straight pool

[bruin70]

im new to straight pool but i hear people talking about its a good practice game by yourself. how do you play this by yourself? do you start with a key ball and go from there or how is it done? im interested in learning the game and it seems very enjoyable.

you can start anyway you like, but with a breakshot is the best. then you track your development by keeping a running count of your high score.

this means, when you barely miss, you look around to see if anyone's watching, and you scoop the missed ball into the pocket while saying to yourself "i WOULDA made it if i concentrated".

 

[hobokenapa]

Hi Tim. Following is a post I once made to the CCB. I hope you find it useful:


With all this said, I look for a breakshot as soon as all the balls are open. Once there are no more clusters, you should at least look to see what you are dealing with. If you have to manufacture something, you need to know about it as early as possible.

Here is a WEI diagram with my breakshots listed, in numerical order, of how I look for them. So the 1 ball represents my favorite, and the 13 represents my least favorite. But you should know them all, and if your order is different than mine, that's perfectly fine of course.

START(
%AL5T3%BN0R8%CO8R0%DG5M6%EG6O7%F\0Y4%GR9T7%HZ0Y1%IE1Y0%J[0W6
%Kq0F6%LM1D4%Me6Y6%P\8^6%QQ2X5%RU7S9%Sq6J6%Th8X9
)END

I included some letters for reference:

A is where I want to be on the 7
B is where I want to be on the 10 (and the 1)
C is where I want to be on the 11
D is where I want to be on the 13 (via a BIH by stopping the cue in the rack)

The shots on the 10 (2 rails with inside english) and the 11 are two of my favorites to play, because they look pretty and are actually remarkably easy.

The shots are mostly set up on 1 side of the table, but obviously they work and should be looked for on both sides.

I hope this helps Tim!

- Steve

That's great Steve. I'd like to see how to play the 10 and 11, they look like nice shots to play. I hope you may have time to show me on Friday .. ?

Thanks for your earlier comment. I think it'll take me a while to be able to compete with that illustrious list of yours, but I look forward to the day when I can. I feel on the edge of a breakthrough.

 

[poolmouse]

steve wrote:

> The other thing you can do is a bit trickier, and more of a pain
> in the ass. But here it is: when practicing alone, constantly
> question yourself. Why am I going to shoot this ball next? Why
> am I going to go two rails for position, without even thinking
> about it? Might one rail be better?

good point...sorry for the late post reply. i've played pool for years. i ran a 126 in 1979 when i had nothing else on my mind but the game. never broke 100 since then (hit 70's and 80's tons of times). i've never really brought my brain to the table. sounds silly, ey? well, i was taught to play using my instinct and that's how i've always played. steve's advice is sound.

a few months ago i was practicing and an old friend (who was as close to pro level as can be) sat and watched and eventually asked me if i think my patterns through. my answer was the standard "no, i play by instinct". well, within an hour he began to question my decisions - i had no response for any of the questions because i was on autopilot. because of this i began thinking openly about each shot...ran a 68 before i missed...then i got a lecture about why i should have thought more about the second to last shot...i didn't think about the shot after the shot i was playing position for.

ok, i admit it...some players don't know better and make mistakes because they don't have experience. i have experience but i prefer to shut my brain down at the pool room (i use it enough as an i.t. director at a large advertising agency). that's got to change if i want to run 100 again.

poolmouse