Some 14.1 Strategies (Wildhair)

[Solartje]

bruin70 or anyone else can show me how to brake in straight pool? didnt find it anywhere yet, and i got my first match tomorow.

 

[bruin70]

bruin70 or anyone else can show me how to brake in straight pool? didnt find it anywhere yet, and i got my first match tomorow.

you're better off playing safe if the break is not there. play to run a rack and safe.. if you're relatively new to pool, don't build your patterns around trying to set up a break shot.....do that later in practice.

i mean, why go through all that work to grab a rack, setup for the break,,,miss, and leave a wide open table for your opponent to cherry pick

 

[Solartje]

mm sorry bad words i used

i ment whats the best way to brake save (shouldnt have used the word brake). at least 2 balls have to hit the cussions right? how do u play this shot without leaving anything?

play right on the topball, and leave the cb against it whyle the corner balls touch a cussion? or how do u normally play it?

 

[Steve Lipsky]

mm sorry bad words i used

i ment whats the best way to brake save (shouldnt have used the word brake). at least 2 balls have to hit the cussions right? how do u play this shot without leaving anything?

play right on the topball, and leave the cb against it whyle the corner balls touch a cussion? or how do u normally play it?

Hi Solartje. Here is the standard opening break for 14.1:

START(
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%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Pg9T2%UK3[2%VC8W2%WK5S1%Xg2T3
%YD2V9%ZI9S0%[m2D0%\L1[3%]r7E5%^n3C5%_I2R2%`C4R7%aI7R5%bK3K6
%cJ7C4%dJ4L1
)END

You just want to play it with a little top left. In the ideal break, both the 14 and the 15 will hit the rail and then come back to exactly where they started from. Your cueball will go 3 or 4 rails and freeze to the back cushion.

When breaking, make sure the back row of balls is completely tight. When they're not, you'll usually sell out pretty badly on the break.

Incidentally, the rule on the opening break shot is that 2 balls PLUS the cueball must hit a rail after contact. If the cueball didn't have to hit a rail, you could go rail first into the back of the pack, and leave safe almost every time.

Hope this helps, and good luck in your tournament! Let us know how it goes!

- Steve

 

[Solartje]

thx steve. really nice to have this pool table to explain things. how thin do u cut the 14? (on your table, its like if u wanted to pot the 14 in the corner pocket if there wherent any balls.)

i hope to do good tomorow, but being ill for a week i havent played or trained (i shouldnt even go out, but ive been looking out for this competition to long to just sit at home. )

thx for the suport, and ill surely post the results.

 

[Steve Lipsky]

thx steve. really nice to have this pool table to explain things. how thin do u cut the 14? (on your table, its like if u wanted to pot the 14 in the corner pocket if there wherent any balls.)

i hope to do good tomorow, but being ill for a week i havent played or trained (i shouldnt even go out, but ive been looking out for this competition to long to just sit at home. )

thx for the suport, and ill surely post the results.

Good catch, solartje. You can't hit it as thin as I have shown; not only won't you get your cueball to wind up in the opposite corner, you also almost certainly won't get the requisite two balls to a rail.

I am not good at judging how much of a ball you must hit, so I would just say you want to hit it thin, but not THAT thin. You will definitely want to play a few of these in practice before your tournament to get the feel for it.

Always err on the side of too thin, though. Usually the worst that will happen is you don't get two balls to the rail and your opponent will ask you to rebreak (with a two point penalty). But hit it too fat and you've sold the farm, lol .

- Steve

 

[Kevin]

Good catch, solartje. You can't hit it as thin as I have shown; not only won't you get your cueball to wind up in the opposite corner, you also almost certainly won't get the requisite two balls to a rail.

I am not good at judging how much of a ball you must hit, so I would just say you want to hit it thin, but not THAT thin. You will definitely want to play a few of these in practice before your tournament to get the feel for it.

Always err on the side of too thin, though. Usually the worst that will happen is you don't get two balls to the rail and your opponent will ask you to rebreak (with a two point penalty). But hit it too fat and you've sold the farm, lol .

- Steve

One other point, Solartje. Steve showed you here to play the shot 3-rails short, trying to leave the cue on the bottom rail, which plays a bit better on older/slower cloth with a bit of left spin.

