Ask Ray - Answered questions - Personal Career

Do you ever run any house tournaments at your room in Owensboro? I moved back here after 5 years in PA, and now it seems all the good poolrooms have vanished! – Evansville, IN

Like the way of the dinosaurs my room is know mostly a cafe. I started with 16 tables and now I have 3. Hutches Billiards in Owensboro has weekly 9-Ball tournaments on Thursday nights if you would like to play. – Ray

Who is your influence in billiards? - Anchorage, Alaska

I was lucky I have one of the greatest players to have ever hit a pool ball in my home town. Nick Varner has played a big part in my development. I would run to the pool room to watch Nick play and even rack balls for hours getting him ready for a big tournament. - Ray

I have noticed that one of your sponsors is swift cases. I have been trying to contact him to make me a case. Does he have a web site? - Rockport, IN

Swift cases in located in Island, Ky. phone # 270-486-3135. - Ray

Do you have any secrets for winning all of those championships and tournaments? - Modesto, CA

Yes, practice so you feel like you can win and when you get into a tournament try to always be in position to win. Try to make good decisions and find the pace of the game. - Ray

How long have you been playing pool? - Chico, CA

I started playing when I was 15, so that would make it a long time. - Ray

What would you say is the single most important thing you did to achieve the level of success you have achieved at playing pool? - Shawnee, KS

I worked hard on cue ball control and I never let being a top player go to my head. Some of the players on tour wanted to be paid for signing autographs and spending time at a booth to say hello to people who where there to buy tickets to support us. Go figure, now you might understand why the men are not on ESPN very much. A few think they are bigger than the sport. - Ray

How did you get to be so good at pool? - Mooresville, NC

I found a little blue bottle walking on the beach while vacationing in Florida…I rubbed the bottle and a big genie appeared…I think you've heard this and you will have heard this one also - PRACTICE - and a lot of it! We all learn and improve at a different pace. Lucky for us pool is a game we can play for life so work hard and try to get better with every game you play. Let it come naturally, you'll get better if you keep playing. - Ray

I know there are many unheard players out there, who are not rated but play very good pool. Who would you consider as your toughest opponent in the world in all the different games of pool? - Los Angeles, CA

Well, I don't play all games. But, if I had to pick a player that doesn't play in the top tournaments, I would have to say James Waldon. He is a player that would work his way up into the top ten in no time. - Ray

At what age did you first start playing seriously? I am 19, but it seems like most talented players started when they were younger. - Cleveland, OH

I started playing pool at 15. I'm the kind of guy that competes at everything, so I was serious the first time I hit balls. I don't think you will have a problem at 19 to become as good as you want. It takes desire to be a top player. Gook luck and join a league, it's a lot of fun and will expose you to some pressure situations that will help you become a better player faster. - Ray

What do you do to pick up your game when you are not playing well or if you feel you are about to fall into a slump? - New Milford, NJ

Make sure you want to practice and try to make it fun. I will sometimes go to the poolroom and just hit balls around and not worry about the outcome. If I still fell like I am not into playing, I go play golf or something that requires me to focus. I like to use other things to work on concentration. - Ray

When you get to your level of play is it possible to make a good living just playing pool and getting sponsors? - Rochester, NH

Yes and no. I could make a lot more money if I wanted to travel 50 weeks a year.
I don't and I have a poolroom to help pay for things I like that pool and sponsorship doesn't take care of. I don't know any pool players that just make on just playing the game. What does a pool player and a medium pizza have in common? Neither one can feed a family of 4. No joke! - Ray

I am 13 and practice everyday for at least 4 hours. How do you practice all the different shots? Also, do you have a special way of breaking that works real well? - Summerville, SC

I'm sure you will be better than me someday! I like to move around the headline until I find a place where I'm making balls every time. I look to see if the balls are getting a lot of action from the break. If you hit a break and you have a lot of balls kissing or hanging in the pockets you are getting action. I would try that spot or change by break speed before moving. I like to set up shots that I have trouble with or play straight pool. Straight pool has a lot of different ways to shoot basically the same shot. - Ray

During your climb to become one of the best poolplayers in the world, what would you say was your hardest obstacle to overcome? -- Glen Burnie, MD

Myself. I had a hard time spending time to work on my game. I like to spend time with my family and playing professional pool is about all you have time to do. Most of the top players have gotten divorced or have very shaky relationships, including myself. - Ray

Are you and Jeanette Lee good friends? Do you go to lunch together? - Ft. Lauderdale, FL

I wouldn't say we are good friends but we are friendly to each other. Jeanette, myself, and George, her husband, have had dinner together. - Ray

This is your Arkansas friend you met last year in Las Vegas. Have you been playing in a lot of tournaments? How have you done? - Benton, AR

Hello, Jimmy! No, I haven't been playing a lot of tournaments this year; I bought a house that needed a lot of work. I plan on playing a lot this fall. Thanks for asking and say hello to your team for me. - Ray

How many times do you get out to just play pool without having to do a tournament? - DeLand, FL

