Played straight pool for the first time last night. high run 23! LOL

Drop The Rock

Drop The Rock

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Silver Member
So I play a lot of one pocket, and have fun playing it.
Well I have had a few people from my pool hall try and get me to play straight pool to improve my game. Other than a couple of youtube videos and the small amount of ball running experience from one pocket, I have absolutely no idea wtf I'm doing lol.

I don't know what I'm doing playing rotation either often times either because my position play is still developing. Getting on the right side is becoming more of a reality but my speed still needs work.

I usually play on 9 ft tables but I run a 9 ball tournament on thursdays that it on 8 fts. As the tournament started progressing I had time to hop on an open 8 ft. After shooting a couple of stroke shots and banging balls my practice discipline voice kicked in the back of my head and said be productive and stop banging balls. So I lined a ball straight in the side, racked the rest and broke!

I scratched lol. Then tried again and used outside hitting the far head able lol. I ended up all the way done table -.-. Then I broke and ran a rack and a half for 23!

I had an blast. Even though I don't know much about the game it was a lot of fun and I'm going to start playing more often for sure.

Any direction or advice is greatly appreciated! Also resources, tips and tricks are too!
 
I'm in the same boat but have yet to run a rack off lol. I practice by myself 2-3 nights a week and I do drills then just rack 8 and 9 ball. I got tired of that the other night and did the same as you, small cut shot into the side and go. Like I said, I've yet to run a rack but I'm liking the game! I've been playing on a 9ft Gabriel a lot more. I wouldn't mind trying it on a bb because that's what I'm use to and interested to see how I could do but I'm a nit and don't want to waste quarters after I miss my 3rd shot. High run is 11 lmao.
 
Dockter said:
I'm in the same boat but have yet to run a rack off lol. I practice by myself 2-3 nights a week and I do drills then just rack 8 and 9 ball. I got tired of that the other night and did the same as you, small cut shot into the side and go. Like I said, I've yet to run a rack but I'm liking the game! I've been playing on a 9ft Gabriel a lot more. I wouldn't mind trying it on a bb because that's what I'm use to and interested to see how I could do but I'm a nit and don't want to waste quarters after I miss my 3rd shot. High run is 11 lmao.
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Yeah I'm gonna try and play around on the 8 ft and 9 fts. Problem is that my favorite table is a 9 ft diamond with 4 inch pockets lol. Great for one pocket but I don't think its going to be very good for straightpool.
 
Drop The Rock said:
So I play a lot of one pocket, and have fun playing it.
Well I have had a few people from my pool hall try and get me to play straight pool to improve my game. Other than a couple of youtube videos and the small amount of ball running experience from one pocket, I have absolutely no idea wtf I'm doing lol.

I don't know what I'm doing playing rotation either often times either because my position play is still developing. Getting on the right side is becoming more of a reality but my speed still needs work.

I usually play on 9 ft tables but I run a 9 ball tournament on thursdays that it on 8 fts. As the tournament started progressing I had time to hop on an open 8 ft. After shooting a couple of stroke shots and banging balls my practice discipline voice kicked in the back of my head and said be productive and stop banging balls. So I lined a ball straight in the side, racked the rest and broke!

I scratched lol. Then tried again and used outside hitting the far head able lol. I ended up all the way done table -.-. Then I broke and ran a rack and a half for 23!

I had an blast. Even though I don't know much about the game it was a lot of fun and I'm going to start playing more often for sure.

Any direction or advice is greatly appreciated! Also resources, tips and tricks are too!
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First time playing 14.1 and you run 23 balls. Okay. You will be running 100 before you know it. 23 right off the bat is unheard of. Your a prodigy!
 
Very nice! I've been focusing on learning 14.1 lately. I've been playing pool for about a year and a half (plus a year of playing over 5 years ago) and have been trying to learn 14.1 for a few months. I've only run a full rack once and then left myself with nothing good after my break shot...grrr!

23 is a great start, I'm jealous! I'm hoping to get up into the 20's by the end of the year
 
philly said:
First time playing 14.1 and you run 23 balls. Okay. You will be running 100 before you know it. 23 right off the bat is unheard of. Your a prodigy!
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michael4 said:
great start !
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Thanks guys!!

You know how everybody has their best game? Well I think I may have actually found mine and its a hell of a lot more fun than playing the ghost! It really helps because its easy for me to get in a rhythm but also enforces focus. I think its at the very least going to become my permanent way to practice because its helpful for all games.
 
Just like having to become familiar with shot making angles by practicing and experiencing them in rotation games, rhythm focus and concentration are very important in straight pool. The good news is by the nature of the game, it is a great way to practice that.

Tips I think are helpful... you mentioned getting on the correct side of your next shot for position, in straight pool you need to be much more precise.

Pick patterns that have the CB running along position lines naturally rather than across them.

Often you only need to move the CB short distances. I suggest doing this using a good stroke and vertical axis english to direct the CB rather than trying to slow roll position.

Identify problem balls early and address them. Pick your break ball, key ball, and key to key ball as soon as practical.

Nice to see the greatest game with the greatest challenges becoming more popular.
 
Something stinks...

Something doesn't add up here...

This is like someone saying they played 9-ball for the first time and ran a two pack. It just doesn't happen. And you say you don't know what you're doing playing rotation (which is the easiest as far as 'what to do') yet you run a 9-ball tournament?

