Straight pool questions

[Cdryden]

Okay, so I have decided to play mainly straight pool for the majority of the summer. I'm not really new to this game but I have played it on a serious level for any length of time yet.

One of the things I was wondering is how hard do you like to go into the stack. I found myself missing a few corner ball shots because I was trying to force a good break out shot. Now I am starting to think that hitting it softer and learning to read the stack an look for combo's may be a better option.

How often to attempt to break the stack from the back? It seems that most tend to attack it from the side, I have had some decent luck (better leave) breaking the stack on the foot rail side when possible.

I have a long way to go in this game as far as strategy is concerned, my high run is only 51, not that it matters much because my average is allot lower. Unfortunately finding someone around here who enjoys playing it is difficult, so I am left playing it against myself. (on a 8 ft table!)

Any recommendations on practicing or strategy?

 

[SpiderWebComm]

Setup steeper break shots. Sounds like you're setting up break shots that are way too shallow. If you have a much thinner cut on the break shot, you don't have to hit the CB hard in order to get a great spread.

If you're not comfortable thinning break shots, practice them til you are.

 

[skierlawyer]

It depends on many things, including the angle you have. Remember job #1 is to make the ball. There is a fantastic book on the subject, "Play your best straight pool" Also, you should visit the 14.1 sub forum as its a wealth of knowledge.

 

[pt109]

Okay, so I have decided to play mainly straight pool for the majority of the summer. I'm not really new to this game but I have played it on a serious level for any length of time yet.

One of the things I was wondering is how hard do you like to go into the stack. I found myself missing a few corner ball shots because I was trying to force a good break out shot. Now I am starting to think that hitting it softer and learning to read the stack an look for combo's may be a better option.

How often to attempt to break the stack from the back? It seems that most tend to attack it from the side, I have had some decent luck (better leave) breaking the stack on the foot rail side when possible.

I have a long way to go in this game as far as strategy is concerned, my high run is only 51, not that it matters much because my average is allot lower. Unfortunately finding someone around here who enjoys playing it is difficult, so I am left playing it against myself. (on a 8 ft table!)

Any recommendations on practicing or strategy?

If you ever get a chance to meet Danny Diliberto, he could give you
a good lesson on this.
Sometimes, when breaking from behind, you use outside english and
sometimes it's inside english...but the bottom line is to have the cue-ball
fighting its way to the center of the table.

 

[Cdryden]

Setup steeper break shots. Sounds like you're setting up break shots that are way too shallow. If you have a much thinner cut on the break shot, you don't have to hit the CB hard in order to get a great spread.

If you're not comfortable thinning break shots, practice them til you are.

Good point, I have had a tendency to get too straight on my last ball. A habit picked up from 8 & 9 ball.

 

[Cdryden]

It depends on many things, including the angle you have. Remember job #1 is to make the ball. There is a fantastic book on the subject, "Play your best straight pool" Also, you should visit the 14.1 sub forum as its a wealth of knowledge.

I am going to read his book this weekend. I realized after I posted this that I should have posted it in the 14.1 forum, sorry about that folks.:embarrassed2:

 

[Cdryden]

If you ever get a chance to meet Danny Diliberto, he could give you
a good lesson on this.
Sometimes, when breaking from behind, you use outside english and
sometimes it's inside english...but the bottom line is to have the cue-ball
fighting its way to the center of the table.

Easier said than done.....at least for me!:thumbup:

But your right, I find it easier to work from the center of the table whenever possible in other games.

Do you guys find yourself playing less defense in straight pool than in other games? I have noticed that my focus is more on running balls and only shifts to defense once I run out of options or get into trouble.

 

[macguy]

Okay, so I have decided to play mainly straight pool for the majority of the summer. I'm not really new to this game but I have played it on a serious level for any length of time yet.

One of the things I was wondering is how hard do you like to go into the stack. I found myself missing a few corner ball shots because I was trying to force a good break out shot. Now I am starting to think that hitting it softer and learning to read the stack an look for combo's may be a better option.

How often to attempt to break the stack from the back? It seems that most tend to attack it from the side, I have had some decent luck (better leave) breaking the stack on the foot rail side when possible.

I have a long way to go in this game as far as strategy is concerned, my high run is only 51, not that it matters much because my average is allot lower. Unfortunately finding someone around here who enjoys playing it is difficult, so I am left playing it against myself. (on a 8 ft table!)

Any recommendations on practicing or strategy?

I open the balls hard, of course I don't want to risk missing the break shot. Players, even top players, will have different philosophies of how to play straight pool. This is usually based on how they play, their levels of play and so on. The key ball that may be best for you may not be the one you will see Ray Martin keeping. You can't look at another players patterns and assume that is the only way to play.

I often keep key balls that are up table rather then too close to the rack that will require perfect position. As you play you will develop a game that is yours. I remember the first time I saw Joe Balsis play. He was playing Irving Crane. These two guys could not have played any different. Crane was bumping balls, staying close to the rack while when Balsis was at the table he shot breaks shots like he was breaking nine ball with balls all over the table. It was interesting.

