Man I love Pool such a awesome game.

I really like Billy Incardona's commentary, since he is a pool player and has great insight.

Funny how these commentators predict what the players will do and end up dead wrong

I love to watch Earl losing. He is so funny when he's pissed.

I don't know if I'd ever get along with Earl in real life, but man you HAVE TO RESPECT HIS TALENT. As arrogant as the man is. He is really such a treat to watch. My favorite player by far.

This is excellent!

i've been practicing 9 ball it's so hard i can't imagine how much practice it takes to be as perfect as a pro is.. i mean you really can't make even one mistake

nice game jango bustamante very cool,

I am going to Vegas in July for junior nationals 9-ball and Django, Francisco, is one of the best players to look for help. he has helped me in so many ways and I hope you can use him too

My favorite players are Johnny Archer and Cory Duel. Archer has one of the most powerful breaks in the game, and the patience to boot. Duel has unbelievable control at the table, and I enjoy watching both play. But I would have to say the main reasons I enjoy them so much is their professionalism. Win, lose, or draw, they are sportsman. That's what the game is really about.

It's also important to note that they talk later in the match how Buste is loosening up and his shots get better and better as he runs racks. Earl was looser and more warmed up at first but Buste just caught up with him and then passed him up because of the great break (which was putting him ahead even when his arm was tight).

In all honesty I truly believe Earl could be the most superior player IF he could only control his temper and just stay level headed and calm throught his pool game. Busty, Efren, Alcano, Mika, Shane...all just tremendous players but when Earl is calm and on song....NOBODY can beat him..its too bad he gives into his emotions way too easily...the guy just doesnt have the heart of a true champion. Should never give up like that....

what a great match!!! Earl Strickland doesn't really change his attitude!!!

that first game was really interesting..

Those were some excellent defensive shots! They had little chance at pocketing the one so they did what they could. These shots can be every bit as interesting as offensive.

Great match

The shot is called a push-out. In 8-ball, there are good odds that you'll have a doable, legal shot after the break, so there is no push-out rule. In 9-ball, you have to shoot the lowest ball on the table, so it's probable that you won't have a good shot after the break. To not penalize the player shooting after the break, in 9-ball, you "push-out" or reposition the cue ball elsewhere on the table. Then the other player has the choice to take the shot or give it back to you.

In a cash game, Earl doesn't necessarily have to ever lose to anybody over the course of multiple hours, game after game, grinding it out. He knows that, and it is also his downfall at times. He knows Bustamante is in stroke, he was also coming off 7 or so hours of tourny pool the day before, which takes more out of you than a cash game where each games importance is less significant. I am sure that frustrates him to see players do well against him in a mid length race that he feels he could crush in a cash game grindathon. He has won just about every title and when he feels today isn't gonna be his day he tends to dial it in and move on rather then possibly lay it all out there emotionally and possibly have people feel bad for him. He has a lot of pride from his past accomplishments and god given talent and it's hard sometimes for proteges to take a beating with a smile on their face.

whats with the spots on the cue ball?

@05Rachel full name of that game is called "Three Cushion Billiards"

lol nice handshake between bustie and scott smith @ 51:13

@NAMTRIP There's actually a vid like this showing that he did beat Efren, but he was very fortunate on that match.

@Nico582a Hit the balls in order 1-9. You must hit the lowest number ball on the table first, before it touches another or you scratch. Once the 9 ball is sunk, the game is over as long as you dont scratch on the shot. When you rack, you rack in the shape of a diamond. 9 in the center. If you hit the ball and dont sink it, it has to hit at least two rails or you scratch. (unsure about how many rails on the last rule, im pretty sure 2 though)

Because Billiards Club Network are registered as "Directors" which is a different status than the day-to-day user. It is mostly used for official companies such as music labels, recording artists, tv channels and so on and so forth. This status allows them to upload longer videos.

It's low inside english with a good follow through...and I figured out that his loose stroke allows a greater spin on the cue ball so you can attain that type of stun draw.. I see why Reyes and Bustamante hardly use powerful strokes...the soft spins off their loose strokes really moves the cue ball. I now have a loose stroke, but have lost some accuracy...but I'm getting it back :). Anyway, I've done Bustamante's shot you're talking about twice already...not easy, though...

It was nice to see Earl smiling at the beginning of the match

Strickland looks like he has his period when he doesn't play well. A bunch of people come to watch you man. Show some sense of respect and appreciation and play your game.

@Nico582a hit the lowest ball on the table first, get the 9 in, scratches mean they can put the ball anywhere.

Earl was genuinely really friendly with Bustamante.

the shot on the four was played with bottom right and a really good draw stroke.

I love it 😻

I'm a pool player myself, a good but not a professional one. I've played both 8 and 9 ball game and occasionally snooker. On the pool table i have a lot of run outs but when i faced the snooker table, with it's narrow and unforgiving pots it was something else. :) Maybe i'm not the best example but all my friends and pool partners think the same.

