Joined a Straight Pool league

[ctyhntr]

When I played 14.1 league at Amsterdam Billiards in NYC, I think it was a race to 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 depending on your skill division. I was initially surprised that some beginner level matches to 50 or 75 would take as long if not longer than senior level players such Steve Lipsky, Danny Barouty, Tony Robles in a race to 150.

FWIW, NYC area now has a thriving 14.1 culture that fueling at least 4 leagues (Amsterdam, Megabucks at Carom, Raxx and Bayshore). Amsterdam alone has 40 players in their 14.1 league.

What I didn't like about it is the 150 score for the quality of players that play in it. Not too many people that can run more than a rack. Makes for a long game for the non-handicapped player. But, it's been that way for a long time, so I guess it's just sour grapes on my part:groucho:

 

[Pushout]

Straight Pool is, arguably, one of the most difficult disciplines to master, much harder than 8 ball or any rotation game. If you stick with it, you'll learn way more than playing in any other game. Good luck!

 

[QuietStorm]

Straight Pool is, arguably, one of the most difficult disciplines to master, much harder than 8 ball or any rotation game. If you stick with it, you'll learn way more than playing in any other game. Good luck!

What's your criteria for judging how "much harder" straight pool is to other games?

I appreciate the benefits of playing straight pool and how it helps improve the mental game (especially on focus). Straight pool has the attributes of all games, but not to the same degree. Difficult "hero" type shots show up more often in rotation games than in straight pool. Shot selection is a bit more intricate in 8 ball. Is straight pool more difficult than bank pool?

If you're judging straight pool solely based on overall knowledge of the game, then straight pool is a more difficult game to master. If you're judging it off of shotmaking, then I would state that straight pool is easier to play. I've noticed some pros only take up straight pool later in their career. I guess with age comes enough patience to play straight pool.

 

[vjmehra]

What's your criteria for judging how "much harder" straight pool is to other games?

I appreciate the benefits of playing straight pool and how it helps improve the mental game (especially on focus). Straight pool has the attributes of all games, but not to the same degree. Difficult "hero" type shots show up more often in rotation games than in straight pool. Shot selection is a bit more intricate in 8 ball. Is straight pool more difficult than bank pool?

If you're judging straight pool solely based on overall knowledge of the game, then straight pool is a more difficult game to master. If you're judging it off of shotmaking, then I would state that straight pool is easier to play. I've noticed some pros only take up straight pool later in their career. I guess with age comes enough patience to play straight pool.

I'd say its the easiest to 'play' (in that anyone can pocket a few balls)...but the hardest to master.

By which I mean, for a a single rack I'd say

Potting 14 balls where you can go for any ball is easy
Potting 7 balls then the 8-ball where you determine the order of the first 7 balls is a bit harder
Potting 9 balls in a specific order, being forced to play tricky positional shots is harder still
and so on...

But of course the beauty of 14.1 unlike the other games is that you can't just stop having pot those 14 balls, you need to leave yourself a shot to break up the pack and keep the run going and that is what makes the game so great!

 

[Pushout]

What's your criteria for judging how "much harder" straight pool is to other games?

I appreciate the benefits of playing straight pool and how it helps improve the mental game (especially on focus). Straight pool has the attributes of all games, but not to the same degree. Difficult "hero" type shots show up more often in rotation games than in straight pool. Shot selection is a bit more intricate in 8 ball. Is straight pool more difficult than bank pool?

If you're judging straight pool solely based on overall knowledge of the game, then straight pool is a more difficult game to master. If you're judging it off of shotmaking, then I would state that straight pool is easier to play. I've noticed some pros only take up straight pool later in their career. I guess with age comes enough patience to play straight pool.

I said "arguably". Shot selection is much, much more intricate than in 8 ball, where you only have to run 7 or, at the MOST, 8 balls to win a single game. The more balls, the more choices and the chance of making the wrong choice comes up much more often. You have to learn to make all kinds of shots in Straight Pool, long shots for instance. I've spent more time in Straight Pool shooting long shots than people who play only 9 ball. I have no idea what "hero" shots are and I've been playing pool since 1961. Straight Pool is a longer game than bank pool, for one thing.
Implying 8 ball or 9 ball, either one is harder than Straight Pool is laughable.

 

[Texas Carom Club]

Implying 8 ball or 9 ball, either one is harder than Straight Pool is laughable.

It made me laugh, and always does when people say these things

Ya, a game where you just smack a pack and if one certain ball goes in you win
Or make a Carom or combo, or lucky kiss in the 9 you win, where anything that falls in on a fluke and you can continue,
I know 9 ball players that have said straight up, well if I hit it hard enough something will go

Make 8 shots, win 8 ball

No ,
Rotation games are not more difficult,
No game where the opening shot is based purely on getting lucky and Hoping something falls is at all more difficult than 14.1

Shot making more easy in straight pool also?
Give me a break,
Break shots, stack reads ,kiss , combos
Oh and making sure to leave a break ball in a spot to continue


There's a reason why the rotation games are so popular it's because they are infact easier ,quick
Run and gun stuff that gets people pumped and turns billiards into manly contests of grunting and who can make a harder break shot

Not all that thinking stuff you do in straight pool

 

[HUKIT]

Congrats on finding and joining a straight pool league. Most people don’t even know what straight pool is anymore, Lol. Hell I was practicing last week and the two idiot douchebags next to me were snickering about how bad I break thinking I’m playing 8 ball!

 

[9andout]

Congrats on finding and joining a straight pool league. Most people don’t even know what straight pool is anymore, Lol. Hell I was practicing last week and the two idiot douchebags next to me were snickering about how bad I break thinking I’m playing 8 ball!

Thanks. I'm willing to take some lumps to learn and get better at the game.
"Thought you were playing 8ball" Lol!!

 

[QuietStorm]

I said "arguably". Shot selection is much, much more intricate than in 8 ball, where you only have to run 7 or, at the MOST, 8 balls to win a single game. The more balls, the more choices and the chance of making the wrong choice comes up much more often. You have to learn to make all kinds of shots in Straight Pool, long shots for instance. I've spent more time in Straight Pool shooting long shots than people who play only 9 ball. I have no idea what "hero" shots are and I've been playing pool since 1961. Straight Pool is a longer game than bank pool, for one thing.
Implying 8 ball or 9 ball, either one is harder than Straight Pool is laughable.

Hero shots are two-rail kick shots (like Reyes' Z shot), extreme distance cut shots, jump shots, power draw shots, masse shots, etc. I thought "hero shot" was a popular pool jargon

CORRECTION: Hero shot can be any shot chosen over an easier shot. I like this made-up definition better.

I would like to see this "debate" in its own thread. That'll be fun, but I don't want to be that guy that starts a "which game is better" thread.

 

[Pushout]

Hero shots are two-rail kick shots (like Reyes' Z shot), extreme distance cut shots, jump shots, power draw shots, masse shots, etc. I thought "hero shot" was a popular pool jargon

CORRECTION: Hero shot can be any shot chosen over an easier shot. I like this made-up definition better.

I would like to see this "debate" in its own thread. That'll be fun, but I don't want to be that guy that starts a "which game is better" thread.

Do a search and you'll find a few, guaranteed! Merry Christmas!

 

[Jeff Rosen]

I'm in two straight pool leagues one after the other in two poolrooms on Sundays: Sunday afternoon at Cue Bar in Queens NY then Sunday evening at Raxx in West Hempstead NY. I'm pretty much a "D" player so I'm the worst handicap in both but I love it. I'm also in two 9 ball leagues during the week, one APA and the other NAPL but I love the straight pool leagues the most.