Hello to all.
This is my first post and and thinkng about getting back into a BCA league. I started playing billiards in high school 1974 and quite in June 2006. My last shot was on vacation in Spain where 3 cushion billiards is king. Back problems set in and after a couple of hours as bad disc took its toll.
My game was stagnant for many years but I could always hold my own in tournements, mostly 8 ball. I had a 8 over gold crown and played straight pool for hours as for some reason the game held my concentrtion as did snooker. Problem is snooker and 14.1 are not played in Houston. I had a few guys that would come over as they played 14.1. fairly well. At first I wanted to run 50 when I got hooked on 14.1 in 2001. After learning the strategy and how to keep out of jail I got my first 50+ - 53. Shortly thereafter it went to 64 with 71 being my best. When I got a run of 50+ I felt like I had beaten the table for the night. I then wanted to get to 100 but sold the table and never did. I went out with a good mamory as I had a 64 the last night it was in my home and 55 the night previous. I read Capellies 14.1 book (some chapters 6-7 times especially saftey play). It was then my game reached a higher level as after consulting with 3 pros via email all said play 14.1 if you want to have a complete game and they were dead on. Grady Mathews also told me it is the hardest game to play correctly and I agree. Cue ball control, pattern recognition and saftey play developemnt took me from a good player to our leagues top ranked player the last two sessinos I played. I WAS NOT THE BEST SHOT MAKER as I avoided banks and high risk combinations.
Frankly I am not a great shotmaker but rely on cue ball control, shot selection and saftey to get me by. Where it really showed up was the nights the rolls just did not go my way as a good saftey made my bad roll my opponents problem and could still scratch out a 50-60. It also frustrated the agressive player as they semed confused by the fact that they were getting the rolls but not the win. It was those night where the force was not with me but I still grided a 60 out that were so sweet and made me appreciate 14.1 all the more. I only wish I would have picked the game up in 1974 instad on 2001.
I have two questions for all you guy in stright pool country midwest and northeast.
1 - How does a high run of 71 rank you in straight pool country?
2 - Is the game making a comeback like one pocket?
I always encouraged players here to play 14.1 70% of the time for shot selection, capacity for tight shape as needed for the last three balls in the rack, cluster management and safety play. I always planned to have the upper hand in Texas in saftey battles, The other 30% of practice nine ball for long shot practice and long shape. It fell on deaf ears for the most part as after calculating the aveage run of 2-3 balls discouraged and frustrated them. I managed to qualify for the APA non-handicapted Amature Championship in 2003. It was held in Berlin, Conn. at the time. I did not play well but got to the dance where people form all over the country were. I beat the guy that got 25th out of 110 at the qualifier in Slidel. La. Katrina wiped the Billiard Hall out latter and its sad as they had ten 4.5/9 old Brunswick tables that played extremely well.
Just did not have it in Berlin but enjoyed the experience. 14.1 is the only reason I got there and I sure do miss the game and the feeling of being in dead stroke when it seemed so easy as missing never entered my mind. It was like holding on to the stick and enjoying the ride. Other nights I could not get through one rack when my mind and touch muscles were not working togather.
Scott
This is my first post and and thinkng about getting back into a BCA league. I started playing billiards in high school 1974 and quite in June 2006. My last shot was on vacation in Spain where 3 cushion billiards is king. Back problems set in and after a couple of hours as bad disc took its toll.
My game was stagnant for many years but I could always hold my own in tournements, mostly 8 ball. I had a 8 over gold crown and played straight pool for hours as for some reason the game held my concentrtion as did snooker. Problem is snooker and 14.1 are not played in Houston. I had a few guys that would come over as they played 14.1. fairly well. At first I wanted to run 50 when I got hooked on 14.1 in 2001. After learning the strategy and how to keep out of jail I got my first 50+ - 53. Shortly thereafter it went to 64 with 71 being my best. When I got a run of 50+ I felt like I had beaten the table for the night. I then wanted to get to 100 but sold the table and never did. I went out with a good mamory as I had a 64 the last night it was in my home and 55 the night previous. I read Capellies 14.1 book (some chapters 6-7 times especially saftey play). It was then my game reached a higher level as after consulting with 3 pros via email all said play 14.1 if you want to have a complete game and they were dead on. Grady Mathews also told me it is the hardest game to play correctly and I agree. Cue ball control, pattern recognition and saftey play developemnt took me from a good player to our leagues top ranked player the last two sessinos I played. I WAS NOT THE BEST SHOT MAKER as I avoided banks and high risk combinations.
Frankly I am not a great shotmaker but rely on cue ball control, shot selection and saftey to get me by. Where it really showed up was the nights the rolls just did not go my way as a good saftey made my bad roll my opponents problem and could still scratch out a 50-60. It also frustrated the agressive player as they semed confused by the fact that they were getting the rolls but not the win. It was those night where the force was not with me but I still grided a 60 out that were so sweet and made me appreciate 14.1 all the more. I only wish I would have picked the game up in 1974 instad on 2001.
I have two questions for all you guy in stright pool country midwest and northeast.
1 - How does a high run of 71 rank you in straight pool country?
2 - Is the game making a comeback like one pocket?
I always encouraged players here to play 14.1 70% of the time for shot selection, capacity for tight shape as needed for the last three balls in the rack, cluster management and safety play. I always planned to have the upper hand in Texas in saftey battles, The other 30% of practice nine ball for long shot practice and long shape. It fell on deaf ears for the most part as after calculating the aveage run of 2-3 balls discouraged and frustrated them. I managed to qualify for the APA non-handicapted Amature Championship in 2003. It was held in Berlin, Conn. at the time. I did not play well but got to the dance where people form all over the country were. I beat the guy that got 25th out of 110 at the qualifier in Slidel. La. Katrina wiped the Billiard Hall out latter and its sad as they had ten 4.5/9 old Brunswick tables that played extremely well.
Just did not have it in Berlin but enjoyed the experience. 14.1 is the only reason I got there and I sure do miss the game and the feeling of being in dead stroke when it seemed so easy as missing never entered my mind. It was like holding on to the stick and enjoying the ride. Other nights I could not get through one rack when my mind and touch muscles were not working togather.
Scott
