20 No Count DCC style practice game

stevekur1

stevekur1

The "COMMISH"
Silver Member
Hey Guys,

Forumghost and i have been playing straight pool together now for quite some time, but we seem to come up to a stale mate point to our practice games.

So i decided we would mix it up a little and give us a game that will make us bare down and play a little more aggressively.

What i have come up with is playing 20 No Count Derby City Style.

You set-up a break shot with ball in hand and try to run 20 or more or else the score doesnt count, in this game we set the final score at 100.

I Feel what the game does is forces you to play good patterns and setup a break shot and still have to pocket some of the next rack before you can earn some points.

I Think that 20 is a good number because alot of time you only have a few loose balls after the rack, so you will have to figure out again how to free up some more balls.

In all honesty i am sure after playing this for a bit we will probably raise the bar and increase the no count number.


We have played alot of no count in the past, but some times you get to the table after one of us had missed and have absolutley either no shot or something that doesnt resemble anything to being a nice end pattern of balls.


Yes it is a little discouraging when you manage to run 19 and get nothing for it, or when you are sitting at 99 and still have to run a 20 to win. But what it does is really make you bare-down and focus on the game.


I Highly recommend to you all to give it a try, of course you dont have to make the count set at 20, but i do recomend setting it higher than 1 rack.

Good luck and let me know if this works for you!

Steve

PS... I apologize for the lengthy post:thumbup:
 
Thanks

I Have been playing this style of game for a little while now when i am practicing alone.

But i think it works even better when played with someone else, this way you can help each other out on different patterns you can play.

cause in a regular game alot of times the table is already layed out from when you have missed for what the pattern of balls is.

And yes it is rewarding to see when your practice partner runs out the balls on the table exactly the way you would of played them.

Kudos goes out to Forumghost because he has really worked hard and has learned alot about control and patterns, and i think that this will really elevate him to the next level. As well as myself too

Steve
 
stevekur1 said:
Hey Guys,

Forumghost and i have been playing straight pool together now for quite some time, but we seem to come up to a stale mate point to our practice games.

So i decided we would mix it up a little and give us a game that will make us bare down and play a little more aggressively.

What i have come up with is playing 20 No Count Derby City Style.

You set-up a break shot with ball in hand and try to run 20 or more or else the score doesnt count, in this game we set the final score at 100.

I Feel what the game does is forces you to play good patterns and setup a break shot and still have to pocket some of the next rack before you can earn some points.

I Think that 20 is a good number because alot of time you only have a few loose balls after the rack, so you will have to figure out again how to free up some more balls.

In all honesty i am sure after playing this for a bit we will probably raise the bar and increase the no count number.


We have played alot of no count in the past, but some times you get to the table after one of us had missed and have absolutley either no shot or something that doesnt resemble anything to being a nice end pattern of balls.


Yes it is a little discouraging when you manage to run 19 and get nothing for it, or when you are sitting at 99 and still have to run a 20 to win. But what it does is really make you bare-down and focus on the game.


I Highly recommend to you all to give it a try, of course you dont have to make the count set at 20, but i do recomend setting it higher than 1 rack.

Good luck and let me know if this works for you!

Steve

PS... I apologize for the lengthy post:thumbup:
Click to expand...

Then when you miss, the other guy sets up his own break shot?

sounds like a nice change of pace.:thumbup:
 
yeah, he sets up his break shot.

Which is also a benefit, cause you get to practice different break shots.

I really like this game the more i think about it, especially if you play it with a practice partner so you can LEARN off of each other.

and even if you dont get any counts at first you still get plenty of practice at running a full rack, and work towards getting into the next.

Steve
 
maybe the next time we get together i will bring the camera to see what we might capture!

Steve
 
I sometimes practice with this same method by myself. I play the 14.1 ghost 20 no count to 100. I set up a new rack and breakball after each inning. If I get to 20 then I get to keep shooting and add the final run count to my score. If I don't get to at least 20 then the ghost gets 20 to the ghost score.

BRUTAL! But good practice when alone.

I think the SOB has the best of it overall so far :(
 
Guys I have to say that the wealth of knowledge that Steve is passing to me is absolutely priceless. I mean we will be playing a game with each other and he will literally stop what he is doing mid stream hell some times mid stroke just to show me a subtle nuance or something that may seem minor but in the long run could have a very serious ripple effect.

Now onto this awesome style of practice. Basically I wont lie i wasnt sure about this as a form of practice because to take ball in hand and set yourself up with a perfect break shot belies the hardness of straight pool and getting to that break shot as a beginner to the game. Finding a break shot as a beginner can be difficult as it is without having to worry about getting on it.

Now though after trying it I absolutely love it and will continue to use this as my straight pool practice regimen. My third go in I ran a 21 not a massive number but it was a damn convincing 21. I calmly ran out the rack and got into the next one. Here is the kicker however, that hardness I mentioned above will slowly start to dissipate I have noticed if you practice enough and I honestly feel that this style is detrimental to that.

Again I cant thank Steve enough for the things he has been teaching even in my mental game just to block things out or not let little things get the better of me. I tend to allow distractions or ambient noises ruin my game and now I am slowly but surely tuning these things out with the slightest of ease. Will I ever be as calm and stoic at the table as Steve that is doubtful the man is like a straight pool gargoyle. Watching him in his chair with stone eyes never leaving their position locked onto the table. Than like the creature of myth and lore leaping at the table with the enthusiasm of a rambunctious four year old to simply do what he loves. Play Pool.

Thanks Steve and thank all of you for your info and input. This is why straight pool has its own forum section, its civilized, its elite, and basically it really is all that and a bag of potato chips. I second Steve's tag line although changing it slightly. "Join the straight pool renaiscannce!!!"

Charlie
 
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when i practice this game by myself i keep track of how many innings it takes me to get to 100 points. And i keep track of that to gauge my progress.
 
I agree and I have that video camera again on Sunday so we are definitely going to have to put it to good use and see if we can capture a fifty plus.
 
counts an noaccounts

You realize, I hope, that if you bare down you may face prosecution for indecent exposure.
 
I like it.

When I play my buddy at this, I have trouble caring about the win as much as posting a high number. On the other hand he really wants to win, he's just behind my speed and almost never wins at straights.

I've tried getting his enthusiasm up for longer runs by suggested we play for a set time and whoever has the highest run wins, but I didn't see much enthusiasm. And I don't have enthusiasm when I'm winning 10 balls at a time. I think this might do the trick and keep us both into it.
 
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