Take Five (14.1 practice game)

kanzzo

kanzzo

hobby player
For a better straight pool player 85-90% of the runs end with break ball or first ball after the break.

There is a nice practice game, that I was tought by Alex Lely to practice end game and these break balls and first ball after the break:

after the break you pick up all the balls from the table except 5, then continue. The pro rule doesn't allow it to make first ball easier (so if you have to shoot over a ball or just into half a pocket you have to leave interfering balls till after this first shot. Also as your first shot you have to take one, that was also available after the break.)

Here is an example:


After the break 10 blocks part of the middle pocket for the 11 so it has to stay, til you pocket the 11.

So the game should be called something like "leave 5" but because of the catchier name and honoring the song by Dave Brubeck it's called "Take Five"


And here is my new record run (10 racks, 53 balls). :cool:


So try it out, post your scores (or videos), let me know what you think.
 
I've heard of this and this reminded me, I'll give it a shot tonight. Thanks for the post and videos.
 
I was cleaning up the videos on my YouTube channel.

Check out the new edited version of the above video:


Take Five is practice game for Straight Pool (14.1) that I learned from Alex Lely.

The music is an excerpt of my favorite radio show, recorded live from radio back in 1994. The Dave Brubeck Quartet's "Take Five" presented by my favorite radio DJ Matthias Holtmann. The title of the song was the inspiration for the title of this practice game.

You start with a Straight Pool break. After the break you pick off all balls ecept 5, then continue. (To make it more realistic/more interesting you can leave interfering balls till after the first shot. Also your first shot has to be one that was also available after the break with all the balls still on the table.) In this game you practice the break shot, the first shot after the break and the end pattern (recognizing and executing).

Over 90% of the runs of a better player end on the break shot, first shot after the break or because of messing up getting on the break shot. And these areas are exactly the focus of this game.

This is my personal best (PB) so far with 10 racks, recorded on August 14th, 2022.
 
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I always remember during my 14.1 heydays. Once there was 5 left on the table your run out pattern to get to the break shot ball must be in place.
 
I think Take Five is a great practice and a great song. I force the other players to listen to the song at the pool hall on the juke box.

However.... Maybe the practice should be called "Leave Five." :)
 
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Bob Jewett said:
Maybe the practice should be called "Leave Five." :)
Click to expand...
Leave Five is more precise.

It's only called Take Five because of the song. Alex Lely is the one, who came up with the name. I just found the video cleaning up and am curious, if I can beat my 2 years old record. 😅
 
kanzzo said:
Leave Five is more precise.

It's only called Take Five because of the song. Alex Lely is the one, who came up with the name. I just found the video cleaning up and am curious, if I can beat my 2 years old record. 😅
Click to expand...
I think 11 is tough. I have not practiced Take Five as much as I should, but I did get through five racks recently. I think it is extra useful if you have not been playing much 14.1 and need to get back to feeling the end patterns.
 
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