Pool? If you can only play one game?

Straight Pool. It's common knowledge that 14.1 teaches you more about playing ALL pool games than any other game, by far. I've won 9 ball matches with shots that people who don't play Straight Pool didn't even know existed.
how often do you kick or play bank shots in straight pool?
very often in onepocket
if you like straight pool the best ...thats great
not sure 14.1 teaches you more than onepocket
jmho
icbw
 
If I had to choose just one it would be 14.1 by far. A second choice would be 10 ball with no jump cues or jump shots.
 
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one pocket, best game in all cue sports.

how often do you kick or play bank shots in straight pool?
very often in onepocket
if you like straight pool the best ...thats great
not sure 14.1 teaches you more than onepocket
jmho
icbw

straight pool teaches you a lot of stack knowledge and little caroms that are useful in one pocket, plus it's good volume practice since you pocket a lot of balls in short time. 3C teaches you geometry that's useful in one pocket. 9b/10b makes you a straight shooter. bank pool gives you banking knowledge and intuition. it all comes together in one pocket imo.
 
how often do you kick or play bank shots in straight pool?
very often in onepocket
if you like straight pool the best ...thats great
not sure 14.1 teaches you more than onepocket
jmho
icbw
in 14.1 you don’t want to be cute and creative you want to keep it simple as possible because all pockets and balls are open for the opponent when you miss
comes up seldom where your forced to take something other than a straight or cut shot

Definitely never want to bank a ball and much less kick a ball in 14.1

In 1pkt you get all the pool shots plus more that you generally only would play/know in 1pkt

Stack shots I feel are even more risky in 14.1 than 1pkt
If the ball isn’t dead as a door knob in 14.1 you better not open them
Where in 1pkt it’s ok to chip them your way
 
Why my friend?
8ball is a game that anybody can win so a high level player is not guarantee a win. Must try harder and be more creative to win.

I actually play 8ball when not playing in a tournament. My practice partner is a lower level player and I've been on hiatus for 10 years. Been playing since April again. He kicked my ass in 8 ball. We're talking about 5 games in a row before I had to leave.

The next time we met and played 8 ball. I didn't let him win a game for an hour and a half. ROFL

My stroke is back and the LD shafts have made me Superman.
 
Tricky decision, but I'll start by throwing out all call-shot games. That leaves nine ball and one pocket, the two best games to play.
"As long as it is played on big tables, I think eight ball should be the pro game. It's a great game and the last Accu-stats Make it Happen 8-ball event produced some of the most beautiful and fascinating pool I've ever watched. I also feel that eight ball is the only discipline of interest to anyone but the serious pool fan, and that this means that if pool is ever to attract the interest of amateurs who play it, eight ball is the path."

Said by SJM Dec 6th 2015
 
"As long as it is played on big tables, I think eight ball should be the pro game. It's a great game and the last Accu-stats Make it Happen 8-ball event produced some of the most beautiful and fascinating pool I've ever watched. I also feel that eight ball is the only discipline of interest to anyone but the serious pool fan, and that this means that if pool is ever to attract the interest of amateurs who play it, eight ball is the path."

Said by SJM Dec 6th 2015
Played "take what you make" 8ball, which was used in Darren Appleton's superb world pool series, it's a stiffer test. With choice after the break, it's too easy for the top pros except on very tight tables.

Agreed it's a great game, but as currently contested, it's no more than a breaking contest at top pro level, as the runout rate after a wet break is ridiculously high. I also buy into your argument that 8ball is the game everyone knows, and that certainly weighs in its favor for tournament play. Of course, the version of 8ball known as black ball already has a pro tour.

That said, the thread title asks what game I'd like to play, not what game I'd like to see the pros play.
 
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