What's the Plan? 1

CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey, everyone. I had an idea for another puzzle series. I love the idea of instructional videos where the player comments from the table before shooting. I only know of two---Mike Sigel's 100-ball run instructional and AZB's Poolmanis YouTube run. Soon on my YouTube channel I plan to record videos of myself sharing my thoughts before each shot during a run for us to critique, not because I think I know enough at my level to instruct but because I think we can all benefit from a debate over what should or shouldn't be played next and why. Online, we have free access to many video matches of great players running balls. Watching those videos at normal speed is helpful, but I find that pausing them after each shot gives me time to make sense of the table, determine the most appropriate next shot, and more often predict the player's next move.

So how about we go slowly through a single rack, one shot per day, with screen captures of layouts that great players actually faced and worked their ways through? I'll start with the first rack, but please feel free to continue the series with your own screen captures, just making sure to use the next sequential number for the series in the title.

Any comments would be great, but what I think would be best would be for those commenting to evaluate as much of the entire table layout as it currently stands as possible, something like telling the story of each ball and what role it currently plays (clusters, key balls, break balls, insurance balls, problem balls and why, not problem balls and why not, pivot balls, balls that could be bumped into another role, etc.) And be as detailed as you can about the safest, most efficient plan going forward. Plans will change of course as we go through the rack with the player.

If this gets tedious and the series doesn't take off, I won't be offended. That's what eventually happened to the "Run This" series 9 years ago, but we had a good run. :wink:

So here's the first layout post-break shot. What's the plan?

1A.jpg
 
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john coloccia

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I would probably pocket the stripe in the lower left and try to run into the 3, knowing I have the 8 next regardless. Then I'd reevaluate based on where I ended up. To my eye, the 3 and the 13 are the balls that are screwing it up.

That said, I suck at this, so....

Looking forward to what better players have to say. :) My shot selection generally sucks, or so I'm told.
 

CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks, John! Anyone else? I'll give it another day before I post where the player ended up.
 

Saturated Fats

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Looks to me like the 1 is keeping me from getting to the 8. If that's true, I would make the stripe near the corner and go 2 rails to about the second diamond on the right long rail. From there, I would make the 2 in the side and stop or backup slightly for the 13 in the corner. If I miss shape on the 2, the 8 is still available.
 

CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks for playing, guys. Both plays make sense to me. I realize it was hard to tell from our angle, but the player could see the 8-ball and decided to play it three rails hitting the right side rail, bottom rail barely missing the underside of the 11-ball, and a slight bounce off of the left side rail ending up here. What's the plan from here?

1B.jpg
 
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john coloccia

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks for playing, guys. Both plays make sense to me. I realize it was hard to tell from our angle, but the player could see the 8-ball and decided to play it three rails hitting the right side rail, bottom rail barely missing the underside of the 11-ball, and a slight bounce off of the left side rail ending up here. What's the plan from here?

View attachment 476793

3 and 13 are still problems to me. I'd knock in the 13, and try to get on the one and then 3 (if it goes in the bottom left pocket). Maybe 13-2-1...maybe 13.15-1...seems like somehow that 3's got to go away or you need to run into the balls and take a chance. I guess you could just pocket the bottom left stripe and go crashing into the balls too. Always hard to tell what actually goes from just a picture.
 
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CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The player knocked in the 13-ball as John suggested and ended up in this position. Sorry for the awkward camera angle. It was what I was given. What's the plan from here?

1C.jpg
 

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The player knocked in the 13-ball as John suggested and ended up in this position. Sorry for the awkward camera angle. It was what I was given. What's the plan from here?

View attachment 476875

I'd go 1-stripe near the corner pocket-11 cue ball into the bottom of the stripe next to the 6 to push a ball out for a break ball.
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I'm guessing 1, follow out for the 4. If you get a little above it, go down for the 15 or 11 to break.
 

CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The player did indeed decide to play the 1-ball by following two rails off of the bottom rail and right side rail and ended up here. What's the plan from here?

1D.jpg
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Then the player pocketed the 4-ball in the side. What's the plan from here?

View attachment 477106
It might be possible to play the ball with inside english and get shape on the 15 in the side for a break. The 11 might provide a second chance to get on the 15.

A more comfortable pattern (avoiding skid on a small-pocketed or very fast table) is to come around two rails for the 15 in the corner.
 

Dan Harriman

One of the best in 14.1
Silver Member
no rail first off 8

Hey, everyone. I had an idea for another puzzle series. I love the idea of instructional videos where the player comments from the table before shooting. I only know of two---Mike Sigel's 100-ball run instructional and AZB's Poolmanis YouTube run. Soon on my YouTube channel I plan to record videos of myself sharing my thoughts before each shot during a run for us to critique, not because I think I know enough at my level to instruct but because I think we can all benefit from a debate over what should or shouldn't be played next and why. Online, we have free access to many video matches of great players running balls. Watching those videos at normal speed is helpful, but I find that pausing them after each shot gives me time to make sense of the table, determine the most appropriate next shot, and more often predict the player's next move.

