Do you think that playing 14.1 / Straight Pool can help a players game out at all? At least with Consistency?

[vintagecollectibles831]

15 Ball Rotation Pool was Efren's strong suit. It was The money game in the Philippines. He dominated to the extent that he had to go to billiards to get action.
In the practice room before the Reno 9 ball Efren was playing rotation. A player started woofiing to play Straight pool. Efren ran 2 racks in rotation and inquired, "are you shure you want to play Straight pool?"

I heard a pretty cool story once, from this really cool old timer I knew, named Eddie. He said that he worked at a pool hall back in the 80's, in Chicago, iirc. He told me that Efren walked in one day, got a set of balls, and broke and ran 3 racks of 15 ball rotation. Thought that sounded really amazing, and unbelievable. He was not the type to lie though.

 

[bbb]

I heard a pretty cool story once, from this really cool old timer I knew, named Eddie. He said that he worked at a pool hall back in the 80's, in Chicago, iirc. He told me that Efren walked in one day, got a set of balls, and broke and ran 3 racks of 15 ball rotation. Thought that sounded really amazing, and unbelievable. He was not the type to lie though.

what does that have to do regarding the thread is straight pool good for your game???
askin for a friend....

 

[heater451]

Do you think that playing 14.1 / Straight Pool can help a players game out at all? At least with Consistency?

For example, if the player has not played in a long time, and wants to get back into playing, and hopefully get their old A game back?

I always hated doing drills. Never had a Pre Shot routine, that I know of. Other then what came natural, after playing for hours, every single day, for many years.

Do you think that just practicing 14.1 would be helpful, or would drills be better? Doing any kind of drills were always so boring to me though, but I understand that is probably why I never improved past a certain level.

Thinking back, I feel that I was never anything but just a Banger. Always really loved the game though. I guess not nearly enough though.

I have not really played any in around a year, and really wanting to get back into playing again. I really miss the game.

I know that I am going to be really rusty though.

Thanks for any thoughts.

14.1 *can* help with consistency, and be more interesting than (single target ball) drills, but I think you may be jumping ahead in solving your "consistency" issue. You've already admitted that you "never had a pre-shot routine", and from a later post, your "mechanics are not consistent".

Since you know that you don't have a PSR, have you ever just considered *trying* one first, and then figuring out what works better/best for you? Also, you specified "mechanics", which is normally all about stance and the straightness of the arm/cue, but have you ever considered consistency with your speed/power?

 

[straightline]

I heard a pretty cool story once, from this really cool old timer I knew, named Eddie. He said that he worked at a pool hall back in the 80's, in Chicago, iirc. He told me that Efren walked in one day, got a set of balls, and broke and ran 3 racks of 15 ball rotation. Thought that sounded really amazing, and unbelievable. He was not the type to lie though.

Very credible. I used to hang with a couple guys had that under their belt. I heard 7 by Efren at HT Bellflower. My friend's reliable but unconfirmed.

 

[gregcantrall]

what does that have to do regarding the thread is straight pool good for your game???
askin for a friend....

Jason Shaw is the straight pool high run record holder. He looks at the cueball last.
Tell your friend to try it, she might like it.
As to "good for your game" ? Guess that would depend on what your game is. Or even what the definition of is, is.

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

Jason Shaw is the straight pool high run record holder. He looks at the cueball last.
Tell your friend to try it, she might like it.
As to "good for your game" ? Guess that would depend on what your game is. Or even what the definition of is, is.

Oh, he looks at the cue ball last? That is really surprising. Interesting. I always heard that it is best to look at the object ball last.

 

[VarmintKong]

Oh, he looks at the cue ball last? That is really surprising. Interesting. I always heard that it is best to look at the object ball last.

Oh shitty shit!

All this time everybody that picked up a cue tried to do their best to be the best.

Turns out they may (or may not) have been doing things completely bass-ackwards.

I refuse to put in any work myself, but am open to considering anecdotal evidence.

 

[straightline]

@vintagecollectibles831

Yup. 'Bout had the same reaction. Couldn't believe it myself. He's said in print he would patently get left hooked on the one and he'd kick it in and proceed to get out.

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

Oh shitty shit!

All this time everybody that picked up a cue tried to do their best to be the best.

Turns out they may (or may not) have been doing things completely bass-ackwards.

