So, I found out that John's 820 ball run was uploaded to YouTube. That's great. The actual run starts at the 2 minute and 22 second mark, and I already have problems with it. Why is it that the BCA said that Shaw had to start with an actual full rack? When Shaw was setting his 832 ball record, he couldn't use a break ball, but yet John's out here setting high runs while using one. Why?

It seems like it's one of those rules for thee but not for me type situations all over again. When Shaw went after the record the last time, the whole thing was a convoluted mess. The rules kept changing, and the certification process ended up being different for Shaw's 714 than it was for Schmidt's 626. And we're right back at it again, apparently.

It seems to me that Schmidt is going to make an attempt at claiming the record again. I'm honestly at the point where I'd be surprised if he didn't. I just don't like how the certification process appears to be different for different people. Shaw can't use a break ball for setting high runs, according to the BCA, but here's a high run by Schmidt that starts with one.

Don't get me wrong, I'm impressed when anyone can turn out numbers like that. I certainly can't do it. I just wish that the whole thing was measured the same way each time, irrespective of who was doing it.

Days 3 of my table projection system. Just need to improve the tracking and math. Then onto interactive games.

Hey everyone,

I'm a huge fan of Straight Pool (14.1 Continuous), and if you're like me, you've probably struggled to keep score accurately during long runs—or worse, tried to analyze your game after and realized you didn’t track it well enough. And the worst part is no app keeps track of who you've played in the past and what was the match statistics.

So I built something I’ve always wanted: a Straight Pool Scorekeeper app 📱

No more paper, no more math mistakes, no more losing track of innings or fouls.

Here’s what it does:

• ✅ Log every shot, miss, or foul with a tap
• 🔁 Easily undo mistakes, reset racks, or view history
• 📂 Tracks your entire game history – go back anytime
• 📊 View lifetime stats to measure your progress over time
• 📈 Review your games to spot patterns and improve
• 🧠 Perfect for scoring your games
• 🔄 Undo/replay any rack, reset easily, (We all have fat fingers :P)
• 📸 Scan a QR code to instantly join or set up a match – no need to type names
• 🎯 Practice mode for solo sessions

It’s simple, clean, and built specifically for 14.1 players. No extra clutter. Just straight pool scoring done right.

If you’re into Straight Pool, check it out here and share some love:
👉 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ut.pool.scorekeeper.pool_scorekeeper
IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/straight-pool-scorer/id6742416339

Would love feedback from fellow players—this is just v1, and I’m working on adding more features (like more statistics about your game, stat comparisons, shareable scorecards, searching for partners in and around for a game, maybe even live score links? 👀)

Best Part: It's portrait mode and it's free.

Let me know what you think or what you'd like to see in the next version!

UT

Hi all,

I often play with friends who are not as much into billards as I am. Typically, I end up winning most (all) frames which makes it kind of boring and can be frustrating for them. In carambolge the fix is easy, I get more points to play down from. But I am wondering what variants there may exist for pool billard.

We had tried one variant: Before every shot, there is a dice-roll with values corresponding to the opponent's balls (e.g., full ones are 1-7 and half ones 9-15). If the outcome corresponds to an already potted ball, this ball is re-spotted in the center of table. The further ahead you are, the more likely it is that a ball will re-appear.

Do you have other ideas for mixing it up a little and making matches between different level players more interesting?

Thank you in advance!

PS: For "my" variant, I have this random ball generator here.

I got Phil Cappelle's books and I'm looking for something else on top of that to watch. I'm quite fond of Shortstop on Pool vids, any other ?

So like a lot of pool fans, I was caught up in the snooker vs pool debate several years ago which came to an uneventful end when Jayson Shaw destroyed Judd Trump at the US Open. The biggest hurdles for snooker players who try to make an impact in American 9ball/10ball/8ball has always been the break and safety play and also the margin for error in pool is so much higher.

But recently I watched the Predator European Championships and they were playing straight pool. I don't think I've ever seen a full straight pool match before and it got me thinking, maybe this is one discipline of pool that Snooker players can excel at? The opening break is soft just like the snooker's break off. One of the key shots in straight pool is the carom shot that spreads out the rack of balls which is also similar to the snooker's cannon shot. Also, I recall Earl Strickland and Mike Sigel saying that straight pool is the real test of a pool player's abilities, or something in that regard.

