This article is for all pool players, especially those interested in Straight Pool. It is about a variation of the game of 14.1 Continuous Straight Pool created by Arthur "Babe" Cranfield (1997 BCA Hall of Fame). He mentioned this idea to me while I was campaigning for his induction into the hall of fame. When I interviewed Babe to get information about his statistics and accomplishments, he said how much he hated to lose, especially against players much less his equal. He credited much of this to the ability of lesser players being able to "run-out", even when he didn’t think they ran the balls in the right sequence, because the conditions of the game had changed. Babe said the game of 14.1 was invented when the standard tournament tables were 5 x 10, just as they were when he was competing in his early years. He said the balls were larger and the pockets were smaller in relation to the balls (5/16 of an inch less clearance in the corners). Also the cue balls were ivory and often subject to temperature change, humidity, being out of round, being out of balance, and of dubious weight. The object balls weren’t much better. Because of these and other factors, run-outs of 125 or 150 were extremely rare. Babe only had a few runs over 200 on the 5 x 10. But he had over 40 runs of 400+ on a 4.5 x 9. This statistic alone shows how much easier it is to have a 150 ball run on the smaller table with modern balls (i.e. Brunswick Centennials, etc.). Babe felt that maybe the game of 14.1 should have changed with the times and he came up with a brilliant, yet subtle, change to the rules. By merely calling two shots verses one at a time, you virtually eliminate what little luck there is in 14.1. By luck, he meant that when a player didn’t follow their game plan (pattern play) because they got out of position for the ball they had envisioned playing next, they would, of course, often have some other ball to pocket to get out of trouble. Whereas calling two balls in a row would force the player to stick to their game plan by playing better position. Many times when I watched Babe play, he would make a good break shot and tell me within a few seconds the sequence in which he would pocket the remaining 14 balls, and then run them just that way. It was absolutely amazing how he could read the layout of the balls on the table that fast, let alone position the cue ball so precisely to run his pattern. I watch every professional match on TV or in person that I can, and I have yet to ever see anyone play position as well as Babe did. All the top players are great shooters, and Efren Reyes might even be better than Babe was at long position, but then I rarely ever saw Babe have to play long position. The following is how this game, I call the Cranfield Variation, might appear in the BCA rule book and a brief explanation about it:
14.1 Continuous Straight Pool
Cranfield Variation
Rules of play:
All rules of 14.1 Continuous apply with the exception:
1. Two object balls must be called in succession (except on a break shot*). Failure to do so is a one point foul.
2. The pocket must be called only on the ball about to be played.
3. Balls must be pocketed in the order the player announces for the player to continue scoring in that inning.
4. If the ball that was announced by the player to be the next shot was pocketed along with the previous shot, both balls are scored and the player continues play by announcing two new balls.
5. A safety may still be called at any time.
* The break shot exception pertains only to a full (15) or partial (14) rack of balls that have not been touched by the cue ball or break ball.
Tournament recommendations:
1. Game to 100 points.
2. 30 second shot clock with one extension per rack.
3. Round-robin format with total points scored to break ties. Play off game if necessary.
TV play recommendations:
1. All fouls include cue ball in hand anywhere on the table.
The purpose of this game:
To prevent run-outs and to give both players a chance to get to the table and show their skills without drastically changing the nature or length of the game.
