Update (for straight pool fanatics only)

[Williebetmore]

Well I guess I've officially become a citizen of the straight pool geek nation. I just finished a 3 hour straight pool marathon for the league lead, lost 100-91, but I just feel great. The match was against the best player in the league (he lurks here, so yes Bob P. you're the best - by far the best player I've ever come close to beating in the 2 1/2 years I've been playing seriously), and we had an epic struggle. Neither of us were playing slow, just VERY careful, lots of fabulous safeties, and great shotmaking.

I had been sick for a couple of days, so was feeling pessimistic about my chances - but played better than I ever have in a league match. I stayed 6-10 balls ahead until 80-80. At that point my evil opponent finally made a mistake (the first serious mistake of the game), leaving me a medium tough cut and a chance to spread the rack and take off. I missed the cut, spread the balls, match was just about over. I got as close as 96-91, but just couldn't get a decent shot. Still, neither of us missed any easy shots. I missed several medium to very tough shots, and my opponent missed only a few tough shots (at least that's all I remember). He is a very good sport, and it was a THOROUGHLY enjoyable game - just very tense for 3 hours - you knew that any major mistake would probably result in loss of game.

It was so very different than my small amount of 9-ball gambling experience (all the unpleasant woofing, childish behavior, bickering about spots - and that's just me, my 9-ball opponents are worse), I guess I am a straight pool geek.

 

[sjm]

Well I guess I've officially become a citizen of the straight pool geek nation. I just finished a 3 hour straight pool marathon for the league lead, lost 100-91, but I just feel great. The match was against the best player in the league (he lurks here, so yes Bob P. you're the best - by far the best player I've ever come close to beating in the 2 1/2 years I've been playing seriously), and we had an epic struggle. Neither of us were playing slow, just VERY careful, lots of fabulous safeties, and great shotmaking. I guess I am a straight pool geek.

Sounds like you're hitting them pretty sporty, Willie. No shame in being a straight pool geek. Fantastic game. Every rack is a puzzle that you have to solve. The game of straight pool builds patience and discipline in a way that can help you in other parts of life.

Willie, I've been working very long hours and don't get to play much right now, so I hope you're playing enough straight pool for the both of us.

 

[jhendri2]

WB,

How many innings was the game? What was your high run? I am a straight pool geek too!

Jim

 

[Williebetmore]

WB,

How many innings was the game? What was your high run? I am a straight pool geek too!

Jim

JH,
Sorry, we don't keep track of innings or runs. It was a VERY conservative game, I'm fairly sure no one ran 20, lots of safeties, lots of innings, not very many misses. I, for one, was terrified of leaving him anything open where there was a chance of getting into the pack. There was lots of picking off balls, then playing safe. No one was going into the pack without a dead certain insurance ball (at least I wasn't).

 

[Worminator]

Willie,

Sounds like you are playing well and enjoying the game of Straight Pool. With your talk of conservative and safety play it sounds like you would be a good One Pocket Player. Do you play One Pocket?

Worm

 

[drivermaker]

Well I guess I've officially become a citizen of the straight pool geek nation. I guess I am a straight pool geek.

Being a straight pool geek is fine, just stay away from being a physics and science geek when it comes to pool...you gotta trust uncle Driver on that.

I'd actually like to retire into straight pool geekdom myself, but that Godd#*n 9ball is like a drug that has me hooked. It moves so quick. I guess I've become a speed freak and I have to break the habit. It's so tough.....helllllp,
helllllp me.....

 

[Williebetmore]

Willie,

Do you play One Pocket?

Worm

Worm,
Most of my playing time is straight pool (and I gamble 9-ball about once a month), though actually I just practice about 90% of my table time (still fairly new at the game - playing seriously about 2 1/2 years). I play one-pocket only rarely. My very first game of one pocket was against a guy who has finished in the top 10 at DCC in the one-pocket division. I beat him 2 out of 3 games - a total fluke - I've never gotten to play him again. Even before playing him, I had studied the strategy and bank shots specific to the game (I have read and studied almost every book ever written about pool). My instructor thinks its my destiny to become a one-pocket geek, but I just don't have any opponents at this time. I've never played any pool game that I didn't enjoy immensely, but I find it difficult to watch one-pocket, even when played at a championship level.

 

[Worminator]

My instructor thinks its my destiny to become a one-pocket geek, but I just don't have any opponents at this time.

