Straight Pool Suggestions

Pidge

Pidge

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Can anyone point me in the direction of any books, articles or videos to help with straight pool? I beat my best run in January by 32 but since then I've not been able beat the new score.

Been trying nearly every day since January but aside from a few close runs I've not come within 2 racks of beating it. Really frustrating.

Thanks.
 
Do you find that your runs end more often from missing makeable shots or leaving yourself screwed with no shot?
 
"Break Shot Patterns" book/DVD combination by Phil Capelle for the last four or five balls before the break shot is good. Those last few shots before the break shot are critical to continuing a long run.
 
Last edited:
The most useful books for me are:

Thumbs up on all these,
-Sean
 
You might find Jim Rempe's" How to Run a Rack in Straight Pool" and "How to Run a Hundred Balls in Straight Pool" DVDs helpful if you haven't already seen them.
 
Watch some accu-stats straight pool videos. At higher levels, you learn more from watching what pros do.
 
Corey Deuel:153 Ball Run HD
http://youtu.be/WECowb8OJMU

I don't have accu-stats but this YouTube video was very informative thanks to the OP anf the replies.
Bambu said:
Watch some accu-stats straight pool videos. At higher levels, you learn more from watching what pros do.
Click to expand...


Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 Windows mobile phone using Board Express
 
Thanks for the replies guys. Some of the posts I've read or seen but some I haven't so thanks. :)

My record stands at 303 and its always the break into the pack that let's me down so any material covering breaking into the pack in particular would be greatly appreciated.
 
The Straight Pool Bible, by Arthur "Babe" Cranfield is great book IMHO. Easy read with a lot of good information. And it is available at Amazon for a crazy 9.99.

HERE IT IS

Cant go wrong for 9.99.

Woody
 
Pidge said:
Thanks for the replies guys. Some of the posts I've read or seen but some I haven't so thanks. :)

My record stands at 303 and its always the break into the pack that let's me down so any material covering breaking into the pack in particular would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

With a high run of 300+ and what sounds like multiple runs in the high 200s, you're playing world-class straight pool already. But kudos on wanting to learn more. Good luck.
 
sjb said:
With a high run of 300+ and what sounds like multiple runs in the high 200s, you're playing world-class straight pool already. But kudos on wanting to learn more. Good luck.
Click to expand...
No such thing as too much knowledge, right?

On my day I can compete with anyone, or atleast I think I can. But so often ill pick the wrong ball to go into the pack and struggle to get past 3 or 4 racks.
 
Pidge said:
Thanks for the replies guys. Some of the posts I've read or seen but some I haven't so thanks. :)

My record stands at 303 and its always the break into the pack that let's me down so any material covering breaking into the pack in particular would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Not saying you didn't do it. You say you did, then you did unless shown otherwise. But, my question to you is- how do you run 300 in 14.1, yet squeak by playing the 9 ball ghost? What is holding you back in 9 ball? Is it the longer shots, or the usually longer position play?
 
Neil said:
Not saying you didn't do it. You say you did, then you did unless shown otherwise. But, my question to you is- how do you run 300 in 14.1, yet squeak by playing the 9 ball ghost? What is holding you back in 9 ball? Is it the longer shots, or the usually longer position play?
Click to expand...
Squeak?

Grown up playing snooker as my primary game, with some English pool thrown in as well. Both have very similar patterns and style to 14.1. That's all I can pick out as to why I enjoy and do well playing 14.1.

Again, on my day I fancy my chances against anyone (supernatural or human) playing rotaion games.
 
IMO if you can already run 300 then it's probably down to either luck or small execution errors.
Ever feel like your stroke needs work? Catch yourself steering or jabbing or lunging?
Does the run often end on a length-of-the-table shot?
Might need to work on your mechanics.

Is it more like you dog an easy one you should have made? Then that's probably just mental stamina.
Your brain can get tired even if your body is fine.

Other than that...

Books can help with patterns and decisionmaking... but I don't know what funky situation
could come up in rack 22, that didn't come up in the first 20.

I know some will disagree but I think your best bet for learning something new that will help you to the
the next level is to learn from someone who's already there. In other words you need to learn from
someone who's run about 400 balls. Guys who have run 250 probably can't get you there.

You should watch every DVD in this set -
https://www.seyberts.com/products/John_Schmidt_Mr._400_Straight_Pool_DVD_Box_Set-103702-230.html

Or else spring for a private lesson from John. Other than him, I believe Ray Martin is still teaching in FLA,
Thorsten Hohmann has run 400+, maybe allen hopkins or mike sigel? Danny Harriman?
 
CreeDo said:
IMO if you can already run 300 then it's probably down to either luck or small execution errors.
Ever feel like your stroke needs work? Catch yourself steering or jabbing or lunging?
Does the run often end on a length-of-the-table shot?
Might need to work on your mechanics.

Is it more like you dog an easy one you should have made? Then that's probably just mental stamina.
Your brain can get tired even if your body is fine.

Other than that...

Books can help with patterns and decisionmaking... but I don't know what funky situation
could come up in rack 22, that didn't come up in the first 20.

I know some will disagree but I think your best bet for learning something new that will help you to the
the next level is to learn from someone who's already there. In other words you need to learn from
someone who's run about 400 balls. Guys who have run 250 probably can't get you there.

You should watch every DVD in this set -
https://www.seyberts.com/products/John_Schmidt_Mr._400_Straight_Pool_DVD_Box_Set-103702-230.html

Or else spring for a private lesson from John. Other than him, I believe Ray Martin is still teaching in FLA,
Thorsten Hohmann has run 400+, maybe allen hopkins or mike sigel? Danny Harriman?
Click to expand...
I think you might be on to something. Luck will play a huge part in my struggle to get better.

Getting stuck in the pack seems to be my problem. That brings me on to another point you made - mental stamina. I make simple mistakes, especially getting down to the last 3 or 4 balls of a rack when I'm on a high-ish run purely because I'm mentally tired. I wouldn't know where to start looking for help and advice on how to stay mentally fresh when you're playing pool for hours at a time. If anyone can give me some advice or point me in the direction of advice that would be awesome.
 
Last edited:
Pidge said:
Squeak?

Grown up playing snooker as my primary game, with some English pool thrown in as well. Both have very similar patterns and style to 14.1. That's all I can pick out as to why I enjoy and do well playing 14.1.

Again, on my day I fancy my chances against anyone (supernatural or human) playing rotaion games.
Click to expand...

The only reason I said "squeak" is because that is the term you used for yourself in another thread.
 
Johnny Holiday

The name of the book ''Position Plays for High Runs. Its the foundation of straight pool play. Not sure if the name Holiday has one or two L's in it. It helped me get table runs in the eighties and then some in my youth. Every one else my age (Tom Spencer Joey Gold) at that time could only run in the 50's, big difference. Then once you get over 100 your at the third level.
As many of us know, getting into the third rack for your first time is difficult, then getting over 50 on a run is the next level. 80 gets you to the next level, and once your gettin' into the 100's often, your there.
 
Thanks for that. I can add this to my list of books to get.

I don't have the imagination or patience to read books, but for some reason I can't read enough books and autobiographies on pool and snooker.
 
Pidge said:
Thanks for that. I can add this to my list of books to get.

I don't have the imagination or patience to read books, but for some reason I can't read enough books and autobiographies on pool and snooker.
Click to expand...

I read in before playing Varner in the Midwest collegiate finals at IU, about a yr before we played. I lost 150-148. He then went on to win the Nationals against Mike Carella of FL....1969
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top