Is there a way to adjust straight pool for beginners?

pmata814

pmata814

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My brothers and I play a lot of 8 ball; however, I've read that for beginners it's better to play straight pool to help them improve. The problem is we're not good enough to leave a key ball and break a rack while sinking the shot. Not to mention that playing with those clusters of balls left on a soft break would be very frustrating.

We are definitely beginners. We average about 3 ball runs. When I play equal offense by myself my highest run has been 8 balls. Any suggestions? How many points should we play to? And what would be a good solution for the re-rack/break problem?

Thanks in advance.
 
Try using the 3 rows of 3 balls drill and pick one of the balls to be your key ball and one to be your break ball then when you're down to the break ball rack up a full rack of 14 and make your opening break shot. It's a good way to work on your straight pool game.

you put a ball in line with each diamond on the short rail at the foot string and a diamond below and above it. Cue in hand for the first shot.
 
At your level it might not be as fun to play straight pool, even though it's good for you. Sort of like how broccoli is good for you.

I've found that you don't always have to compete to play and get better.

Here's an idea: set up the perfect break shot and crush it. Then see how many balls you can run. As soon as you miss, the next guy gets a choice: He can shoot the balls as they lie if he likes the layout... or he can have you rerack, he can set up any break shot he wants and shoot it.

You can play with more than 2 people this way. If you want it to be competitive, y'all can keep track of who has the highest run at the end of the night. See if you can't get 5 balls. This will at the very least help you figure out the easiest break shot you can handle and how to hit it without dogging the shot.
 
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Try racking 10 balls instead of 15. It's called 9.1. There is a big difference in clusters on the break with just 10 balls. Johnnyt
 
When i practice by myself i set up the break shot to start then try to run out.
even if i miss i keep going and try to leave a ball in the break position for when all 14 are potted.Do this enough and you should get the hang of it.
 
Be creative....you could:

Use a 10 ball rack....leave the bottom row out.....this limits your options a bit, causes less traffic, and will help you focus....

When the shooter tries to play leave on the last ball for the breakout, have him announce his intentions of how he is playing leave.....if he doesn't hit the mark, allow him to move the cueball into position....that, or you could allow him to leave the cue where it is, and move the object ball to a preferable position for the break....

Keep working on your 8-ball skills, it's a good game to teach position and strategy.....also, play some 6-ball, always good to work in some rotation games....I think that will also help you progress in your 14.1 game....look for balance in your practice.....work on cuts, banks, defensive play....keep it fun....

Good luck....
 
Try this, who ever wins the lag/coin toss, have that person break the balls wide open and if a ball is made they shoot till they miss, then spot the balls made on the break and next player shoots, and if nothing is made the next person is up. As for getting the 15th ball in position for the break out that's very difficult for even good players, or you could just hit that fifteenth ball and carom the cue ball off it and break the rack open, and if a ball isn't made then next shooter up.
 
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Play Basic Pocket Billiards. Rack all 15 balls, open break, or you can safety break like straight pool. Object of the game, the first person to pocket 8 balls wins the game. It is call ball, call pocket.
Chuck
 
I would keep the rules exactly the same with one exception - just agree to never play safe. You should play to a point total that requires pocketing multiple racks so maybe you should play to 30 to 50 points and see how that goes.

I think, if you're forced to always play an offensive shot, you'll begin to explore creative solutions which is a critical lesson in developing your pool game.
 
RiverCity said:
Play Basic Pocket Billiards. Rack all 15 balls, open break, or you can safety break like straight pool. Object of the game, the first person to pocket 8 balls wins the game. It is call ball, call pocket.
Chuck
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That sounds like the way to start. Playing straight pool at this point probably wouldn't be much fun.

Max Erbele suggested in his book to start out playing with a open break (just like 8 ball) and run as many as you can. Once that becomes easy transition to 14.1.

You might want to search Blackjack's posts on 14.1 for training and strategy.
 