START(
%AN7O5%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%I L7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Pg9T2%UK3[2%VC8W2%WK5S1%Xg2T3
%YD2V9%ZI9S0%[m2D0%\L1[3%]r7E5%^n3C5%_I2R2%`C4R7%aI7R5%bK3K6
%cJ7C4%dJ4L1
)END

If the cloth is newer, you may want to try playing the speed to go 3 rails long, in this fashion.

START(
%AN7O5%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Pg9T2%QA6[6%RA7A7%UN4[2%VC2V6
%WK5S1%Xg2T3%YC8V1%ZI9S0%[s0F0%\O2[2%]p1C6%^s0E5%eB2a2%_I2R2
%`C4R7%aI7R5%bK3K6%cJ7C4%dJ4L1
)END

Either way, if you can runs some balls when you get free, and you know your opponent can as well, err on the side of caution and give up a few points in safeties just to not let them get loose and run a bunch on you till you get your sea legs under you.

Good luck!

 

[Solartje]

thx for the help guys. but i got bad news, wel very bad infact.
Girlfriend broke up yesterday, my boss called me i lost my job, and i had a bad draw in the qualifying rounds.

its double KO, first to 50 (i know not much, but there where to many players).
first match vs a guy from finland (he isnt highly ranked yet, but he's a top16 for sure. 6 consecutive quarter finals in 6 rankings. i lost vs him in the last ranking. BUT i didnt let my head down with the bad news. in fact i started to play pool when i had some bad moments this summer. EXPLODING the balls in the pockets was the best way i found to let my anger go. as i was very pissed, i was SO focused, i really played well. had a nice advantage. 20- 10 something. we finished the last rack at 45 - 44.(or something like that) i had the perfect keyball to brake just like u teached me. i exploded it in the corner pocket, broke up all the pack. perfect position, in line to win, but on my first ball (8inch pot, straight, something id pot even left handed and eyes closed, i had a masive kick. missed it by 3 inch at least) the clubcues where good (weight, size, straight) but the chalk just didnt stay on. i wiped it all away , moistered it a bit with my finger and painted it all back on. but the chalk just wouldnt stay. masive hard tips. no ... how do u say? relief? i tried to blow the exces away and rechalk on every shot, but this massive kick blew up my game) the fin guy potted the balls he needed to win.)

45-50 loss

2d match. i wasnt that concentrated, still played my A game, but did get off some positional shots. the cb is one of those new one, with 8 or 16 red dots on, so i could see i screwed back, but it just staid in place. the cb only got grip of the cloth after 1 second or so, making me lose 5 inches each time i had to screw back a bit. lost the match 42- 50. he's the #21 on the national ranking. i think i play better, but he's just very experiences at straight pool.
at the end, i was happy with my game. potted 5 / 5 doubles, 4/5 combined shots, id say around 90% pot succes, 75% long pot succes. but i think the main part was, having no cuepower when i needed to screw for position, and more important. how to get out of safety play or play myself a safety and knowing the rulez. i didnt know about the save-shot. when only 1 ball is left, and i cant get into the pack. i potted it , and then played a safety but always 1 or 2 sticking out enough for my oponent to take over controle. (reminds myself to read all rulez before u play).

could u explain me how u play these shots? had to play it 3 4 times.

START(
%AN7O5%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PP0O5
)END

or same without the top ball.

or this:

START(
%AN7O5%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PG7O9
)END

just some shots that came along. my oponents knew im not a pool player and they played this "typical" straight pool safety's. i think the most important thing for me (even more then buying a cue) is to find a good opponent to play with so i know these "typical shots" en how to get out of them.

still got a chance tomorow. only 8 places free today, and 8 or 16 tomorow, depending on what club i do the qualifying.not sure if ill try again tomorow, as im really feeling a bit pissed/angry/sad , but knowing me... i never give up.
ps i did get into the zone for about 10 minuts in the first match. first time it happened in a competition. really liked it.

thx for the help guys, and maybe better news tomorow.

ps if there are more of these typical safety shots etc, dont hesitate to show me them.

ps2: the opening brake worked perfect. i did some tests on my pool simulator game about exactly how thin to hit it, and it worked really good. only 2 times one or 2 balls where sticking out. but that was mainly because my oponent played a save shot on the last shot, and leaved me close to the cussion. so i DID learn something.

i should get myself to setle down that i wont be winning any major tournament this year, and that ill need a good year or 2 before i can say i can play pool. but many are already talking about me . they refere to me as the guy that plays with clubcue's but that can play some evol positional shots. here's one, i amazed even myself masive side topspin on it, and a double straight into the pocket. one of my favorits.

