Practicing ???

frankncali

frankncali

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Whats the best way to practice and learn 14.1??

I am a decent player. Somewhere around a B level to low A player depending on who you ask.

I have played very little straight pool but do like it. Theres a tournament upcoming and I have decided to play in it. I have no grand illusions of winning or even winning a match but I at least want to practice and do my best.

What are some ways to practice? Any drills or progressive practice
games to help?


For quite some time now when I go to the room to practice I have always played a few racks of straight pool getting warmed up.
I did run 58 not that long ago but it seemed everything went right. Its rare that I dont run at least a rack and into the next but not through a complete two racks and into the next.

I have noticed a tendency to miss rather easy break balls. I dont over hit them but I seem to plain and simple miss the ball. The harder break shots oddly seem to go down for me.

I have a coupld months to learn run 200 ;) :D so all advise is welcomed.
 
Hey Frank, how are ya buddy? :)

First of all you've got the right attitude to not have any expectations, this way you'll not be disappointed and you'll be able to learn more, both from practice and from competeing in the tournament itself :)

Now then, the best thing to do is practise various break shots, from above, below and from the tradional side-of-the-stack break shots, and then on each break shot, see how many you run, and then once you miss, set up a different break shot and see how you many you run from that, this will help you practice various break shots and also help you to practice increasing your runs :)

You could try playing the ghost at straight pool, but it's very tough to do and you'll lose alot of games before winning any, but playing the ghost will teach you to make sure that you concentrate and focus on every shot to complete the run in order to win the game :)

These are just a few suggestions to get you started, let me know how it goes and if I can be of any more help feel free to ask away and I'll do the very best I can :)

Willie
 
I used to set up an ideal break and just try to run as many as I could, and I got frustrated resetting and reracking the balls at my first miss. I think that practice method is a good way to ruin yourself mentally. Now I just play to a specific number (like 100) and just keep track of how many misses I had getting to that 100. In theory I should be able to hit 100 with just two misses, but more often than not it's like 10.

Just try to make your goal to get to 100 in as few innings as possible, and watch to see how you're doing compared to the last time you drilled. I think if you can get there with only 4 or 5 misses you're doing pretty well for your speed.
 
CreeDo said:
I used to set up an ideal break and just try to run as many as I could, and I got frustrated resetting and reracking the balls at my first miss. I think that practice method is a good way to ruin yourself mentally. Now I just play to a specific number (like 100) and just keep track of how many misses I had getting to that 100. In theory I should be able to hit 100 with just two misses, but more often than not it's like 10.

Just try to make your goal to get to 100 in as few innings as possible, and watch to see how you're doing compared to the last time you drilled. I think if you can get there with only 4 or 5 misses you're doing pretty well for your speed.
Click to expand...


Thanks
I will try this and the other suggestions. I think I will shoot for 100 in 10 misses and see where I stand. Might be above it but then I will have something to shoot for.
 
Standard practice rack up full rack and set up a good breakshot and run as many as you can.

Another good drill is to put 5 balls on the table, with one of them being a a desireable break shot then find the key ball and run the other three out in the correct pattern to get on your key ball. Once five becomes common practice, add another ball and repeat. Once you get up to 8 balls, your end game should be pretty solid. Of course you will want to vary break shot locations as well.

The best drill of all... Scotch doubles straight pool with a straight pool master.
 
Don't forget to practice safeties! You might need to consult a book or a local wise straight pool player for some ideas.

Rack up 14 balls and try to play diabolical safeties from all over the table - the best safeties leave a ball or two in a position which makes a return safety very difficult.

Practice skimming the rack and leaving the cue on the head rail

Practice responses with the cue ball on the head rail.

Just some ideas - I know these can be boring to practice, but they can win games!
Jon
 
Grady Mathews has a great tape on break shots. Start with that and after each break you try to run the rack.
 
Practicing straight pool yesterday after bombing out of the nine ball tourney.

I suddenly started making everything. Having too much fun to plan run outs, but the balls were going in without aiming.

No fussing with my stance, no precision aiming, just look at the hole and the ball goes there. I was hitting the cue ball dead center without looking at it, as if I was the center of the cue ball.

Behind the rack backward cut secondary break shots went in without a thought, like they were hangers sitting in front of the side pocket.

Wayne Norcross was getting ready to leave after TD duties, so I ran over and asked him to watch me shoot for five minutes. He stayed about half an hour, saying that something had clicked.

Probably one of those rare events that sucks you in for the rest of your life, but either way, I'll be back for more tomorrow.
 
Thanks again

I hit some tonight and this is what happened...

Not consistent at all


Three sets to 100 with a placed breakshot

1st -- 13 misses
2nd- 5 misses with a 51 ball run :D ... missed a fairly routine shot but had to put heavy draw on the ball.
3rd -- 9 misses .. 32, 21, 27 missed two easy shots and lost position a couple times. The 21 and 27 were back to back shot. Also missed twice in a row :(

Overall I thought that I got better as I went but I lacked concentration and really felt like I was struggling to make the cueball move like or where I wanted it to.

After the placed breakshot I had some different break shots. Sometimes I will miss the break ball. I have been struggling with this. Tonight I made all but 2 I think. I know that twice I had very little after the break shot even with balls moving. Just tough luck.


I think I could play three more sets and have several different results. The 5 miss one irks me because I ran 12 from the original break and then missed shape by a long way. Needed some angle and a ball rattled with a heavy draw stroke. Another miss was routine and I should have been able to get out or at least 5 more.

I was a bit luck in the 9 miss set. I had nice racks most of the time. A good player runs many from my layouts. He might still be there running.

Overall I think I am closer to the 10 + miss range but that I could lower that. I think it will help my 9 ball game as well in the long run.


I'm going to try and play 10 sets per week for a while and really focus. That might lower my runs at first but hopefully I get used to concentating
fully. Sometimes now when I really focus I think too much or get tight.
 
Capelle's books "Practicing pool" and "Play your best straight pool" have the answers ;)
A practice game which could help to increase your high run in 14.1 is Equal Offense (like playing the ghost). I didn't try it myself so I can't explain the rules but I' sure it has been discussed here at AZB or could be found in the net.
 
The last six

I play a little game and call it the last six. Place a break ball near where the stack would be then place 5 other balls on the table at random. Run the 5 balls and get shape on your break ball and play the break. It's not as easy as it sounds. I play the ghost this way. It helps you to see the patterns in the all important last half of the rack.

TommyT
 
TommyT said:
I play a little game and call it the last six. Place a break ball near where the stack would be then place 5 other balls on the table at random. Run the 5 balls and get shape on your break ball and play the break. It's not as easy as it sounds. I play the ghost this way. It helps you to see the patterns in the all important last half of the rack.

TommyT
Click to expand...


I will give this a try. Others have suggested the smae thing.

I have suggested a simliar deal to some APA buddies of mine to get better at 8 ball. I have them rack 9 ball and break and play the solids. A little less traffic can help see the patterns and ways to play a couple balls and successfully duck. I also have them scatter 6 of one type and 2 of the other plus the 8 and then take BIH and run the 6 out. Very representative of a normal game.
 
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