20.1 (14.1 practice game)

[kanzzo]

I am sure the idea is not new but playing straight pool with 21 balls instead of 15 (hence 20.1 instead of 14.1) is a great practice game teaching the straight pool fundamentals. There is a video from Thorsten playing something like 55 balls rack and I think I saw Dr. Dave video with 36 balls but 21 seems like a good place to start and I even found a triangle (from russian pyramid) having enough space for an extra row of balls. And the game stays playable. It's tougher and you need to maneuver the CB better and play more combinations and pay more attention to the way you run into clusters - but it's still straight pool and nice runs are possible and it will improve you game.

Give it a try. Let me know, what you think.

Reached my goal of running a 50+ on the first day of practice:

 

[Renegade_56]

Why would this be harder? You get a bigger rack to break, better chances of getting a shot due to more balls available, a bigger target for the continuous break, and so on. Looks easier to me. Even you scoring a new PB on the first day attest to that,,,,,,,,,,, still, 50 is a nice accomplishment.

 

[kanzzo]

Why would this be harder? You get a bigger rack to break, better chances of getting a shot due to more balls available, a bigger target for the continuous break, and so on. Looks easier to me. Even you scoring a new PB on the first day attest to that,,,,,,,,,,, still, 50 is a nice accomplishment.

Trust me, its not easier
Test it out, find out for yourself

Balls won't open up that easy. If you manage to open them up you will be doubled up more often. Will have to play combinations more often. Shaws follow through break ball doesn't work. Its enough to follow through and spread 14 balls but you get stuck with 20 balls (at least my experience with my follow shot).

Last 5 balls are probably easier, you will have more options to chose a nice easy end pattern.

But you will have a lot more clusters and secondary break shots and less space between the balls so you can run into problems more often if you don't pay attention. More balls also mean that you are more likely to tie balls up if you run into balls later in the game unnecessarily.

 

[Saturated Fats]

For fun we sometimes play 29.1. It starts with 15 balls racked at the foot spot and 15 more racked at the head spot. I think it's great for a change of pace.

 

[gerryf]

For fun we sometimes play 29.1. It starts with 15 balls racked at the foot spot and 15 more racked at the head spot. I think it's great for a change of pace.

There's also 44.1 where there's 15 balls racked on the foot spot, head spot, and also in the centre.

Not to mention 5.1 where there's six balls racked on the foot spot. I've even seen 2.1 with three balls racked on the foot spot. Big money game sometimes.