International Playing Ability Test Workbook Vol. 1

Product Review based on the following criteria:

Purpose? What the heck is this thing used for and is there a need for it?
User-friendly? Is it easy to use and follow?
Comparison? Are there currently other products like it on the market and how does it compare?
Level? What caliber player is this product target? Beginner/Leisure, Intermediate/League-player, Advanced, or All Levels.
Appearance? Does it look cool?
Price / Value? Is it worth your dawg dough?
Rating? One a scale of 1 to 4 pooldawg paws.
Gripes? Any possible suggestions for improvement?
Feedback? What my students had to say about it and any other comments.
Overall? Considering the pros and cons, should you own one of these?

International Playing Ability Test Workbook Vol. 1

Available at PoolDawg.com
Retail price: $39.95
PoolDawg price: $29.95
CLICK HERE TO ORDER

Purpose

IPAT (International Playing Ability Test), second edition is “pool training for beginners, advanced players, and pros.” This 64-page workbook is a system to assess your billiard skills based on ten aspects of the game. Use IPAT exercises and training games to record your performance scores and measure your progress.

User-friendly

I love the layout of this book. It clearly explains the general conditions, procedure, principle, and highest possible scores. Each exercise in the IPAT is performed in three innings. The scores are totaled and divided by three to get a test average score. Each average is then multiplied by a unique ‘factor’ which will determine your percentage value based on the target value set for each category. It may sound complex but the diagrams and scoring area make it quite easy to follow and extremely comprehensive.

Comparison

There are a ton of books on the market but what I like the most about the IPAT is that it’s an international training and measuring system. Your score can be compared worldwide with players all over the country and since your skills are evaluated based on so many various aspects of the game, the score is quite accurate.

Level

IPAT is for beginners, advanced players, and pros.

Appearance

Though I am a fan of spiral binding when it comes to learning books, the book binding of the second edition is still friendly for laying out on the table. The new cover is quite well-designed and classy.

Price / Value

Retail price: $39.95
PoolDawg price: $29.95
For all the information you get in this workbook, I definitely consider it a good value.

Gripes

My only gripe really is that the first edition in spiral bound and that’s always easier to lay open on a table to work with. The font can get a little small at times, but keep in mind there’s a ton of info to cover.

Rating (based on a possible 4 paws)

I give this product 3½ paws!

Feedback

“THE BEST test for pool playing ability that I have yet seen. There is nothing else out there that covers such a wide variety of shots and wide variety of skill levels. IPAT allows you to measure your progress over time as well as how you rate against other players all over the world, shooters who you would never be able to play in person!”
~ Michael McCafferty, FastMikie.com

“I need to pick up one of those.”
~ Matt E.

Overall

You wouldn’t go on a diet without first weighing in so you can see how much weight you lose. This is the same concept. The IPAT is the most complete assessment I’ve seen for pool. As an instructor, I strongly recommend all my students to establish benchmarks for their development. This is an affordable way to do so on a frequent basis. As a suggestion, when you’re ready to take the test I advise finding a certified PAT examiner in your area to administer the test. This is not required but recommended.

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