The 99 Critical Shots in Pool: Everything You Need to Know to Learn and Master the Game (Other)
Condition: New
Buy Now, Pay Later
As low as
$3
/ mo
Learn more
- – 4-month term
- – No impact on credit to apply
- – Instant approval decision
- – Secure and straightforward checkout
Ready to go? Add this product to your cart and select a plan during checkout.
Payment plans are offered through our trusted finance partners Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay, Zip, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. No-credit-needed leasing options through Acima may also be available at checkout.
Learn more about financing & leasing here.
Free shipping on this product
30-day returns
Learn more
FREE 30-day refund/replacement
To qualify for a full refund, items must be returned in their original, unused condition. If an item is returned in a used, damaged, or materially different state, you may be granted a partial refund.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
Availability:
In Stock.
Arrives
Friday, Aug 14
Recently Viewed
Description
World Champion Pool Player Ray "Cool Cat" Martin shares his secrets for playing winner's pool in this classic book, which includes an introduction by the author. Written with co-author Rosser Reeves, The 99 Critical Shots in Pool remains one of the most authoritative guides to the game ever written. Over 200 illustrations show the proper form, technique, and approach to shots such as: • The Center Ball Cheat-the-Pocket • The Hook Shot • The Seven Ball Stop Shot • The Jump Shot • The Frozen Kiss Shot • The Nudge Shot • The Side Pocket By-Pass Shot Ray Martin, a Billiards Congress of America Hall of Fame inductee, is one of only seven players in the twentieth century to win three or more world 14.1 titles. He co-wrote this book with Rosser Reeves in 1976. Read more
Publisher : Random House Puzzles & Games
Publication date : October 5, 1993
Edition : Revised
Language : English
Print length : 220 pages
ISBN-10 : 0812922417
ISBN-13 : 17
Item Weight : 12.8 ounces
Dimensions : 6.45 x 0.6 x 9.13 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #34,031 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #2 in Billiards & Pool #24 in Sports Encyclopedias #35 in Sports Reference (Books)
Frequently asked questions
If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is:
Friday, Aug 14
Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
- Klarna Financing
- Affirm Pay in 4
- Affirm Financing
- Afterpay Financing
- Zip Pay in 4
- Financing through Apple Pay
- Financing through Google Pay
Learn more about financing & leasing here.
Similar Products
Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Paperback
Love the book. Of course, with YouTube there are tons of great videos, but there is something really great about their descriptions and insights in this book. I’m a decent pool player, and have a good deal of experience already but there were many “epiphanies” here, many things I hadn’t considered. I also have begun either taking photos on my phone or just taking the book to the local pool hall to work on the different shots and also at home relax while paging through. The only negative, and it’s really no big deal, is the drawings…they use a solid black ball as object ball (usually the ball you want to sink) and other incidental balls other than the cue ball are “gray” but the book I received (paperback) it is almost impossible to tell the difference. It’s no big deal because the text and arrows, etc. make it pretty clear almost always, just wish they had used further spaced dots for the other balls. Again though, it’s a minor point. The worth it to also read carefully the first few pages, lots of great info there, but it’s hard not to just go to the actual shots. They do point out, several times, that the drawings are not to scale. That the balls are not sized quite right, but you still can use the diamonds to place balls and you get the idea. One irritation, page 76 has an object ball frozen on the cushion of the side pocket with the side pocket corner just a touch over halfway of the ball, where you should hit HARD with draw and compress the cushion so the ball goes in the side pocket. I tried many times today, and not once could I make it, and they say it’s “easy”. Oh well. Would love to hear in other reviews if anyone has made that shot successfully. am very glad I bought this book, it is a treasure trove of useful shots and necessary ones. Excellent points about all kinds of shots. It seems geared to 14.1, straight pool, but not exclusive and the rules for games are a little outdated (as far as I know, eight ball breaks, if the shooter sinks a ball can always still choose either stripes or solids) but they have also some games I never heard of which is kinda cool. If you are serious about pool, I agree with many here that this is a great book.
