Steve Farmer In the game of pocket billiards, player skill is commonly measured using the FargoRate system. This system assigns a number to a player’s ability, usually ranging from about 200 for beginners to over 800 for top professionals. Knowing where you fall on this scale helps you better understand your game and set realistic…
Tag: billiards
July 2026, Sports
9-Ball—QCBC’s June In-House Tournament
Skip Jones and Alphie Smith On Saturday, June 6, the Quail Creek Billiards Club (QCBC) held its monthly in-house tournament in the billiards room at Madera Clubhouse. The game was 9-Ball, double elimination. Skip Jones was the tournament director. The field was limited to eight players, which at the last minute included an alternate. At…
Sports, May 2026
Special Social Tournament for Billiards Club
Alphie Smith and Dennis Desmond Pocket billiards is the name of the game: 8-Ball, 9-Ball, and 10-Ball—the Quail Creek Billiards Club (QCBC) is doing it all. On April 18 QCBC started up mixed doubles—a social event for women and men. Six teams played 9-Ball. There were five teams of women and men. This event hadn’t…
November 2025, Sports
Play Your Best Pool: Understanding Lapse of Focus
Johnny Henson, Professor Pool I feel one of the main reasons players never reach their full playing ability is lapse of focus while playing. Every time you miss a shot when you are playing, think about the reason why you missed. Why did you fail to leave your cue ball where it needed to be…
October 2025, Sports
Play Your Best Pool: Practicing and Playing Speed Pool Can Help Improve Your Game in Many Ways
Johnny Henson, Professor Pool There is a new 8–ball tournament format that is being played by both professional and amateur players. It is called the Ultimate Pool League. The match has a time limit of 30 minutes with a 30 second shot limit. At 10 minutes left in the match the shot clock goes to…
August 2025, Sports
Play Your Best Pool: Improving a Few Parts of Your Game in a Short Time
Johnny Henson, Professor Pool When most players try to improve their games they sometimes work on too many changes all at once. It makes me think of the old quote: “Jack of all trades and master of none.” With this thought in mind, I want you to focus on just the shots that you miss…
July 2025, Sports
Play Your Best Pool: Things to Consider When Buying a New Cue Stick or Shaft
Johnny Henson, Professor Pool Over the years cue sticks have evolved a lot. In 1978 I was playing with house sticks in the local pool hall in Big Spring, Texas, when the owner encouraged me to order a cue from a friend of his in Colorado Springs, Colo. His name was Bill Stroud, the owner…
April 2025, Sports
Play Your Best Pool: You Can Learn a Lot by Watching Professional Matches from the Past
Johnny Henson, Professor Pool For the last few years most professional matches are played fast because of the use of the shot clock. At this increased speed it does not allow the watcher to really think out what they would do before the player shoots the next shot. Recently I have found that I learn…
March 2025, Sports
QCBC Members Participate in the Senior Olympics Festival
John Andersen and Alphie Smith Three members of the Quail Creek Billiards Club (QCBC) participated in the Senior Olympics Festival for Billiards on Jan. 22. John Andersen, Jerry Sameshima, and Manny Quijada journeyed to Pockets Billiards on South Wilmot Road in Tucson to compete in the 2025 Senior Olympics. Each was in a different age…
August 2024, Sports
Play Your Best Pool: Attitude Makes a Difference
Johnny Henson, Professor Pool Improving your mental attitude can greatly improve your game. I was inspired to write this article due to the fact that recently while competing I fell victim to a poor attitude in the middle of a match that negatively affected my play. Having a positive attitude can equal a positive outcome…