Straight Pool

Hustler08 said:
Hey Dmg, Well I still dont see how it helps my game 1 bit but... I guess since everyone says it improves your game I will stay with it. But 9-ball I SAY is more challenging and funnier. Well Thx Stephen B
Click to expand...

one thing it teaches is more precise position paths. you need to not only get shape on the 15th ball, you need to make sure the 15th ball is one that will allow you to have the cue ball come off it and break the rack giving you another shot.

when you ran your 21, how did it go? Did you make 14 off the first rack, calling each and every one of them, get a break shot, make it, spreading the rack and then 7 called shots in the second rack? Or did you make, for example, 3 on the first rack, break shot, 14 on the next rack, break shot, and then 4 on the next rack? The latter would be more impressive. Were you playing anybody or just "practicing"?
 
Dear Larry Flynt,

I, like you, play mostly 9-ball and do prefer it to any other game, so I certainly am not knocking it...

9-ball is seen as the checkers of pool, not to say one can't be awesome at it, but one can be awesome at spelling 3 letter words too!

Learning to play straight pool properly (read: proficiently) will undoubtedly make you a better 9-ball player on many levels. You will learn precise position play, not just the center of the table position that 9-ball lends...You will learn LOTS about balls wrecking and where they go...and safety play? You better learn that too or you'll be punished! Hell, you should probably be punished anyway!!

But, IMO, the biggest benefit comes from getting comfortable with staying at the table for a long time, unlike 9-ball, where 45 balls made in a row is (among us mortals) basically unheard of.

Oh- I like Sumo tips BTW. Much cheaper than the bigger names, but play/ wear great.

Enjoy pool!

-pigi
 
Hustler08 said:
Hey Dmg, Well I still dont see how it helps my game 1 bit but... I guess since everyone says it improves your game I will stay with it. But 9-ball I SAY is more challenging and funnier. Well Thx Stephen B
Click to expand...

9 Ball more challanging then straight pool? Must be the age. 9 ball no balls have to be called and you can luck as many balls in as you can till you win. straight pool all balls have to be called. If you want chalanging look up the rules to one pocket or ask the locals at your pool hall to try and show you. then you will see that 9 ball the game with probably the least amount actual pool knowledge isnt really worth your time. Yea its on espn all the time that cause its a fasted paced game that is good for tv. if you sit down and watch a one pocket match or a good straight pool match, but more one pocket that game can take more then a hour for 1 game. once you start developing a better understanding for the game then you will see that straight pool is by far superior to 9 ball.
 
Last edited:
Hustler08 said:
Hey guys ,,,,So if you could explain the game and how to play it. Thanks a lot! Oooo P.s. What do you guys think is the best tip? I know the Talisman Pro Medium Tips are very good but whats the best in your guys opinion? Well, thanks Stephen B!
Click to expand...


14.1 is not about sharp shooting,,,it is about the choices you make because, generally, you will be presented with several ways to approach a rack.

i don't know how 14.1 can help your 9ball, though,,,except that it's a good idea to learn all games. 9ball has it's own strategy. i've seen very good 14.1 players play poor 9ball, until they abandoned their 14.1 approach for a 9ball approach.
 
Hey guys, No no DMG I ran a HIGH of 21 balls. I did not make them off and on. Damnit I got to go do some cumminty service I will eb back in 4 hours, Stephen B
 
hustler08, i don't think you understood dmg's question.

when you ran your high of 21, did you:

1. step up to the table.
2. rack the 15 balls.
3. call a ball out of the pack, bust them up and make that ball.
4. run out to 14, leaving a break ball, re-rack the 14 dropped balls.
5. sink the break ball and bust the pack (in one stroke).
6. run 6 more.
7. miss.

all without missing once?

if so, i have to say, you either have a HELL of full-rack break (calling a ball out of a full rack? so tough nobody does it...) or you