Might try bowlliards.

Don't have to play all 10 frames. Can play 3 or more frames with the last frame the same as the 10th in bowling. Good for 3+ people (since you said you had "brothers"). Plus, since you are keeping score you can notice your improvement over time.

http://www.billiardsvillage.com/bowlliards.html

Edit: As Big Perm mentioned below there's POOL-300 also. Since you're relative beginners I'd stick with bowlliards since you don't have to run the balls in order. But, I'd consider using the POOL-300 scoresheet with 3 frames per game (since you can keep score and don't have to finish all 10 frames).

As for handicap it's been a long time since I bowled but from what I remember leagues were based on a 90% basis. For 10 frames if your average was 170(?) or above you got no handicap. If less than 170, it was .9(170-average) = handicap. Perhaps after you shoot enough with your brothers and each establish an average you can handicap each other on a relative basis however you like.

Also, in order to get the POOL-300 scoresheet to print out properly on a page I had to download it first and then open it up. And, the bowlliards rules don't say what to do with the cue ball if you don't make all 10 balls in on the first try and get a strike (I'd say you guys as beginners should give yourself ball-in-hand anywhere on the table to max. your chance of making a spare -- instead of leaving it where it lies).
 
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I'm a ranked beginner like you and I've been playing a modified version of 14.1 to keep my self from being frustrated. Open break shot, and BIH for the break shot after each rack (if necessary).

I haven't gotten the hang of 14.1 strategy, and frequently fall back on 8-ball strategy (stripes/solids) as a structure to string my short runs.
 
Thank you all for so many great suggestions. I'm going to propose some of them to my brothers tonight, hopefully they'll want to try something new. They're so obsessed with 8 ball, which I like as well, but I really would like to try something new .
 
pmata814 said:
Thank you all for so many great suggestions. I'm going to propose some of them to my brothers tonight, hopefully they'll want to try something new. They're so obsessed with 8 ball, which I like as well, but I really would like to try something new .
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You could try Fast 8 ball, rack 4 solids 4 stipes and 8 ball in the middle.
 
pmata814 said:
Thank you all for so many great suggestions. I'm going to propose some of them to my brothers tonight, hopefully they'll want to try something new. They're so obsessed with 8 ball, which I like as well, but I really would like to try something new .
Click to expand...

Pick up a copy of "The Eight Ball Bible" soon you will be mopping the floor with your brothers and they will beg you to play something different....LOL
 
Playing modified 14.1 is kind or like Formula 1 racing in Big Wheels=it just ain't the same:grin-square:
To get the most out of the learning experience-most like a "real" game try
this: have the option to rack the 14 balls when ever you have a good break ball set-up. This will give you the chance to look for good break balls
and also to learn how to execute.You also should get the chance to see key balls to obtain position for the break ball.
I would guess if you play like this you will soon see how to run more balls
and play better position!For myself pocketing balls is easier then getting
good break results.You as a beginner could strenthen both at the same time. Good luck,Jack
 
Here is my idea for the very inexperienced !

Try an extreme modified version, 10.5.

When the remaining balls are at 5 rack up 10 balls in the triangle pattern.

Maybe this will help the weak players learn how to deal with the cluster that resembles the main rack ! :thumbup:
 
If you wanna learn 14.1

I'd try to keep the basics as close to the same as possible. The 1st key would be to allow slop on the opening break (i.e. break'em as hard as you can). Try just doing that and see if that helps.

The other thing you could do is come up with some kind of way to get a free breakout on successive ranks. Either ball in hand on the key ball (at least you'll start to get the hang of leaving the right balll for the breakout, or some kind of open break AFTER you make the key ball (especially if you can't hit the rack in the process). The point would be to keep the set up as close to the way the game is supposed to be played as possible.

If, you do care about learning straight pool, there are a million little games you could set up to practice. Everyone in here probably has half a dozen that they play by themselves or with someone else. Another thread for another day.
 
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