God forbid somebody mentions 3 cushion
Straight Rail, 1, 2, 3 cushion does not matter.
If you think you are a pool player try playing billiards.
It will humble you so quickly you may quit all games.
Most players think they know the cue ball, in reality they only have half a clue and the other half is mediocre at best. It will humble you.
It's all about the cue ball in every game we play. The other balls are just there for us to play pool with the cue ball. They are pretty colors and sometimes shiny.
Too much emphasis is put on pocketing balls, aiming systems and drills that are for pocketing, Pocketing balls is the easy part, controlling the cue ball is the real challenge in the game.
Every decent player is a shot maker that is how we learn, we begin to make shots, become more familiar with the angles and begin to make more shots and become more consistent.
I will take the player with the best cue ball control every day for the rest of my life, day in and day out they are winner.
Billiard/Carom players are a different breed. Attend a 3 cushion event just once and you will see the difference all around.