Straight Pool 100 - I failed!

[sjm]

Your thoughts on watching Ray reminds me of playing Joe Balsis in an exibition. I showed up on time but a little later than I liked. I asked for a few minutes to warm up and Joe said go ahead take all the time you want. I set up a break shot and quit my run at 50. Early in the match he left himself bad so he kicked at a ball near the corner. I seriously doubt he would have done that playing another champion. LOL I stepped up and run 60 something, 66 I think, got a terrible kiss and scratched. He proceded to run 119 and out! Joe of course is one of my all time favorites.Rod

Rod, I was a big fan of Balsis, too. I saw his cinderella run all the way to the finals in the 1980 World 14.1 championships up close at the Roosevelt Hotel in NYC. Surely, Joe was in his early sixties. Of course, he drew Mike Sigel in the finals, and Mike was on his way to his first world 14.1 championships. A truly memorable event!

 

[TheOne]

Don't get down on yourself Craig those are some pretty damn good runs, how are things in Manila? Getting any action in?

Hi sniper, to be honest its proving to be a real pain, I've played some decent locals for very small stakes, small time hustlers everywhere. However its been a real slog trying to find the pro's but I think there might be game on tonight - I will keep you posted. I'm not ready to play a top pro yet so it prob wont be for large stakes but we'll see what happens. I will post a report probably next week as some of my experiences might help others who come here.

 

[TheOne]

Good point Rodd, as I find sometimes with trying to reach a high target you want to race through the early racks because for want of a better word they seem to be insignificant and the pressure and excitement only really starts to build when you get past 50. Of course this is fatal and causes silly mistakes and can lead to a very frustrating day lol I also find that after I large run it takes some will to rack them up and start again. However after many years out of the game I'm looking forward to longer sessions in the coming months, I'm sure that might lead to better results. Oh and learning how to bank wouldn't hurt lol

 

[TheOne]

I have broke 100 probably 7 or 8 times, but haven't played straight pool in a long time (one of my favorite games though), but I am most proud of my 77 ball run back in 69 in San Diego in an exhibition match against Willie Mosconi, who was my idol at the time.

Just curious as I like to be a student of the game to and 9 ball is still quite knew to me past the last few years atleast. Are there any tapes of Mosconi out there, or any other good reccomendations~

 

[TheOne]

OK having some problems uploading the file as its quite large, it keeps timing out half way through but this is prob about half of my 95 run if anyone is interested...

http://www.thelifeofriley.org/gallery/videoplayer.html

I will try and upload it again tomorrow!

A bit of a messy run with regards break balls and but I'll put it out their for critique lol

 

[hobokenapa]

OK having some problems uploading the file as its quite large, it keeps timing out half way through but this is prob about half of my 95 run if anyone is interested...

I'm looking forward to watching all of this later on today, and will definitely post my comments. Did you find having the camera HELPED concentration? Although my target is 50, not 100, concentration in those first two racks is a problem for me for the same reasons you mentioned. The tape must be great for critiquing your game afterwards. Does anyone tape their practice sections and dissect them afterwards?

 

[Salamander]

My critique:

The good:
-Nice pace. When the game is played well, it should be like dancing. I liked you're pace around the table. There were a few times that I thought you should have been a little more deliberate, but I think you probably used pace to help you get through spots that you were unsure of.
-Good overall fundamentals and stroke. Excellent shotmaking.

Room for improvement:
- I see alot of 9-ball in you're straightpool game. Granted, you are trying for a high run, but it seemed you played reckless at times. Moved the cueball more than you needed.
- Pick the rack apart more. Move around the pack. You ran into alot of balls and, I feel, were lucky to get a shot sometimes.
-You definately need to pause a little more when you get down to the last 4 or five balls. Really plan for the key ball and the break ball. Again, it seemed that you were fortunate on some of you're key ball and break shots to be able to continue you're run.


Overall you played pretty sporty! I'm with Rodd when it comes to practicing straightpool. I usually play to get at least a 50 ball run somewhere in my practice session. I've had several runs over 100, but am more concerned with how I play the racks. I prefere that Dallas West/Varner type of straight pool game where the racks are more surgically operated on. Of course, I have a videotape of Oliver Ortmann (sp?) who won a major straightpool tournament who played more of a wide open game like yourself.

Regards,

Doug






QUOTE=TheOne]OK having some problems uploading the file as its quite large, it keeps timing out half way through but this is prob about half of my 95 run if anyone is interested...

http://www.thelifeofriley.org/gallery/videoplayer.html

I will try and upload it again tomorrow!

A bit of a messy run with regards break balls and but I'll put it out their for critique lol [/QUOTE]

 

[sjm]

TheOne, if I might offer a piece of advice...When you break the pack, either at the beginning of or during the rack, be extremely attentive to exactly which part of the cluster you which wish to hit. Over the years, I've seen many an accomplished player that fell short in this aspect of the game, focusing more on the power with which they'd break clusters.

