Straight Pool Brak

smittie1984

smittie1984

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've been getting into alternative games to pool. I'm starting to get the hang of 1pocket but it's just going to take time and practice.

I'm wanting to learn more about straight pool. I'm getting my planning down but I do not know the best opening break.

In 1pocket I learned that you basically want to hit the cueball with (If shooting from the left side of the table) 4oclock english. Glance off the first ball make contact with the ball behind it and get it to bounce back up to where your oponent can't get a shot nor reverse the break on you.

In 14.1 I have no clue. Is it any similar to 1pocket or completely different?

Any advice is appreciated.
 
smittie1984 said:
I've been getting into alternative games to pool. I'm starting to get the hang of 1pocket but it's just going to take time and practice.

I'm wanting to learn more about straight pool. I'm getting my planning down but I do not know the best opening break.

In 1pocket I learned that you basically want to hit the cueball with (If shooting from the left side of the table) 4oclock english. Glance off the first ball make contact with the ball behind it and get it to bounce back up to where your oponent can't get a shot nor reverse the break on you.

In 14.1 I have no clue. Is it any similar to 1pocket or completely different?

Any advice is appreciated.
Click to expand...

When correctly executed this safety break meets all the requirements for a legal break, while leaving the rack pretty much the way it was before the break. Ideally, the cueball should wind up frozen or nearly frozen to the headrail.

START(
%AJ3M0%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EJ4R0%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NM8P1%ON8O3%Pi0K4%UK8L4%Vh0K5%WC9G7%XJ2L3
%Yr3T5%ZH3C5%]G3C9%^C1F9%eB9`9
)END
 
Generally its a soft break.

If breaking to right side of rack, use outside running english, glance off the back right ball(not head) go into short rail, long rail and bring back up table to opposite corner pocket frozen against the short rail.
 
smittie1984 said:
I've been getting into alternative games to pool. I'm starting to get the hang of 1pocket but it's just going to take time and practice.

I'm wanting to learn more about straight pool. I'm getting my planning down but I do not know the best opening break.

In 1pocket I learned that you basically want to hit the cueball with (If shooting from the left side of the table) 4oclock english. Glance off the first ball make contact with the ball behind it and get it to bounce back up to where your oponent can't get a shot nor reverse the break on you.

In 14.1 I have no clue. Is it any similar to 1pocket or completely different?

Any advice is appreciated.
Click to expand...

Put the cueball around the outside diamond on the headstring (either one). Aim for fifth outside ball with right english ( if you are breaking from the right hand side). The idea is to send the ball you are aiming for to the rail and then back in to the pack. While this is happening the opposite object ball will go to the side rail and back to the pack. The cue ball should come back two rails or so near the bottom left corner pocket.

I hope that made sense. Its tough to do, but if you can find any videos of steve mizerak breaking that would help alot.
 
Here are the requirements for a legal break shot in straight pool (sorry, I just hate calling it 14.1 continuos):

Excerpt from BCA 14.1 rules:

6.6 OPENING BREAK
Starting player must either (1) designate a ball and a pocket into which that ball will be pocketed and accomplish the shot, or (2) cause the cue ball to contact a ball and then a cushion, plus cause two object balls to contact a cushion. Failure to meet at least one of the above requirements is a breaking violation. Offender’s score is assessed a 2-point penalty for each breaking violation. In addition, the opponent has the choice of (1) accepting the table in position, or (2) having the balls re-racked and requiring the offending player to repeat the opening break. That choice continues until the opening break is not a breaking violation, or until the opponent accepts the table in position. The three successive fouls rule does not apply to breaking violations. If the starting player scratches on a legal opening break, he is charged with a foul and assessed a one point penalty, which applies toward the “Successive Fouls Penalties.” The incoming player is awarded cue ball in hand behind the head string, with object balls in position.
 
