i understand that a pot off the 1st break is not accepted, as a result people are tapping the balls to play safe....boring...
how about adding the rule like in killer where at least 3 ball must hit cousins??

One of the main aspects of the game it to be defnesive at times though. Introducing this will lead to the person who breaks having the disadvantage of possibly setting their oponent up.

On straight I'm only really interested in pot success as I feel this is the best measure of the standard that a player plays to. Therefore I haven't played a safety yet even if it means opening the balls up for the opponent. If someone taps in to the pack I'm gonna smash em even if its to my disadvantage. So I reckon pac's got a point on this one.

It might be boring, but it's better than smashing it and leaving your opponent an easy rack to finish. I think it is a good rule, it makes it a tighter game at the start, and gives the breaker a better chance. It's like playing safe in a Seven Ball game, it's boring, but it denies your opponent chances.

As per clooneman's post elsewhere the white and two other balls must touch the cushion from the break else its a foul and a 2 point penalty. The skill being to make a legal break and not leave anything simple on. If that isn't the case it needs correcting on the next patch I think.

And as spinner says if you simply want to measure potting success then you might as well just use the practice stats. Straight Pool needs to be about so much more than that if it is to be a worthwhile addition to the site in my opinion. Smashing them and fluking should not be a rewarding option hence the need for nominating.

Edited at 16:31 Mon 20/10/08 (BST)

I like the fact that Straight allows defensive tap breaks.

Otherwise, the break would be a MASSIVE disadvantage in any case, and especially if not allowing pots on the break.

In which case we come back full circle.

With nominating you could try and pot a nominated ball off the break. Without that then I am guessing that the skill in the break would be as in the real game - ie to make it a legal one at the same time finding a way to keep it safe. There is certainly more skill to that than simply tapping the pack.

As was argued on the UK8 thread 'Spirit of the Game' recently, there are established rules for the real game which ought to be the starting point for the rules on here. If they then need to evolve to improve the playability of the game for the majority on here then so be it.

agree with pacnt, ok defensive breaks are fine but pot off 1st rack should be allowed...otherwise its a snorefest!

2 balls stopping your turn is a joke.. ok maybe dont get points for it but it shouldnt hand possession over to your opponent!

harararararararara

Im fine with the safety breaks, its just if you wnat to continue playing safeties you get penalised in shot success and i believe this is unfair.

Straight pool is a race to a set number of balls not a contest to see who can pot the most balls in a row. High runs can be important to winning the game but are not in themselves what the game is about.

Safety play is what makes the game interesting. It separates the good shot makers from the good pool players. No mater how good you are, you will miss eventually. A well played safety is a tool to get you back to the table so you can continue to run balls and win the game. If you just care about high runs then find or create a game that has that as its objective and leave straight pool alone for those that enjoy the strategy involved.

Agreed.

you should change your strategy then man, dosnt seem to be working very well for you so far...!

i still think 3 ball cushion breaks are the way to go!

allow pot on break. if u dont pot opponent gets a nice run? so ... better than how it is. oh well onli a game!!

Yes, and that is why pot success either needs to be reworked or removed in this format.

I fink im with the safety breaks on this one cos i fink strategy is more exciting than just giving your opponent the game possibly from missing off the break, i do agree there is no point in sucees rate though.

Time to change the break rules now I think - particularly with tournaments introduced.

The rules on here state you cannot pot one off the break because straight is a 'call-pocket game'. Clearly that is not right.

Keep the break off in line with every other shot - if you pot one ball then you carry on - pot none or more than one and your opponent is in play.

Either introduce this or change the wording on the game rules!!

I don't know Chris...if a good player pots on the break, they could finish it as if it was just a runout in 8 Ball.

It depends on how many games you need to win the match, if it's first to 1 or First to 2. If it's first to 1, I wouldn't implement that rule, it could make it too easy for the better players.

Dont forget you would have to be able to pot no more than one from the break to be able to continue - not always easy - plus to then score 35 is not that common - could even call it a rack run on the straight stats lol - the fact remains that in real Straight Pool you could break and win in one visit so why not on here.

If its not changed then the wording of the rules still needs to be changed because it certainly isnt a call-pocket game!!

I would change the wording then. I know you mention the real Straight Pool, but after all, this game doesn't follow all the real rules

????