Straight pool - Definition and Overview

Straight Pool, also called 14.1 Continuous, was a popular billiards game in the United States until overtaken by faster playing games like 8-ball and 9-ball.

The name 14.1 continuous comes from the fact that when there is only one numbered ball left on the table, the other 14 balls are racked. The shooter will then try to shoot the cue ball so that it pockets the unracked ball, breaks open the racked balls so that another shot can be made.

Unlike 8-ball, or 9-ball, the shooter may attempt to pocket any ball on the table. The object is to pocket some number of balls determined by agreement before the game. A typical game might require a player to pocket 100 balls to win.

The rules are somewhat more complex than 8-ball or 9-ball, because straight pool has more penalties than those games, and it is necessary to know how to handle various scenarios that arise when racking 14 balls.