@Nico582a pot all the balls or the 9 ball first using the target balls that are in numerical number, so if the 1 ball is still on the table, you have to hit that ball before any other. If the one is potted already then you move on to the 2 etc... first one to get the 9 ball in wins. that's the basic idea at least, I'm just a noob lol

In 9 ball you shoot the balls in order starting from 1 ending with 9, if the ball you are currently attempting to sink pockets the nine ball its a combination and you win

@doughnutplate he plays with custom 63 inch cue that weighs 23 oz made by mike gulyassy...

I've read all 425 of these comments and no one talks about Bustamante's shot on the 4-ball in rack 13(42:40); they show it in slow motion at the end of the rack. It looks like he uses low inside english, hitting the ball first then the rail. Also, it appears he makes the same shot on the 4 in rack 14(45:55), but with a softer stroke. I haven't seen that in the 99 Critical Shots or any other book or video for that matter... I know what I'm gonna be practicing tomorrow!

good game!!

title of the song after the match??? Thanks

it truly is the most important in professional 9 ball

You could tell Earl was frustrated. Just throwing his cue at the balls. Great shooting from Bustamante!!!

hey... im an amateur.. and i was wandering what the right hand glove for Strickland was for.. i know the left hand glove was to make the hand slippery. but what was the right one for?? can someone tell me plz?? btw first game was cool.. a lot of defense play :D

Tony Drago (the snooker player)won 4 of his Mosconi cup matches..

whats the title of the end song?? thanks

i am snooker and pool player and i find these two games both very challenging. i think both games are actually equal. pool needs more english or spins to do placing coz the table is smaller while snooker u dont use much spin but you need more accuracy. so basiclly both games have their own style and skill of playing. peace. from malaysia.

@poijolh I totally agree with you. To be a great Snooker player you need to have amazing angle and ball co-ordination, plus the ability to think well ahead of your opponent. Ronnie O' Sullivan is one example. I wouldn't bet against Ronnie losing at pool even up against one of these players. But I remember a number of years ago when Steve Davis was still in his prime, he got slaughtered at pool by a pool player.

I've actually been blessed with a location near me which has a 10ft snooker table with simions cloth. I live in South texas which im very blessed to have a table like that near me xD. You should look around, there might be 1 hidden in your town.

Please we need all new videos in really Best 8K 240 fps quality clarity and The sound to be in Best 3D full HD surround system sound , soon please please please

people can talk all they want about Strickland, but he is an amazing pool player. As long as he keeps his focus, doesn't get distracted with missed shots, and doesn't argue with the crowd, he is undefeatable.

Bustamante has one of the best if not the best shooting form in billiard,

lol when Bustamante won his 4th game earl acted like he was falling asleep. He's a character!

I love how everybody talks about Strickland's game like they know better than he does. The man went pro at like 15, and he holds more nine-ball titles than anyone, ever. He knows what it takes to win, and if you think you know better, you're a fool.

Well, since my hero Efren has basically retired, Francisco is going to take his place as my favorite. Earl I s a great player as well, but I have come to appreciate the Filipino players and Earl when he is playing some of the other players from around the world. 📕

how do u hit the cue ball on 13.54

Does anyone know why they put the cue ball closer the side cushion before they break?

I love Earl.

Are u gonna post any new videos soon?

Game 1 was a classic. All those safeties, and then--finally--Bustamante strikes! Too bad Strickland kinda lost interest in the later part of the match (but he was gracious in his congratulations anyway).

26:15 "water over the dam" when he means water under the bridge. That's the exact opposite of what he meant

Haha i made a VFX video about billards because of how much i love this game. I wish i were really good like these people!

@Nico582a As far as I understand you're supposed to pocket #9 while hitting the lowest numbered ball at all times.

@flames169 He didn't cheat here. I was referring to the Peach match in Manila when he pretended he hit the 3-9 kick shot but obviously hit the 9 first.

@jlspma but snooker is boring. do i have to watch it?

The first shot after a break in 9-ball...you have the option to 'push out', you have to read up on that to see what it's all about.

@espresso747 All to do with experience I guess. It would probably be the same the other way around.

Anyone knows what cuetec cue earl uses ?

Earl is unique as a player because he is literally crazy. When his head works in his favor, he puts himself in a unbeatable zone. He can then do the incredible things he has done like... win open titles, run 11 consecutive racks, play a perfect match etc. However when he goes into self-destruct mode, he can't help but lose. Either way it's great entertainment. ;)

@TheSaRiG77 The glove on the hand with the cue is a baseball glove. He's what they call a nonconformist. :)

this thing lasted a long time

thanks for that

Reason why Filipino players are The best in the world: In The Philippines, in every barrio there is a pool hall with an average of 4 Tables sometimes 6. With no aircon, you rent the table per game, not per hour. They pay 20 Pesos per game or US50 cents. So to maximize the game, they play Rotation or race to 61. All 15 balls are played starting with the 1ball, then 2ball so on. This means they learn to play position and hiding the balls. They play carom and combination. So when 9ball was introduced it was much much easier because there are less balls and bigger space to operate. Mika Imnem, SVB, Oliver Ortman and a lot of Pool Pros immersed in The Philippines to learn The Filipino style of Pool.