How can you be playing $500 one-pocket sets with road players yet you don't know how to play rotation...? Everybody starts off with rotation or at least 8-ball and then learns one-pocket later on. You don't just start off with one-pocket...

No offense but I'm not buying it. But if by some act of god you are being 100% truthful then congratulations sir!
 
ktrepal85 said:
Something doesn't add up here...

This is like someone saying they played 9-ball for the first time and ran a two pack. It just doesn't happen. And you say you don't know what you're doing playing rotation (which is the easiest as far as 'what to do') yet you run a 9-ball tournament?

How can you be playing $500 one-pocket sets with road players yet you don't know how to play rotation...? Everybody starts off with rotation or at least 8-ball and then learns one-pocket later on. You don't just start off with one-pocket...

No offense but I'm not buying it. But if by some act of god you are being 100% truthful then congratulations sir!
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Lol road players! I have never played a road player in my life actually. The guy I played one pocket with is regular at my pool hall. I have been playing pool for almost two years. When I say I have been playing for almost two years, I quite literally mean that up until recently I played almost every day and now I still get 4-5 days a week in. More than a year of that has been getting beat up on playing on pocket.

I'm good friends with the management at Big Tymes and run the tournament to get free pool (not sure what running a tournament has to do with anything) and most of my pool buddies consist of a shortstop or two, a pro and a couple A players so thats what I'm comparing myself to. I surrounded myself with those people because I knew I could learn the most from them.

I don't know what I'm doing as in I don't play very good rotation or rotation that often. When I say not very good I mean I have only broke and run out a handful of times in my life. When I do its practicing on the same tight tables I play one pocket on so its hard to practice when its an uphill battle (probably should be playing it on looser tables). I'm sure that if I played 9 ball for a few straight weeks I'd play it okay, but I just don't.

Like I have mentioned before it was one set and I lost (if I was gonna bullshit somebody I would have said I won lol) and before that have only ever played for more than 20 a game a handful of times. I can count on two hands how many times I have played cheap rotation. I can't count how many times I have played cheap one pocket.

I play one pocket because I love the game and am addicted to it.

Also the table I play on the most often (one pocket) is a 9ft diamond with 4" pockets. The table I played straight pool on is an 8 foot olhausen with 4.5" pockets. don't worry there were a couple racks after the 23 that I botched but the game made sense to me.

Sorry if it sounded too literal that I don't know what I'm doing playing 9 ball but thats me comparing to my friends. For the record I have never run a two pack either!
 
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Drop The Rock said:
Thanks guys!!

You know how everybody has their best game? Well I think I may have actually found mine and its a hell of a lot more fun than playing the ghost! It really helps because its easy for me to get in a rhythm but also enforces focus. I think its at the very least going to become my permanent way to practice because its helpful for all games.
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I was being tongue in cheek when I called you a prodigy. I"d have to see a non 14.1 player step up and just run 23. Sorry but it just seems a little far fetched to me. Good Shooting.
 
philly said:
I was being tongue in cheek when I called you a prodigy. I"d have to see a non 14.1 player step up and just run 23. Sorry but it just seems a little far fetched to me. Good Shooting.
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Well I know I'm no prodigy... it was on a pretty easy 8 ft table... why the hell would I BS people over the internet with a number like 23 for **** sake? Gimme a couple months to LEARN the game and I'll post video. Thanks for the encouragement. Good grief.
 
Drop The Rock said:
Well I know I'm no prodigy... it was on a pretty easy 8 ft table... why the hell would I BS people over the internet with a number like 23 for **** sake? Gimme a couple months to LEARN the game and I'll post video. Thanks for the encouragement. Good grief.
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what people see is someone playing for just two years, and then first day playing straight pool gets 23, which means a full rack, and then a break shot (which is the harder part) ....its just almost unheard of (as someone said)

I would say you're getting tons of table time in the last two years, tons of good guidance, and you must have natural talent.......

anyone else at your pool hall on this forum? maybe get them to vouch for your ability.
 
Drop The Rock said:
Well I know I'm no prodigy... it was on a pretty easy 8 ft table... why the hell would I BS people over the internet with a number like 23 for **** sake? Gimme a couple months to LEARN the game and I'll post video. Thanks for the encouragement. Good grief.
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I don't play everyday, and I don't play straight pool all that pool much, but once I started trying it took me a long time to get into the second rack.......
 
Drop The Rock said:
Any direction or advice is greatly appreciated! Also resources, tips and tricks are too!
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The basic advice always given is to first target balls that block the pockets, then break up clusters by identifying secondary break balls. Once the balls are spread out, try not to move them after that. Pick off the balls that open up your pattern. Leave potential break balls and identify the "key ball" - the ball that sets up your break shot. (Practice a wide variety of break shots. They more break shots you are confident with, the easier the game.)

Remember, there is a certain amount of luck involved with high runs and bad luck is just a roll away, so don't get frustrated or discouraged.
 
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TATE said:
The basic advice always given is to first target balls that block the pockets, then break up clusters. Once the balls are spread out, try not to move them after that. Pick off the balls that open up your pattern. Leave potential break balls and identify the "key ball" - the ball that sets up your break shot. (Practice a wide variety of break shots. They more break shots you are confident with, the easier the game.)
Click to expand...

^^ best "one paragraph" lesson I have read in a long time....took me quite a while to figure that out....
 
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