WPBA pro Line Kjorsvik, a former winner at the Europeanean Straight Pool Championships, made a straight pool game with me in NYC in October 2002. She seemed to pocket respectably, and yet I beat her 150-36 and 150-45, and I had a run in the fifties in each game. When the game was over, I explained to her that many of her innings ended on shots in which she broke clusters with insufficient attention to detail, leading to bad leaves. Just like in a fairy tale, the very next night she ran 116, her first century, although not against me. She called me, and did her best to give me all the credit for sensitizing her to this point, but, obviously, all the glory belongs to her.

 

[TheOne]

Thansk guys, I hope it didn't cut too short as I only managed to uplaod about half of it. I agree this particular run was pretty messy and I'm usually much better with the last 2 or 3 balls. I also generally have a good feel for breaking packs apart from my snooker days, however I take your point. In this run there where a couple of occassions where I had hoped to save a particular break ball but I fell short on position and had to sacrifice it and come up with an alternative.

It is funny to see yourself on video though, useful to see your stroke and head movement etc..

 

[hobokenapa]

Unbeleivably I broke down on 95

Enjoyed watching the video! Beautiful smooth stroke which helps to pound that break ball in and smash the pack. Us mortals have to concentrate more on making the shot and just opening up four or five balls. Would like to see the full run, and that 96th ball miss

 

[TheOne]

I will try again soon, I reduced the file size but it is still 56mb which causes a few problems when I restricted to a wireless internet cafe connection!

I haven't mentioned it yet but shortly before I missed a lady walked up the stairs and opened a closet door right in front of my shot, I waited for sometime for her to move and then of course I underhit my next shot which resulted in me rattling an 8 in the corner to split the pack - grrr lol.

 

[hobokenapa]

Craig, any updates on that 100 ... ?

 

[TheOne]

Craig, any updates on that 100 ... ?

Hi hob.. just spotted this, sorry must have missed it before. I'm afraid I haven't played much in the last few weeks, I've had some personal issues to resolve. However I did play for an hour or so the other night, nothing special 42, missed, 48, missed 38 missed, I guess only a two misses from a ton lol but decided to played some 9 ball lol I did try and play a lot more deliberate though and I think that helped me pick the pack apart better.

I also managed to upload the entire video clip of my 95 run in Manila, this is really a messy run as the first few racks where just to get my arm going and it ended up turning into a sizeable run. For those that wanted to see it here's the link...

http://www.thelifeofriley.org/gallery/videoplayer.html

 

[Blackjack]

Hi hob.. just spotted this, sorry must have missed it before. I'm afraid I haven't played much in the last few weeks, I've had some personal issues to resolve. However I did play for an hour or so the other night, nothing special 42, missed, 48, missed 38 missed, I guess only a two misses from a ton lol but decided to played some 9 ball lol I did try and play a lot more deliberate though and I think that helped me pick the pack apart better.

I also managed to upload the entire video clip of my 95 run in Manila, this is really a messy run as the first few racks where just to get my arm going and it ended up turning into a sizeable run. For those that wanted to see it here's the link...

http://www.thelifeofriley.org/gallery/videoplayer.html

Great video. You shoot very well. I would like to get with you privately and let you know why it ended. Contact me at blkjackds12@yahoo.com ... I can guarantee you that with some adjustments you'll be in triple digits in no time.

 

[TheOne]

Great video. You shoot very well. I would like to get with you privately and let you know why it ended. Contact me at blkjackds12@yahoo.com ... I can guarantee you that with some adjustments you'll be in triple digits in no time.

Thanks blackjack, I will send you an email. One thing you may have noticed is that the girl opening the door sure put me off and its something that I have to work on. From looking at some of your stuff you could probably help my "head" a lot (amongst other things).

Cheers

 

[Williebetmore]

The One,
Excellent run. I enjoyed watching. If you wouldn't mind the constructive criticism, all of us straight pool geeks would enjoy hearing Blackjack's critique - perhaps you wouldn't mind if he did it on this thread instead of privately (I know if I shot that well I wouldn't mind a little public critique).

 

[TheOne]

Of course not Willie, if its ok with blackjack (he might just be trying to sell me some of his wisdom though but I'm sure that's not the case - although it would be worth it if he got me too 300!)

I had some comments about to improve already on this thread I think. Unfortunately I only videod this one session and the run wasn't pretty - but I know some people like to see video from time to time (I do also), adds something else to the forum hopefully?

 

[Blackjack]

Of course not Willie, if its ok with blackjack (he might just be trying to sell me some of his wisdom though but I'm sure that's not the case - although it would be worth it if he got me too 300!)

