Background Info

The Original Creator

Weingartner Billiard Program was created by Mr. Heinrich Weingartner approximately 50 or 60 years ago. According to Mr. Bob Jewett, Mr. Weingartner is still conducting a billiard school in Austria.

A link to Mr. Heinrich Weingartner Bio

A link to Weingartner Billiards Museum


Background
These are the words by Steve Hegg in the first online adaptation of Weingartner Billiard Program using WeiTable:

Through a series of posts, and use of the WEI carom table, I'm going to try and transfer some carom billiard knowledge in something called the "Weingartner Billiard Program," which from here on I'll refer to as the WBP. This information was given to me a few years ago by Eli Castleman, a kind old gentleman that I used to know. Back around '95-'96 when I was first starting out in carom billiards, Eli took me under his wing and showed me a lot of basic concepts and finer points of making gathers in straight rail and balkline carom billiards. He also gave me a copy and translations of the program, which was originally written in German about 50 or 60 years ago.

During the past few years, I've shared hard copies of this program with Deno Andrew and other billiard friends that I've come to know. You can gain a good understanding to some basic concepts behind gathering and/or controlling all 3 balls with the precision required for solid play in 3-cushion, straight rail or balkline. Just my opinion, but a lot of this knowledge could transfer over well to some pool games where precise control of driven balls (e.g., 1-pocket, 9-ball safety play, etc.)

Also, you can use it to walk over to any carom billiard table, set up the shots, and see what kind of stroke you really have. It is also a lot of fun and possibly could be used in part or whole for some internet-based competition across the continents.

I think one of the most important concepts of the program is the relative simplicity of the strokes required. The WBP specifically states the power strokes, whip strokes and masse' shots are not in the program and that the cloth is not abused. So if you try any of the shots, you don't need to use any fancy technique, just a good solid stroke. Shots in this program, and other similar shots, are personally satisfying for me, because I like the great charge that I get when I can make all 3 balls do exactly what I want them to do. I get much more satisfaction out of making a precise straight rail gather than I do from some fancy multiple rail trick shot for 3-cushion billiards.

Also, it has been a "labor of love" for me. One of my goals in billiards is to find "old knowledge" that has been lost or misplaced over the years, and share it with people who are interested. So many years ago during the golden age of billiards, there were many people would could teach and execute the shots in this program, as well as all of the other skills necessary to become a great player in straight rail or balkline. These people are all but non-existent in the USA today. I would hope than one day, we could again have a solid teaching program for carom billiards once again, like there is in Europe.

By making these shots generally available, anyone so inclined can at least get a feel for many of the basic gather shots and strokes required for these games. There is, after all, only 1 correct way to make each shot. Also, I think there is a lot that can be learned from these shots on a billiard table and transferred over to the various pocket games. Maybe someday, there will be enough interest to have an internet-based competition, like others have done with Fargo and Equal Offense.

As you can see, all 19 groups of shots for the 76 shot Weingartner Billiard Program, are complete and available for everyone in the newsgroup. I want to thank WEI for creating the table and the scripting program to make all of this possible. Also thanks to Guy in France who has e-mailed a lot of feedback to me about his interest in the program. One other note is that all the diamond lines and balk lines can be drawn on the table with a small piece of tailor's chalk.