Which ONE GAME gives you the most versatility?

[Colin Colenso]

Snooker

My vote goes for Snooker or 14.1.

I was also going to suggest snooker.

It's a game that develops excellent cueing and high accuracy potting and positional play. Very valuable skills to take into any game.

Of course the conversion to the larger balls and different game strategies would take some effort.

 

[CaptainJR]

I don't disagree with the notion that straight pool helps most other games, but one thing it hasn't improved for me are kicks and banks.

In the 5 months I've been playing straight pool, I think I've taken one kick shot (outside of the occasional intentional foul onto the back of the rack), and a handful of banks.

Perhaps that's an argument for 9-ball for giving more "versatility"?

Exactly, only I don't think 9 ball is a good choice either

Are we sure we are all talking about the same thing! We are talking versatility here. The only back up I'm seeing for 14.1 straight pool is that is requires more exact position and more concentration. That is only two things. Of course there is more to it than that, but as far as versatility 14.1 would be the last one I'd pick. If we we're talking about which game taught you the game of pool the best, than yes 14.1 is the game. Above I tried to make a case for one pocket but didn't get it done. I'm going to have to say 8 ball. In 8 ball you have the tic tac position play of 14.1, the shot making of 9 ball, the banking of one pocket, and safety play.

 

[CarolNYC]

I was also going to suggest snooker.

It's a game that develops excellent cueing and high accuracy potting and positional play. Very valuable skills to take into any game.

Of course the conversion to the larger balls and different game strategies would take some effort.

Snooker is an excellent game and if your having trouble with kicking-play billiards!
Carol:0

 

[jsp]

mental vs. physical

It's interesting to see that we got the whole range of responses...14.1, 9ball, 8ball, snooker, one-pocket. However, I'm still not convinced I would take 14.1 over rotation when it comes to versatility on the pool table (actually, if we include snooker, i would pick snooker over 14.1).

Straight pool is much more of a mental game than a physical game. To play straight pool correctly, you need to know the correct patterns, break balls, and key balls in order to make physical execution as easy as possible. If you choose your patterns correctly, there would be no need to shoot table-length backcuts or play 3-rail positioning routes.

As for rotation, it's definitely more of a physical game than a mental game. As with all rotational games, you know exactly what ball to hit next and what ball to hit after that, so that part of the mental game is non-existant. However, rotation is much more taxing on one's cueing skills than straight pool. You need to consistently make table-length shots will all types of spins and with all types of speeds.

So I guess the question now is...can one adjust more easily to something that is more mental or something that is more physical? I argue that it's easier to adapt to something that is mental than it is to something physical. It's easier to learn proper pattern-play than it is to learn how to effectively execute two-rail kick safeties. This is why I would pick rotation over 14.1, because in rotation you pick up essentially all the physical and cueing skills required to play any pool game.

 

[Colin Colenso]

It's interesting to see that we got the whole range of responses...14.1, 9ball, 8ball, snooker, one-pocket. However, I'm still not convinced I would take 14.1 over rotation when it comes to versatility on the pool table (actually, if we include snooker, i would pick snooker over 14.1).

Straight pool is much more of a mental game than a physical game. To play straight pool correctly, you need to know the correct patterns, break balls, and key balls in order to make physical execution as easy as possible. If you choose your patterns correctly, there would be no need to shoot table-length backcuts or play 3-rail positioning routes.

As for rotation, it's definitely more of a physical game than a mental game. As with all rotational games, you know exactly what ball to hit next and what ball to hit after that, so that part of the mental game is non-existant. However, rotation is much more taxing on one's cueing skills than straight pool. You need to consistently make table-length shots will all types of spins and with all types of speeds.

So I guess the question now is...can one adjust more easily to something that is more mental or something that is more physical? I argue that it's easier to adapt to something that is mental than it is to something physical. It's easier to learn proper pattern-play than it is to learn how to effectively execute two-rail kick safeties. This is why I would pick rotation over 14.1, because in rotation you pick up essentially all the physical and cueing skills required to play any pool game.

Very good points jsp!

I tend to agree that it is easier to pick up the mental / strategical aspecs of other games, than to learn new physical skill sets.

However, the capacity to mentally learn games with more complex strategical aspects, is a thing to which some are more adept than others. Some prefer hitting to thinking and vice-versa.