Straight pool questions

S

SplicedPoints

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've always liked straight pool, but I don't get to play the game much. Sometimes I try to practice straight pool by myself, but I always seem to run into the same problem. I thought I could get some good advice here.

Problem 1) When I try to go for a break shot, I often get the cue ball stuck in the pack. For example, in a pack like this:

START(
%AM7T7%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PW5W3
)END

Should I go into the 2 ball? or hit lower on the cb and skip off the 5 ball soft?

Problem 2) How should I go into a loose pack of balls, like this: START(
%AC2[7%BM3T8%CD0M1%DO0E7%EM8O8%FL4P5%GK7O5%HO0N9%IM5N4%JK7M4
%KJ2P5%LJ9N6%ML0Q5%NJ5R0%OC1B8%PX8V7
)END

Should I try to pocket the break shot with high right english? I often try to do this, but I find my cb getting stuck inside the pack.

Also, any general tips on avoiding getting the cb stuck to the pack would be greatly appreciated. thanks
 
SplicedPoints said:
START(
%AM7T7%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PW5W3
)END

Should I go into the 2 ball? or hit lower on the cb and skip off the 5 ball soft?

Problem 2) How should I go into a loose pack of balls, like this: START(
%AC2[7%BM3T8%CD0M1%DO0E7%EM8O8%FL4P5%GK7O5%HO0N9%IM5N4%JK7M4
%KJ2P5%LJ9N6%ML0Q5%NJ5R0%OC1B8%PX8V7
)END

Should I try to pocket the break shot with high right english? I often try to do this, but I find my cb getting stuck inside the pack.
Click to expand...

you can either hit the 2 or 5. it's up to you.

hitting one of the two front balls is always good because you normally get a good spread. in this case(5), however, as you said,,,,you would have to control the cb in the center of the table. as for the 2, i would blast it and drive the cb through the rack. this was one of ervolino's favorite breaks. if you're burying the cb, then you are not hitting hard enough, and not using enough force follow.

i've used a power draw on this angle with good success and no scratches, but that doesn't mean the cb WON'T scratch. it usually speeds to the back rail and bounces back to the center of the table.

there's no point in using right english when you're smacking the rack head on. the cb is not going to slide out, and maybe that's your problem.
 
Thanks a lot for the reply! A good player told me once to use side spin when going into a rack so you can avoid getting stuck on a ball. Since I shouldn't use side spin when I go into the rack hard, should I be using side spin when I'm only trying to break out a few ball or when I'm going into a pack of 3 to 5 balls softly?

thanks again
 
buy a copy of jim rempe's how to run a rack in straight pool..........or find you a good straight pool player and take some lessons.

much much easier than trying to tell someone what to do on these forums, as there are so many options depending on the break shot.

VAP
 
an opinion

SplicedPoints said:
I've always liked straight pool, but I don't get to play the game much. Sometimes I try to practice straight pool by myself, but I always seem to run into the same problem. I thought I could get some good advice here.

Problem 1) When I try to go for a break shot, I often get the cue ball stuck in the pack. For example, in a pack like this:

START(
%AM7T7%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%PW5W3
)END

Should I go into the 2 ball? or hit lower on the cb and skip off the 5 ball soft?

Problem 2) How should I go into a loose pack of balls, like this: START(
%AC2[7%BM3T8%CD0M1%DO0E7%EM8O8%FL4P5%GK7O5%HO0N9%IM5N4%JK7M4
%KJ2P5%LJ9N6%ML0Q5%NJ5R0%OC1B8%PX8V7
)END

Should I try to pocket the break shot with high right english? I often try to do this, but I find my cb getting stuck inside the pack.