A slight variation

START(
%AJ3M0%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EJ4R0%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NM8P1%ON8O3%Ph0H1%UK8L4%Vg2H2%WC9G7%XJ2L3
%Yo9Z5%ZH3C5%]G3C9%^C1F9%eB9`9%_I9S8%`J2[2%aJ4R9%bH0M6%cC3M1
%dI9M1
)END

I like starting the cue ball a bit more to the rail so that upon contact with the 1 it transfers enough energy to move the 5 ball out and back. I also like the cueball to return to the long rail first before hitting the short rail cause it'll cause the cue ball to die quicker even if you hit it a tad harder than you like. Just a personal preference. The one and 5 ball should follow the path shown above if the last row is racked tight and make a good break.
 
twilight said:
A slight variation

START(
%AJ3M0%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EJ4R0%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NM8P1%ON8O3%Ph0H1%UK8L4%Vg2H2%WC9G7%XJ2L3
%Yo9Z5%ZH3C5%]G3C9%^C1F9%eB9`9%_I9S8%`J2[2%aJ4R9%bH0M6%cC3M1
%dI9M1
)END

I like starting the cue ball a bit more to the rail so that upon contact with the 1 it transfers enough energy to move the 5 ball out and back. I also like the cueball to return to the long rail first before hitting the short rail cause it'll cause the cue ball to die quicker even if you hit it a tad harder than you like. Just a personal preference. The one and 5 ball should follow the path shown above if the last row is racked tight and make a good break.
Click to expand...
I totally agree with twilight here. I line up the CB with the diamonds as well and I'd say 3 out of 10 times I will place the two corner balls exactly back into the rack and almost leave a full rack on the leave. The only thing that I would add is that when aiming at the corner ball on this shot, try to hit about an 1/8th of the ball and you are basically almost trying to cut the ball straight across the table. The hardest part is learning the speed to hit it. A loose rack will never break correctly so always make sure the balls are nice and tight.
 

CueTable Help



Saw this 14.1 in a Bob Byrnes, advanced pool I think it was. He admitted it is not the best straights break, but it would be possibly the closest thing to being able to call consistently. Any thoughts? I know the lines stink best i could do in 2 minutes. (on my 15 minute break) Stupid call centers.
 
now thats a funny diagram, until I figure how to make that happen.
 
yeah i will work on it to get it right. I think it is Robert Byrnes Advanced Pool. He referred to it as a full rack 14.1 break, if you must call a ball this would be your best bet.
 
Thanks for the advice. It does seem like it's something I'll need to see in person to get the hang of. I learn fast visually. I never played a proper game of 1pocket in my life. I watched Cliff Joyner play a match last thursday. I played a guy at my shop today who has played 1 pocket and in a race to 3 I won all 3 matches in a big way. And I have yet to do a safety on purpose in 9ball league

So I'll just need to start finding straight pool players at my local pool halls and just play some games with them.

Another question is I believe I read in the BCA rulebook that it is customary to have the (From the rackers view) 1 ball on your back left. And 5ball on the right.

So after you sink 14 balls and your racking the rack back up. If your breakout ball is say the number 5. Does it matter what you put in it's normal spot?

Oh yeah. In the movie "The Hustler". The break where Fast Eddy breaks and then Fats hits the 6 in the corner. Is that break somewhat of a proper break. I'm sure he did it different so Fats could do the 6ball. But is that along the same lines?
 
smittie1984 said:
Oh yeah. In the movie "The Hustler". The break where Fast Eddy breaks and then Fats hits the 6 in the corner. Is that break somewhat of a proper break. I'm sure he did it different so Fats could do the 6ball. But is that along the same lines?
Click to expand...

Yes that is exactly the break you use. Mizerak breaks so well though that the two object balls will hit their respective rails and then are replaced in the rack. He leaves absolutely nothing.
 
Good to know. I'll have to watch the movie again and study it. What do you know. Holllywood finally got something right. Of course that was form the era of Hollywood I admire. Where they actually cared about their work and not necesarrily how they are going to pack in the theatres.

I played my first game against an opponent worth playing in 14.1. He told me back in the 80s he placed 7th in the World Chapionships of straight pool. And boy did he wax me. He played to 100 I played to 20. The final score was 100+ to 4. If I remember correctly his last run he scored 52 total. 14-14-14-10 game. And the rest of the time the score was pretty much all him.

It was very interesting watching him play. Since that is mainly what I did was watch. Which has me wanting to find some local 14.1 tournaments to watch and learn.

His break I will say was different than I thought. I believe he shot from the headstring. On the right side between the middle diamond and the diamond on the right. I don't know what kind of english he used but he did hook me.
 
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