You just made 4 ball on the break... Do you see any interesting shots or move in this layout?
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9 Ball - What would you do here? (1) - After The Break
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That certainly turned out well for VdB, but an important point in the shot is that you may not want to force your opponent to win. That is, the only shot left on that push out has a chance to make the nine ball. Given that the kick happened to win, it might have been better to push out to a place where you could hit a sliver of the two ball. Then the seated player is likely to play the thin hit rather than the kick for the win.BVal said:
Yes, I thought about the same push as in the video. It's very risky. You're basically hopng your opponent either doesn't make a ball (and he's got two balls in play), doesn't leave you safe or passes it back to you. I mean, you're gambling your opponent will pass back the shot.
He makes the 9-ball, nearly makes the 2-ball AND left his opponent safe. I'm actually shocked this push got passed back.
He makes the 9-ball, nearly makes the 2-ball AND left his opponent safe. I'm actually shocked this push got passed back.
Bob Jewett said:
Yes, I can see that working sometimes. Leave a little bait and maybe he'll bite. The kick is so right though. Even if he can see a sliver of the ball, he's supposed to kick there.
I posted before I saw the video or knew there was one. I wanted to push to the bottom diamond on the short (left) rail. I don't know if that would have made the kick and 2-9 combo less likely to be attempted by the incoming player or not. After watching the video he made it look pretty darn easy and I was surprised Engert gave it back as well.Bob Jewett said:
BVal
My first instinct was the push to the same area that was shown in the clip.
(Hindsight, that may have been a bad push)
However...It looks to me like he was not even attempting to make the 9-ball....He immediatly lined up where he thought the 2 and the 9 were going...He even pointed with his cue trying to visualize where the CB was going and the 2-ball was going.
Personally...I just think he mis-hit his kick and the slight over cut pocketed the 9-ball....(just barely)
This all could have ended completly different.
Hindsight...I probably would puchsed by slightly bumping the 9 into the 2 sending the 2-ball to (hopefully) an off angle bank position...and hold my breath that I get another shot.
(Hindsight, that may have been a bad push)
However...It looks to me like he was not even attempting to make the 9-ball....He immediatly lined up where he thought the 2 and the 9 were going...He even pointed with his cue trying to visualize where the CB was going and the 2-ball was going.
Personally...I just think he mis-hit his kick and the slight over cut pocketed the 9-ball....(just barely)
This all could have ended completly different.
Hindsight...I probably would puchsed by slightly bumping the 9 into the 2 sending the 2-ball to (hopefully) an off angle bank position...and hold my breath that I get another shot.
Because I'm stuped (told ya)
I purposely haven't looked at other opinions. I didn't want to be influenced by proper thinking on this. I would 2-rail into the corner expecting 1) the 9 to go 1 or 2 rails, and the 2 ball to carom off the 9B into the far corner and the CB to scratch off the carom off the 2B that sends it to the 3B (scratch in the side).
I don't play safes well.(see ref to stuped)
3railkick:
I purposely haven't looked at other opinions. I didn't want to be influenced by proper thinking on this. I would 2-rail into the corner expecting 1) the 9 to go 1 or 2 rails, and the 2 ball to carom off the 9B into the far corner and the CB to scratch off the carom off the 2B that sends it to the 3B (scratch in the side).
I don't play safes well.(see ref to stuped)
3railkick:
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IMO, this would have been a far better push. So many question marks here if you can manage to get the 3-ball right on the rail near the side-pocket. He safes you, that's fine. You will have plenty of kick options and with the 3-ball in uncomfortable position, there are no guarantees he's getting out.
Well, I saw the shot live on the EuroTour.
The same situation happened to me last weekend at our pool ligue. My opponent played the push and because I remembered this shot of Nick, I accepted and made the ball. That's why I had put the vid on YouTube.
Playing the push was pretty intelligent. Nick knew the risk that Thomas could play the shot himself, too, but Thomas didn't really have a good day there and Nick was ahead. I enjoy this shot everytime I watch it... everything was well planned and executed! I hope I could share this feeling with you...
The same situation happened to me last weekend at our pool ligue. My opponent played the push and because I remembered this shot of Nick, I accepted and made the ball. That's why I had put the vid on YouTube.