Does anyone else think snooker players can compete with the best in straight pool?

Does anyone have a reco for the best place to buy a gorgeous old school table from 100 plus or minus years ago - NY Metro area?

Sure, I'm certainly in awe watching a single player 30+ mins running the table; so much so that I quite forget that there is an actual opponent! Particularly on the pro level, there's barely any interaction between the players at all; but even on an amateur level it gets pretty tedious. It's great for training or exhibition, but utterly boring as a game. In fact, Straight Pool is the sole reason I appreciate One Pocket so much: either the opponent makes a serious blunder--then the game is over within eight shots; or there is a long series of tactical exchanges going on. No one is just glued to their seat and every stroke is meaningful. Unfortunately for me, few people in my club like One Pocket.

Now, when I play Straight Pool with friends, we would often implement a shot limit or number of mandatory shots per break, and use rules that penalize misses but reward taking risks. For the most part, this works really well and makes the game much more fun and balanced.

What are your takes on this?

I play on a straight pool league at a venue where the tables have incredibly deep shelves. A ball can be so deep that less than a quarter of the ball can be sticking out beyond the rails. If a ball barely grazes a rail, it's almost guaranteed to hang in the pocket. They play far tighter than a Diamond.

We have a few hundred ball runners in the league and I don't think anyone has run over 50 balls here in years. Last year I ran a 46 and so far this year I've run a 30 here.

Would you play straight pool here?

What’s everyones opinion on straight pool? Is it an old game from a bygone era, or is it still a good game to play competitively or watch?

It seems to me opinions either lean towards it being boring and easy because you can shoot at any ball, or the king of all pool games to determine who’s the best between you and an opponent.

I also read a book about Mosconi that stated he hated 9 ball and thought straight pool was the purest, most high skill form of billiards, and as he got older players like him were phased out and regarded as has been’s because they played that old game no one wanted to play anymore compared to 8 or 9 ball. Minnesota Fats even told Willie no one wanted to play that old game anymore which to me signifies a turning point for when straight pool went from the game to play to a game regarded as boring.

At the same time you can’t disregard some of the crazy high runs people used to do in the mid 1900’s when it was popular. 10+ racks in a row which isn’t easy at all even for a decent player today. Just wondering what everyone else thinks of the original tournament game.

Big fan of magic racks for 8 and 9 ball but I mostly use a wood rack for straight pool. Don’t like how long magic racks stay on table and how it affects the game when pack gets broken up a little. Been experimenting with them again. Just curious what you guys are doing. Thx

I just started learning and practicing straight pool. It’s really fun and seems like it requires a lot of strategy. Any tips from the community here on strategy? I haven’t seen many others playing this at pool halls - is it a dying game these days? Also, any links to professional rules would be greatly appreciated.

Years ago I was at my pool hall in NYC and saw Ginky Sansouci getting a lesson from Johnny Ervolino. They practiced a break out shot for at least two hours where he popped the cue ball up and was trying to land it on top of the rack. I’ve been watching more straight pool recently and have never seen anyone attempt this.

1 week in. Added some simple interactive backgrounds. Next going to improve the physics and add more live aids. Then more advanced graphics😁

This is just for my own practice. I’m not going for Jayson Shaw levels of accomplishment, obviously.

I’m wondering about the first break in 14.1 when you don’t have an opponent. Blast them apart? Semi-soft to keep everything near the foot of the table?

Thanks in advance for your help. Maybe probably this is kind of a dumb question.

My 1st go at straight pool in my 8 foot table. I’m not sure how this compares to others. It’s harder than I thought though. You would think you could run every rack shooting any ball.

Hi billiards community.

I’m super new to this and just trying to help my grandpa up. As he’s getting older he needs to downsize.

The table needs a new bumper, maybe some new felt and a new pocket.

Would love any advice for how to price it and where to sell it! Thank you!

’ve been trying to figure out what kind of printing or coating process this is.

The cue body is carbon fiber, and the effect looks metallic it shimmers when you tilt it under the light, almost like silver foil or metallic ink, but it’s completely smooth and seems embedded in the clear coat.

I’m guessing it could be some sort of laser etching filled with metallic pigment, but I’m not sure if that’s the right term.

Does anyone here know what this effect or process is actually called? Or what type of printing / coating technique would achieve this kind of shiny metallic finish on carbon or epoxy surfaces?