A Random Run

C

CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I was playing around with the cuetable on my own trying to recognize patterns and to group balls together. So from the 8 ball break button I decided to try to call all 15 of my balls before making the first shot. The goal was to get to a 14.1 break ball. It took me about 5 minutes of looking at the table before starting the run. I hope in time I'll be able to quickly recognize groupings of balls.
Any comments or criticisms are welcome. I didn't post this under "Run This" because it was a bit too much, and it also happened to be a table we would never see. After Marop said that John Schmidt tries to pick out his last 3 balls first, that's how I started and worked backwards.

Here are the two 8-page sequences. The 3-ball shot as usual isn't showing up.

CueTable Help



CueTable Help

 
Here's my two cents:

I think you have to clear the uptable balls first, as you do. However, it doesn't look to me like the cue ball will hit the 13 when you shoot the 10 in the corner. If it does, you HAVE to know how full you will hit it so that you can either play a shot on the 13, or play to avoid getting snookered by the 13. I don't like bumping into the 15 later in the sequence as any time you bump into a ball unexpected things can happen. You could easily end up on the rail. With balls that open, I don't see a need to bump into anything.

As far as the balls at the foot end of the table, I'd try to figure out the best way to get position on the 14 as a key ball. See diagram:

CueTable Help


I think option B might be better. The reason for me is that any shot on the 14 in the side requires you to power the ball into the pocket (whether you go into the rail and out, or just with draw. You are shooting at an angle into a side pocket, so that can be dangerous. Also, the 4 ball is a blocker for the 14 and you could get snookered. I think I like the red position zone B better. It gives you plenty of room to shoot at, and you can either draw directly back from the 14, or go into the rail and out.

I illustrated this sequence with the 11 ball, but other balls might work, too.
 
A Fun New Straight Pool Game?

I just realized how great this game could be on a real table, for practice and for competition. You have to call every ball that's loose on the table before shooting your first shot. If there are clusters that need to be broken, you call all balls including the ball that you plan to break that cluster with followed by "break." After you've broken the cluster, you call all remaining balls up to any other cluster. Once all balls are free of other balls, you have to call the whole table all the way to the break shot for the next rack.

At any time you can call a safety and hand the table over to your opponent. You score only by sinking your called shots. No slop. And you must shoot the next ball on your list. You call a new list each inning.

It's like rotation games and straight pool combined. What would you call this game? Here are a few names I came up with --- "14.1 Lock-In?" "14.1 Committal?" "14.1 Lock-Down?"
 
bluepepper said:
I just realized how great this game could be on a real table, for practice and for competition. You have to call every ball that's loose on the table before shooting your first shot. If there are clusters that need to be broken, you call all balls including the ball that you plan to break that cluster with followed by "break."
Click to expand...

There's a fellow who used to post in RSB who posted something like this. I can't remember his name at the moment but he was good friends with Babe Cranfield, I believe. His posts were always very cordial. His idea was that a shot didn't count unless you pointed out the NEXT shot beforehand. That way, you only got credit for a shot if you executed it the way you intended. Some replied that this game is hard enough as is!

dwhite
 
Dan White said:
There's a fellow who used to post in RSB who posted something like this. I can't remember his name at the moment but he was good friends with Babe Cranfield, I believe. His posts were always very cordial. His idea was that a shot didn't count unless you pointed out the NEXT shot beforehand. That way, you only got credit for a shot if you executed it the way you intended. Some replied that this game is hard enough as is!

dwhite
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Thanks Dan. I like that suggestion too. You decide on the game you want to play by how many ahead you call. I realize the game is hard as it is, but this would be a different game. I'm not suggesting that you call the pockets, just the sequence. I think that when first starting to play it, people wouldn't get very far, but after a while they might start to see further ahead. It could help their 14.1 game. It would also be a game where innings wouldn't be as long, so sitting in the chair wouldn't be too bad. And think of the accomplishment of being able to run even a single rack like this. If it's possible at all, it should be tried, because if you can plan out farther ahead, imagine how good you'll be getting at regular 14.1.

Thanks for your comments on my run. I assume you made a 9 page sequence which is why it didn't show up properly. Wei said to keep it 8 and under for now until that gets fixed. You got me thinking about a situation where the 14 ball is the key ball. I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep one or two balls up table so that the 14 is easy to fall on for the upper left corner. I'm thinking simply leaving the 3-ball would be appropriate. You have a huge area to fall on an angle for the 3 after the foot table balls in order to get to the proper angle on the 14.

Thanks
 
BP

Very rarely do I look 14 or 15 balls ahead -

What I do is I look for an end Pattern...

Sort of like this - by looking at my last 4 shots -

I go back wards -

BREAK BALL - the 4 ball

From there I need to look at what shot or sequence of shots would get me where I want to be on that 4 ball... this way I can see the 14 ball as my KEY BALL - with the 15 as the SET UP BALL... then I look for an easy shot to set up for that - the 6 Ball.

This is how I chart it...

CueTable Help



With the table layout blasted that wide open, all you need to concentrate on is getting something like this to start your "end" pattern. Scroll through the pages - this is an easy layout -

CueTable Help



FWIW, I don't believe that using the 8 Ball Break feature will give you any realistic 14.1 layouts - unless you and your opponent plan on blasting the rack open every time. Most of the beauty of the game is trying to finesse through the clusters that remain in the triangle area - on very few occasions will you get wide open tables like the one you diagrammed. Above all else, practice pocketing balls that are close together - that is what will increase your cue ball control.
 
