One advise I always see on this board is that it is a good investment to watch high run videos. But what exactly about them should we be looking out for besides stuff that we read in books such as clearing clusters?
Only reason I ask is because I realized in the last few months I have been watching a ton of 14.1 videos and the only ones that I come away with information are the ones with some form of good commentating about the situations at hand.
1) Watch how the great players control the cue ball on their break shots.
Knowing how the balls come out of the stack and where the cue ball is going to land for that first shot after the break - that can make all the difference in the world between a 14 ball run, and a anything more than that. Aimlessly crashing the cue ball into the rack like sending a cannonball into pyramid of beer cans ... that won't get you very far in 14.1. Players to watch in this area of the game are Niels Feijen - Corey Deuel - John Schmidt - Alex Lely - and Danny Harriman. What separates these champions from everybody else - is that they do nothing recklessly - and they do nothing without a purpose. So learn what the cue ball does after it contacts the rack - and watch how the balls separate from the stack.
2) Watch how, when, where, and why the great players use the secondary break shot to separate the balls.
Going into the balls at the wrong time with the wrong shot can mean the difference between success and failure in straight pool. This starts with choosing the correct secondary break shot to go into the balls effectively and efficiently. Using a ball that is 2 feet away from the problem cluster will usually lack the accuracy needed to take care of the problem. Study some of John Schmidt's high run videos and watch how he studies the table before and after each shot. Niels Feijen - same thing. The best players are usually the players that are studying and learning from what is in front of them. Go out of your way to become one of those players.
3) Watch how the great players take the balls off the table.
Watch how they clear the lanes for other balls to pass into the pockets - watch how they get the problem balls off the rails - watch how they deal with clusters and problem balls. Watch how they transform clusters and problems balls into break balls and key balls(they don't just smash the balls all over the table).
4) Learning patterns is essential, but learning how to take advantage of your strengths and your unique playing style - then shaping your patterns around those strengths - that is VITAL in your quest to master the game of straight pool.
What I mean by this is simple ... yet complicated. Each of us has different strengths and different weaknessses. We are all individuals - and what works for some players might not necessarily be a good idea for other players. If longer shots are your weakness, it would be wise to play patterns that get your cue ball closer to the object ball. If high angle break shots are too risky for you - work with a break ball that is closer to the stack so that you can keep the cue ball in the center of the table for a higher percentage shot. Knowing what works for you and what does not work for you is the first step in managing your game and managing the table.
This is not an all-inclusive list. There are many more factors and much more to learn - most of which you will only learn AT the table by trying to run balls. However- this is my short list of the things that I look for when I watch the greatest players in the world.