1. step up to the table
2. rack the 15 balls.
3. slam the rack, miss the break shot
4. run out to 14/15
5. rack the 14/15 dropped balls
6. slam them open (making the called ball?)
7. run 6 more.
8. miss.

or, if not one of those ways, how did you do it?

usually, playing by yourself, you end up taking dozens and dozens of shots while the pack is still together, playing safe after safe until you screw up and pop a ball loose. when that happens, you shoot it safe or take the shot and pop a few balls loose, run them out, then pop a few more with the last one, etc... if you stepped up to the table and slammed into the pack and THEN started shooting, I wouldn't count that run as legit. unless, of course, you called a ball on the break, which would be very hard to do with any frequency (i'd bet against it every time).
 
Last edited:
Easy Straight Pool

To Hustler 08

Do Yourself A Favor And Research The History Of Straight Pool.

When You Walk Up To The Table And There Are 14 Balls Your Opponent Has Left You And There Is Noooooooooooooooo Shot You Can Make, You Will Have A Better Understanding Of How Tough The Game Really Is.

When You Drill That Break Shot And The Cue Ball Goes Into The Rack Spreading The Balls And When They Come To Rest You Have Noooooooooooooooooo Ball You Can Make And Have To Take A Scratch Because You Do Not Know How To Play A Safety And Your Opponent Does Likewise And After Two Intentional Scratches,then It Comes To Your Shot To Either Make A Good Safety, Pocket A Ball Or Lose 15 Points From Your Score And The Balls Are Re-racked And You Have To Break, You Will Have A Better Understanding Of Why It Was The Tournament Game Of Choice For Years.

The Only Reason It Fell Out Of Existence Is It Is A Terrible Venue For Television. The Only Thing Worse Is A Chess Match.

Not If You Are In To Pool Or Chess But The Viewing Public Is Not Likely To Keep Interested In A Game That Looks Easy.

I Played Willie Mosconi In An Exhibition In 1961 Or 1962. He Ran 42 Balls But On His Break Shot The Cue Ball Got Surrounded And He Tried A Wierd Combination Which He Missed. I Ran The 13 Balls Left And Hung The 2 Ball In The Corner Pocket. He Never Got Tied Up After That. Every Break Shot After That He Went Off The Rack, Doubled The Corner And Came Out About 8 Inches In Front Of The Spot........every Time...

You Will Find That Like Anything Else If You Start Playing Straight Pool You Will Come To Love It As Much As 9 Ball.
Good Luck In Your Game.

Titanic Jerry
 
Ok guys I am back and read all the post over and over. I am sooo sorry! I did not know you have to call a ball on the break and make it. I just called all the other balls and not break. When I ran high of 21 I stepped up made a ball on break and kept shooting and calling each ball. But I DID NOT call a ball on the break. I repeat DID NOT call a ball on break. Hmm that makes it a lot harder. Well, sorry for telling you I ran 21 balls. I did just not the legal way. But I do stand by my last reply and I did run 3 racks of 9-ball (highest run yet ). Well, Sorry All... I will do my research next time. Thanks a lot, Stephen B. P.s. Tomorrow is last you will hear for me for a while, I am going to San Antonio
 
Straight Pool Champions

To all interested parties.....go to Ask Jeeves and type in Ralph Greenleaf......

There is a short Bio with instructions to click on for more info.

Click on Hall of Fame and notice that the majority of the old entrants either played straight pool or Billiards.

Interesting to see some of the incredible accomplishments those champions were able to do.

The tour Mosconi and Greenleaf went on must have been incredible.

Hard to believe when those older guys played they were in the sports pages like the Baseball results.

They drew huge crowds when they traveled from place to place.Of course there was no T.V. and few motion pictures were done...There used to be some short films ( 20 minutes or so ) that Jimmie Caras for one made. They were run in the movie theaters like the cartoons and the newsreels. Known as added attractions.

