Tom Simpson

In addition to being the founder of the National Billiard Academy, Tom Simpson was an accomplished author and inventor who dedicated the better part of his life to billiards and billiards instruction. In his “Ask The Master” column, Tom partnered with PoolDawg to help get to the bottom of our readers personal billiards mysteries. With over 40 years of playing pool and 20 plus years as an instructor, Tom’s ability to explain his technical understanding of the game was second to none, so be sure to use this amazing resource to improve your pool skills.

Tom Simpson was one of the premier pool and billiard instructors in the world. An ACS Top Level 4 Instructor/Coach and one of only 9 PBIA (Professional Billiards Instructor Association) Master Instructors worldwide, Tom directly helped thousands of pool players improve their game in addition to training hundreds of new instructors through his National Billiard Academy. The National Billiard Academy has its home base in Columbus, OH but they also get out on the road for 3-Day Weekend Intensive Clinics offered at excellent pool rooms all over the country. To learn more about the Academy or the Weekend Intensives check out the website National Billiard Academy.

Tom passed away in 2016, but his column lives on! If you have any questions you’d like to get answered, please email them to Ask The Master and we’ll make sure they’re answered.

  1. Should I Use a Low Deflection (Squirt) Shaft?

  2. How Pool Cue Shaft Taper Affects Performance

  3. Does Pool Cue Length Really Matter?

  4. How To Control Jump Shots

  5. How Can I Make More Thin Cut Shots?

  6. Does Tip Hardness Affect Cue Ball Spin?

  7. Tips To Find The Center Of The Cueball

  8. 5 Helpful Billiard Games to Play When Drills Get Stale

  9. How to Shoot Straighter: Correcting the Vertical Axis Perception Error

  10. Loosen Up: How Too Much Tension Can Affect Your Game

  11. How To Draw The Cue Ball Farther And With Precision

  12. Mastering “Squerve”

  13. Aiming Systems

  14. Lesser Known Billiards Games

  15. A Guide to Pool Glasses

  16. Old Dogs and New Tricks

  17. Tip Drill Troubleshooting: Why Isn’t The Cue Ball Coming Straight Back?

  18. Pool Table Evaluation Checklist

  19. Waiting for Your Match

  20. 10-Ball Break

  21. Tips to Improve My Break Shot?

  22. Weight on the Bridge Hand?

  23. Is There Such A Thing As Draw Induced Throw?

  24. Does Table Size Affect Kick and Bank Shots?

  25. Where Should I Be Looking During My Stroke?

  26. How Can I Master the Stop Shot?

  27. Advice for “Straight In” Shots

  28. Difficulty Shooting To The Left Side?

  29. Where Is The Best Spot To Break From?

  30. What Are The Angles For “No Miss” Bank Shots?

  31. Suggestions For Improving My Stroke?

  32. How Can I Prevent Choking?

  33. Advice To Avoid Scratching The Cueball?

  34. What Pre-Shot Decisions Need To Be Made?

  35. How Can I Stop Twisting My Wrist?

  36. How To Deal With Poor Playing Conditions?

  37. What Are The Tricks Pros Use to Stay Focused?

  38. How Much English is Too Much?

  39. Ask the Master - Submit Questions to a Professional Billiards Instructor

  40. Will Not Playing Seriously, Hurt My Game?

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