START(
%A_4E7%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JG1O6
%LJ5N2%P_4Y7%QG3R2%UC9W2%VF6[2%W[9Z5%X^0C5%Y^5D3%Z_1E3%[`3D6
%\_8Y0%]G6Z6%^`4C5%_F7S7%`E5T4%aC5V2
)END

enough of spamming this treath. sorry for those who dont like to read much.

edit: Kevin now i know whay u mean with " give up a few points in safeties"

 

[bruin70]

thx for the help guys. but i got bad news, wel very bad infact.
:

i prefer this because i like to leave my opponent with distance. no sense in playing a great safe with left and leaving the cb in the pack,,,,your opponent can come back with a safe of his own and leave you downtable.
START(
%AN7O5%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PP0O5%WP1D8%XP2N5%Yf1[9%ZO8C4
%[q7P0%\f8\5
)END

the second one depends on how i'm feeling that day. if i have the touch of a pregnant water buffalo, i'll just tickle the corner and lay the cb on the side rail. it's the safest. if i'm feeling good, inside english gets the cb to the other end of the table without too much disturbance of the rack.

what you diagrammed on the third example is impossible if i'm seeing it right.

 

[Kevin]

Your safety with the cue ball below the pack is to slightly cut the second ball from the end to the outside with high outside english, with just enough speed to carom the ball above it to the rail and leave the cue glued to the pack with balls loose on the other side of the stack. This also works on the side of the pack. Hit it like this:

START(
%AN7O5%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PN8U9%QA6[6%RA7A7%WC7P7%XI6P6
%YL6R6%ZN6U7%eB7`5
)END

Leaving this result:

START(
%AN7O5%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JJ5H0
%KD1O9%LI8M8%MK6Q4%NI6R2%OH9K4%PL6R4%QA6[6%RA7A7%WC7P7%XI6P6
%YJ7J8%ZK5L8%[I8L6%\J4L9%eB7`5
)END

Occasionally you are faced with this long-distance safety after a missed break shot:

START(
%AB8\3%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Pr9I8
)END

Many people try to scrape the stack, often leaving disaster with cue and a ball over the bottom pocket if not executed properly, and even if executed well doesn't put the opponent in trouble. Some old timers liked to two-cushion and scrape the stack, sending cueball back uptable, like this:

START(
%AB8\3%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Pr9I8%WL5[4%Xq9J7%YC5X9%ZK7[6
%[M3Q7%\C0X3%]o4C7%^M5Q3
)END

Distance magnifies all errors! Not a bad principle for pool.

After playing a bit and my speed control is working (and the balls are racked tightly!), I have had a lot of success with this shot:

START(
%AB8\3%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Pr9I8%WO3O8%Xq9J7%YC7V1%ZI3R7
%]D4J5%^I7L4
)END

With just enough speed to pop the end ball into the rail, leaving cue glued to a top ball. Others consider that dangerous, and prefer to take a scratch, two-railing the cue behind the stack, where getting a decent safe is harder to come by, and the chances of an eventual sell-out by either player are much higher.

START(
%AB8\3%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Pr9I8%WO4D1%Xq9J1%YH5N5%ZC4I3
%]C9H8%^N7C6
)END

Many starting straight pool players are so afraid of losing a point with a foul they risk selling out by splatting the stack wide open. They don't consider this isn't ball-in-hand 9-ball, the cue stays there.

Older and wiser players may consider losing a point with an intentional safety, or even three in a row (-3), plus loss of 15 points, and a rerack/break cheaper in the long run than letting a great player start on a run of 100 or more, all things considered.

Mosconi used to gripe about Irving Crane's safety play, saying he only shot shots his grandmother could make. Keep in mind Mosconi was an offense machine and wanted nothing more than opponents to take flyers giving him a chance to go 150 and out. Crane's safety play gave him a better win-loss percentage than any other opponent against Mosconi.