(Re: the original solution by the OP)

For the last two, I don't much like your choice of 1-14. If you save the 6 as the penultimate ball, you are more or less guaranteed to get a good angle on the 14. With the 1 ball, if you have too much angle, you will have a problem holding for the 14. Also, I don't like your choice of how to get from the 12 to the 1 in your final three. You should let the cue ball roll and come closer the 1 if you have that great angle on the 12. If you overhit the shot you show on the 12, you are behind the 4. Roll along the position line.
 
Blackjack said:
FWIW, I don't believe that using the 8 Ball Break feature will give you any realistic 14.1 layouts - unless you and your opponent plan on blasting the rack open every time. Most of the beauty of the game is trying to finesse through the clusters that remain in the triangle area - on very few occasions will you get wide open tables like the one you diagrammed. Above all else, practice pocketing balls that are close together - that is what will increase your cue ball control.
Click to expand...


Hi, BlackJack. I'm very interested in why you don't think the 8, with the 1 as a key ball, is a good break shot? It seems to me that from that position you can use a little high outside hit the side cushion and move up towards center table. Would need to be careful of the scratch in the side of course, but I like the under the rack shots. With that said, my highest run to date is 47 and I rarely run more than a single rack. I'm not contesting your opinion I'm looking for more information as to why you think this way. Anything that will improve my game is welcomed.
MULLY
 
mullyman said:
Hi, BlackJack. I'm very interested in why you don't think the 8, with the 1 as a key ball, is a good break shot? MULLY
Click to expand...

I can answer that. Blackjack isn't saying the 8 is no good. He's talking about the Cue Table feature where you can simulate an 8 ball opening break by clicking on one of the buttons in Cue Table. This feature randomly distributes the balls across the table as if you had smashed them open. Since this is never done in straight pool, the "8 ball break feature" is not realistic for straight pool. There is also a 9 ball break feature.
 
Thanks for the reply, Dan. I feel better since I wasn't wrong about a behind the rack break shot.
MULLY
 
bluepepper said:

CueTable Help

Click to expand...

Ok, guys, I have no problems with being blasted for screwing up but at least hear me out. If I was starting this run at the top of the table I may begin with the 9-ball drawing it back just a hair. From there I'd make the 13 and come 1 cushion across table for the 15. I would then make the 3 in the same corner and then work my way around those remaining balls all into the same corner as the 13 leaving the 10 for the last ball before the 7 in the side which would put me in a good position to get back down table without much movement. I know going from the 13 to the 15 is risky but I feel that if you can get there the rest of them become pretty much easy pickens. The reason I choose this course of action is because making that 10, and possibly hitting the 13 or any of the other balls on the other side of the table, seems riskier than getting position on that 15. Also, with the 13 sitting there it only leaves me to play the 3 if I get on that other side.....which on a fast table that is about the only option. Too much traffic over there for me though.

Ok, constructive criticism is welcome and blasting will be taken in stride. hehe!!
MULLY
this could be one reason why I have a high run of only 47
 
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Dan White said:
I can answer that. Blackjack isn't saying the 8 is no good. He's talking about the Cue Table feature where you can simulate an 8 ball opening break by clicking on one of the buttons in Cue Table. This feature randomly distributes the balls across the table as if you had smashed them open. Since this is never done in straight pool, the "8 ball break feature" is not realistic for straight pool. There is also a 9 ball break feature.
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ROTFLMAO!

I wouldn't say that it never happens - lol - I see plenty of novices blast the pack open out of frustration or ignorance.

When I was stationed in Germany back in the 1980's, we had a 14.1 tournament every year and the winner advanced through a series of tournaments, eventually getting you to the armed forces tournament. I played this one guy in the very first tournament, and we lag for the break. He wins the lag, and I grab the cue ball. He looks at me grabs the ball out of my hand and pretty sternly says, "It's my break."

I was like... is this guy for real? He proceeded to blast the balls open - didn't call anything, didn't make anything - it was only a race to 50 so he didn't shoot again either. lol.

I remember getting into a game with a guy back in El Paso. I told him I would play straight pool for $100 a game - and he seemed very eager to play. So, I break safe. He chose the solids, and couldn't get on the 8 ball.
:p
When I came the table, I knocked in 2 of the stripes, and then put the 8 in the corner with about 4 stripes still on the table. The guy gets up and grabs the rack and starts racking the balls. lol. He had no idea what straight pool was at all.
:p
 
Thanks, Bluepepper. You know, after looking at the layout again and thinking different ways to work it out I may even shoot that 12 in the lower pocket first because I know I can come up between the 8, 11, and 1, for position on that 15 to do what I said before. Although I do want to get rid of that 13 as soon as I can. It also opens up that bottom corner for the 4 and 14 so I won't have to mess with going that far down table later in the game. The 12 to the 15 is a little more cue ball movement than is recommended but in all fairness an A class player isn't going to over run that shot very often. It lays pretty natural and seems that speed control would be the biggest issue.
MULLY
 
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mullyman said:
Thanks, Bluepepper. You know, after looking at the layout again and thinking different ways to work it out I may even shoot that 12 in the lower pocket first because I know I can come up between the 8, 11, and 1, for position on that 15 to do what I said before. Although I do want to get rid of that 13 as soon as I can. It also opens up that bottom corner for the 4 and 14 so I won't have to mess with going that far down table later in the game. The 12 to the 15 is a little more cue ball movement than is recommended but in all fairness an A class player isn't going to over run that shot very often. It lays pretty natural and seems that speed control would be the biggest issue.
MULLY
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I see that working too. And we have to remember that sometimes running into a ball here and there is part of the game. Even if you hit the 1 or the 8 off of the 12, you're still going to have plenty of shots. I did this as an exercise to try to call all the balls before the first shot. It's not necessarily how I would have run the balls. And no opponent is going to allow me 5 minutes to look at the table.
That shot on the 12 has virtually no risk in real life, and it does clear the pocket for 2 other balls.
 
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