I've watched John's entire 434-ball run for the 3rd time now. Still marvel how instantly he recognizes & achieves near-perfect position

[arnaldo]

. . . and he does it all with his 14.1-specialized, deliberately shortened, very briefly-aimed stroking that he's arrived at for long Straight Pool runs. I'm sure he discovered that less arm error can creep into the short backstroke. Amazingly -- as with Darren Appleton -- John manages to get tremendously pinpoint position (and power) with all known types of spin and stun moves with that stroke.

And what a peculiar ending! -- (the much-discussed CB's bizarre path up-table, that curves into the right corner pocket -- only about 15 or 20 minutes away (for swiftly-playing John) from Willie's record).

In any case, it's a totally beautiful run, worth watching more than once. I keep seeing more subtle nuances in his rack-navigation choices. Enormous skill and refined Straight Pool savvy on display. Observant emerging players, new to 14.1 can learn plenty from this particular feat by John.

Enjoy.

Arnaldo

 

[Cuaba]

If you get a chance to see John's live showing of his record 626 run, go.

You will love it

 

[smoochie]

. I'm sure he discovered that less arm error can creep into the short backstroke.

Are you advocating the punch stroke to be the best? I'm just trying to clarify this sentence, do you mean that with the final strike of the cueball having the arm swing back just few inches is better than having a full stroke-like SVB or Earl Strickland etc?

I know there are alot of punch strokers who have their tip at the final stroke only go back few inches then accelerates forward to the cueball like Alex pagulayan, Jayson shaw, Joshua filler also I think, and they are succeeding, but let me know if initially, you meant that punch stroke is better than all other strokes or did you mean something entirely different.

 

[mikemosconi]

I would say that there are exactly three elements of a stroke that need to be present for the stroke to work: it has to be straight and aligned to the OB contact point, secondly it has to have an element of smoothness ( the forward motion is not rushed- it is well timed) and , third, the stroke is complete enough at the cue ball contact point so that the desired affect on the cue ball is achieved ( side spin, follow, draw, stop).

How far back one takes the cue prior to the final forward stroke, the amount of pause from back to final front stroke ( if any pause); and how far the cue tip goes on the cloth beyond the cue ball origination point may vary- but those factors do not have to look textbook to be successful.

I believe that many strokes in 14.1 will not look like the long flowing strokes we see advocated in today's training videos simply because in really good 14.1 play- you should be working fairly close to the OBs very often, and that long backswing and forward follow through just is not applicable on about 80% of the shots.

I begin and end every 14.1 practice session with some 9 ball racks- just to let out my stroke prior to 14.1 and after 14.1 simply because I know that my longer power strokes just will not get much workout during 14.1 and i don't want to lose that feel, for whenever I am playing rotation games competitively, even though I prefer 14.1.

 

[arnaldo]

but let me know if initially, you meant that punch stroke is better than all other strokes or did you mean something entirely different.

Better for John personally for regularly achieving his ultra-high Straight Pool runs. Quality 14.1 high runs typically involve long-duration sustained excellence and far less CB travel than some other pool disciplines. His stroke when playing 9-ball is routinely longer and more "free-wheeling" (if I may take that only marginally precise descriptive liberty) when he plays 9-ball. If you listen to any of John's plentiful voice-overed 14.1 DVDs you quickly realize that he has methodically (and meticulously) examined in-detail every possible cause of missed shots that end his runs and he instructively and repeatedly passes-on 5 or 6 cautions that he has developed for his personal approach -- things he has learned to avoid.

All of the fellows you cite who use John's 14.1 stroking for all the pool disciplines they compete in, have arrived at that stroke when they found (via observed missed shots) that they needed to work around some stroking hitch they just could not cure, and they therefore tried (very successfully) less arm movement, fewer aiming strokes, even in some cases (doesn't apply to John) a punchier stroke.

The longer stroking fellows are equally skilled champions whose misses and accuracy lapses are unrelated to purity of stroke. (Grip, focus, stance, head/eye position, eye movement, etc.; lapses which periodically creep in under pressure.)

As our noted and beloved billiards writer, George Fels, once characteristically, beautifully, and concisely recommended:
"Your skill-acquisition progress will be greatly accelerated if you learn to observe rather than judge your game."

In short, pool champions obsessively scrutinize, adapt, and continually improve every element of their game to a degree unimaginable to the average player. And without hesitation they turn to professional coaches when flaws creep in, that they can't independently spot or solve.

Arnaldo

 

[bignick31985]

What a crazy cue ball on the scratch. Have seen similar action, but have not seen anything that severe ever.

 

[measureman]

You know who should be along shortly.

 

[smoochie]

After watching a portion of the video I think John isn't a punch stroker, it depends on the shot whether or whether not he bring his shaft back in the final stroke, sometimes he does and other times he doesn't. As I said depending on the shot.

