Some 14.1 Strategies (Wildhair)

[Steve Lipsky]

Mr. Lipsky:

Thanks for a very nice lesson on 14.1 planning. Do you have any other groups of balls that you like to leave for the last 4 or 5 that you use a lot? I think Dick Leonard talked about learning from Joe Canton to leave similar groupings at the end of every rack. He would be like a sculptor, eliminating the balls that were not part of his targeted end rack, nudging balls not only to be break balls but also to be part of this sequence. I know that Sigel on his tape talked a bit about
3 balls sort of lined up near the head of the rack, hitting on straight in and getting the angle on the middle to easily get the angle on the other for a break.

Could you give us some more end of rack sequences to look for? Thanks and good luck in April.

Hi Dennis. Thanks for the good wishes!

Here is a nice end-rack:

START(
%IL1M7%NM2R1%OM7J5%PS3L9%Q[2_1%R]0_1

)END

However, keep in mind that this end-rack's value is completely eliminated if you cannot fairly guarantee you'll get good on the 14, as shown. With 6 or 7 balls left on the table, if you see no good way to get perfect on the 14, you must rethink the end-rack. The 14-9-15 works beautifully... but only if you can get there.

For an example of thinking outside "normal 14.1 parameters" (and EXACTLY what Bruin was so rightly talking about), look at this:

START(
%IW2S2%Md8U6%Nr7F6%ON4G0%PQ9L6%Q\5E1%R]0_1

)END

The 9-13-14-15 is laying perfectly. So what that your key ball is on the opposite end rail? You can't help but get position on this breakshot. And if the situation is that guaranteed, then it's not wrong. Now, you may be giving up a little something in terms of closeness to the breakshot with this pattern (you're really only trying to get to A, via 2 rails), but you'll always get on it. If there is another pattern which might guarantee a closer break shot, then go ahead and choose that one. But again, as Bruin suggested, you have a huge margin of error in this pattern, and that's always a good thing.

In this rack...

START(
%IN0K4%MH1U4%OF8N4%PV0Q3%Q[8_0%R]0_1

)END

...remember the option to save the 15 for the break, rather than the 9. This is a stop-shot out, whereas no matter where you get on the 13 (to play the 13-15-9), you're going to be moving the cueball. Choose the behind-the-rack break; you give up very little in terms of break yield (I would say none, personally) and you can't help but get perfect. Look for behind-the-rack breaks, as they come up all the time and very often there is a super-easy pattern to get to them.

- Steve

 

[ScottR]

Wow!!

This is the best stuff I've read on the forums in many moons! Thanks Steve and the responders. My appetite for 14.1 has been reborn.

 

[Gerry]

GREAT discussion guys!, and a ton of great info. I'm no million ball runner, but I will run 40's almost every game and maybe scare the century mark now and then. Here's the short list I use to keep my game as simple as possible. I've taken bits and pieces from all the guys I've played and learned from, and all the Accu-stats tapes. Especially Jim Rempe's "how to run 100 balls", and the 150 by Mike Sigel.

My short list after MAKING the breakshot of course:

~Open the pocket lanes for other balls to pass.
~Take any balls off the rails, either making them, or bumping them off, IF DONE SAFELY.
~Open any clusters, always with a safety valve, and a real good idea of where everything is going when "bumping".
~Pick out my end rack pattern and execute.

Of course it's not always that easy, and your always adjusting, but I try to keep it simple as those 4 thoughts, and on break shots, The best thing I have learned is try to see exactly where the cueball will hit the first ball in the rack to determine how I need to hit the break shot......have fun...........Gerry

 

[bruin70]

Excellent point, Bruin. This leads to what I was going to post today, about percentages. It's important to not get caught up in what you might think is the right play, because sometimes it's not. Here is a good example:

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,In my opinion, the overwhelmingly better option is to stop your cueball at A. ,,,,,,,,,,,,, stop shot.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,experience (and frustration at how the 9 looks like the right key ball, but yet rarely performs how you think it should), you'll see that the 14 provides much more room for error. Even if you get straight on the 14, you can still achieve a reasonable break shot, which cannot be said if you get straight on the 9.

OK, back to work . More to follow........

- Steve

exactly so. in the first diagram, stopping the cb is the way to go. that way you basically set yourself up for the same shot on the setup ball with room for error.

also, i believe the THIRD ball(not so much the setup ball) is the "important" ball, because the proper setup ball is almost always a given. in all the diagrams, you have illustrated that very fact.

