14.1 Straight Pool High Run Record: Willie Mosconi, John Schmidt and Jayson Shaw

The 14.1 world record story: who holds the straight pool record, and the most balls ever run in straight pool.

Quick answer (TLDR): The straight pool high run record (the 14.1 straight pool record) is 832 balls in a row. Jayson Shaw ran it on January 6, 2025, in Lorton, Virginia. Before him, John Schmidt held it with 626 (2019). Before that, Willie Mosconi held it with 526 for 65 years (1954).

I have played pool for over 50 years. I have played in leagues and tournaments for over 38 years. In all that time, one number came up again and again in pool rooms: 526. That was Willie Mosconi's high run in straight pool. For most of my life, nobody beat it. Then, in just a few years, it fell twice. This is the story of the straight pool high run record, told in plain words.

What you will learn:

• What straight pool (14.1) is and what a high run means
• How Mosconi's 526 lasted 65 years
• How Schmidt and Shaw broke the record
• Who holds the straight pool record today
• What these runs can teach your own game

What Is Straight Pool (14.1 Continuous)?

Straight pool is also called 14.1 continuous. You can call any ball on the table. You call the ball and the pocket. Each ball you make is worth one point.

Here is the fun part. When only one ball is left, the other 14 balls get racked again. The last ball stays where it is. You try to make that last ball and break open the new rack with the cue ball at the same time. That shot is called the break shot. If you keep making balls and keep getting good break shots, your run can go on and on.

A "high run" is how many balls a player makes in a row without a miss or a foul. To run 100 balls, you must run more than six racks with no mistakes. Now think about 500 or 800.

Because of the name, you may also hear this called the 14.1 record, or the 14 and 1 record in pool. Some people say "14 in 1 straight pool." It is the same record.

If you are new to the rules of the game, see our official billiard rules page.

Willie Mosconi's 526: The Record That Stood for 65 Years

On March 19, 1954, Willie Mosconi played a straight pool exhibition match at the East High Billiard Club in Springfield, Ohio. His opponent was Earl "Jake" Bruney. Mosconi won the match and just kept shooting. When he stopped, he had made 526 balls in a row.

The Billiard Congress of America (BCA) says the run took about four and a half hours. It was played on an oversized 4 by 8 foot Brunswick table. Billiards Digest says sworn papers (affidavits) about the run are kept at the Smithsonian.

Here is a fun fact. In a 1980 video, a host asked Mosconi how his best run ended. Did he miss? Mosconi said no. He said he quit because he got tired.

Mosconi won 15 world titles. His name is on the Mosconi Cup to this day. For 65 years, 526 was the number every pool player knew.

John Schmidt's 626: Breaking Mosconi's Record in 2019

John Schmidt is a pro from the United States. He won the 2006 US Open 9 Ball Championship. AZBilliards says he was known as "Mr. 400" because he had eight runs over 400 balls. Today, Wikipedia lists his nickname as "Mr. 600."

Schmidt told Billiards Digest that when he first learned straight pool, he asked a room full of players what the high run record was. He said about nine people answered at once: "Willie Mosconi, 526 balls, Springfield, Ohio, 1954." He knew right then that this was the record he wanted.

Schmidt spent a lot of 2018 practicing for the record. He had runs of 464 and 490 in 2019 before the big one. Then on Memorial Day, May 27, 2019, at Easy Street Billiards in Monterey, California, it happened. He ran 626 balls in a row. That is 100 more than Mosconi.

At ball 527, the ball that would break the record, Schmidt stopped. He put down his cue and went to the men's room to calm down. Then he came back and made it. He kept going for six more racks. He finally missed a combination shot at 626.

The run was filmed. The BCA watched the full, unedited video. On August 15, 2019, the BCA made it official. 626 was the new 14.1 exhibition high run record.

Want to plan your runs like a pro? My book, 8 Ball Winning Strategies, shows you how to think ahead and win more games.

Was Schmidt's Record "Fair"?

Some people argued about it. Mosconi made his run during a match against another player. Schmidt made his run during a solo attempt where he could try again and again. The BCA calls both of them "exhibition" high runs. After Schmidt's run, the BCA wrote clear rules for future record tries.

Jayson Shaw's 714 (Later Counted as 669) in 2022

Jayson Shaw is a top pro from Glasgow, Scotland. His nickname is "Eagle Eye." He now lives in Connecticut.

On January 18, 2022, after five days and 122 tries, Shaw ran 714 balls in a row in Virginia. The run took 2 hours and 39 minutes. That was a big new number, and it was done much faster than Schmidt's run.

But there was a twist. A BCA group of five people watched the unedited video. They saw that on the 45th ball, Shaw had touched an object ball by accident. Under the world rules for tournaments, that counts as a foul. So the BCA certified his run as 669, not 714.

