Customer Reviews

Banking with the Beard: Secrets of a Master Banker

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

How many times have you read in some book, some method or another that claims to improve your banking? Then you get to the table and it doesnt work reliably enough that you use the method long term? The "mirror" system is a classic example of useless banking info imo.

I am happy to report that Banking with the Beard actually has info that will improve your banking. You will learn how to gauge english when it transfers to the object ball, you will learn how cutting across the face of the ball on a bank imparts english and how to compensate. You will learn what Freddie calls "Automatics", banks that are dead from certain positions.

One shot that I will in particular bring up is Freddie's "Side Step Bank", a bank shot where you hit the ball with inside english and it shortens up the angle of the bank. The beauty of this shot is that you hit the shot with some firm speed and as such its alot easier to make under pressure. Once you practice this shot, the make percentage goes up towards 7-8/10 or higher :-) I can tell you personally that this shot has saved me the cheese on more than one occasion and easily paid for the book many times over.

Banking with the Beard also has alot of great gambling stories from the legendary pool room Bensingers in Chicago, Illinois. If you enjoy reading about big dollar action and the interesting shots that came out of those matchups, then this book is also for you.

"The Beard," Mr. Bentivegna, has broken ground in pool instruction that has never seen daylight before. He exposes the secrets of the master Bank Pool players. He also relates his exciting road adventures as a old-time pool hustler, as a sort of comic-relief to the hard-core systems and instruction. As an old Hippie, Abie Hoffman once said, "Steal This Book!" If that's not your style, then for God's sake, spend the money and buy it.

I've played pool for more than forty years and was born in bank pool territory--Cincinnati, Ohio. As a former Cincinnati Amateur Champ, I thought my knowledge of bank pool ran deep. Not so. Freddy Bentivegna's book taught me lots of things I didn't know, especially since I stopped playing pool for 26 years during my Air Force career. Freddy's tips brought me back up to speed in bank pool play. He's also a terrific commentator on Accu-Stat tapes and DVD, supplying background information that's interesting and informative. I hope one day to get to Chicago and play him a few games. I'll need a spot, of course.

An excellent tool box of well-kept tricks and practical secrets for a more-than-average player who wants to get to the next level. No waste, easy to read and understand and worth every penny.

A great read for any level of pool player. By far one of the best books on pool i have ever read. The book will pay for itself in no time.

This book doesn't go over the many techniques used in banking systems, rather it takes that you know this and then tells you how you can more accurately antipate 'collision-induced-throw' and manipulate banks that wouldn't otherwise work (by using different cuts and english).

The books take on an aiming system is well thought out, it takes some getting used to though, and requires an aiming system as a guide. I've used the aiming system, on canned shots, and can see the techniques and it works for me. I will still require many hours to master this book though.

This is a FIVE STAR book. Until this book there hasn't been much worth while information on learning how to make bank shots in pool & billiards. Even if you only play 8 ball or 9 ball, this book is a must. It will make a huge difference in your game. If your new to pool and billiards, don't let the advanced nature of this book scare you away. What you will find, there are bank shots that are so easy, your Grandma could make them. If you have been playing a while and you are reluctant to take the bank shot, jump on this book. Improve your banking and you could jump to the next plateau.

The book has a lot of the writers pool stories. They are entertaining, but for me, I prefer the meat, banking and not the potatoes, pool stories. If you enjoy playing pool you need to own this book.

I gave both of the writer's books the exact same review. He has tackled a subject, that most other billiard books have only given a paragraph and some times a short chapter.

Great info/illustrations. I think this book has helped me understand the "science" of bankshots. I believe I make more bankshots than before, and think this has allowed me to win more matches. This method requires a bit of mental math when setting up for shots, but after time it becomes very quick and easy. I'd recommend this book for anyone that gets very frustrated by bank shots or just wants to learn more about the inner workings of the game of pool.

Banking With The Beard and The Gospool Of Banking by Freddy Bentivegna should be read by every player who wants to improve their game..as a matter of fact this book should be in every math teachers library as well..give me a room full of un-interested students, and I will take Freddy's books, and a pool table, and at the end of the day, not only will they understand fractions, geometry, and a little trig, but they will like it..I have personally thanked Freddy for the greatest game improvement tools in my fifty years of passion for the game..