Titanic Jerry
 
Hustler08 said:
Ok guys I am back and read all the post over and over. I am sooo sorry! I did not know you have to call a ball on the break and make it. I just called all the other balls and not break. When I ran high of 21 I stepped up made a ball on break and kept shooting and calling each ball. But I DID NOT call a ball on the break. I repeat DID NOT call a ball on break. Hmm that makes it a lot harder. Well, sorry for telling you I ran 21 balls. I did just not the legal way. But I do stand by my last reply and I did run 3 racks of 9-ball (highest run yet ). Well, Sorry All... I will do my research next time. Thanks a lot, Stephen B. P.s. Tomorrow is last you will hear for me for a while, I am going to San Antonio[/QUOTE

So i guess after you were able to make the balls you had smashed you just reracked and smashed them again?

Anyway, three straight nineball runouts is nothing to sneeze at. You did make something on the break, right?
Click to expand...
 
titanic said:
To all interested parties.....go to Ask Jeeves and type in Ralph Greenleaf......

There is a short Bio with instructions to click on for more info.

Click on Hall of Fame and notice that the majority of the old entrants either played straight pool or Billiards.

Interesting to see some of the incredible accomplishments those champions were able to do.

The tour Mosconi and Greenleaf went on must have been incredible.

Hard to believe when those older guys played they were in the sports pages like the Baseball results.

They drew huge crowds when they traveled from place to place.Of course there was no T.V. and few motion pictures were done...There used to be some short films ( 20 minutes or so ) that Jimmie Caras for one made. They were run in the movie theaters like the cartoons and the newsreels. Known as added attractions.

Titanic Jerry
Click to expand...

I almost makes me cry when I read about the glory days of pool with Hoppe and Greenleaf and company. The prizes they played for would be almost the equivalent of what pro golfers play for today. It's like a whole species of animal got killed off. I think the pool table manufacturers and big cue makers should figure out a way to join together to generate interest in the game and create some prizes worth playing for. Anyone below the top 3 or 4 can't even make a reasonable living at it. It's really pathetic.
 
Let me stick my two cents worth in here.

You will learn more about playing pool from straight pool (14.1) than you will from playing any other game. It is an art, when played properly.

If you would like to learn a lot about playing straight pool, contact Accu-Stats and order the following tapes:

#17SP-04 -- This is Jim Rempe vs. George "Ginky" San Souci in the U.S. Open 14.1 Championships in 2000. You get to see the match, and Rempe reviews the match, as it is playing, and tells you what he is doing and thinking, every step of the way. This is an excellent tape.

#AS-JR1 -- Jim Rempe's "How to Run a Rack in Straight Pool". This is an instructional video, in which Rempe runs racks and explains how, along the way. He approaches each rack in a little different manner.

#AS-JR2 -- Jim Rempe's "How to Run a Hundred Balls". This is similar to #AS-JR1, only Rempe is running 100 balls straight, not just a rack at a time.

These 3 tapes will not teach you everything you need to know about straight pool, but they will give you an excellent start.
 
Rich R. said:
Let me stick my two cents worth in here.

You will learn more about playing pool from straight pool (14.1) than you will from playing any other game. It is an art, when played properly.

If you would like to learn a lot about playing straight pool, contact Accu-Stats and order the following tapes:

#17SP-04 -- This is Jim Rempe vs. George "Ginky" San Souci in the U.S. Open 14.1 Championships in 2000. You get to see the match, and Rempe reviews the match, as it is playing, and tells you what he is doing and thinking, every step of the way. This is an excellent tape.

#AS-JR1 -- Jim Rempe's "How to Run a Rack in Straight Pool". This is an instructional video, in which Rempe runs racks and explains how, along the way. He approaches each rack in a little different manner.

#AS-JR2 -- Jim Rempe's "How to Run a Hundred Balls". This is similar to #AS-JR1, only Rempe is running 100 balls straight, not just a rack at a time.