Explanation of rules of play:
An example of calling two shots in succession: Let’s say, during typical play, you are about to play the 7 ball in the corner pocket and then plan to line yourself up for the 13 in the side. You would call out to the referee, "7 ball - corner pocket, 13 ball next". If you’re successful at pocketing the 7 ball and get position as you planned on the 13 ball, you must plan for the next shot after the 13. Let’s say it’s the 5 ball in the corner pocket. You would now call out to the referee, "13 ball - side pocket, 5 ball next". If you’re successful at pocketing the 13 ball but get out of line for shooting the 5 ball in the pocket you had planned but are able to shoot it into a different pocket, let’s say the side pocket, you’re still all right. You can now say to the referee, "5 ball - side pocket, (and what ever your next shot is)". Remember, only the ball about to be played must have a called pocket. Let’s say you’re planning to play a straight in combination shot on the 12 ball off the 8 ball and your second shot is going to be the 8 ball but that rolls right in with the 12 ball. You are credited for both balls. Then you simply name a new first and second shot or a safety, and resume play. The only exception to calling two balls in succession is on a break shot*. This allows the players to break open the rack, just as they would normally. It would be too difficult to predict your next shot on a hard break. General 14.1 rules apply to this exception.
Explanation of tournament recommendations:
There’s nothing more boring than watching a slow player. The opponent hates it, and the fans hate it even more. A good player knows what he has to do, and 30 seconds is plenty of time to do it. One extension per rack can help with a particularly difficult decision. Because the number of balls per inning would be low, a game to 100 should be enough for the better player to emerge as the winner. In a double elimination format, sometimes the better players can be eliminated after the first two games. With a round-robin format, everyone plays the same amount of games and the better players will win more often.
Explanation of TV recommendations:
Straight pool can seem slow because of intentional fouls and therefore may make it less exciting on TV for the fans who like to see a lot of action. Cue ball in hand (anywhere on the table), on all fouls, would speed up play and you would see fewer fouls occur. It would also allow clusters to be broken up more easily.
Babes' suggestion for TV play might just make the game fast enough and viable for TV coverage. I realize that the round-robin format would probably not work for TV. Obviously this variation of the game is geared more for the professional, but the average player will find this to be a great game to hone their skills of position, strategy, and pattern play. I was hoping that before I wrote this article, I could get Babe to physically test this variation of the game and see what the average ball run would be, but because of his poor eyesight, he hasn’t been able to play. The U.S. Open record of balls run per inning over the course of 10 games is around 12, and there have been high runs of 150 and out. He told me that he thought a very high run would be around 50 and a players’ average balls per inning would be cut in half. I tested this game with the best straight pool player in the area and indeed it cut his average almost in half and his best run was 31 (he has had countless runs of over 100 in regular 14.1). Babe has already reached the pinnacle of any pool players’ career; that is of becoming a BCA Hall of Famer. What I would love to see is Babes’ variation of 14.1 maybe become the standard for the game or at least be listed in the BCA rule book under "Other pocket billiard games". Many billiard games have evolved over the years from their first inception, including in 1910 when Jerome Keogh came up with the beautiful game of 14.1 as a variation from "continuous pool". Maybe Babes’ variation is the next progression of this game to meld with today’s equipment and players. You see 9-ball constantly changing to be better (alternating breaks, the push-out, ball in hand, etc.); so this is not an unreasonable change or variation to 14.1. I’ve tried this game myself and find it extremely difficult. It’s definitely geared for the professional player. But I do find it helps hone my position play, and if I play against someone who is a better shooter, but not great at position, I have a much better chance of winning. What do you think would be the chances of this game becoming the standard game for the Olympics, when pocket billiards becomes an Olympic sport? I think 9-ball would be a poor choice because too much luck is involved. This variation of 14.1 takes all the luck out of the game, plus anyone in the audience unfamiliar with 14.1 would know what ball the player is shooting next, just as in 9-ball or rotation ("no-brainer" games). I think, because of the physical and mental attributes required to play 14.1 at a professional level, Straight Pool (especially the Cranfield Variation) would indeed be the ideal choice of a pocket billiard game to represent the high standards expected of an Olympic event.
14.1 is by far a greater test of a pool players' ability. For example:
Safety play: In 9-ball, you have to keep your opponent from hitting, or pocketing, one particular ball. In Straight Pool you have to stop your opponent from pocketing any ball.
