how realistic is it to run a century?

[Solartje]

i am really curious how realistic it is to give yourself this goal.
i know 100 is the amount of balls most of us would like to get to one day,
but how realistic is it.

ofcourse, if u ain't training, and just ballbang around, you'll probably never hit it, but i mean.

a player who plays regularly in leagues, rankings, open etc, that practises around an average of 10-15hours a week. what are the chances u guess this person will ever achieve a 100 run?

i could ask it differently, what run is achievable if u play straight pool regularly for about 20-30 years without having a natural talent. just by training, and love for the game?


personal case:
my record is 3 racks, i have an average of 100 in total offence, and i usually do a 20run when im training for at least 2 hours. Will i ever achieve the magic 100? ofcourse this is hard to tell, as its all personal, and dependant of so many factors, but is it realistic that i will ever in my life achieve the 100?

 

[Blackjack]

Solly

I think that most people put too much emphasis on the number. Let's say you're practicing. If you run racks 1, 2, & 3 - you have 42 balls.

Obviously you broke the pack pretty well in rack 1 - pocketed balls in the proper sequence, identified the clusters and problem spots and dealt with them. You identified a key ball and a break ball, and followed a proper end sequnce that led you to your break ball and into rack 2, so on and so forth.

If you keep that mindset into racks 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 - you'll run balls. If you start thinking about numbers - you'll start to add pressure that doesn't need to be there. I've said it before, count racks instead of balls. If you can get through one or two racks, you can get out of more and you'll start to see those numbers increase.

It all comes down to execution and dealing with the problems that you have with each rack. The best straight pool players are usually the best problem solvers. Of course you're going to make mistakes, and of course you're not going to run 100's every day. That is the beauty that comes with the mastery of this great game.

It don't want to sound as if I am oversimplifying it - but I do believe that simplicity is essential to running high numbers, at least it is for me.

 

[CreeDo]

Wish I could say for sure... I'm in about the same place. I run 20ish (and I don't even run 20ish every time) and usually choke before getting to the break ball that leads to the third rack. I've hit that break ball and sunk it once and left myself 1 shot, which I made... so my high run is a whopping 30.

I can tell that Blackjack has the mindset right because I hear good straight pool players talk about racks instead of ball count. When J. Schmidt did his famous 245 run video, he marked racks instead of marking points. I guess each rack is a new puzzle, and if you solve the puzzle you get to pass to the next rack.

I feel that if a person practices straight pool, and only straight pool, for the amount of time you say... he has at least a 50/50 chance of running 100, and certainly will break 50. The problem is when you get to the pool hall, your buddy is waiting, and maybe he prefers to play some 8 or 9 ball. And when you're alone, maybe you don't feel like practicing straight pool only. But if you make yourself do straight pool with no distractions and you already understand pool in general (i.e. you're someone who can run 3 or more racks in a row of 8 or 9 ball)... sure, you can hit the century.

Since I haven't done it I might be talking a bit out of my ass lol
But I like to be optimistic.

 

[Steve Lipsky]

Solly, I think you need a choice in there for about 5%. It's obviously not 0%, and in my experience it's nowhere near 25%.

Unless you're somehow qualifying your population of players to be of average to above-average talent, with access to great play around them, with strong desire, with time to put in, and starting from a young enough age. With all those things in place, the percentage is probably as high as 70%.

- Steve

 

[Double-Dave]

I agree, it's inbetween. Maybe 2-3%.

There was a great thread a while ago where someone did the math on:
If you can run 50, you can run 100.

Suffice it to say, you can't. It simply takes a better player at some point, not more time/tries.

gr. Dave <--- Stuck on 44

 

[Scottster]

Solly, I think you need a choice in there for about 5%. It's obviously not 0%, and in my experience it's nowhere near 25%.

Unless you're somehow qualifying your population of players to be of average to above-average talent, with access to great play around them, with strong desire, with time to put in, and starting from a young enough age. With all those things in place, the percentage is probably as high as 70%.

- Steve

I Marked 25% because there wasn't a lower percentage.

