STRAIGHT POOL Strategy and “Run Your Age” Challenges

Dr. Dave presents a Straight Pool "Run Your Age" and "Run 100 Minus Your Age" Challenges and offers advice on how to play straight pool effectively.

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CURRENT CHALLENGE RESULTS:

High Run (run score - name - video link):

Run Your Age (run score - name - age - video link):

Run 100 Minus Your Age (run score - name - age - video link):

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Topics covered include:
Intro [0:00]
Opening Break [1:17]
Break Ball [2:37]
Pattern Play [3:41]
Solving Problems [6:04]
Break Shots [9:28]
Example Run [10:46]
Wrap-Up [13:31]

CORRECTIONS
- the opening break shot at the 1m57s point was not successful since I failed to pocket the called ball in the side.
- in total for the Example Run was 28 (two racks), not 29.

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Good Luck With Your Game!!!

[DrDaveBilliards]

*See all submitted scores and videos in the video description above.*

*Topics Covered:*
Intro [0:00]
Opening Break [1:17]
Break Ball [2:37]
Pattern Play [3:41]
Solving Problems [6:04]
Break Shots [9:28]
Example Run [10:46]
Wrap-Up [13:31]

*Supporting Resources:*

[TreuloseTomate]

I love Straight Pool. My highest run so far is 94, roughly 3 times my age. Some things I'd like to add.
- Always break clusters with control and insurance. If you don't have a shot after breaking up a cluster, it is 99% your own fault.
- With break balls to the side of the rack, the larger the angle the safer it is to play with top spin, because it will pull the cueball away from the corner pocket.
- Spinning balls in with inside spin is a shot that comes up all the time in Straight Pool.
- I don't like leaving isolated balls to the side pocket as a keyball to the break ball, like at 12:51 for example. You make a good shot on the 13 to get straight on the 4 and say this is easy. But this was not guaranteed position at all, especially since you were hampered by the 4. This could have easily gone wrong. Go too far - even by one ball width - and you are screwed. Come up short, and you may end up with a long shot on the break ball or have to go up and down the table. Side pocket key balls are great when you have a leading up to it.
- In general, take extra with the last few balls leading to the break ball. Ideally, these should all be stop shots, but that's not always possible. Any slight positional error or wrong angle can turn a deceivingly easy pattern into a run-ending nightmare.

This video could be one hour long and still couldn't cover everything. If you want to dig deeper into strategy and pattern play I recommend Phil Capelle's "Play Your Best Straight Pool" book. It helped me a lot.

[DrDevon]

Dave, your content is superb. Thank you for putting so much effort into furthering the sport and teaching everyone so much. I finally got my own pool table lined up to bring home and I could not be more excited! I will be sure to use your drills to keep improving.

[raferb]

Straight ball is the funnest, most interesting form of practice for me. Leaving a break ball is always tricky and can lead to a lot of extra innings. I have downloaded the “Practice 14.1” app and that tracks workout runouts to 125 balls and keeps score for me, because I’m at a level where I’d be happy to just keep my innings below my age, let alone running out balls to may age.

[mickenzie]

Great challenge Dave! I'll definitely be participating. Everyone always talks about drills to practice, but I find it very boring and doesn't hold my interest. I play 1 player straight pool instead. This seems to get my complete focus, similar to if I'm playing tournaments or cash. Best practice there is in my opinion.

[christianpeterson]

Nice video back at it after 30 years away. Played very competitive back in the day still have it a bit. Been at straight pool with the neighbor for a while now. I hit 47. Will work on age now will be 52 in January.

[robertforrest]

I will give this challenge a try. I'm 67 and have never played Straight Pool before but you CAN teach old dogs new tricks in fact I welcome it.

[lewisplayspool]

Getting past 21 is my goal before November. Thank you Dr. Dave for covering one of my favourite (and least practised) disciplines of pool!

[TimDEagle]

Found out my coach and other advanced players enjoy straight pool. I was surprised there isn’t as many tournaments around straight pool, and more importantly instructional videos... then BAM! Dr Dave dropping another banger and this time about straight pool

[keithkruger]

Dr Dave, it's great to see you putting some time and instruction into straight pool. I know in todays game, big break shots and deep angles into those shots are very much the norm but can be harder to control and harder to predict the results. Depending on table and ball conditions you sometimes have to be more patient. Have you read Mastering Pool by the late George Fels? George was a tournament player in Chicago and contributor to Billiards Digest. His book gives some insight into a more controlled approach to straight pool which can be very helpful when the balls aren't reacting like they do on a freshly covered tournament table or when weather conditions change your playing environment. George is all about controlling the cue, EVEN ON BREAK SHOTS and secondary break shots. Some great insight, a classic read.

[artpayne]

Straight pool makes a person use every club in your bag compared to 8 0r 9 ball. It has been said that to reach higher levels at anything you need to put in 5, 000 hours or more. There is some truth to that. Practice is so important but is not enough, you also need a scrapbook of knowledge that needs to grow with it. Much of my passion for pool is the quest to get in the so called zone and stay there as long as possible. When you are in it the room gets a glow and usually the one who can stay their the longest will win. Thanks for keeping this wonderful game alive.

[ShortstopOnPool]

Excellent primer for new Straight Pool players, Dave! I have no doubt you will shoot your age soon.

[hankh]

A very nice example of the bust'em wide open attitude that the modern players (Billy Thorp), like to use. I may never run my age as
I'm now 71, and each day gets me closer to the next number. I'd like to throw a plug out there for another fine book that explains
14.1 (Straight Pool when I was younger), is the one by George Fels, "Advanced Pool", Techniques and Strategies for Mastering the Game.
copyright 1996. George used to be the Editor for Billiards Digest. He also played an excellent game. George and many from the Boomer era
that enjoyed seeing Straight pool played on Wide World of Sports while growing up got to see it played by the Masters, Mosconi, Crane, Lassiter, Balsus ... It's a close game. Mostly played on the rack end of the table. The shots are normally short, shape precise.

[GCK]

Nice video Dave, I'm just a recreational player and have never seen straight pool before, will give it a go next time I play

[kevinkoop]

Gonna try this age-run challenge. I'm currently 61 years old with a high run of 23 so far...
I just started playing 14.1 yesterday!
Wish me luck.

[gabeperez]

Hey Dr. before COVID I would always go to the YMCA and play pool. I watched you videos to give me tips and would destroy other people in a game. I just want to thank you for teaching me. I loved it and it will always be my favorite sport!

[IsCumaFut]

I want to play someone at this game Livestream if I can. I only learned the game recently. As it's not played where I'm from..

[evanong]

Challenge accepted, Dr Dave. Coincidentally I started playing in a local amateur straight pool league recently, I'm ranked towards the bottom and my high run so far is 11. Even more so than 8 ball or rotation, straight pool looks so easy but can be infuriatingly tricky when you actually get down to playing.

[robertdenson]

I have been doing this for decades. It's tougher now. Huge difference between 25 and 67. All kinds of things seem to creep into your game. I am optimistic. 9 months left.

[elvicash]

Good luck Dr. Dave great video I will give it a shot 54 here I come