Find a good straight pool partner close to your speed, or set a reasonable handicap with a better player, and you have a game you can enjoy for the rest of your life.

 

[Solartje]

kevin. on this:

START(
%AB8\3%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%I L7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Pr9I8%WO4D1%Xq9J1%Y H5N5%ZC4I3
%]C9H8%^N7C6
)END

u play the foul right? or do u play it hard enough so one of the pack hits the cussion?


here:
START(
%AB8\3%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%I L7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Pr9I8%WO3O8%Xq9J7%Y C7V1%ZI3R7
%]D4J5%^I7L4
)END

my opponent played this shot ALOT. do i still have to play it like bruin explained. or maybe its different as the angel will be different if the cb is perfectly nestelled in between the top2 balls.

HERE:

START(
%AB8\3%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%I L7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Pr9I8%WL5[4%Xq9J7%YC5X9%ZK7[6
%[M3Q7%\C0X3%]o4C7%^M5Q3
)END

u make a foul too right? or what balls with move what way? i think the 4 or 10 ball will be open in the right cussion or will it move back to the pack?


and last one. this one:
START(
%AN7O5%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PI2O6%QA6[6%RA7A7
)END

its weird. i thought straight pool would be the game where a snookerplayer would be the best in, but it seems not. so many things a snookerplayer is not used too. even if i played my A (AB) game, i did lose, where on last 9ball ranking i finished 17th with my B (B-) game. what game u think i should focus on being a ex snooker player.

btw; MANY thx for all the answers. im learning more here then in 15 hours in the club playing alone.


about the friend to play with, there isnt really ANYONE. not in my club at least. there probably are some good pool players in brussels, but as there is no belgium forum (often used) its just VERY hard to find a playingpartner.

 

[Kevin]

kevin. on this:

START(
%AB8\3%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%I L7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Pr9I8%WO4D1%Xq9J1%Y H5N5%ZC4I3
%]C9H8%^N7C6
)END

u play the foul right? or do u play it hard enough so one of the pack hits the cussion?

Correct, that shot you are playing the foul, losing one point, making it tough for opponent to get a good safe next time.

here:
START(
%AB8\3%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%I L7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Pr9I8%WO3O8%Xq9J7%Y C7V1%ZI3R7
%]D4J5%^I7L4
)END

my opponent played this shot ALOT. do i still have to play it like bruin explained. or maybe its different as the angel will be different if the cb is perfectly nestelled in between the top2 balls.

Basically go for distance with the cueball, and minimal pack disturbance. Thin hit a ball, and spin uptable, and if a ball is freed up, so be it, hope they blast a break shot and miss leaving the table wide open. Isn't much else sensible to do from that situation.

HERE:

START(
%AB8\3%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%I L7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Pr9I8%WL5[4%Xq9J7%YC5X9%ZK7[6
%[M3Q7%\C0X3%]o4C7%^M5Q3
)END

u make a foul too right? or what balls with move what way? i think the 4 or 10 ball will be open in the right cussion or will it move back to the pack?

The plan is to make such a thin hit on the stack then a cushion (so no foul)that nothing is really moved significantly... tough to execute well, unless you practice the 2-rail kick a lot. There is also the upper corner pocket scratch to worry about.

and last one. this one:
START(
%AN7O5%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PI2O6%QA6[6%RA7A7
)END

that one I would try Bruin's approach again, thin hit a ball and go 3 or 4 cushions uptable for a distance safety, or if the speed of that idea scares you, simply thin hit and lag to a cushion.. you probably won't leave much easy for an opening shot, with few balls open, and small chance of them running many balls.

its weird. i thought straight pool would be the game where a snookerplayer would be the best in, but it seems not. so many things a snookerplayer is not used too. even if i played my A (AB) game, i did lose, where on last 9ball ranking i finished 17th with my B (B-) game. what game u think i should focus on being a ex snooker player.

btw; MANY thx for all the answers. im learning more here then in 15 hours in the club playing alone.

about the friend to play with, there isnt really ANYONE. not in my club at least. there probably are some good pool players in brussels, but as there is no belgium forum (often used) its just VERY hard to find a playingpartner.