...
show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2023 by James R. Acker
Format: Paperback
If you are looking for a good book for beginners, this isn't it. This book is all about making a good pool player better. It assumes a basic knowledge of pool has already been established. If you're a beginner, check out Ewa Mataya Laurance's "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pool & Billiards." It's a great straight-forward book to get you started right. But if you're already a pretty good pool player and want to add some great shots to your game, I highly recommend "The 99 Critical Shots in Pool." The book is not without it's drawbacks. This is a 220 page book. Of that, 50 pages are devoted to The Official Rules and Glossary of Terms. An additional 25 pages skim the basics of shooting form, etc. That leaves only 145 pages for the meat of the book, the 99 critical shots. Of the 99 shots, 22 are devoted to break shots for straight pool. If, like me, you play only 8-ball and 9-ball, then this book should be called "The 77 Critical Shots in Pool" because you'll never use the other 22. So, for me, this 220 page book has only 107 useful pages. The format of the shots section is great. Each shot includes a diagram of the whole table layout, a diagram of the cue ball showing exactly where to strike it to impart the draw, follow or English, and a text description of the shot. As others have pointed out, the text refers to a black ball (the object ball) and gray balls (all other balls), yet they are indistinguishable in the diagrams; they both look black. This is an annoyance, but does not keep you from understanding the author's intentions. Between the text description and the lines indicating the ball paths, I was always able to determine which ball was the object ball. If I still had my own pool table, I would have this book sitting right next to it. I'd study a single shot in this book and then practice it until I had mastered it. Then, when I'd mastered that shot, I'd proceed to the next shot and so forth. That would be the most effective way to use the book. Unfortunately, I have to go to a pool hall to practice. I don't know about you, but I don't really want to be seen reading a book about pool at the pool hall. So I have to study several shots and then practice them there from memory. Obviously, there's no substitute for practice. This book shows you WHAT to practice. Having told you that I only found 107 pages (77 shots) useful, you might get the impression that this book's not worth buying. Nothing could be further from the truth. Of those 77 shots, probably at least half were shots that I had either never even considered or had never fully mastered. You only have to add a few new shots to your game to make this book well worth the price. Buy it!
...
show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2002 by dlh
Format: Paperback
If you love to play pool and can't figure out how to play the angles on the table, this is your book. Even those who are only moderately interested in the game but who would like to ace their friends and relatives by surprising them with their previously hidden pool "chops," this is your book, too. Most people have no idea how to play pool so they bang the balls into each other hoping that something good will happen. If it does, it's pure luck. This book illustrates, with graphics, how to line up shots correctly, how to recognize when you have a good shot or a bad shot, and how to use your cue and the table to look like a pro. The secret to using this book correctly? Practice. Each of the 99 shots is illustrated and you can follow the shot like a recipe for success. Take one or two shots and practice them over and over again according to the instructions and amaze yourself with what you can accomplish. This is perfect for both the experienced pool player and the novice. Pool players will get better and novices will astonish others with their newly-found profession -- Pool Hustler. Enjoy. And good luck.
...
show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2013 by Bob Porter
Format: Paperback
This book is interesting on the approach to the shots. You start with a basic shot and then once you "master" that shot, then you move to the next shot. The shots are designed to build onto each other.
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2026 by Jane
Format: Paperback
I've been an occaisional for fun player for many years, other than tips from other players I never took any lessons, it only took an hour of merely flipping through the book to immediately and significantly improve my game. With just a few of the concepts presented in mind, I learned to see/think so many more possible shots when I look at what I have to work with. This was my first book on Pool , I found it easy to understand, has drawings that show how to see/think through and set up the shots. it will keep me busy for a long time, I don't think you'd be disappointed if was your first book either, I think it has all the basic essentials one needs to at least be familiar with to be a good player.
...
show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2017 by Andrei
Format: Paperback
I’ve played pool for over 40 years. Always looking to improve in areas where I’ve had trouble. This book, even though it can be hard to understand at first, is a great tool. Pick a page and practice, practice, practice. It will help you understand shots that you never would have thought about.
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2024 by Smoknjofus
Format: Paperback
Good
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2026 by Thomas ballway
Format: Paperback
Good reference book.
Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2025 by terry