less moving body parts the better.

Q. What do you do if your concentration starts to wane at the table?

A. If my concentration is waning a little bit, I tend to keep my eyes on my opponent at the table. Watching your opponent at the table is also a good way to learn. It is part of the way I learned. If you watch good players and study what they do, you start to see certain things that all the good players do.

Q. What do you do in your spare time?

A. I don't have a lot of spare time between playing in tournaments and being president of the WPBA, but when I do have spare time I love to garden and watch movies or read books. I also really enjoy coaching other players.

Q. How tight do you hold the stick in your right hand and how many fingers do you grip it with?

A. You should grip the cue like you are picking it up off the able, so that it is not too firm and not too light. The index finger, middle finger and thumb are my trigger fingers and as I draw the cue back, the fourth finger comes off the cue. My hand kind of opens out and my fourth finger rests lightly on the cue and as I stroke the shot, my hand comes back onto the cue. The little finger really doesn't come into play.

Q. Do you have any way of dealing with your nerves before a match so that they don't take over?

A. No, not really. You can do deep breathing exercises but to be honest, nerves are important. They provide the adrenaline you need to focus sometimes. I think it is an important part of the game to be able to go out and perform even though you might be very nervous while you are doing it.

Q. How do you improve your stroke?

A. Basically, I went to a coach when I was 17 years old by the name of Frank Callan. He taught me a good technique where I put a pause in my cue action. That little stop at the back of my stroke was added to my cue action. It wasn't easy doing it, but it was worth it in the long run. 90% of student players have a pause in the back of their stroke. Ironically, about 99% of pool players have a pause at the front of their stroke. The reason for the pause is to focus your eyes on the object ball.

Q. When you shoot, do you think or free up your mind?

A. You do your thinking when you are standing and looking at the shot you are going to play. You think about how you are going to hit it and where you want the cue ball to go. When you are down, you just concentrate on a nice smooth delivery. The time for thinking is when you are practicing on your own. That is when you think about everything that you are doing. The more you do that, the more things become natural in a game situation. When you are playing someone, you don't want to be thinking about a million different things. You really just want to be thinking about your delivery and focus on that.

Q. I have a problem with pattern play. Can you give me some tips?

A. I think when I first came over from England, I used more one rail shots than I do now. Now, I use a lot more two rail shots. I think that might be one of the major differences between snooker and pool. In snooker you use a lot of stun and draw shots while in pool you use a lot of follow and spin shots. So, I would suggest getting used to using more two rail shots. My top suggestion for learning pattern play is to watch the pros and how they do it. Most of the top players play the same patterns unless they get way out of position where they might tackle a shot differently. Even if you can't get out to see a professional event in your area, Accu-Stats Videos sell some great tapes of professional matches.

Q. When I used to practice my stroke, I would pay all of my attention to the forearm and would just let the wrist act naturally. I recently noticed that I was inconsistent in what my wrist was doing. On some shots I would barely move my wrist while on others I would swing it freely back and forth. I watched Efren play on Accu-Stats and noticed that his wrist and forearm move in perfect harmony. Right before he contacts the ball, his wrist is almost fully extended towards the cue-ball and accelerates with the forearm into the shot. Then I watched Kim Davenport and noticed he has almost no wrist movement. I was wondering what you do and what you recommend me practicing. Should I time the wrist movement with the shot or stiffening the wrist like Kim and letting the forearm do all the work?

A. The best way is to have a little bit of both. Wrist movement gives you power in the stroke and players like Jimmy White in snooker use only wrist and he is a very powerful player with a very powerful stroke. I think the perfect combination is a little bit of both forearm and wrist movement. Make sure you concentrate on not twisting the wrist.

Some people teach students to use the wrist to turn the cue when they use english. Personally, I don't like this technique. I think you should always come through with the same wrist movement every time.

Q. Do you find other pool games boring compared to snooker?

A. Snooker and Pool are totally different sports. Snooker is very limiting as far as what you can do at the table. With pool, there is much more variety. I always find it much harder to practice pool. I find there is much more variety in the shots. By using spin, you can affect the object ball, you can shoot jump shots. There is just much more variety and I find it much more fascinating than snooker.

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