I refuse to put in any work myself, but am open to considering anecdotal evidence.

I need a dictionary for a few of those words, but just too lazy to look them up. So, will just remain confused.

Seriously though, do players really look at the cue ball last?

 

[Bavafongoul]

I can understand looking at the cue ball last in straight pool because with 15 balls that start as a tight cluster,
the eventual scatter is usually a few balls at a time vis safety play. So when you do get a shot and hopefully
scatter some balls, it isn’t often you get a blast ‘em apart break shot. So your cue ball position is usually
concentrating on 1/2 table position instead of going back and forth between the short rails.

More often you are using the long rails for a slower 1 or 2 rail bounce remaining in the area of 1/2 the table.

So if a shot is going to be played using any horizontal English or a really thin cut, using slower cue ball speed
can benefit from looking where on the cue ball you want to strike and how much spin you want to apply. This
is harder to do it looking at OB remembering where you want to exactly stroke the CB while not looking at it.

Attaining 1/2 table shape is easier looking at the cue ball last I’ve found but 3 Diamonds and longer away, I look
at the object ball last because I am paying more attention to my stroke feel and rely on it to be straight but I screw
up sometimes. My right shoulder has a severe impingement after 4 surgeries and it is not predictable when it hurts.

In case you haven’t experienced this, pain is a horrible unexpected distraction that kind of screws up your stroke.
Concentrate as hard as you can and use any aiming system you prefer but it doesn’t matter much when you hurt.

 

[trob]

I heard a pretty cool story once, from this really cool old timer I knew, named Eddie. He said that he worked at a pool hall back in the 80's, in Chicago, iirc. He told me that Efren walked in one day, got a set of balls, and broke and ran 3 racks of 15 ball rotation. Thought that sounded really amazing, and unbelievable. He was not the type to lie though.

I’ve heard he starts every practice that way.

I need a dictionary for a few of those words, but just too lazy to look them up. So, will just remain confused.

Seriously though, do players really look at the cue ball last?

i know Jason Shaw says he looks at the cue ball last and holds the record for high straight pool run. Lol that doesn’t work for me.

I definitely think it will help your concentration levels. I wasn’t as impressed by Jason Shaw record breaking run so much by the ball count but the focus it must have took. It’s so easy in straight pool to let your focus down and miss a silly shot that you would never miss playing 9 ball or 8 ball.

 

[mjantti]

Couple of tips to improve your game with 14.1

• Occasionally measure your progress: start with a standard break shot 10 times, calculate total score / average. Keep notes on your scores. If you can make over a total of 100 in 10 innings (10.0 average), you are already a solid shooter.
• Try to make your pre-shot routine and your shooting into a steady deliberate flow with a steady rhythm. Avoid increasing the tempo while your (long) run progresses. If facing a tricky situation, take an extra walk around the table. Try to image yourself like a locomotive going forward with minimum effort through the racks. Preserve energy.
• Video yourself practicing. Analyze your videos how you felt during certain shots, how were your patterns and tempo etc. Your goal is to learn!
• Realize that your focus isn't optimal without taking a break every now and then.
• Find an opponent you can enjoy a good 14.1 matchup. Solo 14.1 practice is not easy to make fruitful and there is a chance you will build bad habits if you cannot concentrate practicing alone.
• Add variety to your 14.1 practice: start your run with a different break shot every time. Play 14.1 with a BIH from the kitchen on every shot. Play 5.1 with 6 balls (not easy and improves your end rack patterns).
• Watch 14.1 classic matches and learn.
• Enjoy 14.1

 

[gregcantrall]

Oh, he looks at the cue ball last? That is really surprising. Interesting. I always heard that it is best to look at the object ball last.

Willi Mosconi taught object ball last so that's how I started out And did quite well using that method..
The switch to cueball last came for me at a time when my game was in decline. Willie Hoppe's book Billiards As It Should Be Played led me to try it his way., Cueball last.
My experience Now is that my best cueball control is attained by looking at it as I whack it. The shot making is the primary goal but where whitey stops after is Huge.
Practice with a phenolic tip and no chalk helps me sharpen the precision of the strike to the white ball. Definitely need to stay real close to centerball. Slight variations are possible but just like driving a high performance car it takes skills. Skills that require practice to attain.