I have a poolroom, so I get out a lot to just watch some of the other players; my friend always comes over to me for advice, I like to help. - Ray

Do you practice differently for different games, if so, how do the practices vary? - Riegelsville, PA

I like to work on the break for each game. The 8-ball break is more important than any other. After the break I like to play straight pool for both 14.1. 9-Ball is more shot making so I like to work on long hard shots to get ready for any tournaments. - Ray

How do you train? - Vietnam

I like to pace myself in training. If I have a big tournament coming up I like to play about 4 to 5 hours per day. If I'm working on my game I might play 1 to 12 hours per day, it depends on what I'm working on and how I feel. - Ray

What size pool tables do you play on? - Sebring, FL

I play on 9 ft. and 7 ft. tables. These are the size of tables played on most often during tournaments. - Ray

When you are practicing 14-1 what is your high run? What kind of run would be considered pro? I am running 40-50 balls, any suggestions on raising that number? - Katy, TX

Those are very good runs and you will start going higher just keep it up. 40 to 50 would be a good run for any of the Pros. I seem to stay around that with a few around 100 at the end of a day of 14.1. - Ray

How did you meet the right people to help get you started as a professional? - College Station, TX

I live in the same hometown as Nick Varner. But you don't need to have a World Champion help you to get to the Pros. Look in any billiards publication for tournaments coming to your area and go play. You might have an opportunity to play in a local qualifier so check the magazines. - Ray

How long did it take you to win your first major tournament? - Pittsburgh, PA

About 4 years on tour. - Ray

In 8-Ball, how many shots ahead do you see when reading the table? - Las Vegas, NV

If the table is ready to run I plan all the way to the eight. But the most important thing is to make sure the table is ready for the run. - Ray

When you play on a new/strange table what are some of the key things you look for and what adjustments do you make? - Raeford, NC

The first look is for six pockets! Look to see what type of cloth is on the table. Hit a few balls to get a fell for the speed of the balls coming off of the rails. - Ray

How often do you practice per day? - Plano, TX

Practice is really up to each person. If I have a tournament coming up I like to play about four hours each day. If I am just trying to stay in stroke or trying to get in stroke I like to play six to ten hours a day. - Ray

How did you turn pro? - Deland, FL

I played in a lot of little tournaments. The more tournaments I won the less I was able to play. So when the rooms wouldn't let me play in the area tournaments anymore I had to go play with the pros. - Ray

When did you first start playing pool? When did you go to your first pro tournament, what age? - Ft. Lauderdale, FL

I was 15 when I entered my first tournament. I entered my first pro event at 18. - Ray

How do you practice before a match? - Newington, CT

I don't really practice before a match. It's a little late for that if you are getting ready to play. I like to hit balls to see how the balls are coming off of the rail right before a match. - Ray

Did you get started playing in local tournaments? - Mount Olive, NC

Yes, I played in every tournament in the area. When they would let me in the little tournaments I moved one the bigger events. - Ray

Have you traveled the world to play in pool tournaments? I'm 10 and play pretty well. - Brooklyn, NY

I travel mostly in the U.S. I have traveled to Taiwan, Japan and Puerto Rico. Pool is and will be going places in the years to come. It's good to hear that you play and play well, enjoy the game and stay in school. - Ray

How long did it take you to become a Pro? - Muskogee, OK

If you go by years, about 4. Now, if you go by hours I played, 10 to 12 every day since day one. It did not hurt that I had a great player to watch play and play against everyday…Nick Varner. - Ray

Why do they call you "Razor"? - Eskasoni, Canada

I was about 19 when I was labeled "Razor." I was playing in a tournament and a guy was betting on shots on the side. I had a shot that looked like I had to bank the ball-I cut the ball instead. From that point on it was "Razor." - Ray

Do you prefer a hard or soft tip on your stick? Why? How does tip texture affect shots? - Bayonne, NJ

Hard tip, I like the tip to leave the cue ball as fast as possible. A soft tip will grab and put unwanted English on the shot. - Ray

Do you prefer wood or graphite cues and why? - Elko, NV

Wood, I think the wood cues have more life and feel to the hit. - Ray

I see you were the 8th Army Champ. I too am in the Army; I have 4 more years until I retire. My question is, how many years were you in and if you did not retire do you wish sometimes that you'd stayed in. Do you ever make it down to this area to play in any tournaments? - Ft. Sill, OK

I was in a little over two years. I won the Green to Gold scholarship and went to Western Kentucky University. I liked the military but I'm happy with the path I've chosen. I have played in Oklahoma a few times but don't plan on it anytime soon. Good luck. - Ray

I would like to get better at my game. Are you available for lessons? - Owensboro, KY

I have a poolroom and cafe in Owensboro. Give me a call at Razor's and we will work on your game. - Ray

How do you find the way to win, when it seems you've met your match? - Hilltop, MN

Don't do things in the match to let them win easy games. Make them work for every shot every ball every game. The mental part of the game will give you the edge if you don't give up. If you come up a little short on the match give it your all on the next one. You could lose every match but you're not a loser until you stop trying to win. - Ray