 

[bruin70]

START(
%AQ7E0%CN4R8%KX5U5%LC0^0%Pb3G6

)END

this is THE classic sequence. the side pocket setup ball allows you to keep the cb to minimal movement. you will find variations of this sequence many many many times,,,whether the setup ball is hanging in the pocket or somewhere near the rack, and whether the third ball is there for a stop shot or if you have to roll the cb.

what they all have in common, i think, is that all three balls(breakball, setup, and third ball) create a very nice triangle.

 

[Solartje]

would u prefere to brake the endpack from beneath or above it. i tend to brake my packs better from above. i also dont like to cut a ball back into a pocket (not being able to see the pocket and the OB and CB at same time). my cb also tends to stick into the pack more often when i brake it from beneath.

could u maybe give some advice on what effect to use when braking from above or under? screw and full power into the pack?, folow tru and let the CB run tru the pack and open it, just nodge 2 3 balls? i have the most problems in braking the end pack.

START(
%AF3N8%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PF0V0%QH6K9%RH4P6%SY8N3%UC4D1
%VF4N1%WI2M5%XF6N9%]Z1O7%^F9N8%_I5P3%`F8N8%aE9U2
)END

shoud i take path A and nodge the corner balls? or should i run full power into it on path B, and screw the CB out of the pack? or should i use folow tru and push the CB true the packet path C?


same for when u brake from above.
START(
%AM8K0%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PX3K0%QN7N3%RK2L2%UD0D1%VM5J7
%YM0L6%ZM6K4%_N8O1%`N1K1%aW3K2
)END

screw back and nodge the top balls (A) or full trotle tru the pack (B) or ?

 

[bruin70]

would u prefere to brake the endpack from beneath or above it. i tend to brake my packs better from above. i also dont like to cut a ball back into a pocket (not being able to see the pocket and the OB and CB at same time). my cb also tends to stick into the pack more often when i brake it from beneath.

diagram#1...draw will get you stuck. there's no power behind a draw shot. power through the corner(A) with top-right so the cb goes to the rail and out to the center.there's no reason to "nudge" the corner ball. you won't get anything out of it.

diagram#2...again, don't draw into the meat of the rack. there's no power in a draw and you will get stuck in the pack. whether you power through the rack or draw and slide off to the center depends on the angle of the breakshot/cb. if the angle is slight, don't power follow becausen the cb will slide off the rack and scratch. if the angle is like your setup or more, you can power through with follow and you probably won't scratch. btw, move the cb a inch or two closer to the rail, making a greater angle, and you have ervolino's favorite breakshot.

my favorite breakshot. i prefer the breakshot slightly above the rack START(
%AO2R4%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PY6Q2
)END
smooth follow through with no need to power the cb. you hit the top ball with total control of the cb, and the rack opens like a flower.

below the rack breakshots...
sigel suggests power follow with outside english if the cb is below the breakshot, and follow/inside english when the cb is close to even with the breakshot. with inside, the cb goes three rails around and to the center. this can't be done if the cb is below the breakshot(unless you have a stroke like god) because the cb has to slide off the rack in order to travel the three rails. it also depends on where the breakshot is in relation to the rack because this is a dangerous scratch shot.

i happen to like below the rack shots and don't know why i don't position for it more often...probably because it's generally not accepted as your classic position. however, a below the rack shot always guarantees a short shot...postioning is easy because everything down there is close and the bottom rail is VERY convenient,,,and there are almost always a few balls hanging around for you to play with

 

[Steve Lipsky]

Bruin brings up excellent points, as always.

On a related issue, secondary behind-the-rack breakshots should sometimes be played with low, inside english:

START(
%AJ3R4%BK7R3%EK1Q2%FJ7O7%GL9Q7%HL4P5%JH2R1%PH5V3%US8P8%VJ2[1
%WH5S6%XH4U4%YD0D5%ZG7Q1%[I3R5%\H8R4%]J1Z6%^I6R6
)END

This position needs to be played like that, because right english (outside english) will cause you to hit the side rail and bounce towards the bottom rail. And since you're breaking the balls UPtable, you'll have no reasonable next shot.

The important ingredients to look for when deciding if this is the right shot are:

1) You're not too far from the rail you intend to draw back to.

2) You need to hit the pack on a corner ball, and not too "fat"

- Steve

 

[Rod]

You guys are scaring me with this shot.

START(
%AF3N8%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%I L7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PF0V0%QH6K9%RH4P6%S Y8N3%UC4D1
%VF4N1%WI2M5%XF6N9%]Z1O7%^F9N8%_I5P3%`F8N8%aE9U2
)END

I sure wouldn't feel comfortable with top outside. The angle is to shallow. On a wei its hard to tell but it appears it will hit the 12 and maybe a peice of the 3. If that's the case I'd put some heat on it and come around three rails. Really IMO its not an ideal break shot, but if that's what you have well---

Rod

 

[Kevin]

Hi Kevin
The book you mentioned is The Straight Pool Bible by Babe Cranfield, not by Capelle. And you're right, this is a must have book for 14.1 players.

