Fav Pool Sites
There are a few websites that I check out frequently for different reasons. I grouped them into categories for you.
Pool and Billiard Magazine sites...
There are a handful of great websites that are a sort of portal for the pool and billiards world. They follow pool tournaments, professional players, amateur players, cue manufacturers, case manufacturers, pool table manufacturers, etc. Here are my top three and some more details.
- AZBilliards.com is, usually, my first stop to check out recent events in the pool universe. They update frequently and provide good coverage of regional and international news. They also have a pool & billiard podcast that is very good. AZBtv.com is a sister site where they post videos of pool instruction and pool matches. They also have, probably, the best pool related forum on the net. The forum has a lot of quality people, including pro players, pool table mechanics, cue and case manufacturers, table manufacturers, etc. If you are a pool player, you have to check out this site.
- BilliardsDigest.com has recently "beefed up" there site and greatly improved it's content. They have had a great forum for many years (a.k.a. cue chalk board), long before azbilliards became so established. It seems as though azbilliards has overtaken them as the forum for pool enthusiast. Billiards Digest has a long history as a print publication (magazine) and a great one at that. They have added a lot of content to there main website including videos highlights, tips, industry news, instructional articles, etc. This is a good site.
- Inside Pool Magazine is a great publication and a great website. They, probably, work harder than any other organization to follow pool tours and tournaments. They have lots of videos and podcasts broadcasting from pool events and interviewing players. This site is jam-packed with great information and current events about pool. Also, you can download a digital version of their excellent magazine there, too.
Pool and Billiards video websites...
If you are really into pool like me or you want to see pool played at a high level, then the web has lots of great resources to feed your need. There are some websites that show online or streaming videos that you can watch. Some of them also sell DVD or VHS tapes (yes, people still use them) of great matches and instructional videos. Pool players at all levels can learn from these resources. I, especially, love the videos with commentary from great and legendary pool players. They add so much value to a match and divulge tons of closely guarded pool secrets and knowledge. These types of resources were not as readily available 10 years ago. You would be wise to check some of them out. Here are a few of my favorites.
- First on the list is Accu-Stats video productions. This company was started by a professional pool player named Pat Fleming. He was inducted into the Hall-of-Fame for his contributions to the pool industry through his production of quality videos of professional pool tournament matches. Accu-Stats has the best production quality out there. They have great commentators. They use multiple cameras and telestraters. If they are taping an event, then you can bet that its a high-quality event with great players. They have been recording and producing matches for over a decade, so they have a great library of matches to choose from, including instructional videos, too. This is a great resource for watching some of the modern day legends in there prime like, my favorite all-time player, Nick Varner. Go back and watch players like Earl Strickland, Mike Sigel, Buddy Hall, Johnny Archer, Jim Rempe, Kim Davenport and many more. You won't find a lot of videos for download or streaming, though they do have some. I encourage you to order some DVDs. They are a great investment. I've bought over a hundred of them over the years. I plan on buying many more.
- If you love action, then you'll love the guys at TheActionReport.com (a.k.a. TAR). These guys came on the scene in '07 and have been putting out some great pool video productions. They take their crew to big events like The Derby City Classic. They are capturing a different aspect of the pool world. The "action" side of the sport. They hang out in the practice room at tournaments and look for or organize players matching up for large sums of cash. They stream the matches using UStream for all of us to see. Usually, there is some very good, funny and interesting commentary and woofing that goes along with the video stream. They will travel to pool rooms if a compelling challenge match can be set up. They've arranged some great one-on-one matches between world-class players. Sometimes they last 2 or 3 days with 10's of thousands of dollars on the line. This is great stuff if you like to sweat action and watch high-stakes gambling. They, also, release some of the best match-ups on DVD for you to buy. Their website has some free videos and podcasts including some good video interviews with custom cue makers. Be sure to check them out.
- If you want watch some high quality pool matches via streaming video, then I have a few more sites for you to check out. ProPoolVideo.com has some good matches archived for you to watch. They have a lot of videos from the regional events in Florida. There are a lot of great pool players living in Florida. They have some great local tournaments there with very strong fields. There are some good matches on youtube if you search for them. When I find good matches I put them on my TubeBilliards.com website. Feel free to check it out to see some of my favorite streaming pool matches.
- Another up-and-coming site is OnTheRailTV.com. This is another site started by using UStream to broadcast strong regional tournaments and matches. They have some archived videos there, too. This site was started by Fast Lenny. You can check out Fast Lenny's blog, too. He is trying to do some different things, similar to TAR. Worth checking out.
Those are my favorite sources for video on the web and to fill your home DVD shelf. All of these sites are great learning resources. Also, if you have a home game room or recreation room with a pool table to entertain friends, then having some videos to play is a great way to expose other people to this sport, when they are more open to seeing it. Just something to think about. To my next website category...
Some other great pool sites...
I didn't really have another category in mind, but I do have some more sites that I really like. Here they are in no particular order.
- I'm a huge one pocket fan. Some people find it boring. Many people, even players that have been playing pool for years, have never been exposed to it. It is one of my favorite games to play and learn. Therefore, I really like OnePocket.org. This is the official site representing one pocket and bank pool, another favorite game of mine. This site is full of interviews and information about legendary and modern one pocket greats. They also run the hall-of-fame for bank pool and one pocket. If you like one pocket or would like to find out more about it, then check out the link above.
- This is a good page to learn some pool jargon or pool terminology.
I'll be adding to this list as I find sites that meet my criteria for endorsement. Obviously, there are a lot of sites out there, but I try to focus on the best ones to get the information I want. Anyhow, if you have a favorite site that I don't have listed, just reply below and let me know. I'd love to check it out and let my readers check it out. I hope this list helps you.
Cheers,
Skippy