Also, any general tips on avoiding getting the cb stuck to the pack would be greatly appreciated. thanks
Click to expand...
a great and wise man my the name of Irving Crane once told me that it is always a good thing to first study the pack and rather than try to blast balls out pick one or two that will allow you to carve the rack in a fashion asa to allow you complete control and also keeping you in control of the rackuntil such time as you have a perfect angle to allow you to open the rack and not lose the cue ball something that is essential in playing a better and more enjoyable game of straight pool. I hope what I have suggested is sufficent and helps you . Keep practicing and sonner tha you know it your game will improve to a much better level
Glenn Graham
ggcues.com
 
Sounds like you're shooting your break out shots too softly. Yes, everyone knows that softer and easier stroke is the way to go with shooting really good straight pool, but...the reality is that most of us are not as good as Mike Sigel, so forget about his 150 ball runs which looks very easy.

He (Mike) has no problem separating many little and big clusters per rack with very little usage for power strokes. Always correct angles, rarely leaves himself long shots. Time and time again, very consistantly. That's because his knowledge of speed and direction of cue ball is supreme and way way surpasses ours. Many times he is able to delay separating a cluster by first pocketing some loose balls. For us intermediates that is very difficult to do...we have to take our chances early, because who knows when that chance will reappear. I you screw up, so what...it's not like you're playing 100 ball runner.

Yesterday I ran 43 on a reasonably tough table which I'm very pleased with. 52 is my absolute record. My average per inning was only 7 however. The run was very good except that I took big risk on one or two shots. I think that players at our level should take a litle risk. I you don't, you'll never pass 2 racks.
 
SplicedPoints said:
Thanks a lot for the reply! A good player told me once to use side spin when going into a rack so you can avoid getting stuck on a ball. Since I shouldn't use side spin when I go into the rack hard, should I be using side spin when I'm only trying to break out a few ball or when I'm going into a pack of 3 to 5 balls softly?

thanks again
Click to expand...

you have to be aware of the ANGLE at which the cb is going into the rack. on your setup(the first one), the cb is hitting the rack head on (90 degrees), so using english will do nothing. you want to plow through the rack on that shot and not waste your time with english.

sliding off the rack is always a good idea for the very reason your friend mentioned.

sliding off the cluster with right english on the second diagram doesn't look like a good idea to me. since there is no insurance ball, you have to figure a way to get you the highest % of another shot. i can't tell for certain what would happen if you slide to the right off the cluster, but my guess is that you would be spreading too many balls to the upper corner pocket and maybe no clear shot. you may or may not get a shot at the 15,10,9,5, or 8(it might drift to the side pocket). the 14 will drop to the rail.

i would hit this shot centerball with follow. i think the cb might drift down to the rail with a shot on the 14 at least(and maybe the 15).....or you can blast the crap out of the shot and hope for the best.

it's not always a good idea to go into a partially spread rack because balls might not move, but this cluster looks like you might get a good spread,,,,so i'm probably overthinking.
 
nnelg said:
a great and wise man my the name of Irving Crane once told me that it is always a good thing to first study the pack and rather than try to blast balls out pick one or two that will allow you to carve the rack in a fashion asa to allow you complete control and also keeping you in control of the rackuntil such time as you have a perfect angle to allow you to open the rack and not lose the cue ball something that is essential in playing a better and more enjoyable game of straight pool. I hope what I have suggested is sufficent and helps you . Keep practicing and sonner tha you know it your game will improve to a much better level
Glenn Graham
ggcues.com
Click to expand...

Glenn, Irving was also a close friend of mine. Like many of the other old time legends, most of his straight pool was played on slower felt than what is used today. To knock off more than a few balls at that time required, in the eyes of some, wreckless cue ball speed, and this, at least in part, explains the methods and philosophies of many of the old masters. The last time I saw Irving was in 1986, and he was already changing his views. The faster cloth, he agreed, enabled players to loosen more balls out of the pack on their break shots without losing control of the cue ball, and a slightly different perspective was called for in running the rack. Jim Rempe has made the same observation.
 
This is only a suggestion or two, but ones that are worth a try.
1. Try to have less angle on your break shots. You can spread the balls enough with less angle and may increase your accuracy.
2. Use low english on these shots instead of high. Low english tends to bring your cueball away from the cluster after it is spread out. High english tends to keep the cue ball in the cluster and tie it up.

Tennessee Joe
I never had a pretty girl forget my name.
 
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