Position play: Although you often have to play long distance position in 9-ball, you generally have a much larger landing zone for the cue ball (up to a foot or more) and still have an angle for your next shot. In Straight Pool, you strive for the least amount of cue ball movement, often requiring you to have pinpoint position within a fraction of an inch. A delicate touch with the cue is as important as letting your stroke out.
Knowledge: Please don’t take offense to this, but compared to Straight Pool, 9-ball is a "no-brainer" game. 9-ball players generally only think 2 or 3 balls ahead, unless there’s a cluster to deal with. In Straight Pool you have different variations and styles of pattern play, often involving 5 balls or more. You have a break ball to deal with. You have a key ball to position yourself for the break ball to deal with. If you don’t have a break ball or key ball already in position, you often have to manufacture them by bumping balls into position. You have more traffic on the table (15 versus 9 balls). You have more combination shots. You have clusters coming out the wazzoo. The list goes on and on.
I feel Babe has come up with a great way to bring 14.1 back to the prominence it once had as the "championship game". I hope his idea can be given a chance to work. I think Babe wants to give something back to the game that gave so much to him.
I hope all you pool players out there will try this game and give me your comments and/or suggestions. Any questions are welcomed. My e-mail address is nail3@verizon.net. Thanks!!!
14.1 Continuous Straight Pool
Cranfield Variation
Rules of play:
All rules of 14.1 Continuous apply with the exception:
1. Two object balls must be called in succession (except on a break shot*). Failure to do so is a one point foul.
2. The pocket must be called only on the ball about to be played.
3. Balls must be pocketed in the order the player announces for the player to continue scoring in that inning.
4. If the ball that was announced by the player to be the next shot was pocketed along with the previous shot, both balls are scored and the player continues play by announcing two new balls.
5. A safety may still be called at any time.
* The break shot exception pertains only to a full (15) or partial (14) rack of balls that have not been touched by the cue ball or break ball.
Tournament recommendations:
1. Game to 100 points.
2. 30 second shot clock with one extension per rack.
3. Round-robin format with total points scored to break ties. Play off game if necessary.
TV play recommendations:
1. All fouls include cue ball in hand anywhere on the table.
The purpose of this game:
To prevent run-outs and to give both players a chance to get to the table and show their skills without drastically changing the nature or length of the game.
Explanation of rules of play:
An example of calling two shots in succession: Let’s say, during typical play, you are about to play the 7 ball in the corner pocket and then plan to line yourself up for the 13 in the side. You would call out to the referee, "7 ball - corner pocket, 13 ball next". If you’re successful at pocketing the 7 ball and get position as you planned on the 13 ball, you must plan for the next shot after the 13. Let’s say it’s the 5 ball in the corner pocket. You would now call out to the referee, "13 ball - side pocket, 5 ball next". If you’re successful at pocketing the 13 ball but get out of line for shooting the 5 ball in the pocket you had planned but are able to shoot it into a different pocket, let’s say the side pocket, you’re still all right. You can now say to the referee, "5 ball - side pocket, (and what ever your next shot is)". Remember, only the ball about to be played must have a called pocket. Let’s say you’re planning to play a straight in combination shot on the 12 ball off the 8 ball and your second shot is going to be the 8 ball but that rolls right in with the 12 ball. You are credited for both balls. Then you simply name a new first and second shot or a safety, and resume play. The only exception to calling two balls in succession is on a break shot*. This allows the players to break open the rack, just as they would normally. It would be too difficult to predict your next shot on a hard break. General 14.1 rules apply to this exception.
Explanation of tournament recommendations:
There’s nothing more boring than watching a slow player. The opponent hates it, and the fans hate it even more. A good player knows what he has to do, and 30 seconds is plenty of time to do it. One extension per rack can help with a particularly difficult decision. Because the number of balls per inning would be low, a game to 100 should be enough for the better player to emerge as the winner. In a double elimination format, sometimes the better players can be eliminated after the first two games. With a round-robin format, everyone plays the same amount of games and the better players will win more often.
