Expert: Louis D. Bean - 9/13/2000

Question
Can you give me the basics of what is referred to as straight pool?  I am familiar with 8-ball and 9-ball.  Plus can you recommend any good websites for pool or billiards in general?  For everything from the rules to professionals to associations to television. Just everything.  Thank you very much.

Answer
Ryan,

Straight pool is the the game that was used to determine the world champions for many years. The most recent was the 14-1 championship in New York.

The BCA Rule Book offers an excellent description of the rules, but I will try to get you started on the correct path.

Straight pool is played with a 15 ball rack and the breaker must drive any two balls and the cue ball to a cushion after contact. Most players win the lag and let the opponent break and it is customary to play safe on the break by hitting a back corner ball sending the two corner ball to a rail and back to the rack while the cue ball travels to the head rail.

The shooter may play any ball in any pocket and must call the ball and the pocket (just like the 8-ball you know). It is not necessary to call combinations, kisses, caroms or rails, just the ball and pocket.

Then the 14-1 rule: After pocketing 14 balls the remaining ball is left in position and the rest are racked up with the spot for the head ball open. Then the shooter continues, usually caroming off the open ball into the rack, breaking out some balls and continuing the run.

Obviously players may run many balls before missing. I know that Willie Mosconi once ran 525 balls in an exhibition match. Most professional players frequently run a hundred or so.

Each ball counts one point and tournament matches are to 100, 125, or 150 points.

Fouls: A one-point penalty.

Either the cue ball or an object ball must touch a rail after contact.

Touching a ball with any part of the body, clothing, or equipment is a foul.

If a player is warned by the opponent that he/she is on two fouls and then commits another foul the three foul rule applies: In addition to the one point for each foul, a 15-ppoint penalty is assessed, the balls are racked and the person commiting the three fouls must break.

Try the USBA web site "www.uscarom.org." Also BCA.com.

I will start a list of web sites. I lost my favorites list when I got a new computer and don't have many now.

Mike Sigal has a good video on straight pool.

I hope this helps.

Lou Bean