14.1 Is Hard To Learn...NOT

Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
Most 14.1 players say they want more players to play 14.1 again. If so, why are so many of them keeping new players from trying the game? I’ve played 14.1 for over 50 years and it wasn’t or isn’t now hard to learn. I cringe every time I hear or read from a 14.1 player how it’s the hardest game to learn. Starting to play 14.1 by yourself you need to learn patterns to get to the end result of a good break-shot and what part of the rack to hit, what English and speed to hit it. That all it takes to learn to get pretty darn good at it.

Next is, learn the rules well. This alone will teach you the safes and strategies of the game. Watch the best play the game and then look for someone that is a bit better than you to play, until you can beat him or her. Straight pool is a beautiful game, but not a very hard game to learn. Johnnyt
 
when I started playing pool more than 50 yrs ago, straight pool was the game I learned first, then 9 ball and bank pool followed. still try to play 14.1 when I can find someone to play along. it is difficult as most want to lay 9 ball or one pocket and I am too old for the 1 pocket game, I may die before the first game is finished! ;)
wish more players would start some king of straight pool league and make the game popular again. they need to realize that knowing this game makes this game the training arena for all others imho.
 
Mr. Bond said:
Same with one pocket. Easy concept to grasp.
Same with golf, easy concept.

Execution is a beeyotch.
Click to expand...

Yup, I *love* those short-rack rotation folks who say straight pool is easy. "Oh, you mean I can shoot at *any* ball in any order? OMG, that's easy!!" And then you challenge them to run two racks -- just two racks -- and they flub the break ball at the end. Can't get into the next rack.

We see it all the time in the 14.1 Challenge events at e.g. SBE and DCC. Short-rack rotation players shooting off balls like there's no tomorrow, until the end of the rack, and then you see cueball heroics -- cueball going all over the table -- trying to get position on the remaining balls. We colloquially refer to this as "9-ball straight pool."

The pros obviously know not to get into this trap, even if they don't play straight pool all that often. Other than that, you have to be a real student of the game to make the patterns easier, and the runs longer.

-Sean
 
Darren Appleton after his training session recommended to students to play more straight pool. I start to practice more 14.1 and made my first 15 ball run last week, I broke the second rack, but miss the next shot.
 
I agree, ran my first 100 at 17 years old. Warped house cue, crazy hard tips, cigarette burns on the table, 2 globe lights, holes in the cloth, etc... The place was a dungeon.

Maintaining focus for a long time is the toughest part.

I think any player can play any game as long as they put time in. Of course a rotation player will struggle with straight pool, they never play it. I have seen great straight pool players struggle with rotation. There is a difference between a rounded player and a specialist.

Nobody plays the same and there is not just one way. Take 10 players and give them the same rack, you will see 10 different pattern plays. You play it your way.

Basics are simple, not necessarily in this order
Find the break shots or create them
Clear the lanes
Clear the rails
Take balls in small groups
Leave key balls to break shot
Learn the moves, as in any game
DO NOT MISS THE BREAK SHOT

Of course there are little things in the game that you learn as you go, I won't bore you with the details.

Repeat: Maintaining focus for a long time is the toughest part.
 
how does one start the first rack when practicing alone?

Does one break 15 racked balls from behind the kitchen or set up a breakshot to the racked 14 balls?
 
Blue said:
how does one start the first rack when practicing alone?

Does one break 15 racked balls from behind the kitchen or set up a breakshot to the racked 14 balls?
Click to expand...

In a match, you start with the standard opening safety break of the 15-ball rack.

In practice, that's up to you -- you can either practice your opening safety break (a very important shot that most players flub!), or you can rack the 14-balls with the head ball missing, and put that 15th ball and cue ball wherever you want as a break shot. Most folks do the latter, because that's the easiest way to practice your break shots and getting into the "meat" of playing straight pool.

-Sean
 
Blue said:
how does one start the first rack when practicing alone?

Does one break 15 racked balls from behind the kitchen or set up a breakshot to the racked 14 balls?
Click to expand...

Set up a break shot, set them up from different positions, both sides of the rack, side pockets, under the rack etc. Pay attention to where you go into the rack, you will learn what, and what not to do with the cue ball and stroke delivery.
 
sfleinen said:
In a match, you start with the standard opening safety break of the 15-ball rack.

In practice, that's up to you -- you can either practice your opening safety break (a very important shot that most players flub!), or you can rack the 14-balls with the head ball missing, and put that 15th ball and cue ball wherever you want as a break shot. Most folks do the latter, because that's the easiest way to practice your break shots and getting into the "meat" of playing straight pool.

-Sean
Click to expand...

SmoothStroke said:
Set up a break shot, set them up from different positions, both sides of the rack, side pockets, under the rack etc. Pay attention to where you go into the rack, you will learn what, and what not to do with the cue ball and stroke delivery.
Click to expand...

got it... thanks!

I guess the breakshot is the most important shot of the game.

one more question, where to read up more on 14.1 especially on choosing which position is ideal for the last ball.
 
Blue said:
got it... thanks!

I guess the breakshot is the most important shot of the game.

one more question, where to read up more on 14.1 especially on choosing which position is ideal for the last ball.
Click to expand...