My bad, sorry, don't have that book though I would love to get it and read it. I meant to say "Play your best Straight Pool" by Capelle (if I have the title right now). Any good book on 14-1 gets my nod, and though Capelle as writer bugs me style-wise a bit, the info is solid, workmanlike, and worth the price. Will check into 2nd hand book shops for a taste of Babe Cranfield to add to my 13,000 volume library (besides pool, I am also in to reading).

 

[bruin70]

You guys are scaring me with this shot.

START(
%AF3N8%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%I L7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PF0V0%QH6K9%RH4P6%S Y8N3%UC4D1
%VF4N1%WI2M5%XF6N9%]Z1O7%^F9N8%_I5P3%`F8N8%aE9U2
)END

I sure wouldn't feel comfortable with top outside. The angle is to shallow. On a wei its hard to tell but it appears it will hit the 12 and maybe a peice of the 3. If that's the case I'd put some heat on it and come around three rails. Really IMO its not an ideal break shot, but if that's what you have well---

Rod

to me,,,if it hits the corner, the cb will go through it easily, so i'll do running high english to get the cb through the corner of the rack and to the middle of the table..

three rails and around is for when you can't do the above. so rather than ending up with the cb below the rack with limited shots, or worse yet- scratching in the bottom corner, you then opt for the 3 rail shot, avoid the scratch and hopefully end up out in the middle of the table.

but i think knowing our stroke determines the path we take.

THE most interesting thing about 14.1, i feel, is that its' all about self discovery. i think you really have to know your own game to make your choices,,,,since there are so many of them.

 

[Gerry]

below the rack breakshots...
sigel suggests power follow with outside english if the cb is below the breakshot, and follow/inside english when the cb is close to even with the breakshot. with inside, the cb goes three rails around and to the center. this can't be done if the cb is below the breakshot(unless you have a stroke like god) because the cb has to slide off the rack in order to travel the three rails. it also depends on where the breakshot is in relation to the rack because this is a dangerous scratch shot.

i happen to like below the rack shots and don't know why i don't position for it more often...probably because it's generally not accepted as your classic position. however, a below the rack shot always guarantees a short shot...postioning is easy because everything down there is close and the bottom rail is VERY convenient,,,and there are almost always a few balls hanging around for you to play with

I watched Allen Hopkins run 140 using almost exclusively behind the rack break balls. After the match he explained it was just how the table wanted to break because the standard breaks were'nt yielding much. That was the first time I ever thought about changing the break ball in 14.1 to how the table
was reacting....Gerry

 

[Solartje]

START(
%AG2O5%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PF6T8%UG3P9%VF8T3%WC8G4%XF7C4
%YJ0Z6%ZC2H2%[W3P9%\J0[4%eA4`2%bG1D5%cI5M6%dG7O6
)END

is it this what u mean with the 3cussion? isnt the chance of one of the 13 or 14 ball to move to place A and kiss the CB preventing u from going to the middle of the table?

could u give the perfect breakball position if u got to brake from beneath the rack?

 

[Steve Lipsky]

START(
%AG2O5%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PF6T8%UG3P9%VF8T3%WC8G4%XF7C4
%YJ0Z6%ZC2H2%[W3P9%\J0[4%eA4`2%bG1D5%cI5M6%dG7O6
)END

is it this what u mean with the 3cussion? isnt the chance of one of the 13 or 14 ball to move to place A and kiss the CB preventing u from going to the middle of the table?

could u give the perfect breakball position if u got to brake from beneath the rack?

Hi Solartje. I added some letters to your diagram, to show you the line of possible kisses (after the 2nd rail). It's usually close, but even if you get the kiss, you're still allowed to have a shot.

START(
%AG2O5%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PF6T8%QG3S0%RH1U2%SH9W5%TI5Y5
%UG3P9%VF8T3%WC8G4%XF7C4%YJ0Z6%ZC2H2%[W3P9%\J0[4%eA4`2%bG1D5
%cI5M6%dG7O6
)END

Ideal break position from behind the rack (for me) is:

START(
%AG5M4%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PF9R3%QZ6[6%WG7N7%XG2Q4%YH9M5
%ZG6M9%[I9D6%\I8L5%]U2O6%^J2C7
)END

This should be played with mostly just right spin, with maybe just a touch of top. But you want your cueball spinning greatly so that when it hits the rail kind of flat, it still spins out towards the center of the table. There is a possible scratch in side pocket A, but it's rare. And there are also usually balls flying in that direction anyway, so you have to get very unlucky to scratch here.

