How do you determine player level from 14.1 continuous straight pool?

from Dan White (in AZB post):

Daily practice session, play at least two hours just trying to run balls. After a miss, start each new run with a new break ball and new rack. Set up a realistic straight pool break shot, not a gimmick break that sends balls everywhere. This is the typical high run achieved almost every day of play with excellent table conditions:

Professional: 98 or 7 racks
A level player: 56 or 4 racks
B level player: 35 or about 2.5 racks
C level player: 28 or 2 racks
D level player: 14 or less

Of course there are gradations between levels.

I put B close to C because the hardest thing to do in straight pool is not running all 14 balls, but doing that and leaving a good break shot on the last ball. The C player won’t have much hope of getting on more than one break ball (other than the first one with ball in hand), but the B player will, albeit maybe not the best break shot, and so just a few more balls made in that rack (35 total).

from efirkey (in AZB post):

If there is no opponent and I am just trying to get a high run for hours than I expect …
Based on many years and thousands of straight pool games …
Highest run for the day playing several games:

Pro Level – 75+
A Level – 40+
B Level – 28+
C Level – 18+
D Level – 10+

from DAVE_M (in AZB post):

D = 10-15 balls
I’ve seen some terrible players run 14 balls, make the break shot, but have no shot in the next rack, because they don’t know what they are doing.

C = 15-30 balls
I’ve also seen C players run 14, make the break shot and have no shape. If they make it through the second rack, they choke on the second break shot. But like they say, even a blind squirrel finds a nut.

B = 30+ balls
Once you get into the next few racks, you will see where your 14.1 knowledge lies.

A = 80-100 balls+
I’ve seen A players run 60+ with ease.


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