Explanation of TV recommendations:
Straight pool can seem slow because of intentional fouls and therefore may make it less exciting on TV for the fans who like to see a lot of action. Cue ball in hand (anywhere on the table), on all fouls, would speed up play and you would see fewer fouls occur. It would also allow clusters to be broken up more easily.
Babes' suggestion for TV play might just make the game fast enough and viable for TV coverage. I realize that the round-robin format would probably not work for TV. Obviously this variation of the game is geared more for the professional, but the average player will find this to be a great game to hone their skills of position, strategy, and pattern play. I was hoping that before I wrote this article, I could get Babe to physically test this variation of the game and see what the average ball run would be, but because of his poor eyesight, he hasn’t been able to play. The U.S. Open record of balls run per inning over the course of 10 games is around 12, and there have been high runs of 150 and out. He told me that he thought a very high run would be around 50 and a players’ average balls per inning would be cut in half. I tested this game with the best straight pool player in the area and indeed it cut his average almost in half and his best run was 31 (he has had countless runs of over 100 in regular 14.1). Babe has already reached the pinnacle of any pool players’ career; that is of becoming a BCA Hall of Famer. What I would love to see is Babes’ variation of 14.1 maybe become the standard for the game or at least be listed in the BCA rule book under "Other pocket billiard games". Many billiard games have evolved over the years from their first inception, including in 1910 when Jerome Keogh came up with the beautiful game of 14.1 as a variation from "continuous pool". Maybe Babes’ variation is the next progression of this game to meld with today’s equipment and players. You see 9-ball constantly changing to be better (alternating breaks, the push-out, ball in hand, etc.); so this is not an unreasonable change or variation to 14.1. I’ve tried this game myself and find it extremely difficult. It’s definitely geared for the professional player. But I do find it helps hone my position play, and if I play against someone who is a better shooter, but not great at position, I have a much better chance of winning. What do you think would be the chances of this game becoming the standard game for the Olympics, when pocket billiards becomes an Olympic sport? I think 9-ball would be a poor choice because too much luck is involved. This variation of 14.1 takes all the luck out of the game, plus anyone in the audience unfamiliar with 14.1 would know what ball the player is shooting next, just as in 9-ball or rotation ("no-brainer" games). I think, because of the physical and mental attributes required to play 14.1 at a professional level, Straight Pool (especially the Cranfield Variation) would indeed be the ideal choice of a pocket billiard game to represent the high standards expected of an Olympic event.
14.1 is by far a greater test of a pool players' ability. For example:
Safety play: In 9-ball, you have to keep your opponent from hitting, or pocketing, one particular ball. In Straight Pool you have to stop your opponent from pocketing any ball.
Position play: Although you often have to play long distance position in 9-ball, you generally have a much larger landing zone for the cue ball (up to a foot or more) and still have an angle for your next shot. In Straight Pool, you strive for the least amount of cue ball movement, often requiring you to have pinpoint position within a fraction of an inch. A delicate touch with the cue is as important as letting your stroke out.
Knowledge: Please don’t take offense to this, but compared to Straight Pool, 9-ball is a "no-brainer" game. 9-ball players generally only think 2 or 3 balls ahead, unless there’s a cluster to deal with. In Straight Pool you have different variations and styles of pattern play, often involving 5 balls or more. You have a break ball to deal with. You have a key ball to position yourself for the break ball to deal with. If you don’t have a break ball or key ball already in position, you often have to manufacture them by bumping balls into position. You have more traffic on the table (15 versus 9 balls). You have more combination shots. You have clusters coming out the wazzoo. The list goes on and on.
I feel Babe has come up with a great way to bring 14.1 back to the prominence it once had as the "championship game". I hope his idea can be given a chance to work. I think Babe wants to give something back to the game that gave so much to him.
I hope all you pool players out there will try this game and give me your comments and/or suggestions. Any questions are welcomed. My e-mail address is nail3@verizon.net. Thanks!!!
