Practice

[West Point 1987]

14.1 is a GREAT game, but not necessarily the end all be all for practice for ALL games...unless you want to be a straight pool player, then you're already way behind the power curve and need to get shooting!! Seriously, you need to practice primarily what you want to play, be it pattern games (like 14.1, 8 ball and 1 Pocket) or rotation games (6,7,9,10 Ball). Fargo is an excellent all-around drill that works all aspects of your game, forces you to work patterns, play rotation, move the cue ball around, etc. Keeping track of runs, balls per inning, balls on break, etc. will give you marks to shoot for for improvement. Then, make sure that at least once a week you make an effort to play someone better than you...if you can hook up.

 

[bbb]

Play straight pool ...keep trying to beat your high run.
You'll learn a billion shots, you'll gt the feel of match pressure, and you'll
have an attention span for staying at the table.

To me, straight pool is the tai-chi of billiards.
Many fighters of different disciplines have tai-chi in common.

i just started reading this thread and you post is the first im responding to
straight pool is great for practice i agree
it teaches about carums and reading the stack
and the ability to focus and mot miss the easy shots
what it doesnt teach you is how to move the cue ball long distances which you may need in 9 ball
and it doesnt teach you to bank
which you will need in 1 pocket and bank pool
and it doesnt teach youyou enough about safety play and kicking out of safeties like 1 pocket and 9 ball will
jmho
icbw

 

[dr9ball]

Straight Pool Break, Ok I've heard the Straight Pool thing before. I also Like the Fargo game. pretty close to the same.

So question on the Straight Pool Break. How do you approach this break when practicing. I think straight pool is a called shot break?????? What is my objective on the initial break?

When play-practicing straight pool I set up the break ball in different positions.
I will sometimes practice the safety break that is used to start a match.

However, most of the time I play straight pool for practice I will rack up 14 balls and set a break ball up for a free break into the rack.

 

[Pushout]

i just started reading this thread and you post is the first im responding to
straight pool is great for practice i agree
it teaches about carums and reading the stack
and the ability to focus and mot miss the easy shots
what it doesnt teach you is how to move the cue ball long distances which you may need in 9 ball
and it doesnt teach you to bank
which you will need in 1 pocket and bank pool
and it doesnt teach youyou enough about safety play and kicking out of safeties like 1 pocket and 9 ball will
jmho
icbw

Edit: I'd agree with pt about the foundation. 9 ball, One Pocket, and many other games don't give the all around balance of Straight Pool.

 

[pt109]

i just started reading this thread and you post is the first im responding to
straight pool is great for practice i agree
it teaches about carums and reading the stack
and the ability to focus and mot miss the easy shots
what it doesnt teach you is how to move the cue ball long distances which you may need in 9 ball
and it doesnt teach you to bank
which you will need in 1 pocket and bank pool
and it doesnt teach youyou enough about safety play and kicking out of safeties like 1 pocket and 9 ball will
jmho
icbw

I feel what straight pool gives you is the FOUNDATION to learn anything else.
Straight pool players are known to become good 1-pocket players very
quickly...many 9-ball players never get there.
What straight pool gives you is an understanding of billiards which you
can expand to other disciplines, just like tai-chi does for martial arts.

For sure there are adjustments to be made...but you'll have the parts.

 

[The Renfro]

I feel what straight pool gives you is the FOUNDATION to learn anything else.
Straight pool players are known to become good 1-pocket players very
quickly...many 9-ball players never get there.
What straight pool gives you is an understanding of billiards which you
can expand to other disciplines, just like tai-chi does for martial arts.

For sure there are adjustments to be made...but you'll have the parts.

Had a friend who could run hundreds at straight pool any day of the week... In 9ball he never developed the stroke needed for moving the ball around....

I guess that may not be a problem for everyone but I knew a lot of old school players that just never had much power.... They all switched to 1hole when the misses started to creep into their games..... I just wonder what these guys will have to play when everyone is playing power 1pocket......

 

[Chadk]

certainly appreciate everyone's tips and advice. I got a few rounds in of 14:1 before league last night and will keep that in the practice routine for sure.

 

[krupa]

For what it's worth, when I practice I include a little of everything: progressive drills, 8, 9, 14.1, etc.

I keep a notebook of things I want to remember, including good/bad league nights. There are a couple pages of "shots I always miss." When I practice I choose one of those, and then practice the shot 15-30 times. Then, because it's frustrating and/or boring I reward myself by playing a couple racks of 14.1 or 8 or 9 ball. Then I go back to practicing more-fundamental things again.

 

[pmata814]

I'm not sure if you're interested in a beginners practice routine, but herez what I do in case you are

I start with a line-up drill where I line up all 15 balls across the table and then shoot all 15 balls trying to follow/draw the cue ball to an exact location (say 1 dmnd follow). Then I repeat following 2mnds. That takes about 20 minutes. Next I shoot 30 corner-corner straight-ins (10 stop, 10 draw, 10 follows). That takes another 20-25 minutes. Then I finish with my choice of 'fun' drill or game for that day. My choices: 3ball ghost (non-rotation), shotmaking practice, various drills found on internet, straight pool, 8ball against myself, or 8ball with stickies (I break open a rack remove all solids or stripes, mark ball locations with stickies and practice getting out over and over).

All of this usually takes about 1.5 hrs, which is how much I practice every weekday. Weekends it's more like 3 hrs. I've been doing this routine for the last month and a half and it seems to be working

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[Pushout]

If you can, hook up with someone who really knows the game of Straight Pool. There is a whole lot more to it than just knowing the rules and playing by them. Playing the game "correctly" will give you more knowledge than you might think possible. Good luck!


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[michael4]

I practice straight pool and it has really helped certain parts of my game, but I strongly believe you should also practice some type of rotation game too, to improve those other parts of your game.

 

[duckie]

You can practice all you want, but if you never realize that it all comes down to between the ears, your practice will not be of great benefit in the long run.

 

[Pushout]

Had a friend who could run hundreds at straight pool any day of the week... In 9ball he never developed the stroke needed for moving the ball around....

I guess that may not be a problem for everyone but I knew a lot of old school players that just never had much power.... They all switched to 1hole when the misses started to creep into their games..... I just wonder what these guys will have to play when everyone is playing power 1pocket......

I've only known one Straight Pool player who had any trouble with 9 ball and it wasn't moving the cue ball around the table. He had no break. My son had a better 9 ball break at age 8. I don't think I've ever known any Straight Pool player who couldn't get the cue ball around, it's part of the game.
Power One Pocket isn't about having a powerful stroke, it's knowing the shot, knowing when to shoot it, and being able to execute it. Having powerful stroke my help but it's not necessary. Allen Hopkins was feared at One Pocket for years and that short, punchy stroke of his was no detriment to him.