Responding to your original post I think people dog it because there are so many options in 14.1 and the situation does not force you to do a certain thing such as hit the 1 or shoot at a stripe playing 8 ball. But if you know what you need to have to get in the next rack then the table is either in good shape just run to the break ball or their are lots of problems get to work fix your problems, or cause problems for your opponent and end with a safe or even an intentional foul. Their are people playing 14.1 it is a great game especially when played by a great player it is beautiful to watch.
Straight pool will make you play all other games better. 9 ball players have the advantage of the balls indicating which one they have to hit first on each shot. One pocket players try to move balls toward/in their pocket and keep the opponent from getting balls near/ in their hole. In 14.1 any ball any hole run till you miss break up the next rack on the last shot of each rack. In 14.1 the balls as a whole indicate to you what to do and they guide you backwards from the break ball not by the numbers on the ball but the balls location on the table. You need to analyze look for problem balls fix those early and then at the end of the rack it should be simple shots.
So to get better start at the end of the rack shoot a few break shots and open the rack. To do this rack 14 put out a good break ball and make it while opening up the rack. Notice how a more full hit on the object ball allows for easy pocketing but take all of the energy out of the cue ball. If you cut the break shot thin pocketing gets tougher but the cue ball keeps most of its speed. A half ball hit or slightly less is a good mid point. Next watch the hit on the first ball you collide with in the rack will you hit the top half or bottom half of that ball this has a lot to do with how the rack opens and what the cue ball does afterward. Some players load the cue ball up and it drives through the rack if you want to do that you have to hit the first ball very full and the cue ball has to be rolling not sliding at a good rate of speed. Break a lot of racks from the sides and from the bottom. There are good and bad areas on the table for the break ball find out where the general location is for a good break ball for you. Then when you are running balls noticce when a ball is in that location that you like. When you have one try not to move it saving it as your break ball. If you do not have any good break balls early in a rack you will have to start manufacturing meaning to bump a ball into a preffered brak ball location.
Next set up a key ball and a break ball shoot those and rack the balls break the next rack after shooting the key balls. Do that typically with a stop shot on the key ball or float the tangent towards where you want to be on the break shot. Now when you play notice if you have key balls tied to your break ball(s) that you have noticed if so save these for the end of the rack if you do not have good key balls you will need to manufacture them.
Then after you get going on that set up 3 balls at the end a key ball to the key ball and a break shot. A good book is available showing pros shooting end patterns it is by Phil Capelle and comes with a DVD and layouts like I am talking about here shoot those end patterns and actually rack the balls you will learn how to transition into the next rack. You can buy his books here
http://www.bebobpublishing.com/capelle.htm or many other places.
Now all you have to learn how to do is read the table, find your trouble balls, open up lanes and pockets, clear clusters, learn to manufacture, get superb pocketing skills and pin point control along with consistent mental discipline and preshot routine and you will be a great straight pool player. Easier said than done and I am a bit of a banger myself but that is good way to learn how to run some balls in 14.1.