These 3 tapes will not teach you everything you need to know about straight pool, but they will give you an excellent start.
Click to expand...

I have the JR1 & 2 tapes. I will order the other one. These _are_ excellent for straight pool. Mike Sigel also had a set of tapes that I had at one time, but loaned out and never got back. It was a two tape set about running 10 racks of 9 & 8 ball and running 100 balls, and some other instuctional subject that escapes me right now. Also very good, but out of print, I think.
 
BazookaJoe said:
Hey fx,
What movie is that? ;) :D
Click to expand...


Stated in the previous sentence. I was questioning the year, i couldn't remember the exact year at the time... but 'The Hustler' IMHO is the greatest pool movie ever made.

If you are looking for a good fictional book to read on the game 'The Hustler' by Walter Tevis is a classic that you should be able to find in a used bookstore. Or rent the 1961 (?) movie starring Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason. The DVD has some pretty sweet extras.
Click to expand...
 
straight pool, rempe, sigel, et al

Frank_Glenn said:
I have the JR1 & 2 tapes. I will order the other one. These _are_ excellent for straight pool. Mike Sigel also had a set of tapes that I had at one time, but loaned out and never got back. It was a two tape set about running 10 racks of 9 & 8 ball and running 100 balls, and some other instuctional subject that escapes me right now. Also very good, but out of print, I think.
Click to expand...

I have the two Rempe tapes and I thought they were excellent. I have heard that the Sigel/Zuglan 150 and out 1992 straight pool match is also excellent.
The Sigel tapes are very good, too. The one tape is where he runs all the balls and the other tape is called perfect pool and again covers all three games. I've only looked at the straight part of it, but I think it is better than Rempe's tapes. I was going over Sigel's break shots and what english to use on them a few weeks ago. Excellent stuff.

along these lines, anybody hear of those Johnny Holiday books on straight pool. I've got one, and a buddy has another one, but there is a third, something like billiard encyclopedia or something like that. I wonder where I could get it?

Is that Willie Mosconi video on straight pool that I saw at Seyberts any good? Dennis
 
titanic said:
To Hustler 08

Do Yourself A Favor And Research The History Of Straight Pool.

When You Walk Up To The Table And There Are 14 Balls Your Opponent Has Left You And There Is Noooooooooooooooo Shot You Can Make, You Will Have A Better Understanding Of How Tough The Game Really Is.

When You Drill That Break Shot And The Cue Ball Goes Into The Rack Spreading The Balls And When They Come To Rest You Have Noooooooooooooooooo Ball You Can Make And Have To Take A Scratch Because You Do Not Know How To Play A Safety And Your Opponent Does Likewise And After Two Intentional Scratches,then It Comes To Your Shot To Either Make A Good Safety, Pocket A Ball Or Lose 15 Points From Your Score And The Balls Are Re-racked And You Have To Break, You Will Have A Better Understanding Of Why It Was The Tournament Game Of Choice For Years.

The Only Reason It Fell Out Of Existence Is It Is A Terrible Venue For Television. The Only Thing Worse Is A Chess Match.

Not If You Are In To Pool Or Chess But The Viewing Public Is Not Likely To Keep Interested In A Game That Looks Easy.

I Played Willie Mosconi In An Exhibition In 1961 Or 1962. He Ran 42 Balls But On His Break Shot The Cue Ball Got Surrounded And He Tried A Wierd Combination Which He Missed. I Ran The 13 Balls Left And Hung The 2 Ball In The Corner Pocket. He Never Got Tied Up After That. Every Break Shot After That He Went Off The Rack, Doubled The Corner And Came Out About 8 Inches In Front Of The Spot........every Time...

You Will Find That Like Anything Else If You Start Playing Straight Pool You Will Come To Love It As Much As 9 Ball.
Good Luck In Your Game.

Titanic Jerry
Click to expand...

i'm going to spend the next fifteen minutes looking for at least ONE word that was not capitalized.

;)
poolmouse
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top