Favorite Key Ball Pattern

[lfigueroa]

So the break shot thing made me wonder about your favorite key ball sequence. I use to like something like this:

http://CueTable.com/P/?@4AXtE1BYQC4CKHh1PPbd@

or this:

http://CueTable.com/P/?@3AXtI4BJfO4CKHh2PTbw@

But lately, and after watching Schmidt run all those balls on his DVD, I favor something like this:

http://CueTable.com/P/?@3AXto4BCHe4CKHh3PUhR@

or this

http://CueTable.com/P/?@4AAsd4BTjy4CKHh3PLtI@

So what's your top two or three end rack sequences?

Lou Figueroa

[bruin70]

your #2 is a classic.

i like this...i can get this sequence a lot, and the cb coming off the rail is so easy to the 2,,,there always seems to be a setup ball in that area at the top of the rack that is difficult to get to if you're looking for a third ball sequence like your example #2,,,there's always a ball at the bottom rail,,,and there's plenty room for error,,,,,,,,,,and it's different(i like that:) )

in and of itself, the 1 at the bottom rail is a good general setup ball for all occasions.

[Bob Jewett]

So the break shot thing made me wonder about your favorite key ball sequence. I use to like something like this:

http://CueTable.com/P/?@4AXtE1BYQC4CKHh1PPbd@
...
http://CueTable.com/P/?@4AAsd4BTjy4CKHh3PLtI@
...
In these two situations, the order 2-1-3 is not bad either. I prefer it for the first pattern.

For Bruin70's pattern, I'd much rather have the one ball on the side cushion a diamond and a half from the corner so that the roll of the cue ball is more parallel to the final line rather than across it. Also for this pattern, if the 2 ball is a little farther up the table, I like the two-rail draw shot to get to it, since it produces an "along, not across shape" result.

One flexible key ball is on the corner of the triangle opposite to the break ball. If you are up-table, two rails with outside draw can work from a lot of different positions to get you back to the center of the table. Not best, but very handy if you are struggling at the end of a rack.

[Dan White]

http://CueTable.com/P/?@3AXtI4BJfO4CKHh2PTbw@


So I learned the one above from Bruin a couple of years ago in one of these forums. It's a no brainer.

I've diagrammed an ideal final 3 below because I think it is there a lot more than I realize. I believe I tend to "miss the forest for the trees" sometimes.

This diagram has 2 pages.
http://CueTable.com/P/?@3ACYP4BAMr4CCqX3DGGu3EJqo3FFbn3GBtY4HQut4JGpc4KB Rj4PIDL3vCxUhoa@3ACYP4BAMr4CCqX3DGGu3EJqo4PHFS4QIO A4RFtH4lIOA3lFxu4mFtH3mIDF3vCxUhoa@

On page 1, I'm showing a typical tight cluster of balls with the 5 an obvious break shot. The part I think I miss is on page 2. I've illustrated 3 typical balls that are stop shots right inline with the 4 ball, the key ball. On page 1 they're easy to miss and you end up settling for something like the 7. The set up ball can be anywhere on line B where the 1,2,3 are. Line A just illustrates where the cue ball will be with a stop shot on any ball on line B.

I'm not saying you should leave all three balls on that line. I'm just making the point that there may be several good set up balls within that mess of balls on page 1. Maybe too basic for some, but I should be looking for more of these myself.

dwhite

[Steve Lipsky]

Dan, you're so right about that end pattern. Barouty plays for these all the time, and I still have trouble seeing them. A nice benefit of them is that they almost always leave you very close to the break ball.

Thanks for reminding me to stay on the lookout for them :).

- Steve

[bruin70]

For Bruin70's pattern, I'd much rather have the one ball on the side cushion a diamond and a half from the corner so that the roll of the cue ball is more parallel to the final line rather than across it. Also for this pattern, if the 2 ball is a little farther up the table, I like the two-rail draw shot to get to it, since it produces an "along, not across shape" result.
.

it's a pattern for a very specific layout that i see all the time, ie when a potential setup ball is very close to the breakshot. i see lot's of players kill these off, or try to approach it like one of figueroa's setups,,,which is fine if it's there, but i see a ball near the bottom rail all the time and it's always passed up because it's an uncommon approach. the 3rd ball can be almost anywhere along the bottom rail except being too much closer to the bottom pocket.

it's an easy setup ball to fall on since coming off the rail makes the cb more controlable, and if the player can't, he has other issues besides learning a 14.1 end game.