I play ALL cue games possible, 8-ball, 9-ball, straight pool, one-pocket, snooker, and 3-cushion. The things you learn in one game can be taken to other games with great success, and only makes you stronger overall, being an all-around player. Living in Japan, they only want to play 9-ball... boring. Just to liven it up for practice I play rotation, with the 6 extra balls on the table to make position play more difficult. I play straight pool as practice by myself to get in stroke with simple position/speed control/shots/thinking to run many balls. Learn the different games, some may look simple to begin with but in reality take more skill than first appears. More games=more tools=more fun with a cue.

Regarding your need for a partner, I say ROAD TRIP to Germany and ask Thomas Engert to play some... he's a nice guy, and if your Duetch is dodgy he speaks English as well. Plays great straights, too. Phil Capelle's Play your best Straight Pool is a good book to find as well, try Amazon.com. Then teach your other club members how to play, spot them some points...

 

[Solartje]

thx again. ill probably be buying some books as soon as i got some money. i supose alot of the questions i asked here are posted in one of those books.(im not really rich, and i cant afford much, like a roadtrip). im thinking of contacting one of the top3 belgium players, and see if they would mind spend a day together. check my stroke, spots some faults, teach me some basic escape/ safety shots etc.

just like u , i play all sports. but i almost never mix. i play one for x time, and then change, im getting troubles when changing games much in a week. played 3cussion for 1 year, french billiard for 2 years, snooker for 6 years, and now in the pool business.

its funny. i actually thought straight pool would be the best bet for a ex snooker player, as i consider myself a potting machine. But it seems im alot better in 9 ball. once the opening brake mastered. there arent as many new typical shots to learn compared to straight pool. but i always play straight when practising. mostly at very high speed (maybe not best practice, but it sure is greath fun). where i live u cant make a living out of pool, or not even just a bit to pay for the gear. highest price ive seen was around 1200$ for the #1. a normal national ranking first place would give u 360$.. and im far from being able to even come close on winning a tournament. i just started so im not sure yet, but im hoping to finish top50 this year on my first year of pool. ill have to get some top16 spots, but i think its makable.

edit: if i knew about all these shots and the safety rule being a good option, i might have won my matches. well at least i learned from it, so still good thing.

 

[Kevin]

thx again. ill probably be buying some books as soon as i got some money. i supose alot of the questions i asked here are posted in one of those books.(im not really rich, and i cant afford much, like a roadtrip). im thinking of contacting one of the top3 belgium players, and see if they would mind spend a day together. check my stroke, spots some faults, teach me some basic escape/ safety shots etc.

just like u , i play all sports. but i almost never mix. i play one for x time, and then change, im getting troubles when changing games much in a week. played 3cussion for 1 year, french billiard for 2 years, snooker for 6 years, and now in the pool business.

its funny. i actually thought straight pool would be the best bet for a ex snooker player, as i consider myself a potting machine. But it seems im alot better in 9 ball. once the opening brake mastered. there arent as many new typical shots to learn compared to straight pool. but i always play straight when practising. mostly at very high speed (maybe not best practice, but it sure is greath fun). where i live u cant make a living out of pool, or not even just a bit to pay for the gear. highest price ive seen was around 1200$ for the #1. a normal national ranking first place would give u 360$.. and im far from being able to even come close on winning a tournament. i just started so im not sure yet, but im hoping to finish top50 this year on my first year of pool. ill have to get some top16 spots, but i think its makable.

edit: if i knew about all these shots and the safety rule being a good option, i might have won my matches. well at least i learned from it, so still good thing.

Well, my long reply was lost.. probably a good thing.

Playing better players, like the top 3, asking for advice... will help you. Don't be shy if you want to be a better player you must see for yourself how much better you must be, in other words, play them and get spanked for easy misses... you won't ever want to miss those shots again!

Playing all sports... You must be a better player now than when playing those games first... so play all those games again when the chance is offered. Changing games mid-week may be a bad idea if you have a serous tournament coming up in 2 weeks or so and you want to focus on THAT GAME. That's OK. But only being a one-game player for months at a time suggests Alzheimers disease and lack of flexibility should be avoided. It's nice to learn new, but don't forget old.