Who is your instructor?

Just by reading your posts I can tell you that you will be One Pocket nut in the near future. It is definately a game that grows on you. I love to watch One Pocket action. If you play at Airport Billiards you should not have any problem getting a One Pocket game.

 

[Williebetmore]

Willie, I've been working very long hours and don't get to play much right now, so I hope you're playing enough straight pool for the both of us.

SJM,
I don't want to presume to give you advice; but you MUST give up all sense of obligation to family and employer if you are truly a straight pool geek. Like Grady said (I think it was him) in his book, "there's no secret to getting really good at pool, just quit your job, get a divorce, and learn how to live on little money."

P.S. - Just kidding. I'm playing enough straight pool now for any 2 people, and am actually going to be able to play even a little more frequently after the first of the year. Once I get a little better (currently I'm "mediocre", hoping to improve up to "way below average"), I would like to coordinate a trip to NYC and check out the real straight pool players (maybe late next year).

 

[Williebetmore]

Just by reading your posts I can tell you that you will be One Pocket nut in the near future. If you play at Airport Billiards you should not have any problem getting a One Pocket game.

Worm,
Actually, Airport is about 30 minutes from my house, has crappy tables (probably haven't been brushed since you played there 10 years ago), and is completely filled with smoke. I try to avoid it, except for league night and my occasional gambling night. Having said that, there are definitely some SUPER STRONG players that hang out there, and there is almost always action
(Steve O., Big Arm John, Waldo, Brian G., Nesli O., Jeff B. and a bunch of guys I don't even know) and almost always some good players (Mac A. and Jim S. - I don't see them gamble much).

I infinitely prefer playing in my own basement. Big t.v., nice sound system, refrigerator, microwave, new 9 ft. single shimmed GCIV. I had a friend that would come over at least once weekly, and we would play 6 to 8 hours, intense but friendly competition; he was close to my speed, and it REALLY helped our games. Unfortunately, he retired to Florida and now I have no one to compete with on any regular basis.

Of interest, I think I have only seen 1 game of one-pocket played there in the 2 years I have been going (Jeff B. and Steve O.), almost always 9-ball or snooker.

 

[Rackin_Zack]

Worm,
Actually, Airport is about 30 minutes from my house, has crappy tables (probably haven't been brushed since you played there 10 years ago), and is completely filled with smoke. I try to avoid it, except for league night and my occasional gambling night. Having said that, there are definitely some SUPER STRONG players that hang out there, and there is almost always action
(Steve O., Big Arm John, Waldo, Brian G., Nesli O., Jeff B. and a bunch of guys I don't even know) and almost always some good players (Mac A. and Jim S. - I don't see them gamble much).

I infinitely prefer playing in my own basement. Big t.v., nice sound system, refrigerator, microwave, new 9 ft. single shimmed GCIV. I had a friend that would come over at least once weekly, and we would play 6 to 8 hours, intense but friendly competition; he was close to my speed, and it REALLY helped our games. Unfortunately, he retired to Florida and now I have no one to compete with on any regular basis.

Of interest, I think I have only seen 1 game of one-pocket played there in the 2 years I have been going (Jeff B. and Steve O.), almost always 9-ball or snooker.

Hey Willie, can I live in your basement? Sure sounds like heaven to me! If I lived in your basement I would finally have someone to play straight pool with and my game might get better...lol.

On the one pocket note, I had some good games of one pocket last night. I started out sucking but towards the end of the night I was playing really well, making some strong banks and playing smart(er) than I usually do. I get too aggressive in 9-ball sometimes so I definitely have a hard time not being too aggressive in one hole!

 

[Williebetmore]

Hey Willie, can I live in your basement? Sure sounds like heaven to me!

RZ,
Actually, my basement is a little better than heaven; no annoying moral conduct codes or harp music - just rock and roll. There is a full bath and guest room there as well, full bar, music and computer room... now that I think of it, there really is no reason why I should ever leave the basement.


P.S. - Let us know how the Mark Wilson lesson goes. I'm going to go over for some lessons early next year if he'll have me (just fired off an e-mail, I think he occasionally lurks here). Every time I have a lesson from him, I get a totally renewed sense of enthusiasm about improving my game.