Hang out on the 14.1 forum, for starters:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=61

There's plenty of resources there, and there are some recent threads about this very topic. This one's a good example: http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=370221

Hope that helps!
-Sean
 
I've played some...

Last time I played Hu we played some. I think my high run that time was 52 or 56...

I should probably play more 14.1. Just have never really had the inclination although I do understand the nuances of the game.

I've noticed the the upper east coast has a lot more straight pool players than other areas of the country.

The big game that's everywhere is one hole and I think the reason for that is two fold.

The older players think they can out move the younger players now that their fire power has fallen off and handicapping is easier and more fair to the lesser player than say in 9 or ten ball.

Jaden
 
Mr. Bond said:
Same with one pocket. Easy concept to grasp.
Same with golf, easy concept.

Execution is a beeyotch.
Click to expand...

True, and most people don't want to take the time to learn a game like that. When they shoot pool they are just having fun and 8 ball or 9 ball are easier and more fun.

I just got the accustats DCC 2014 finals, Efren vs Daulton. Excellent contrast between "power one pocket" and old school. Efren falls behind 1-0 and then runs out the next 3 games, one rack in particular is classic one pocket with Daulton being in a trap every time he steps to the table. On shot where Efren banks a ball off the rack torward his pocket and left Daulton behind the stack nobody in the room but Efren anticipated. For me it is fantastic entertainment, for most people they would be bored.

A few years ago I told my son about Irving Crane's 150 and out in 1966 and offered to make a video for him to watch. He had no interest, thought it would be boring to watch a guy run 150 balls.

Too many people these days are hooked on shallow short attention span, instant gratification stuff. I'm not condemning it, just stating reality.
 
The game requires alot of knowledge not passed down almost lost! They really need to get Ray Martin and document as much as possible! I would PAY big money for a well done Ray Martin TAR/Cleary made instructional video!!! I truly hope they read this.

Knowledge of WHERE the cue hits the stack is VITAL to the game. top of the ball in the stack versus bottom of the ball is the difference between scratching and continuing your run.

Another lost art is reading the balls in the stack and EXECUTING kisses, caroms & combo's all that vary based on speed, english & etc.

So, yes it is VERY difficult and with out an old timer well versed in this LOST art to take you under their wing it is EXTREMELY difficult to learn.

Sure run a few balls and get LUCKY. But eventually, the luck runs out and the two items mentioned above start to SHOW and your run is over!

KD
 
Johnnyt said:
Most 14.1 players say they want more players to play 14.1 again. If so, why are so many of them keeping new players from trying the game? I’ve played 14.1 for over 50 years and it wasn’t or isn’t now hard to learn. I cringe every time I hear or read from a 14.1 player how it’s the hardest game to learn. Starting to play 14.1 by yourself you need to learn patterns to get to the end result of a good break-shot and what part of the rack to hit, what English and speed to hit it. That all it takes to learn to get pretty darn good at it.

Next is, learn the rules well. This alone will teach you the safes and strategies of the game. Watch the best play the game and then look for someone that is a bit better than you to play, until you can beat him or her. Straight pool is a beautiful game, but not a very hard game to learn. Johnnyt
Click to expand...

I agree, to an extent. 14.1 is and easy game to learn. By game, I mean the rules. The rules are fairly simple and easy to follow, more so than other games in billiards. However, here's where your post is flawed. Everyone views the word, learn, differently and everyone learns at a different pace. For you, it may have been easy, or I could be totally wrong and it actually took you the past 50 years to learn. I am not you, so I don't know. I rarely play straight pool, so I'll use one pocket as an example.

I started playing one pocket roughly 2 years ago. In the first six months, I was learning how to play the game; basic moves, strategy, and learning from my mistakes. In the next six months, I was learning new shots: banks and kicks. By the end of the first year, I was already playing fairly well and could hold my own. Eight and out was no longer a pipe dream and occurred regularly.

Now to some people, learning the game in one year may seem like a long time. To others, it may seem that I had progressed rather quickly and was a fast learner. So, for you to say that learning the game, 14.1, is not difficult... That's just your opinion. :cool:
 
I'm just starting to learn and appreciate straight pool. Right now I mostly play it by myself on a 5x10 and will often set up a 14.1 rack when I first arrive to warm up. Unfortunately, there's not too many people that I know currently that likes to play the game but there's a straight pool league close by that I'll be checking out soon...if I can ever beat my high run of 14. lol
 
Blue said:
got it... thanks!

I guess the breakshot is the most important shot of the game.

one more question, where to read up more on 14.1 especially on choosing which position is ideal for the last ball.
Click to expand...

Yeah it is IF you get yourself one.
 
Most of my 100 ball runs were late in life after Steve Cook showed me some 14.1 stuff...I played him a lot. Race to 100, I had to go to 50. Anyway, he said one night after I missed a break-shot, "Most people miss the break-shot in 14.1 because they're looking where the CB is going to hit the rack. It's like lifting your head while you stroke. Once you know where you are going to hit the CB and the speed, forget about it and just make the ball. Looking where it is going to hit the rack is crazy. It's going to hit where you shot it". For some reason that comes into my mind on every break-shot now. Johnnyt
 
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