Another thing that I noted which is kinda funny, when he becomes in the zoon his tongue goes out as he strokes the balls and to the side, I know that has nothing to do with anything but I just though it's funny that his tongue comes out to the side of his mouth and he bites on it, anyone else noticed this? Plus I've seen other pro's that do this, Darren Appleton as he strokes the ball his tongue comes out but in the middle and he bites it.

I don't know whats the tongue deal here, but I know for a fact that Darren was called on it one time and he wanted to get rid of this habit, then his game dropped a considerable amount in level, a few weeks later he went back to biting his tongue, I know its weird subject but I swear these stuff happen and some peeps I think will lose their game if they stop doing these habits.

 

[Black-Balled]

You know who should be along shortly.

Of course, I

And of course john- plays position well. He plays pool well.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I believe that many strokes in 14.1 will not look like the long flowing strokes we see advocated in today's training videos simply because in really good 14.1 play- you should be working fairly close to the OBs very often, and that long backswing and forward follow through just is not applicable on about 80% of the shots.

More than 80% if things go well. 14.1 is a "short shape" game, which I think is well suited to a short stroke's simplicity and low-speed control.

pj
chgo

 

[9ballscorpion]

I only watched the 1st 2 racks so far, but I love his game. He is such a strong player. Very nice stroke. Very good ball maker. On a side note, he seems like a super nice, and down to earth person.

 

[Black-Balled]

I only watched the 1st 2 racks so far, but I love his game. He is such a strong player. Very nice stroke. Very good ball maker. On a side note, he seems like a super nice, and down to earth person.

Lol. He'd like you to think that.

The fire to win is also a hatred of losing.

 

[WildWing]

John will go on as one of the best 14.1 players ever. And, of course, some will have a hard time with that. But, it is what it is.

All the best,
WW

 

[straightline]

What a crazy cue ball on the scratch. Have seen similar action, but have not seen anything that severe ever.

Fan or telekinesis. Reason tells me the latter.

On the short stroke; ball weighs 6 oz. the stick weighs over a pound. Higher math tells you the arm need only set the stick in motion.

 

[AtLarge]

At about the 21:28 mark of this run (with the run at 101 at that point), John touched the 7-ball while setting up for a shot on another ball. In an all-ball-fouls 14.1 game, this (if detected) would certainly have been a foul and ended John's inning. How do you feel about such touch fouls in high-run attempts? Should they end the run, or should such run attempts be conducted on a cue-ball-fouls-only basis?

[Note: I have seen at least one pro 14.1 event using cue-ball-fouls-only rules.]

 

[Bob Jewett]

At about the 21:28 mark of this run (with the run at 101 at that point), John touched the 7-ball while setting up for a shot on another ball. In an all-ball-fouls 14.1 game, this (if detected) would certainly have been a foul and ended John's inning. How do you feel about such touch fouls in high-run attempts? Should they end the run, or should such run attempts be conducted on a cue-ball-fouls-only basis? ...

I think that it is especially important to enforce the strict rules in solo runs. That was the policy for the DCC 14.1 Challenge. In a normal game with CBFO, the opponent has the right of restoration which is protection against sharp practices. That doesn't exist in a solo run.

(More widely, I wish all play would go to "all fouls", but that would require sportsmanship from those who have none.)

 

[straightline]

It's pool not surgery. If fouls are critical down to the infinitesmally inconsequential, then a simple clear plastic shield could be used to prevent hair, clothing, leaning fouls, and even minor falling over the balls. With table surveillance, layout orientation and geometry can be monitored in real time where clumsy would still be a foul.

 

[AtLarge]

I think that it is especially important to enforce the strict rules in solo runs. That was the policy for the DCC 14.1 Challenge. In a normal game with CBFO, the opponent has the right of restoration which is protection against sharp practices. That doesn't exist in a solo run. ...

What if a referee was present for the high-run attempt, and he was directed to restore things as closely as possible. Would that have been possible at the DCC, where I think you had scorekeepers for each attempt?

 

[Bob Jewett]

What if a referee was present for the high-run attempt, and he was directed to restore things as closely as possible. Would that have been possible at the DCC, where I think you had scorekeepers for each attempt?

I suppose that could have been done, but the scorekeepers were not always paying enough attention or in a good place to see how things might have been moved. It is easier to just play by all the rules. The players didn't seem to have a problem with it.

 

[GaryB]

I think that it is especially important to enforce the strict rules in solo runs. That was the policy for the DCC 14.1 Challenge. In a normal game with CBFO, the opponent has the right of restoration which is protection against sharp practices. That doesn't exist in a solo run.

(More widely, I wish all play would go to "all fouls", but that would require sportsmanship from those who have none.)

John's run has been scrutinized more in the short time since accomplishment than Willie's run many decades before. So much Monday morning quarterbacking with no movie or any recording of Willie's run. John set out to break Willie's record and John had many great runs in his efforts. There are many great players out there. Until they announce they are gong after the record and proceed to demolish the record John is the "Man." Like him or not he did what he set out to do.