John Matranga
New member
The real thrill of playing 14.1 is in making a high run. Every straight pool player knows what their personal best is, and whether it’s 17 or 97, a high run is a point of pride, a joy to produce, and a benchmark of your straight pool playing chops.
As a student and player of the straight pool game, I observed many runs come to an end (including my own!) because of poorly planned or poorly executed play at the end of the rack. You’ve seen it too; Four or five balls remain on the table after running, say, eight balls. A few shots later and it’s apparent the run will end because the cue ball or break ball is out of position, allowing no chance of pocketing the 15th ball and breaking the new rack.
I was watching Bob Jewett’s excellent video compilation on Az Billiards Forum entitled "Last five" video from Accu-Stats and Phil Capelle | AzBilliards Forums when I was inspired to develop a way to practice the "last five" on my home table.
Here is the game I ‘ve been practicing: Begin with a rack of five balls arranged with two balls at the top and center of your triangle and a second row of three balls pressed in behind the first row. The head ball is omitted as in all straight pool racks except the initial one. Then place a sixth ball anywhere near your rack of five balls. Using the cue ball in hand shoot the sixth ball into any pocket and break apart the rack of five with the cue ball from this shot. Continue shooting as you would in a straight pool match until the cue ball and one object ball remain on the table. Re-rack five balls in the triangle using the same configuration above to form a new rack and try to continue your run. The new rack of five balls may be placed in any advantageous spot within the triangle to allow for an optimal break (See my examples of different racks below). How many racks can you run this way?
This method of practicing has the following advantages: 1) It helps one to concentrate on developing a plan for the final five balls to give yourself a fighting chance for a reasonable break ball shot into the new rack, 2) it gives one more frequent practice than playing a 15 ball rack at executing a break ball shot, and 3) with repetition, it allows one to visualize or recognize effective end-of-the-rack patterns.
I admit this game does not accurately replicate a real 14.1 break shot in which the cue ball will behave differently hitting a rack of 14 balls versus five balls. It also does little in the way of perfecting your safety play or middle of the rack ball pocketing. Yet the game has the allure of running a rack quickly and being able to measure your success rate for busting open the next rack. In short, I believe this practice method has helped my straight pool game and allowed me to raise my league handicap. Good luck with your practice and onward for me to eclipse my high run this season!
As a student and player of the straight pool game, I observed many runs come to an end (including my own!) because of poorly planned or poorly executed play at the end of the rack. You’ve seen it too; Four or five balls remain on the table after running, say, eight balls. A few shots later and it’s apparent the run will end because the cue ball or break ball is out of position, allowing no chance of pocketing the 15th ball and breaking the new rack.
I was watching Bob Jewett’s excellent video compilation on Az Billiards Forum entitled "Last five" video from Accu-Stats and Phil Capelle | AzBilliards Forums when I was inspired to develop a way to practice the "last five" on my home table.
Here is the game I ‘ve been practicing: Begin with a rack of five balls arranged with two balls at the top and center of your triangle and a second row of three balls pressed in behind the first row. The head ball is omitted as in all straight pool racks except the initial one. Then place a sixth ball anywhere near your rack of five balls. Using the cue ball in hand shoot the sixth ball into any pocket and break apart the rack of five with the cue ball from this shot. Continue shooting as you would in a straight pool match until the cue ball and one object ball remain on the table. Re-rack five balls in the triangle using the same configuration above to form a new rack and try to continue your run. The new rack of five balls may be placed in any advantageous spot within the triangle to allow for an optimal break (See my examples of different racks below). How many racks can you run this way?
This method of practicing has the following advantages: 1) It helps one to concentrate on developing a plan for the final five balls to give yourself a fighting chance for a reasonable break ball shot into the new rack, 2) it gives one more frequent practice than playing a 15 ball rack at executing a break ball shot, and 3) with repetition, it allows one to visualize or recognize effective end-of-the-rack patterns.
I admit this game does not accurately replicate a real 14.1 break shot in which the cue ball will behave differently hitting a rack of 14 balls versus five balls. It also does little in the way of perfecting your safety play or middle of the rack ball pocketing. Yet the game has the allure of running a rack quickly and being able to measure your success rate for busting open the next rack. In short, I believe this practice method has helped my straight pool game and allowed me to raise my league handicap. Good luck with your practice and onward for me to eclipse my high run this season!