Gerry:

If it weren't for the fact that Allen is older than I am, and about 1 billion times the player, I'd tell you he stole that little trick of breaking from behind from me, lol In fact, at the NJ State tournament a few weeks ago, I played almost a whole match with break shots from behind the rack. Everyone else was getting stuck, but the behind the rack shots were working very well.

 

[Solartje]

thx alot steve. im having my first straight pool competition this weekend, and ill do my best to aply what uve teached me.

thx for helping beginners out.

being a snooker player, im used to screw true the packet and push the corner ball to the corner pocket. like this:

START(
%AG7M3%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PF9R3%QZ6[6%WG7N7%XG2Q4%YF2Y4
%ZJ1R8%[I9D6%\I8L5%]U2O6%^J2C7%bJ5U5%cK1O1%dG8M8
)END

the cb, actually goes IN the rack instead of touching it, and screws (pushes)the corner balls to the corner (green line). but ill try your technique in my qualifying rounds and tell u how it went. but this in snooker, and mostly when i go into the pack, the pack isnt tight (all balls on one line) so its easyer to screw IN the pack. with the pack being closed your idea probably works better as its hard to get the white in the middle of the rack and screw all the balls apart , leaving the white in the middle of the rack, and the other balls around.

 

[Gerry]

Gerry:

If it weren't for the fact that Allen is older than I am, and about 1 billion times the player, I'd tell you he stole that little trick of breaking from behind from me, lol In fact, at the NJ State tournament a few weeks ago, I played almost a whole match with break shots from behind the rack. Everyone else was getting stuck, but the behind the rack shots were working very well.

Hi Steve, Allen told me this about 6 years ago at the Pete Sinkler annual 14.1 tourny at "The cue corner", now D&D family billiards. I was watching his match with Shadow, Danny Barouti, and one of my all time favorites Jack Collavita (sp). We were waiting for Allens match to end so me and Jack could play our match. That was too fun talking with them. I wish I had a tape recorder with me, the info coming out of that conversation was priceless! I felt like a little fish in a big pond that day.....Gerry

 

[bruin70]

START(
%AG2O5%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PF6T8%UG3P9%VF8T3%WC8G4%XF7C4
%YJ0Z6%ZC2H2%[W3P9%\J0[4%eA4`2%bG1D5%cI5M6%dG7O6
)END


is it this what u mean with the 3cussion? isnt the chance of one of the 13 or 14 ball to move to place A and kiss the CB preventing u from going to the middle of the table?

could u give the perfect breakball position if u got to brake from beneath the rack?

there's always a chance of something hitting something, but that has never happened to me. the worst thing that has happened to me on this break is that i didn't have enough stroke on the shot and the cb didn't spinout to the center. i think it's the prettiest break in 14.1

 

[bruin70]

thx alot steve. im having my first straight pool competition this weekend, and ill do my best to aply what uve teached me.

thx for helping beginners out.

being a snooker player, im used to screw true the packet and push the corner ball to the corner pocket. like this:

START(
%AG7M3%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PF9R3%QZ6[6%WG7N7%XG2Q4%YF2Y4
%ZJ1R8%[I9D6%\I8L5%]U2O6%^J2C7%bJ5U5%cK1O1%dG8M8
)END

the cb, actually goes IN the rack instead of touching it, and screws (pushes)the corner balls to the corner (green line). but ill try y,,,,,,,,,,,,.

i've seen this shot played before and it makes me queazy. i think the shooter puts a teeny low left and stuns the pack, but the cb bounces out a bit just below and clear of the stack. i don't like it, but maybe steve knows the shot.

 

[bruin70]

Hi Steve, Allen told me this about 6 years ago at the Pete Sinkler annual 14.1 tourny at "The cue corner", now D&D family billiards. I was watching his match with Shadow, Danny Barouti, and one of my all time favorites Jack Collavita (sp). We were waiting for Allens match to end so me and Jack could play our match. That was too fun talking with them. I wish I had a tape recorder with me, the info coming out of that conversation was priceless! I felt like a little fish in a big pond that day.....Gerry

one thing about the below the rack break is that the stack is not angled towards the pocket like it is from above

 

[bruin70]

if i had the gonads, i would like this sidepocket break.

every time i've seen this break, the results were tremendous. kinda like the ervolino break except to the side pocket, but i think the cb lays better.

START(
%AO8K2%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PO6G0
)END