9-ball is easy, it is just making the shots each time hard. Safety is easy, only lowest ball and cue ball to hide. Straight pool, 8-ball, and snooker you have the patterns to think about, easiest way through, etc. Then execution, each time.

RE making a living playing pool... never even considered it... unless you want to gamble, in which case you have cheats/threats/potential violence to contend with, in addition to a bad lifestyle. Pool is a nice game, but NOT LIFE ITSELF... do go to college, get a degree, and get a good job, marry a nice girl, raise children, build a future, and you can still play pool!

 

[Solartje]

hehe whise words kevin, but i do got my girl back, i did finish university, i did lose my job cuz of illness, but im looking for a new one. the pro part, wasnt really a dream, never dreamed of it and never will. just wanted to let u all know how pool is in my country. 99% play for fun, and those that are pro... usually are clubowners who have to be a clubowner to win some extra money cuz u wont make a living out of pool only, even if u would win all tournaments.

as i got a ranking event every month, and a open tournament every 2 weeks. and 80% are 9 ball. (just one 8ball open and national champ. / year, and one straight open and national champ/ year (this the one i played last week).

also as i have to qualify each time, this means every month at least:
1 week training for qualifying for a ranking.
1 week for the ranking itself.
2 weeks left, but i like to use the 2 weeks to A/ 1 week training to qualify for a open, B/1 week training for the final 32 or 64 for a open
this means i have to play a tournament practically every week. actually the tournaments ARE my practice, as i learn ALOT more then , then when im at my crappy 7" pool tables club...

i dont feel like playing 3cussion or snooker anymore. i learned what i wanted to learn, i had fun, but im moving forward. I might play it just for fun with some friends and some nice beers, but wont be practising it. and as i have 2 tournaments/ month, not much time left to play other games. anyway, i learned already alot thx to the reply's here about straight pool.

the location where i live just isnt right for pool... unfortunatly. id like to buy a 2d hand 9" table with a simonis cloth so i can AT least practice on a good table. the only things i can practice in my club is potting... and coming from snooker thats not my weekness, so im really not improving much.

pool is really all about fun. but it would be cool if the earnings would be a little more higher so i could get a nice predator P2 or so from the earnings. but this will never be the case... (unless i become a hustler (i did it with snooker to buy for my cue, but stoped as its a dangourous thing.. even in a small pleasant country like belgium)

guess ill just have to save save save and save more money to have 6k to spend on a nice pooltable and a full cue set.

my goals i set myself:
top50 this year, learn paterns, save for full cue set.
top40 next year, adjust my stroke, aim, angels, englisch, deflection etc, save for a table.
top35 2d year, fine tuning, practising on a good table,
top32 3th year. (this way i wont have to do qualifying rounds, and the points u earn are alot better, as u play then in a A team tournament, totally apart from the rest of the players.)
top16 4th year (A players, get ALOT more points (double), wich makes it easyer, once u are top32, to climb higher. the hardest part is to get into the A players)

the goals are realistic i think, and its important to be realistic about your skills i think.

 

[alstl]

I've always found keeping track of balls pocketed was easiest using a atring counter. Pencil and paper takes time and you have to pause and add up the numbers. The counters in the rail of the table are ok I guess but they're hard to read. The beads are just there and easy to read with a marker for every ten. I've got 'em strung across the room, two groups of 50. I've only gotten past 50 once (54).

This gizmo might also work.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ELECTRONIC-HAND...554785383QQcategoryZ25401QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I don't actually play 14.1, I play a similar game described in a thread a while back, equal offense-but with a variation. After my first miss I keep shooting until I finish the rack. I keep track of my inital runs on a marker board which is mounted on the wall next to the table. I use the electronic counter to keep track of my misses. The counter is easy to use, I hang it from a belt loop on my jeans and it beeps every time you use it.

My game has improved significantly since I started doing this, considering I hadn't played pool in 30 years and never owned my own cue intil May of this year. I just dropped out of the first and only league I've been in, 8 ball, because I couldn't handle the cigarette smoke in the place. The last night I played in the league I won all 4 of my matches and I would have struggled to win any of them a couple months ago. This variation of 14.1 really helped my overall game.

My biggest problem without a doubt is breaking up the cluster and having a shot after the balls stop rolling. I have slowly over time become better at getting out once the balls open up.