Nick Varner private lesson

[3RAILKICK]

I had a lesson with Nick Varner last night. Most of it was working through a rack of 1P, assessing the correct shot selection among choices. Nick makes the right choices-me not so much. His help in evaluating choices was the meat of the lesson. Flying solo will be the biggest challenge applying the advice.

I posted about the lesson on AZ:http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=247640

I like this game. But, I may not learn it in my lifetime. It will be fun trying.

Take care

ps: lesson ended about 12 hours ago-and I'm still pretty stoked.

 

[tonygreen]

I approached him on three different occassions, and he was very cordial and generous with his time answering questions. He seems to be a genuinely real nice person not like 33 % of most pros.

 

[lll]

I had a lesson with Nick Varner last night. Most of it was working through a rack of 1P, assessing the correct shot selection among choices. Nick makes the right choices-me not so much. His help in evaluating choices was the meat of the lesson. Flying solo will be the biggest challenge applying the advice.

I posted about the lesson on AZ:http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=247640

I like this game. But, I may not learn it in my lifetime. It will be fun trying.

Take care

ps: lesson ended about 12 hours ago-and I'm still pretty stoked.

you are one lucky fella
check your pm

 

[jrhendy]

I had a lesson with Nick Varner last night. Most of it was working through a rack of 1P, assessing the correct shot selection among choices. Nick makes the right choices-me not so much. His help in evaluating choices was the meat of the lesson. Flying solo will be the biggest challenge applying the advice.

I posted about the lesson on AZ:http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=247640

I like this game. But, I may not learn it in my lifetime. It will be fun trying.

Take care

ps: lesson ended about 12 hours ago-and I'm still pretty stoked.

Five of us at Hard Times, Sacramento, had a one pocket seminar with Nick on Thursday. He went for four hours without a break and did a great job. He went to great length explaining his thought process on various situations and how to approach banks.

Three of us were old-timers who can play a little and the time and money were well spent.

 

[lll]

Five of us at Hard Times, Sacramento, had a one pocket seminar with Nick on Thursday. He went for four hours without a break and did a great job. He went to great length explaining his thought process on various situations and how to approach banks.

Three of us were old-timers who can play a little and the time and money were well spent.

john as an old timer which i say with admiration and respect
would like to know what you learned
curious
pm me if you wish
larry

 

[jrhendy]

john as an old timer which i say with admiration and respect
would like to know what you learned
curious
pm me if you wish
larry

Nick is more aggressive in his thought process than his reputation as a conservative player.

The things I learned in the seminar were simple and related to banks and kicking.

I will send a pm later.

 

[petie]

Nick is one of the nicest people on this planet. No joke. And he has the best resume in pool. If you've ever been at a tournament where he is playing, you'll notice that it takes longer to introduce him that anyone there. I won't try to lay out his accomplishments here but it is impressive. John H. backed up what I was thinking as I've had provate sessions with Nick too. You'd have to be pretty closed minded NOT to be able to learn from Nick. I wish he had time to do this forum. He'd really be a great asset to all of us. He has a brutal travel schedule that keeps him on the road for months of the year and I suspect this is what prevents him from participating.

 

[RedCard]

Nick is in fact a good guy. Thirty years ago he was giving an exhibition (trick shots, I think) at a university. I was practicing on an adjacent table. I forget how it came up but he put up a dead easy cross side bank. One that would be difficult to miss. Again, I forget his lead-in but it was probably something like 'shots like these are tougher than they look…' or something like that. My girlfriend at the time was watching and had seen me play a lot on her dad's Gold Crown. Nobody jumped up to take the shot so I bit. I shot it and I've never seen balls dance like they did, going everywhere but the pocket. Unnatural, unholy, radio-controlled dancing. Nick had substituted trick balls, and I was just glad there weren't any more people there than there were. In retrospect, the whole thing might have been aimed at me. Nick didn't gloat or rub it in, he softened it the best he could. More than I deserved. He is a gentleman.

 

[petie]

Nick is in fact a good guy. Thirty years ago he was giving an exhibition (trick shots, I think) at a university. I was practicing on an adjacent table. I forget how it came up but he put up a dead easy cross side bank. One that would be difficult to miss. Again, I forget his lead-in but it was probably something like 'shots like these are tougher than they look…' or something like that. My girlfriend at the time was watching and had seen me play a lot on her dad's Gold Crown. Nobody jumped up to take the shot so I bit. I shot it and I've never seen balls dance like they did, going everywhere but the pocket. Unnatural, unholy, radio-controlled dancing. Nick had substituted trick balls, and I was just glad there weren't any more people there than there were. In retrospect, the whole thing might have been aimed at me. Nick didn't gloat or rub it in, he softened it the best he could. More than I deserved. He is a gentleman.

He likes props. He has an 8 and 9 screwed together and he puts them up next to the side pocket and they just look like they're sewed. When he hits the 8 into the side, the nine swings around and goes in with it and it's one of those WTF moments. He also will bank a silver dollar standing up between two balls from the end rail to the head rail and back to between the two balls. Pretty neat.

 

[RedCard]

He likes props. He has an 8 and 9 screwed together and he puts them up next to the side pocket and they just look like they're sewed. When he hits the 8 into the side, the nine swings around and goes in with it and it's one of those WTF moments. He also will bank a silver dollar standing up between two balls from the end rail to the head rail and back to between the two balls. Pretty neat.

