Got to try Straight Pool

PoolSleuth

PoolSleuth

Banned
One of the New Snow Birds out from New Jersey introduced me to 14/1 or Straight Pool today for the first time. Very Interesting Game, that I think I will get to play more of until this Snow Bird flies back to Jersey....:cool:
 
Great Game! Teaches you fine precision in confined areas. Many of todays players like things faster and hate sitting. So they play 9-ball.
 
PoolSleuth said:
One of the New Snow Birds out from New Jersey introduced me to 14/1 or Straight Pool today for the first time. Very Interesting Game, that I think I will get to play more of until this Snow Bird flies back to Jersey....:cool:
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Congratulations Sleuth! You have discovered the greatest of all pool games. Straight pool used to be the champion's game but that was back when people actually had something called a "reasonable attention span". Beware though, once you develop a liking for it you're hooked for life.:)
 
With a home table and countless days without a playing partner, I discovered straight pool. I like it because the innings are longer and I can play myself instead of the ghost. IMO, you can't really understand all this game can be until you watch the masters play it. Get some video of Mosconi, Caras, Sigel, Mizerak, etc. Some of their moves are incredible.
 
Straight Pool - Basic Training

If you sit down and talk to most of the greats, past and present, they will say that becoming a competent straight pool player gives anyone the foundation to become better at whatever their game of choice might be. The mental challenge of remaining focsed throughout rack after rack of simple easy shots is VERY DIFFICULT. The ability to pick a break ball and key ball and play into those two shots, which are key to running balls, is A CHALLENGE.

Pick up some Accustats tapes of Jose Garcia (perhaps one of the most underrrated players of all times) playing straight pool & playing 9ball. You could will be amazed at how being a competent straight pool player can give you a whole new perspective on running racks of 9 ball.
 
SirBanksALot said:
If you sit down and talk to most of the greats, past and present, they will say that becoming a competent straight pool player gives anyone the foundation to become better at whatever their game of choice might be. The mental challenge of remaining focsed throughout rack after rack of simple easy shots is VERY DIFFICULT. The ability to pick a break ball and key ball and play into those two shots, which are key to running balls, is A CHALLENGE.

Pick up some Accustats tapes of Jose Garcia (perhaps one of the most underrrated players of all times) playing straight pool & playing 9ball. You could will be amazed at how being a competent straight pool player can give you a whole new perspective on running racks of 9 ball.
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Well said, another good game that helps with all games is 15 ball rotation. I think that only practicing 9 ball all the time is selling yourself short. Play tougher games so the other games are easier.
 
Watch Jim Rempe's instructional tapes Run a Rack and How to run a 100 -vids. They're just simply great value to any straight pool player.
 
Secaucus Fats said:
Congratulations Sleuth! You have discovered the greatest of all pool games. Straight pool used to be the champion's game but that was back when people actually had something called a "reasonable attention span". Beware though, once you develop a liking for it you're hooked for life.:)
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Hey, I don't have a short attention span. I prefer one pocket over straight pool. But, what were we talking about again?
 
PoolSleuth said:
One of the New Snow Birds out from New Jersey introduced me to 14/1 or Straight Pool today for the first time. Very Interesting Game, that I think I will get to play more of until this Snow Bird flies back to Jersey....:cool:
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No reason to stop just 'cause the Snow Bird goes home... Here's a link to the rules (which aren't that tough to remember except for what happens when the cueball &/or last object ball are left in the triangle at the end of a rack).

http://www.bca-pool.com/play/tournaments/rules/rls_gen.shtml

...In addition to the videos mentioned here, there's a video of Mike Sigel going 150 & out - I think its Accu-Stats. Priceless.
 
I found out I have played straight pool for years and didn't even know it. I like playing by myself and since I was 16 I would go to pool halls by myself and shoot for hours. Solids, stripes, eight ball. They were all targets.

I'm going to start playing it more often that way I can take a smaller case since I won't need a break cue. I just need to get to the point where I can make a ball on every break. I'll have to research the best way.
 
PoolSleuth said:
One of the New Snow Birds out from New Jersey introduced me to 14/1 or Straight Pool today for the first time. Very Interesting Game, that I think I will get to play more of until this Snow Bird flies back to Jersey....:cool:
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I looked but you didn't mention what part of NJ you are from, and someone already mentioned the name...

Jose Garcia owns a poolroom in Vineland, N.J., called Q-Ball Billiards. He hold a straight pool tournament every Thursday that a few guys I know would travel to. About forty minutes from our area.
 
smittie1984 said:
I found out I have played straight pool for years and didn't even know it. I like playing by myself and since I was 16 I would go to pool halls by myself and shoot for hours. Solids, stripes, eight ball. They were all targets.

I'm going to start playing it more often that way I can take a smaller case since I won't need a break cue. I just need to get to the point where I can make a ball on every break. I'll have to research the best way.
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Thats the best way to warm up IMO. It gets your stroke nice and loose and your confidence high because your running many balls. If I only had time to play one rack to warm up before a 9 ball tournament, I'd play a 14.1 rack, just so I had a run of 15 under my belt before playing my first match.
 
smittie1984 said:
I found out I have played straight pool for years and didn't even know it. I like playing by myself and since I was 16 I would go to pool halls by myself and shoot for hours. Solids, stripes, eight ball. They were all targets.

I'm going to start playing it more often that way I can take a smaller case since I won't need a break cue. I just need to get to the point where I can make a ball on every break. I'll have to research the best way.
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Learn to play the game properly. Spreading the balls out wide open and picking them off is of very little value, and it won't take the precise cue ball control necessary for great straight pool.

It's a called pocket game. You can't break em hard, make one in, and keep shooting (well, unless you call that specific ball in a specific pocket...). You learn to break balls out of the pack left in the middle, how to shoot jacked up, how to shoot combos, how to see the angles, how to control your power strokes -- basically all the stuff most players struggle with.

Once you see it played right, you'll understand. Buy an accustats video or something if you're curious.
 
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