 

[Cdryden]

I open the balls hard, of course I don't want to risk missing the break shot. Players, even top players, will have different philosophies of how to play straight pool. This is usually based on how they play, their levels of play and so on. The key ball that may be best for you may not be the one you will see Ray Martin keeping. You can't look at another players patterns and assume that is the only way to play.

I often keep key balls that are up table rather then too close to the rack that will require perfect position. As you play you will develop a game that is yours. I remember the first time I saw Joe Balsis play. He was playing Irving Crane. These two guys could not have played any different. Crane was bumping balls, staying close to the rack while when Balsis was at the table he shot breaks shots like he was breaking nine ball with balls all over the table. It was interesting.

This brings up another good question. When I started playing this game I would pick out one ball to be my key ball and I worked to get good position on it. More often than not I have noticed that this forces me into shots that I might not have taken given a choice.
So now I look for 2 to 3 key balls and by the time I get down to them I have found it's a lot easier to deal with which one rather than worrying about perfect position on 1 ball.

Is this the norm for most of you?

 

[macguy]

This brings up another good question. When I started playing this game I would pick out one ball to be my key ball and I worked to get good position on it. More often than not I have noticed that this forces me into shots that I might not have taken given a choice.
So now I look for 2 to 3 key balls and by the time I get down to them I have found it's a lot easier to deal with which one rather than worrying about perfect position on 1 ball.

Is this the norm for most of you?

One of the worst things a new straight pool player can see is a clip of Mosconi with his perfect side pocket key balls. If you are anywhere but perfect you may end up without even having a break shot. I mentioned my keeping balls more up table for key balls. I learned this from a super player I used to play with every day Doc Hazard.

He basically insulted my game by saying, "You never miss anything but you seem to run out of makeable shots". "You need break shots even if not perfect if you are going to run balls".
That is when I started keeping key balls farther away from the rack area up table. You can get on the break ball half dozen different ways and have a nice shot to keep the run going. Running balls all of a sudden became easy. Taking care of clusters, taking off blocking balls, balls on rails that will be trouble and so on of course, but not painting yourself into a corner with a plan that if it don't work perfectly you are done. You always want a back door to escape. No matter how well planed out the plan will keep changing. Not always because of a mistake but you just may see something better and you don't want to be trapped.

 

[pt109]

One of the worst things a new straight pool player can see is a clip of Mosconi with his perfect side pocket key balls. If you are anywhere but perfect you may end up without even having a break shot. I mentioned my keeping balls more up table for key balls. I learned this from a super player I used to play with every day Doc Hazard.

He basically insulted my game by saying, "You never miss anything but you seem to run out of makeable shots". "You need break shots even if not perfect if you are going to run balls".
That is when I started keeping key balls farther away from the rack area up table. You can get on the break ball half dozen different ways and have a nice shot to keep the run going. Running balls all of a sudden became easy. Taking care of clusters, taking off blocking balls, balls on rails that will be trouble and so on of course, but not painting yourself into a corner with a plan that if it don't work perfectly you are done. You always want a back door to escape. No matter how well planed out the plan will keep changing. Not always because of a mistake but you just may see something better and you don't want to be trapped.

Excellent advice, in my opinion.
I just saw a good player the other day with 5 balls left and I felt his
key ball was in balk but he played for it early and got awkward on the
key ball that he chose.
The ball in balk would have given him position from any reasonable shot.

 

[Cdryden]

One of the worst things a new straight pool player can see is a clip of Mosconi with his perfect side pocket key balls. If you are anywhere but perfect you may end up without even having a break shot. I mentioned my keeping balls more up table for key balls. I learned this from a super player I used to play with every day Doc Hazard.

He basically insulted my game by saying, "You never miss anything but you seem to run out of makeable shots". "You need break shots even if not perfect if you are going to run balls".
That is when I started keeping key balls farther away from the rack area up table. You can get on the break ball half dozen different ways and have a nice shot to keep the run going. Running balls all of a sudden became easy. Taking care of clusters, taking off blocking balls, balls on rails that will be trouble and so on of course, but not painting yourself into a corner with a plan that if it don't work perfectly you are done. You always want a back door to escape. No matter how well planed out the plan will keep changing. Not always because of a mistake but you just may see something better and you don't want to be trapped.

I agree, great post. I am learning to be more flexible in my game. I have found that an added benefit of that is that when things don't go according to plan I don't become frustrated, I just make a new plan. A sort of roll with the punches approach to the game.

Thanks for your input.:thumbup:

 

[alstl]

It depends on many things, including the angle you have. Remember job #1 is to make the ball. There is a fantastic book on the subject, "Play your best straight pool" Also, you should visit the 14.1 sub forum as its a wealth of knowledge.

I agree with that. There are a lot of different break shots and how hard you hit it is only one factor.