Playing the push was pretty intelligent. Nick knew the risk that Thomas could play the shot himself, too, but Thomas didn't really have a good day there and Nick was ahead. I enjoy this shot everytime I watch it... everything was well planned and executed! I hope I could share this feeling with you...
Korbi21 said:Well, I saw the shot live on the EuroTour.
The same situation happened to me last weekend at our pool ligue. My opponent played the push and because I remembered this shot of Nick, I accepted and made the ball. That's why I had put the vid on YouTube.
Playing the push was pretty intelligent. Nick knew the risk that Thomas could play the shot himself, too, but Thomas didn't really have a good day there and Nick was ahead. I enjoy this shot everytime I watch it... everything was well planned and executed! I hope I could share this feeling with you...
I'm sorry but I can't agree with you here. I think it's a very poor push shot. You don't want to win/lose on the push. A good push should yield an exchange of shots. Now, I know this is an extreme situation. Several balls where pocketed on the break and the 3-ball is hanging. However, that doesn't mean you want to leave a kick-shot with the 9-ball near by. You're BEGGING to get burned.
Seriously, the only reason why anyone would be impressed by this has only to do with the players involved. They're both great players. However, I could easily imagine two bangers yielding an identical exchange and everybody just shaking their heads thinking, "You can't pass up THAT push!"
Korbi21 said:Well, I saw the shot live on the EuroTour.
The same situation happened to me last weekend at our pool ligue. My opponent played the push and because I remembered this shot of Nick, I accepted and made the ball. That's why I had put the vid on YouTube.
Playing the push was pretty intelligent. Nick knew the risk that Thomas could play the shot himself, too, but Thomas didn't really have a good day there and Nick was ahead. I enjoy this shot everytime I watch it... everything was well planned and executed! I hope I could share this feeling with you...
I am not so sure it was well executed...(or well planned) I don't think he had any intentions of making the 9-ball.
From what I saw (based in his actions) he was intending to send the CB to the middle of the end rail and the 2-ball to the middle of the other end rail......I think his poorly executed mis-hit on the kick shot acidentally pocketed the 9-ball...
I also don't think he thought the 9-ball had a very high chance of being made and that is why he pushed to where he did...That being said...I can't think it was well planned either...(since his opponent could have taken the shot and acidentally make the 9-ball)
Hindsight is a beautiful thing.....
BRKNRUN said:I am not so sure it was well executed...(or well planned) I don't think he had any intentions of making the 9-ball.
From what I saw (based in his actions) he was intending to send the CB to the middle of the end rail and the 2-ball to the middle of the other end rail......I think his poorly executed mis-hit on the kick shot acidentally pocketed the 9-ball...
I also don't think he thought the 9-ball had a very high chance of being made and that is why he pushed to where he did...That being said...I can't think it was well planned either...(since his opponent could have taken the shot and acidentally make the 9-ball)
Hindsight is a beautiful thing.....
On the contrary, I think he knew he had a couple balls in play AND was playing the blockers. I think he hit it EXACTLY how he wanted to. If you look closely at the 2/9, the carom is lined-up very nice and what's more, he knew he was going to have blockers just in case. Yes, making the 9-ball is probably the least likely outcome but not unreasonable. It's just too easy a kick to judge.
Jude Rosenstock said:
Are we wathching the same video?
The first guy passes back the shot...(he obviously did not think the combo was on to make the 9-ball)
The second guy lays his cue along the tangent line to see where the 2-ball is headed up table...He then points with his cue quickly to the bottom end rail and then the other end rail...(almost as if he is "calling" out to everyone where the balls are going to go)
I think he then mis-hits the kick "short" which overcuts his intended contact on the 9-ball...(which sends the 2-ball on a different tangent line than he intended...and "accidentally just barely" pockets the 9-ball.
What were his intentions of pointing to both end rails like that if that is not where he intended the balls to go???
BRKNRUN said:
I see what you're saying about the pointing but there was NO CHANCE he was going to get the 2-ball to where he was pointing. The 2-ball wants to go toward the corner pocket and I have to assume a player of his caliber recognizes this.