So how about we go slowly through a single rack, one shot per day, with screen captures of layouts that great players actually faced and worked their ways through? I'll start with the first rack, but please feel free to continue the series with your own screen captures, just making sure to use the next sequential number for the series in the title.

Any comments would be great, but what I think would be best would be for those commenting to evaluate as much of the entire table layout as it currently stands as possible, something like telling the story of each ball and what role it currently plays (clusters, key balls, break balls, insurance balls, problem balls and why, not problem balls and why not, pivot balls, balls that could be bumped into another role, etc.) And be as detailed as you can about the safest, most efficient plan going forward. Plans will change of course as we go through the rack with the player.

If this gets tedious and the series doesn't take off, I won't be offended. That's what eventually happened to the "Run This" series 9 years ago, but we had a good run. :wink:

So here's the first layout post-break shot. What's the plan?

View attachment 476650

Could play rail first and pocket 8 ball, however under dry conditions and forgiving pockets ='s scratch. I like the ten at lower left and hold cue ball top outside (left) spin - softly moving towards the one or three. It seems if I were to pocket ten with top center and try to get the eleven to relieve congestion stack it could end poorly - if 8 ball not present. Might be a good note that even though the eight is there I would still never be in the practice of going into that lone eleven ball - hoping that the eleven might break out congestion. Takes a good player to see the natural center ball tangent moves towards full hit on eleven unless super soft cushions. Missing the eleven and gliding smoothly towards the one or three is not an easy shot - this puzzle would be more interesting had the 8 not been there.
 
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CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks, Bob and Danny. And Danny, thanks for going into such detail about the opening layout. It's great to have such an accomplished player playing these puzzles with us.

The player did pocket the 10-ball with inside english off of the bottom rail holding it for this position. Spoiler: the player breaks up the cluster off of the 11-ball. But knowing that, what speed and spin would you use to go into the cluster and where would you want the cue ball to contact it and end up? And can you predict any of the resulting ball paths?

1F.jpg
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
... Spoiler: the player breaks up the cluster off of the 11-ball. But knowing that, what speed and spin would you use to go into the cluster and where would you want the cue ball to contact it and end up? And can you predict any of the resulting ball paths? ...
It's a little hard to tell from the angle, but it looks like follow will hit the bottom side of the 10(?) and tend to go towards the foot rail leaving some kind of long shot. I think you want to hit full on the 10 or a little on its left side to keep the cue ball in the middle of the table more. I would expect to end up with a ball to the right side pocket.
 

Dan Harriman

One of the best in 14.1
Silver Member
Thanks, Bob and Danny. And Danny, thanks for going into such detail about the opening layout. It's great to have such an accomplished player playing these puzzles with us.

The player did pocket the 10-ball with inside english off of the bottom rail holding it for this position. Spoiler: the player breaks up the cluster off of the 11-ball. But knowing that, what speed and spin would you use to go into the cluster and where would you want the cue ball to contact it and end up? And can you predict any of the resulting ball paths?

View attachment 477224

It's a bit too late to be trying to create a break ball at this juncture, this is why I liked bumping the three as it would have opened a lane for secondary break shots. At this point the ten might get a promotion - and here is the hit. I like above center rt and carom into lower section of 14 then into two, the rt should spin the stripe (ten) off the eleven and up a bit for break ball - medium stroke here as the ten will have draw. I would want to hold this one up with inside believe it or not, trying to make a full hit as possible when going into the 14. Also possible promotion to 5 but it looks a little cramped, if cue ball tangent could contact six then i like promoting the five as well - with outside spin on the white.
 
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CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks again for the detail, guys. The player chose to use top left english with what I think is a medium-soft stroke. The cue ball passed by the 14-ball splitting the 6-ball and 12-ball, striking the 6-ball barely before the 12-ball and then striking the 5-ball full and staying put, leaving this new layout. What's the plan from here?

1G.jpg
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I like 14,5 to get on that side of the line of balls. Then the 7, the two balls probably into the side and then come one or two rails from the 12 to break with the 3.
 

CueAndMe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The player played the 14-ball as Bob suggested by following one rail off of the left side rail and landing here where, along with the 5-ball, the 15-ball and 6-ball are also options for the next shot. What's the plan from here?

1H.jpg
 

app4dstn

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Does the 6 have a full hole opening to the MLH pocket? To the LLH pocket?

At this point the 3 ball cluster in the middle is problematic for my ability. I liked the 14-5 play but where it lays now I don't feel great about where I'll be if I do take the 5 now. Maybe draw back to next go to LLH pocket next or stun float past down to the bottom rail (or not) and be shooting toward the RMH pocket.

But now I'm hoping the 6 is make able to follow and be below the tangent line for the 10, 10 to LRH pocket, 1-rail to deal w a more spread set , maybe something to LHM pocket...if I don't shoot the 5 now

If the CB were further or closer to the rail I'd take the 5 now.

(Just analysis questions I want to see what Bob Jewett would do)
(My high run is 21)

Great thread idea!
 
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