As for myself the century mark has me frustrated, I dont like to put limits on my game, but I am starting to wonder if I will ever achieve this goal. I have run over a three pack many a time in 9-ball, and playing the "Q-skill" challenge i do pretty well, as well with equal offense. however I still struggle with the mid-game and executing good break shots. In my defense, I have only given straight pool serious attn for about a year and a half but I dont care how you look at it, that 100 or 7 racks seems so far away.

 

[dave sutton]

Dave Right If You Can Run 50 You Can Run 100.

I Ran 68 I Get Into The 50's A Few Times A Year.

I Dont Play Straight Pool Alot. Few Games A Year.

 

[Solartje]

mm interesting posts

well for one, i can say in my country i don't know anyone who can run a 100.
some have done 80's, 90's etc, and some of these player have played in the european championship, in the world championship and done pritty well (top16) but no one ever run over 100.

that really made me think. i'll probably never achieve the form they have now, as they are semi-pro's, who have top coaches, training camps, started playing at young age, etc..

and as most of us play as a hobbie (i'd say the avarage player plays/trains about 10-15h/day) it seems almost impossible to achieve the 100goal in there life for us amateurs.

and yet, 7 racks seem not SO far away if you can run 3, but yet a 100 isn't this easy. thats why i was curious if a person who is comited to train the right way and plays straight alot but isn't taking poolcamps, coaches, training vs champions, etc. if that person will ever run a 100.

 

[Williebetmore]

Sollie,
I can tell you this for sure...it's easier to say you ran it than to actually run it. Especially on very tough equipment.

There are a few local players who pocket balls very well on the bar table; claim to have run hundreds; but play fairly poor 14.1 in my opinion. I don't believe their claims for even a second; though their ball pocketing is well above average.

To run 100 on tough equipment requires professional level play. To run 100 on easy equipment isn't as much different as I'd hoped. I think those that aspire to run 100 need to be serious student's of the game, and have professional level pocketing and positioning skills. I do not think that the really good amateur players can do it automatically - dedication to the purpose is essential.

 

[BillYards]

I have to agree with Willebetmore... the problem is not a person's ball pocketing ability, but the smart pattern play (problem solving), and concentration required to stay 100% present on each shot.

At a certain level, which everyone reaches fairly quickly, pool becomes very cerebral... those that can concentrate and solve the puzzles with the least amount of effort are the best players.

You can test your concentration by just throwing the balls out on the table with ball in hand for the first shot and try to run all 15. When you get through that rack, throw the balls out again. It will surprise you how difficult it is to maintain your concentration after you pocket a rack or two. You will find yourself dogging some easy stuff and wondering why. In his books, The Monk talks about hiding in his basement for months trying to just run 100 balls using this method and how difficult it is because of the mental focus required. He ultimately tamed and trained his brain to stay alert on each shot and got over his 100 ball hump.

If you want to improve, find ways to improve your concentration and focus.

 

[instroke75]

the guy i learned to play straight pool from(Leon Ledford), brought up a very good point the other day about this subject! he said one of the problems with playing serious straight pool, or any pool for that matter is the pool rooms of today being more like nightclubs, than poolhalls. he said years ago in Chicago, when people played, you could hear a pin drop. people respected the game, and there was no loud jukebox blaring rap so loud that the ceiling tile is shaking! straight pool requires incredible concentration, especially when making a big run. you already have to fight complacency when you've made that many balls in a row, the surroundings can make it just that much harder! just my 2cents
jeremy (high run 106)

 

[PoolSharkAllen]

the guy i learned to play straight pool from(Leon Ledford), brought up a very good point the other day about this subject! he said one of the problems with playing serious straight pool, or any pool for that matter is the pool rooms of today being more like nightclubs, than poolhalls. he said years ago in Chicago, when people played, you could hear a pin drop. people respected the game, and there was no loud jukebox blaring rap so loud that the ceiling tile is shaking! straight pool requires incredible concentration, especially when making a big run. you already have to fight complacency when you've made that many balls in a row, the surroundings can make it just that much harder! just my 2cents
jeremy (high run 106)

I think your comment about the loud music being a major distraction when playing straight pool can also be applied to 8 and 9-ball too. The music in the pool halls is way too LOUD.

