Beginner player looking for some insight

[krupa]

No one really plays 14.1 in my area but I love the game and am working on a goal to run 30 in 2025. My highest run is about 20 and I shot 18 a couple weeks ago. Since then I've had trouble getting through the first rack. Here are a couple racks I played tonight. I know I need to continue working on my position play and speed control but I really don't know if my shot selection is way off or not. I'd love some feedback on anything you see I could improve on.

Thanks!

 

[sjm]

With regard to Rack 1:

I feel you waited too long to address the clustered balls. In my view, shooting the ten was the first error: a) first, it might have been useful later on as a break ball, but more importantly b) you could have moved clustered balls around with a guaranteed shot on the eight next had you chosen the five instead.

By not addressing the clustered balls and balls in the rack area until late in the rack, you made your work in the end game harder. Look for safe ways to loosen clusters earlier rather than later. Know what your problem balls are and design to address them sooner rather than later.

When you shoot too many loose balls off before addressing clusters, you will have plenty of ten ball runs but won't complete the rack often enough.

 

[GoldCrown]

I'm in the learning process also. Aside from playing and learning from the right people .... I got a few good pointers from this book.

 

[GoldCrown]

Off topic... how are you recording and posting the video? Thanks

 

[krupa]

With regard to Rack 1:

I feel you waited too long to address the clustered balls. In my view, shooting the ten was the first error: a) first, it might have been useful later on as a break ball, but more importantly b) you could have moved clustered balls around with a guaranteed shot on the eight next had you chosen the five instead.

By not addressing the clustered balls and balls in the rack area until late in the rack, you made your work in the end game harder. Look for safe ways to loosen clusters earlier rather than later. Know what your problem balls are and design to address them sooner rather than later.

When you shoot too many loose balls off before addressing clusters, you will have plenty of ten ball runs but won't complete the rack often enough.

Thanks for the feedback! I definitely need to be better about getting to clusters sooner. Also, I thnk I pocketed the 10-ball because I just thought, "pocket the 6 and I'll have a shot on one of these balls." I need to focus more and play position for a specific shot. (And it shouldn't have been the 10.

 

[krupa]

Off topic... how are you recording and posting the video? Thanks

I took the video with a Sony A6300 DSLR (I'm also a photography enthusiast) on a tripod (that's in my way for certain shots -- I don't set up the camera every time I play.) I cut down the video with iMovie and just uploaded to youtube, marked as unlisted so you need the link to see it.

I'm going to look for that straight pool book. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[measureman]

Thanks for the feedback! I definitely need to be better about getting to clusters sooner. Also, I thnk I pocketed the 10-ball because I just thought, "pocket the 6 and I'll have a shot on one of these balls." I need to focus more and play position for a specific shot. (And it shouldn't have been the 10.

Be careful opening up clusters too soon,they will just recluster and make things worse.

 

[DynoDan]

A common mistake also, is hitting the pack too hard, thus driving balls to the rail, and creating more cluster problems. Plus, if a ball has a clear path to a pocket, it shouldn’t be moved (typically), if it can be avoided.

 

[batmmann5]

I just watched rack 2 and looked pretty good to me, but I think when you shot the 8 (maybe 6), you should have had the cueball travel short rail, end rail side rail, to the middle of the table and then shot one of the 2 balls on either side of the rack and broke up the cluster. You had that 15 ball as insurance. You had 3 balls you could get on. Sometimes, cueball travel is the way to go. Nice thread. I have thought about posting something like this. Maybe a thread just to post runs and get thoughts? I used to use the high run challenge on here for that, but that one guy ruined that for me, so will only post there when I get 100 again. Keep it up. You can run 50. Just keep at it. Brian

 

[GoldCrown]

I took the video with a Sony A6300 DSLR (I'm also a photography enthusiast) on a tripod (that's in my way for certain shots -- I don't set up the camera every time I play.) I cut down the video with iMovie and just uploaded to youtube, marked as unlisted so you need the link to see it.

I'm going to look for that straight pool book. Thanks for the suggestion!

Hi...thanks for the photo info. As for the book... He talks about taking care of problems early...opening clusters, opening pockets. It's a very good read.
Sorry we're not neighbors ...I'd enjoy playing/learning with you...... Nice Table..

