Preparing for a World 14.1

hobokenapa

hobokenapa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So, I've got the 14.1 Qualifier in two weeks time. I'm going to make a serious effort to make some time to practice, something which, alas, is never possible for me. Any ideas on constructive practice routines/drills aimed specifically at Straight Pool? Do I just run balls and keep track of average runs? Throw seven or eight balls (with a break ball) and plan precision execution down to a perfect breakshot? Practice long shots in the top corner pocket from the bottom rail?

I only have two weeks. The aim is not to improve in that short space of time but to bring my best game to the tournament. For me, this would be running most racks and threatening a 50 run. I can't run more than that so I'm not going to win it, but I want to put on my best game.
 
It's fun to start with a break ball and keep track of runs but there are many other areas that I like to focus on. Depends on what you view as your weaknesses. Try some of these:

1. You mentioned shooting balls from the end rail to the far corner. Excellent one.

2. Put the cue ball in the center of the table and thin balls in a "messy stack" bringing the cue ball all the way back to the kitchen end rail. Keep moving the cue ball back to the center of the table so that thinning is easier. Don't give up any shots in the clear and watch for dead balls lining up. If you make a bunch of successful shots in a row, move the cue ball back to the kitchen.

3. Rack 14 balls and put the cue ball at various places around the rack. Stick the cue ball moving balls into the clear without giving up any shots. Rerack the balls everytime and hit the same object balls a few times to see what works. You may even want to inspect how tightly the balls are racked to guesstimate ball movement that might give up a shot. This is a great way to get an open table.

4. Rack 15 balls and shoot the cue ball from the kitchen to hit the rack from behind. This inevitably comes up after a last ball safety for intermediate straight pool players.

5. Practice the opening break and the first long shot - always nice to have a clean start!

If your qualifier doesn't work out, come down to Baltimore for the Bill & Billies qualifier April 15th. I'm entered into that one and the list of players isn't too strong... yet!

Andy
 
I like to spread the balls around one end of the table and just run as many as I can into one pocket. I know it is more of a one pocket drill but it helps sharpen your position play. Especially your speed control because with alot of congestion and only playing to one pocket you need to stop the cue ball on a dime.
 
I think safety play in 14.1 is underpracticed. Some practice aimed at safe 14.1 play is imperative. That being said, I like some of the suggestions in the second post. Best of luck at the qualifier.
 
Throw out 4/5 balls and get on a break ball. Don't cheat and move one of them for an "easy" breaker, play them where they lie. This way you can learn some not so typical breakers.

Make some 4/5 ball clusters and one loose ball anywhere to break them with. Make SURE to have a plan on what will happen after you hit the cluster. Even if your not absolute of the outcome, just having a plan will give you some confidence on the outcome ,and let you make a more positive stroke.

Some keys to remember while competing and practicing:

Be VERY careful going into the back of the stack off the short rail without an insurance ball.

try to play shape on more than one ball at all times....options make longer runs.

Nothing is perfect, it's ok to change your plan or patterns ALOT.

Most important......Smother your opponent 150 to "0"...give up nothing and running 20/30/40 will win you many games.

When playing safe, make sure to check the stack for dead balls....I have lost MANY games from this one little over sight.
Good Luck, Gerry
 
Lot's of good suggestions above. Especially the safes.

Rempe had an exercise where you put all 15 balls out, not too close to rails or each other, ball in hand and then run them without hitting a rail.

I imagine you already can come off a side rail on a break without getting stuck on the rack, using high low or left, right to come at the rack correctly.

Good luck!! Let us know how the competition goes.
 
Thanks

Thanks guys, all great suggestions. I even started doing the bottom rail drill on Saturday until I got interrupted. I am going to take the week off before the tournament and practice every day. I can't wait!
 
Ok so I've been doing three hours practice a day this week (Mon and Tues). I figured out that I need to have a way to make every ball count (rather than just running them). So I remembered a post on Equal Offense from last year. Ten innings with a maximum of 20 in each. I did it in the last hour of my session and managed to score 141

20,9,11,8,20,20,15,20,8,10 = 141

I also followed advice from Steve Lipsky to analyse why the runs ended. These were:

9 : Layout was very tough, I did pretty good.
11 : Missed shot
8 : Missed shot
15 : Left myself dead straight on side of the pack break shot
8 : Poor positional shot
10 : Missed shot

I find when I'm playing well and focused that I label the balls in my head. I can instantly see the balls to break up clusters and what the pattern is. I've also not missed a side of the rack break shot in about two months. I can now hit them pretty firmly and really open the balls. I never used to be to able to do this.

I'm not gonna run the 100s that some guys can in this event but as SJM said it's not the high runs that matter, it's getting up your average balls per inning. If I average 15-20 or so every time I come to the table, I'll be happy.
 
Last edited:
141 in equal offence is pritty nice. i never got over 101.

if u havent seen it yet, get jim rempe's, how to run a rack, and how to run 100 balls dvd. it is really good. like it has been said, jim advices to play this drill for 2weeks, 2h/day : Spread balls randomly over the table, no balls close to cussion and clean it without touching the sides. it will drill your stopshots, drawshots, using enlgisch to stop the rock, etc.

try to stick to this order:
- dont only think about keyballs to get to the breakball to break the pack, use the same thinking as soon as possible, on how to open a not completly open rack.
- clean balls close to pockets as soon as possible (theyusually block the path for alot of balls)
- clean balls on the rail. Leave the easy shots for the end. only leave a ball on the rail if u are going to use as keyball to get to the breakball.
- leaving a insurance ball in the middlepocket or uptable is a good idea in the beginning. once the difficult shots are gone, leave one ball on the lower side of the table thats pritty close to a pocket, and pot the ball u left uptable. use the ball on the lower side to get back from the uper to the lower part of the table.
- bump balls into position if u dont have any good key or breakball left. Good way is to pot a ball on the endcussion with a angle, so the rock comes straight upwards and bumps some balls into a better breakposition.
- train your drils on how to get to the center of the table from all positions.
- try to keep the rock always in the middle of the pack, not round the pack once it is open.
- check check check and DOUBLE check on possible combo's, plants etc. they usually are easy to make and will open ALOT. train these shots too, so u are confortable with them.


ps equal offence, make u spread the balls like in 8ball. this gives a ball layout thats not common in 14-1, so even if i do play it myself to check on my evolution, i wouldnt recommand it as a trainingdrill.

recheck grady matthews dvd's breakshots & keyballs. and train the breakshots from the different positions u can see there. might even be a good idea, to have a racking budy, rack and rerack the pack time after time.

ow btw, ur a much better player then me :) so i shouldnt be giving u any advice. :rolleyes: im just silly solly.
 
I addition to the good suggestions you've had, I would suggest spending time just playing safeties. If you can play effective safeties, you can frustrate many a better player. Despite what you hear, most players are not going to hit you with big runs. More often than not, even with top players, runs are in the 20-30 range, or less.

Another thing I would spend time with is trying to pick shots out of the rack. Shots like these can really turn a match around and can demoralize an opponent who thinks he's played a good safety. Learn to be creative; there is usually something "dead" in a rack. If you have Ray Martin's book, review it to refresh yourself with some of the less obvious possibilities.

Lastly, don't think you have to make high runs to win. If you run 10 balls and play an effective safe, then run, say, a 20 and play safe, you are ahead 30-0 and still in control. Keep doing that and no one can beat you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top