 

[predator]

If you can pass 1 rack, you can pass 7, therefore achieving that 100+ ball run. Is it that simple?

It's all about probability really. Let's say you are an intermediate player with a probability of just 0.1 to successfully pass one rack. You need 10 attempts to get to second rack once, so that's 10%.

Now probability of running seven racks in a row (in 14.1 fashion) is 0.1 to the power of 7 (0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1). That equals probability of only 0.0000001. That's one in a million. Yes, exactly that.

Improving skill so that your probability of passing one rack is 0.2 will increase your odds of running 100 balls a great deal. You are a strong player now, but you'd still need 78125 attempts which is a lot. Good luck.

A 0.3 player would need 4572 attempts.
A 0.4 player would need 610 attempts.
A 0.5 player would need 128 attempts - shortstop quality? lower end pro?
A 0.6 player would need 35 attempts - pro player?
A 0.7 player would need just 12 attempts! - Thorsten Hohmann?

Hope I didn't crush your dreams!

 

[Blackjack]

If you can pass 1 rack, you can pass 7, therefore achieving that 100+ ball run. Is it that simple?

It's all about probability really. Let's say you are an intermediate player with a probability of just 0.1 to successfully pass one rack. You need 10 attempts to get to second rack once, so that's 10%.

Now probability of running seven racks in a row (in 14.1 fashion) is 0.1 to the power of 7 (0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1). That equals probability of only 0.0000001. That's one in a million. Yes, exactly that.

Improving skill so that your probability of passing one rack is 0.2 will increase your odds of running 100 balls a great deal. You are a strong player now, but you'd still need 78125 attempts which is a lot. Good luck.

A 0.3 player would need 4572 attempts.
A 0.4 player would need 610 attempts.
A 0.5 player would need 128 attempts - shortstop quality? lower end pro?
A 0.6 player would need 35 attempts - pro player?
A 0.7 player would need just 12 attempts! - Thorsten Hohmann?

Hope I didn't crush your dreams!

I never said that if you could run 50 you could run 100. What I did say is that if you continue the mindset from the first rack that you ran by planning out your patterns and taking care of your trouble spots systematically, you have a better chance of running high numbers and keeping your run alive.

Concentrating on a certain number will not get you there. Anybody that is at the table that is shooting for a specific number will definitely get a number that they are not satisfied with. However, if you take it one shot at a time and focus on completing every rack, you have a better chance of running higher numbers.

Will you do it consitently? Probably not. Some days I can get above a hundred, some days I fight to get 70. Some days I can't get through the second rack. That is why I love this game! Just when you think you have it figured out, it finds a way to humble you.

 

[Solartje]

If you can pass 1 rack, you can pass 7, therefore achieving that 100+ ball run. Is it that simple?

It's all about probability really. Let's say you are an intermediate player with a probability of just 0.1 to successfully pass one rack. You need 10 attempts to get to second rack once, so that's 10%.

Now probability of running seven racks in a row (in 14.1 fashion) is 0.1 to the power of 7 (0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1 * 0.1). That equals probability of only 0.0000001. That's one in a million. Yes, exactly that.

Improving skill so that your probability of passing one rack is 0.2 will increase your odds of running 100 balls a great deal. You are a strong player now, but you'd still need 78125 attempts which is a lot. Good luck.

A 0.3 player would need 4572 attempts.
A 0.4 player would need 610 attempts.
A 0.5 player would need 128 attempts - shortstop quality? lower end pro?
A 0.6 player would need 35 attempts - pro player?
A 0.7 player would need just 12 attempts! - Thorsten Hohmann?

Hope I didn't crush your dreams!

not at all
just need to run a rack every 4 racks (0,25), and play pool for 10years at 5 racks a day, and i should get the 100.

OR

I could let blackjack help me and make a 100 by.... tomorow evening

 

[Bob Jewett]

... It's all about probability really. Let's say you are an intermediate player with a probability of just 0.1 to successfully pass one rack. You need 10 attempts to get to second rack once, so that's 10%.
...

For more details on this, see the article http://www.sfbilliards.com/articles/2006-06.pdf

But it seems that most people don't believe that statistics and probability apply to human beings.