Pool and Gambling from the Duchess Eyes

Pool and gambling always have been associated with one another. Obviously, not everyone is happy with it; pool associations prefer the term billiard and pool players insist on being referred to as sportspeople. For women pool players the battle is double: they do not only have to prove that pool players are as hard workers as any other athletes, they also do it in a masculine, often hostile, environment.

Take Allison Fisher for example. The leading 9-ball pool player talked with R.A. Dyer, the righteously appraised billiards writer, about maintaining the classy image of pool in the action packed and testosterone filled air of pool tournaments such as the Derby City Classic.

The gambling association of pool especially harms the sports when major sponsorships are called for, says the Duchess of Doom in the interview, and notes that almost every pool movie ever produced was dealing with pool hustling in fishy pool halls instead of playing respectable tournaments. Pool tournaments, she adds, is a much safer place for a girl who wants to improve her pool skills, than a pool room full of sharks where once you win you've got to have a body guard watching your back on your way home.

Allison Fisher "The Duchess of Doom" at the 2007 US Open final

Play Pool for your Tuition Fees

If neither your brains nor your muscles can gain you a college scholarship, you still got hope. Assuming you know how to play pool. The University of Akron, Ohio has founded a unique scholarship program for extremely talented pool players.

Founded by the UA alumni Barry Lefkowitz and a former billiards champion of the institute, the program will cover $1,000 tuition fees or books of three students each fall or spring semester. Due to his generous contribution to the university billiards culture, the billiards parlor is named after him.

If you reckon your pool shooting skill are scholarship worthy, you can reveal them at the upcoming Lefkowitz scholarship tournament scheduled to Saturday, March 29 at the Barry Lefkowitz Billiard Parlor. The 9-ball pool tournament offers $1,000 prize to the winner, $500 to the finalist and $250 prize to the semi finalist.

Unfortunately, no one pays you to play online pool yet...

How to avoid common pool injuries

Speaking of pains, strains and wrist aches, what about you pool players? Do you feel any physical inconvenience following hours of pool shooting? As the online pool shark that I am, I must admit that my right palm tends to hurt sometimes from cueing with the mouse, but what does a real pool cue can do to your body?

In fact, professional pool players suffer from the same syndrome as grey mouse people. Repetitive Strain Injuries also known as RSI or more specifically Tendinitis is the inflammation of a tendon following chronic overuse of a specific body area. This type of injury is common to most athletes and may appear at several body parts mainly the lower and upper limbs.

So, now what? How can you avoid the inevitable future of unbearable pain? If you play pool, as in real-life pool, they say by using proper pool technique and some special pool accessories can help. If you play online pool, as in playing wii, maybe you should take longer breaks between one pool session to another. (or at least do not run to type all about it).

Family Billiards

Newport Billiards is a family oriented billiards hall in more than one meaning. The new, Newport pool hall, retailer deli and espresso bar is a smoke-free venue, conveniently located across McDonalds. Owned and managed by a married couple, Darla and Joe Berry, who've opened the place in thought of their grandchildren's future. As Darla says to the Newport News reporter, "It's (pool - o.p.s) a lifetime sport - you see families connect and come together as something to do together." Joe is a good example for his wife statement: both of his parents were pool table builders who now run several show rooms in California.

Newport Billiards offers pool tables in variety of sizes to all ages and selection of pool games (9-ball, fourteen in one) on top of billiards and other gaming accessories. The bar doesn't serve any alcoholic drink and the deli offers delicatessen such as hotdogs, nachos and sandwiches. If you must have beer with your pool game, you can locate here more pool halls in Oregon.