 

[ChrisinNC]

No one really plays 14.1 in my area but I love the game and am working on a goal to run 30 in 2025. My highest run is about 20 and I shot 18 a couple weeks ago. Since then I've had trouble getting through the first rack. Here are a couple racks I played tonight. I know I need to continue working on my position play and speed control but I really don't know if my shot selection is way off or not. I'd love some feedback on anything you see I could improve on.

Thanks!

I just watched the first rack. You shoot good enough that if you keep working at it, you should be able to run 30 very soon, no problem. And once you get to 30, 50 is not that much harder.

Factors which would help determine your ceiling – what age are you, how long have you been playing pool, and how long have you been playing 14.1?

 

[krupa]

Hi...thanks for the photo info. As for the book... He talks about taking care of problems early...opening clusters, opening pockets. It's a very good read.
Sorry we're not neighbors ...I'd enjoy playing/learning with you...... Nice Table..

Thanks! I ordered a copy from eBay. Should be here by the end of the week.

 

[krupa]

I just watched the first rack. You shoot good enough that if you keep working at it, you should be able to run 30 very soon, no problem. And once you get to 30, 50 is not that much harder.

Other factors which would help determine your ceiling – what age are you, how long have you been playing pool, and how long have you been playing 14.1?

Thanks! I'm almost 50. I've been playing about 10 years but it wasn't until the last year that I really have been focusing on my game and have been motivated to improve. (I've been doing a lot of work on my stroke and speed control.) I really haven't been playing much 14.1. The closest poolrooms are an hour from here and the locals just play 8, 9, and 10 ball.

 

[DynoDan]

Where

Thanks! I'm almost 50. I've been playing about 10 years but it wasn't until the last year that I really have been focusing on my game and have been motivated to improve. (I've been doing a lot of work on my stroke and speed control.) I really haven't been playing much 14.1. The closest poolrooms are an hour from here and the locals just play 8, 9, and 10 ball.

Just curious: Where are you located? (I only wish a decent room was as close as an hour to me).

 

[ChrisinNC]

Thanks! I'm almost 50. I've been playing about 10 years but it wasn't until the last year that I really have been focusing on my game and have been motivated to improve. (I've been doing a lot of work on my stroke and speed control.) I really haven't been playing much 14.1. The closest poolrooms are an hour from here and the locals just play 8, 9, and 10 ball.

No disrespect, but your having played pool for 10 years is certainly not the definition of a beginner in my mind, so the title of your thread is quite misleading. You clearly have skills well beyond the level of a beginner, even if you are relatively new to 14.1.

 

[krupa]

Where

Just curious: Where are you located? (I only wish a decent room was as close as an hour to me).

Outside of Ithaca NY. Ithaca College has a rec room with Gold Crowns that anyone can use. (At least, we used to be able to play there before Covid. I haven't been there in a long time and don't know if the policy's changed.) Other than that, it's Syracuse or Binghamton (or for another hour or so, Rochester.)

 

[krupa]

No disrespect, but your having played pool for 10 years is certainly not the definition of a beginner in my mind, so the title of your thread is quite misleading. You clearly have skills well beyond the level of a beginner, even if you are relatively new to 14.1.

No disrespect taken; I can see how the title is misleading. It would have been better to say "new to 14.1"

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Set short term goals, work toward goals, and practice is what is important. Ray COOL-KAT Martin was great 14/1 Player. His book 99 Critical Shots is good info, read, reread, read a third time. BTW Book is CHEAP under $15.00.

 

[sparkle84]

Thanks! I'm almost 50. I've been playing about 10 years but it wasn't until the last year that I really have been focusing on my game and have been motivated to improve. (I've been doing a lot of work on my stroke and speed control.) I really haven't been playing much 14.1. The closest poolrooms are an hour from here and the locals just play 8, 9, and 10 ball.

As others have stated, addressing problems quickly is essential. In order to do that certain skills are needed. From what I saw I think you'll need to rethink a few things.
Correct me if I'm wrong but what stood out the most while observing you play was an almost complete lack of use of sidespin. You seem to play strictly on the vertical axis using center ball. It's very difficult to play 14.1 like that.
It's largely a game of precise position and very careful angle management. Which requires manipulation of not just the CB but also the OB's at times. Shot selection is extremely important but requires the ability to put the CB in the right spot to shoot the right shot with the right angle. Trying to accomplish that without mastery of English is very tough.
JMO