I had some comments about to improve already on this thread I think. Unfortunately I only videod this one session and the run wasn't pretty - but I know some people like to see video from time to time (I do also), adds something else to the forum hopefully?

If Craig wants to share the critique, I'll let him post it. He shoots very well despite the fact that he hasn't played 14.1 for very long. Most of my critique dealt with spreading the pack, choosing a break ball, table management, and the fact that he makes the cue ball move a lot more than he has to. I believe that if he works on those areas of his game he'll 100+ in a week or two.

 

[TheOne]

If Craig wants to share the critique, I'll let him post it. He shoots very well despite the fact that he hasn't played 14.1 for very long. Most of my critique dealt with spreading the pack, choosing a break ball, table management, and the fact that he makes the cue ball move a lot more than he has to. I believe that if he works on those areas of his game he'll 100+ in a week or two.

As blackjack said, he rasied some very good points, mainly:

a) I'm not breaking the pack efficiently enough, often needed more than one attempt to open the clusters. (I need to pick the right ball to hit, which was something SJM pointed out a while ago)

b) Moving the white ball too much (I noticed that when I watched the video again recently, I was moving the cb moves way too much)

Without ever seeing any video of how straightpool should be played I was wondering if anyone has any diagrams of a couple of "text book" break shots. Also, where you want the white to go after hitting the pack and where you strike the cb?

I think I started hitting the middle of the side of the racks because that way I was able to control the white more aften leaving it in the centre of the table. Hitting the pack two low or two often resulted in either scrathing in the top corner or losing the cb down table respectively.

Also blackjack you mention that you potted most of your balls in the top corenr pockets and few in the far corners. In my last session I was thinking about some of the things you raised (before you raised them lol?!)and I tried not to move any balls after the break and also not to move the cb much. One of the things I "assumed I was doing right was playing more balls down the rails into the end rails (this enabled me to move the cb around even less)
which way would you (anyone?) reccomend, or what would the "text book" way be?

You've got my appetite back again now, might have a session tomorrow

 

[Blackjack]

As blackjack said, he rasied some very good points, mainly:

a) I'm not breaking the pack efficiently enough, often needed more than one attempt to open the clusters. (I need to pick the right ball to hit, which was something SJM pointed out a while ago)

b) Moving the white ball too much (I noticed that when I watched the video again recently, I was moving the cb moves way too much)

Without ever seeing any video of how straightpool should be played I was wondering if anyone has any diagrams of a couple of "text book" break shots. Also, where you want the white to go after hitting the pack and where you strike the cb?

I think I started hitting the middle of the side of the racks because that way I was able to control the white more aften leaving it in the centre of the table. Hitting the pack two low or two often resulted in either scrathing in the top corner or losing the cb down table respectively.

Also blackjack you mention that you potted most of your balls in the top corenr pockets and few in the far corners. In my last session I was thinking about some of the things you raised (before you raised them lol?!)and I tried not to move any balls after the break and also not to move the cb much. One of the things I "assumed I was doing right was playing more balls down the rails into the end rails (this enabled me to move the cb around even less)
which way would you (anyone?) reccomend, or what would the "text book" way be?

You've got my appetite back again now, might have a session tomorrow

A rule I always follow is that the balls just need to open, not all over the place. The reason I like to use a primary break shot (break ball to open the pack) and possibly a secondary break shot is because of two very important reasons:

1) I want to be able to identify a primary and secondary break ball early

2) I need to plan my sequence to set up for my NEXT break shot

Many players make the mistake of planning their break shot late in the run, which by watching that video I saw you do every single time. If you are constantly trying to spread the balls open, you tend to eliminate your break shot options. You don't need to contact the clusters as hard either. Just enough to separate them away from each other and get them "open".

When I shoot straight pool I usually don't use any rails unless I have to. I shoot mostly stop shots, perhaps a little follow and draw every now and then, but nothing more than 1-2 rails and that is only if I have to. As I said to you privately, I usually use the two corner pockets above the rack exclusively. VERY RARELY am I shooting in the other direction - unless I really have to.

As far as videos go, I would get anything that has Mike Zuglan, Tom Karabatsos, Buddy Hall, Mike Sigel, Nick Varner, or Jimmy Rempe. Those are some of the best players I have ever seen play 14.1. Also, (an I might get hung out to dry for this, but I'll do it anyway) FL has a video on his site where he runs the rack without touching a rail. I highly recommend this video as an example to see how he manipulates the cue ball and exercises awesome table management. Put his personality in the forums aside and watch that video, it's very good. Here is the link to the main page, its down at the bottom:
http://www.fastlarrypool.com/trickshots.htm

I have posted some 14.1 break shots in this forum, if you do a search, I'm sure you will find them. I have many more diagrams, get with me. BTW - FREE.