Shaw still held the world record with 669. But he wanted to clear up any doubt. He said the drama "put the bit between my teeth."

Jayson Shaw's 832: The Current 14.1 World Record

On January 5 and 6, 2025, Shaw tried again. He played at the BAK Room Billiards Studio in Lorton, Virginia, as part of the Legends of Pocket Billiards event. Bobby Chamberlain founded that event.

After one try ended at 278, Shaw got into the zone. He ran 832 balls in a row. The BCA says the run lasted about three hours and forty minutes. He missed on the seventh ball of the 60th rack. AZBilliards says an 8 and 13 combination shot ended it.

The BCA reviewed the unedited video. It confirmed 832 as the new 14.1 straight pool high run record. That beat his own 669.

Shaw played on a 9 foot Brunswick Gold Crown I table with 4.9 inch corner pockets. He said, "I consider this one of the greatest accomplishments of my life."

The long run hurt his body, too. He told AZBilliards that two fingers on his cue hand were numb most of the time after the run.

Is Anyone Close to 1,000 Balls?

Shaw has said many times that his goal is 1,000 balls. He told AZBilliards, "My goal is 1000." He also said that if he gets to 1,000, he will be done chasing the record.

As of October 2026, I could not find any report that Shaw has run 1,000. The record is still 832.

John Schmidt is still chasing, too. On March 10, 2026, he ran 820 balls in a row in a private session in Rock Springs, Wyoming. That is just 12 balls short of Shaw. But Billiards Digest says he fouled earlier in that run, so the 820 is unofficial. It is not a record. It is still amazing to watch.

Straight Pool Record History: Timeline of the Best Runs

Year	Player	Run	Where	Status
1954	Willie Mosconi	526	Springfield, Ohio	Record for 65 years
2019	John Schmidt	626	Monterey, California	BCA record (Aug 2019)
2022	Jayson Shaw	714, counted as 669	Virginia	BCA record (669)
2025	Jayson Shaw	832	Lorton, Virginia	Current BCA record
2026	John Schmidt	820	Rock Springs, Wyoming	Unofficial (foul earlier in run)

What These Runs Teach the Rest of Us

You and I will never run 832 balls. That is fine. But we can learn from how these players think.

Play the easy shot. Big runs are made of short, simple shots. Fans of Schmidt's 820 run point out how little his cue ball moves from shot to shot. Small moves mean fewer mistakes.

Plan ahead. Every rack, these players save a ball for the next break shot. That is just like planning your run out in 8 ball. You must think three or four balls ahead.

Control your nerves. Schmidt took a break at ball 527. Shaw took a short break after he passed the old record. When you feel the pressure, step back and breathe.

Practice with a goal. Schmidt and Shaw both made many tries before the big run. Good billiard drills and a steady pre-shot routine help you build the same habits.

If you play 8 ball, the same thinking will win you more games. I put the plans and habits I have learned over the years into my book, 8 Ball Winning Strategies. It shows you how to plan your run out, play safe when you need to, and win more league and tournament matches.

FAQ: Straight Pool High Run Record

What is the straight pool high run record? It is 832 balls in a row, set by Jayson Shaw on January 6, 2025. The BCA certified it.

Who holds the straight pool record? Jayson Shaw of Scotland holds it with 832. He also held it before with 669.

What is the most balls run in straight pool? The most balls in an official run is 832, by Jayson Shaw. John Schmidt ran 820 in 2026, but that run is unofficial.

How long did Willie Mosconi's record last? Mosconi ran 526 on March 19, 1954. It lasted 65 years, until John Schmidt ran 626 on May 27, 2019.

Why was Jayson Shaw's 714 changed to 669? A BCA review of the video found that he touched an object ball on the 45th ball. That is a foul, so the run was counted only up to that point.

Does John Schmidt's 820 count as a record? No. Billiards Digest says he fouled earlier in that run, so it is unofficial. It is also below Shaw's 832.

Has anyone run 1,000 balls in straight pool? Not as of October 2026. Jayson Shaw says 1,000 is his goal.

Who keeps track of the record? The Billiard Congress of America (BCA) certifies the 14.1 exhibition high run record. It now has written rules for record tries.

What is the 14.1 straight pool record? It is the same as the straight pool high run record: 832 balls, by Jayson Shaw. Willie Mosconi (526) and John Schmidt (626) held it before him.

Why is it called 14.1? Because 14 balls are racked again, and 1 ball is left on the table, so play can go on without stopping.

The Bottom Line

The straight pool high run record took 65 years to fall. Then it fell again and again. Mosconi set the bar at 526. Schmidt pushed it to 626. Shaw raised it to 832, and he says he wants 1,000. Schmidt is still right behind him. The next big number could come any day, and I will be watching.

Want to get better at your own game? Read more pool tips, check out pool leagues, and pick up 8 Ball Winning Strategies.

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