 

[bbb]

Willi Mosconi taught object ball last so that's how I started out And did quite well using that method..
The switch to cueball last came for me at a time when my game was in decline. Willie Hoppe's book Billiards As It Should Be Played led me to try it his way., Cueball last.
My experience Now is that my best cueball control is attained by looking at it as I whack it. The shot making is the primary goal but where whitey stops after is Huge.
Practice with a phenolic tip and no chalk helps me sharpen the precision of the strike to the white ball. Definitely need to stay real close to centerball. Slight variations are possible but just like driving a high performance car it takes skills. Skills that require practice to attain.

Jason Shaw is the straight pool high run record holder. He looks at the cueball last.
Tell your friend to try it, she might like it.
As to "good for your game" ? Guess that would depend on what your game is. Or even what the definition of is, is.

why must you bring up cue ball last in this thread
when it has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with this thread,,,,sheesh

 

[gregcantrall]

Rail first practice was a big help for me. Back in the ring game days being hooked was often my first shot. A good ring game player can hold his man. "Hold your man as best you can." Would be recited quite often.
Rail first telegraphs any variation in speed and spin as the cueball rebounds. My rail first Practice got me the ring game name of Kicks Like A Mule.
My phenolic tip practice refines my precision in the strike to the white. I am surprised at the spin that can be applied to whitey with a bare hard tip. It does require a precision strike though.

 

[gregcantrall]

when you hurt.

I said, "Doctor, it hurts when I do this." My doctor said, "Don't do That."
Rehabilitation had me defining the differences between Discomfort and Pain. Kinda like Rubbing in Raceing it's a thin line but a critical difference.

 

[gregcantrall]

why must you bring up cue ball last in this thread
when it has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with this thread,,,,sheesh

Expand your mind. It All relates in some degree.
Sometimes it's just a slight switch that is the light switch. Don't curse the dark. Turn on the Lights.
Finding pleasure or satisfaction is the goal in recreation. Whether it's straight pool or nine ball is inconsequential. The same Basics apply. Basic knowledge in any competition can translate. Often a translator is required for clear understanding. Cultural differences can provide opposing interpretations. So as an example, uh 12 thumbs down is one short of a full load. (Well where I come from. ). Hope I haven't peeed in your Cherios. Good Morning.

 

[dtroup64]

Couple of tips to improve your game with 14.1

• Occasionally measure your progress: start with a standard break shot 10 times, calculate total score / average. Keep notes on your scores. If you can make over a total of 100 in 10 innings (10.0 average), you are already a solid shooter.
• Try to make your pre-shot routine and your shooting into a steady deliberate flow with a steady rhythm. Avoid increasing the tempo while your (long) run progresses. If facing a tricky situation, take an extra walk around the table. Try to image yourself like a locomotive going forward with minimum effort through the racks. Preserve energy.
• Video yourself practicing. Analyze your videos how you felt during certain shots, how were your patterns and tempo etc. Your goal is to learn!
• Realize that your focus isn't optimal without taking a break every now and then.
• Find an opponent you can enjoy a good 14.1 matchup. Solo 14.1 practice is not easy to make fruitful and there is a chance you will build bad habits if you cannot concentrate practicing alone.
• Add variety to your 14.1 practice: start your run with a different break shot every time. Play 14.1 with a BIH from the kitchen on every shot. Play 5.1 with 6 balls (not easy and improves your end rack patterns).
• Watch 14.1 classic matches and learn.
• Enjoy 14.1

Great stuff here. Really appreciate the clarity of this post.

 

[gregcantrall]

Straight pool practice is a method that I have employed. I found it to be of great value. While I don't recall my high run, I did learn the game. Putting multiple racks together requires the knowledge and planning to find or create a break ball. Then plan the sequence in reverse to get to it. The rest is execution of the plan. Of course my plan often required revisions.
I worked at it until I could run in the 40s and 50s on a good day. A good practice that I haven't revisited in years but still see the value. Now I feel kinda negligent. Perhaps I can make Straight pool my morning fitness program for this morning.
You DO have a Fitness Program! RIGHT??????

 

[gregcantrall]

In straight pool a slight rub or brush on a ball is used to get optimal shape. Hitting it too full would be a wreck.
So "Rubbing Is Racing", Is On Topic.