What year is this btw

The Microfiber-wiper! I died laughing lol! So cleaver!

@fossilbox1991 pool's good for TV, its quick easy to watch and entertaining. Snooker attracts a more specific audience. note, 9 ball was never that popular until around the 1970's - 80's. Straight pool or 14.1 was the main event - not as good for TV though.

I like the way Strickland plays. He has an athletic appetite type of thing.

If you have a special account, you can upload longer videos.

Fransisco is one of the most feared 9-ball players in the world, because he makes babies cry.

@odiumimbues Cuetec nned a big player! as a brand they're generally low end. Cuetec, im sure, made a bag of cash from Earl so if anything i suspect it's Earl that lost out.

Hi Virgil, i would love to play you, I am just getting interested in billiards again, had to leave and raise a family, Now after watching Mr Reyes and all the great players no matter where they are from I just sit at home after work and enjoy. I do like Earl's game he is great but I hate his attitude it is so UN-sportmanlike, back in my day we would have never got away with acting a fool, I have always felt this is a game of A GENTLEMAN and LADIES included..what would people say if Alison or Ga Kim acted like he does. well anyway just wanted to say hi, And most of all my Hero is Efren Reyes...

im stil elarning this game. how is it bustamante can put the cue ball down there without touching the 1 ball first.. if he doesn't touch the 1 ball at all isnt that a scratch?

I've never watched 9 ball pool before. This was great. A couple of questions.: At the beginning the guy pots one ball then after the short break a new frame begins. Why? Also, in the second frame, the guy pots a few balls then a new frame begins whereas in the 3rd frame he pots all the balls before beginning a new frame, why is that?

Great players... =)

@rampskater0102 i disagree too but the thing is not the fact that snooker players are more talented or vice versa...its just your opinion :D in the end they are two different disciplines and mastering all the pool disciplines is just as hard as mastering snooker...

Its called a push its allowed in 9ball after the break you push the ball somewhere and your opponent has the option to take the shot or give it back to you it can only be done directly after the break

how much do pro pool players make on average?

@Nico582a Put the 9-ball in, you win. But you have to shoot the other balls in order. OR, you hit the lowest ball into the 9, causing it to go in.

look at the sarcastic clap of strickland when bustamante made the first combo! XD

@odiumimbues he isnt with them anymore. He openly stated he felt all the years for them was a waste.

Ok... Theres a whole bunch of rules but this is the basics to 9 ball... The balls are racked with the one in the front and the 9 in the middle. You break making contact with the one ball, then shoot the balls in the pockets in numerical order, from 1 to 9. The cue ball must make contact with the lowest number ball FIRST, then, any ball has to either be pocketed, or hit a rail. You dont have to call your shot. a scratch results in Ball In Hand for your opponent.

Yeah... That IS what pool is, except the physical exertion part (Unless it's like EXTREME pool where the player has a limit of like 5 seconds to strike the ball.) It is a competitive sport, requires a great deal of skill (In my opinion even more so than some other sports) and it does have rules that you must follow or face the reprocussions- just like any other sport. If every sport had to have physical exertion as it's core, almost anything could qualify.

The best match i've ever seen!!

true, but he did make a living playing snooker for a while. but due to being outside of the top 16, the money was not so good. he is a full time pool player now, but you can see his snooker technique in his play.

how could i get cue-tip video siries like these ones??? could anyone tell me?

Early looks kind of chunky in this match. I've never seen him that big before.

@doughnutplate He dont use cueter cues anymore.

How many pool players did you see on a snooker table in a major competition? Well, I have seen the "anonymous" snooker player Ronnie beating the great Earl on a pool table I think at the Mosconi Cup. That says a lot to anyone who has what it needs to think. It's obvious that pool is a far more popular game than snooker. That's because is easier to play an it needs a smaller table and less skills (even in maths :D) to play it. But to be a great snooker player you need more accuracy and control.

This is a great example of the mental aspect of pool. Bustamante stays cool and can utterly destroy a pissed off player.

@Nico582a every turn you always have to hit the lowest ball on the table first, and if you make a ball in you get to go again. whoever knocks in the 9 ball wins the game. if you fail to hit the lowest ball first, a foul has occurred and the other player is rewarded with "ball-in-hand." in the first game no one has a good shot for a long time so they perform a series of "safety shots" trying to force the other player to make a foul.

What is the rule of this game ?

Make no mistake - Earl can play and I love the fact that he doesn't waste any time and bore the shit out of the fans.

@freaky1house Yeah?