Cue Sports Instructors Episodes

In this powerful third episode of Legends of the Cue, Jorgen Sandman pulls back the curtain on the creation of the World Pool-Billiard Association, the importance of American participation, and the youth development systems that helped Europe and Asia catch up to—and eventually surpass—the United States in world pool.Jorgen recounts the late-1980s conversations that led European leaders to look beyond their own borders and imagine a true global structure for pool. He explains why the WPA could...

Before Jorgen Sandman became one of the most influential administrators in world pool, he was first a student, teacher, pool room operator, promoter, and believer in the power of simply getting started. In this second episode of Legends of the Cue, Jorgen explains how “learning by doing” became the motto that guided his journey from young instructor to international leader in billiards sports.The conversation begins with the games that shaped Swedish pool in its early years, especially straigh...

Jorgen Sandman’s extraordinary life in cue sports begins far from the bright lights of world championships and Olympic committees. In this opening episode of Legends of the Cue, Jorgen takes us back to Sundsvall, Sweden, where a childhood shaped by ice hockey, discipline, outdoor play, and multi-sport development laid the foundation for a lifetime in pool, billiards, coaching, and sports leadership.Jorgen recalls learning to skate before he could walk, being taught fundamentals before being al...

The final episode brings the drama home. With the number climbing, the pressure building, and history within reach, John Schmidt and Bob Keller take us through the closing stages of the 820 run and the decisions that still linger in the mind afterward. This is where the discussion turns to the final racks, the unconventional moments, the nerve required to keep going, and the emotional reality of coming so close to even bigger numbers. John reflects on the shots he would and would not choose in m...

In part four, the series shifts into the pure mechanics of greatness. This is where John Schmidt and Bob Keller begin unpacking the actual run in a way straight pool lovers will savor. They discuss break balls, key balls, rack patterns, cue-ball precision, manufacturing insurance balls, and the many little recovery shots that separate a big run from a broken one. What becomes clear very quickly is that 820 was not a clean, carefree stroll. It was a living, breathing puzzle solved one rack at a t...

Part three gets inside John Schmidt’s head, and it may be the most revealing episode of the series. John talks candidly about self-doubt, aging, criticism, pride, and the internal switch he flips when it is time to chase a giant number. He explains that for him, straight pool is no longer about trying harder or focusing harder. It is about seeing the game so clearly that entire racks begin to unfold almost automatically. Bob Keller confirms that point in unforgettable fashion, saying there are o...

What does it really take to run 820 balls? In part two, John Schmidt and Bob Keller pull back the curtain on the conditions, equipment, routines, and tiny details that made this historic straight pool run possible. This is the laboratory episode. John walks us through the Gold Crown table, legal five-inch pockets, Simonis cloth, Predator Arcos balls, modern chalk, donut rings, polished balls, fatigue mats, Hoka shoes, and even the nutritional routine that helped him feel stronger and fresher tha...

On this special five-part series of Legends of the Cue, we welcome straight pool great John Schmidt back to the show after his stunning 820-ball run, with Bob Keller joining us as the man behind the camera, the rack, and the support system that helped make it happen. In this opening episode, John explains why this run almost never happened at all. After the emotional weight of his 626, the backlash that followed, and Jayson Shaw’s run past his number, John says there were many days he wished he ...

In the powerful final chapter of our four-part Legends of the Cue conversation with Jerry Briesath, we arrive at the heart of a life devoted not just to playing pool—but to teaching it, elevating it, and preserving its future.Widely regarded as the most influential instructor in billiards history, Jerry reflects on how the modern game has evolved—from the decline of nine-foot tables and the rise of technology, to the dramatic sophistication of safety play and break mechanics at the professiona...

In Part Three of our four-part conversation with Pool Hall of Famer and BCA Dean of Master Instructors Jerry Briesath, we dive deep into the heart of what made Jerry one of the most influential teachers the game has ever known: mechanics, curiosity, passion, and an unrelenting desire to help others get better.Jerry explains timeless concepts that still confound players today—why banks on balls near the rail come up short, how sliding changes everything, and why “easy” banks must be overcut. Th...

In Part 2 of our four-part Legends of the Cue conversation with Jerry Briesath, we dive deep into the heart of his instructional philosophy—and the ideas that forever changed how generations of players approach the game.This episode is all about process over results. Jerry explains how his teaching evolved from instinct to system, anchored by one deceptively simple concept: the cue ball on the spot. From that single reference point, he reveals how the cue tip tells the entire story of a player...

In this opening episode of a special four-part series, Legends of the Cue begins the remarkable life story of Jerry Briesath, widely regarded as the father of modern pool instruction and the longtime Dean of the BCA’s Master Instructor program.Born in 1937 in Winona, Minnesota, Jerry’s story starts far from championship tables and teaching platforms. He grew up working at his father’s one-man gas station, pumping fuel for 23 cents a gallon, checking oil by hand, and learning the values of disc...