 

[Williebetmore]

Hi,

“I had been sick for a couple of days, so was feeling pessimistic about my chances”

Try to avoid playing serious pool when you are sick, as soon as you ears are blocked and you have trouble hearing you know your depth and perception is off.

“leaving me a medium tough cut and a chance to spread the rack and take off. I missed the cut, spread the balls, match was just about over.”

Did you have a safe to play? Don’t take any chances unless you have to. Was it necessary to spread the rack? Don’t try breaking up balls that already go, you can possible make it worse. Getting back to the safe, how good was you opponent? Leaving a 7 to 8 foot shot is straight pool can be just as good as a safe if your opponent is not a good shot maker; even if he is, this shot in 14.1 is a difficult shot and is miss-able. The risk for missing a shot in 14.1 is BIG, it usually means the end of the game; as you found out.

Joe

Joe,
My head was so clogged I had to breathe through my mouth for 2 days, nose dripping constantly, a little dizzy as well, stayed up 36 hours 2 days before the match - I have no idea why I played so well.

On the critical shot I had no safety to play, but I DID have 2 fabulous insurance balls, and it was only a medium cut shot (should make 90 times out of 100). I followed my pre-shot routine well, good stroke, under cut it - I'm wondering if it skidded. I started to ask my opponent (I really wanted to know), but then I thought it would sound like I was making excuses - so I shut up. It was for sure the right shot, it was my chance to win the game, and, as my instructor often says about such shots, "if you miss that shot, you deserve to lose, so just shoot it."

The skill level of the opponent was pretty high; over the 3 hour safety battle, almost all the battles ended with a 9 foot shot off the rail (or at least REALLY close to the rail). He made almost all of them (I shoot 30 or 40 of these a day, and thought I was the only person in the league that was good at them - but I was wrong). I often play straight pool with a pro (though on tight pockets), so I am used to being punished for anything other than a perfect safe - this week my opponent provided almost as much punishment as the pro (I didn't do too badly either). He is a former 70 ball runner, and I think he's rounding into shape (he lurks here, so maybe he will weigh in).

An interesting phenomenon is that neither of us were shooting any caroms, billiards, or throw shots that weren't dead on. There were lots of throw shots that looked, as Jimmy Rempe would say on his tapes, "almost dead." We both took his advice and did not try any of those shots. (I did try a 4 ball carom, billiard, combo shot and made it because Danny D. says if they're dead they're easier than a regular shot).

 

[Williebetmore]

It is possible to make these “nearly dead” shots DEAD. He showed me a few techniques to do this, we spent a day shooting dead shots. He would have me leave the room and he would set up shots, then I’d come back in, try to find the dead ball or make it dead if it wasn’t. Most techniques involved transfer of english or spin, but he showed me a couple he learned from "Wimpy" Lassiter.

Joe R.

Joe,
You are one lucky guy. In my lesson with Danny D. he made a bunch of, what seemed to me, impossible shots out of the rack (actually he made me shoot most of them). He said, "anyone can shoot the obvious ones" (the only ones I know). He tried to explain the physics of each shot, but I believe in that short lesson he was only scratching the surface - I can see I need some more lessons from the straight pool masters. It's a fascinating part of the game, a part that is being lost in the current wave of 9-ball.

 

[Rackin_Zack]

RZ,
Actually, my basement is a little better than heaven; no annoying moral conduct codes or harp music - just rock and roll. There is a full bath and guest room there as well, full bar, music and computer room... now that I think of it, there really is no reason why I should ever leave the basement.


P.S. - Let us know how the Mark Wilson lesson goes. I'm going to go over for some lessons early next year if he'll have me (just fired off an e-mail, I think he occasionally lurks here). Every time I have a lesson from him, I get a totally renewed sense of enthusiasm about improving my game.

I will certainly let everyone know. I'm really looking forward to it, I almost can't wait for the weekend to be over with!

 

[Williebetmore]

Jimmy had a match with Ortmann, Oliver scratched and Jimmy found a dead ball, he needed six balls I believe; as the ball was heading for the pocket another ball interfered with it. He ended up losing that match.

Joe R.

Joe,
I have that Accu-Stats tape (Ortmann-Rempe) - great match, but Jim did not look too pleased after the kiss out.

The type of shot you diagram is exactly the type of shot I have great trouble in finding. Well, I guess I'll just play a few hundred thousand more racks and it will be a little easier.