I'm glad I got outta there before he put his 8/9 on me.

 

[3RAILKICK]

I put my foot in my mouth with my first question

I put my foot in my mouth with my first question

Thinking it was his trademark 1P strategy, I came with-'I know you like the uptable wedge.......' He stopped me, a little irritated(I'm thinking-oh great job Bill), and said-'people say that all the time-but I would rather be playing down at the rack end'

He explained that if he had a lead, he would send balls uptable to make the opponent work to get back into the game. That might result in a wedge.

Once established, that a wedge could occur, I asked if he preferred that wedge on his side or the opponent side. He explained his view of advantages and disadvantages of it being on either side for both players. He can manage the wedge game, doesn't matter which side it's on.

I went on to a safer question. 'Nick -What size tip is that?'

It was a fun experience and I learned a lot, including, that Nick isn't real keen on the 'wedge game' label.

He did say that he had played 'Watusi' at Red Shoes. Apparently 'Watusi' can retrieve balls from the side pockets while racking. Nick explained that 'Watusi' is a tall guy. I just nodded, since I was still chewing on my foot.

It was a great lesson-about pool and making assumptions.

 

[Deadon]

Five of us at Hard Times, Sacramento, had a one pocket seminar with Nick on Thursday. He went for four hours without a break and did a great job. He went to great length explaining his thought process on various situations and how to approach banks.

Three of us were old-timers who can play a little and the time and money were well spent.

"Old-timers" I ain't no old-timer.....

 

[arthur bacon]

The Wedge

The Wedge

Anybody have some advice about how to play Nick Varner's "wedge". I rather like the idea of a very slow, strategic (frustrating) chess-like game. For instance, when does HE start moving balls up table? Thanks.

 

[Kybanks]

What more can you say about Nick Varner. He truly is a class act and a gentleman. When TAR asked Efren, in their podcast with Svb, if he could pick one player in the world to be his partner in any game, Efren chose Nick Varner and said he plays very smart pool. Playing him banks and 1p for the last 2 years, he is a fierce competitor and more aggressive in his approach than he gets credit for. And yes, when he gets the lead the guy is tighter than Ft. Knox about leaving a shot. I am not a great 1p player by any means, but he makes it a point to show me the correct shot according to the situation. Hasn't sunk in yet! Lol

 

[Miller]

What more can you say about Nick Varner. He truly is a class act and a gentleman. When TAR asked Efren, in their podcast with Svb, if he could pick one player in the world to be his partner in any game, Efren chose Nick Varner and said he plays very smart pool. Playing him banks and 1p for the last 2 years, he is a fierce competitor and more aggressive in his approach than he gets credit for. And yes, when he gets the lead the guy is tighter than Ft. Knox about leaving a shot. I am not a great 1p player by any means, but he makes it a point to show me the correct shot according to the situation. Hasn't sunk in yet! Lol

this photo is one of a select few which hangs over the bar area in my basement/pool room.

you're a lucky guy kyb. (by most of your posts, think plenty has sunk in....)

 

[Miller]

Anybody have some advice about how to play Nick Varner's "wedge". I rather like the idea of a very slow, strategic (frustrating) chess-like game. For instance, when does HE start moving balls up table? Thanks.

conventional wisdom is that its best to tie em up on your opponent's side. if memory serves me correct, at the 2000 DCC v shannon daulton, he starts lagging them up there quickly. (i'll have to take a look at that tomorrow, might be a good WWYD in there somewhere....)

 

[El Chapo]

Nick is more aggressive in his thought process than his reputation as a conservative player.

The things I learned in the seminar were simple and related to banks and kicking.

I will send a pm later.

I totally agree with that. Nick is/was super aggressive. He had that popular one pocket tape with Hopkins where he pushed the balls uptable and everyone thinks he's a squeezer. He's not at all in my estimation.

 

[Kybanks]

this photo is one of a select few which hangs over the bar area in my basement/pool room.

you're a lucky guy kyb. (by most of your posts, think plenty has sunk in....)

View attachment 16854

Very cool picture of 2 masters at their craft. The coolest part of my interaction with Nick are the stories that he shares on occassion.

 

[arthur bacon]

Nick Varner's "Wedge"

Nick Varner's "Wedge"

I am curious to learn more about Nick's famous "wedge". Did he talk about it at his lessons? Is there a particular time when he steadfastly begins moving balls up table? I have watched a few of his games (with Shannon, for example) in which he did not employ "the wedge". so, clearly it is not something he routinely does. I like the idea though, especially if I am playing a young, fast, impatient sharp shooter. Lemme know. Thanks. Arthur

 

[Kybanks]

I am curious to learn more about Nick's famous "wedge". Did he talk about it at his lessons? Is there a particular time when he steadfastly begins moving balls up table? I have watched a few of his games (with Shannon, for example) in which he did not employ "the wedge". so, clearly it is not something he routinely does. I like the idea though, especially if I am playing a young, fast, impatient sharp shooter. Lemme know. Thanks. Arthur

He doesn't employ the wedge because he is scared of his opponents offense, he employs it because you have limited him in his offensive chances. He uses it as a weapon to test your patience and your discipline. He figures once the balls are up table he is the papa bull and you are the baby bull. About 99% of the time if you have game ball against Nick Varner, you better make it because that might be your last chance to beat him cause he ain't beating himself. This guy has the patience of a master thief, he doesn't want it bad enough that there might be consequences if he gets caught.