What is the best 8 ball advice you've ever gotten?

S

SpinDoctor

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
As league season fires up yet again, it got me to thinking about some of the stuff I've learned over the years playing.

I think the best advice I've ever gotten was "If there is no reason to bump into balls, stay away from them." Seems like pretty simple advice but I can't count how many guys I've seen over the years crashing into stuff and turning an easy out into a nightmare.

What was the best advice you've ever gotten?
 
The best advice I have received is to play straight pool. It will improve 8 ball the fastest you have to move the cue ball around a lot of balls, pick a pattern early, and break up clusters effectively.
 
Quit trying to run every rack or play smart (defense).

I have won many games due to this. I am sure I have lost some as well by not even close to the same amount that I have won.
 
Spimp13 said:
Quit trying to run every rack or play smart (defense).

I have won many games due to this. I am sure I have lost some as well by not even close to the same amount that I have won.
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I was gonna say something similar... though I'm not a runout player anyway, the advice of "dont make any more balls than you have to in order to get to a good safety" has been the most beneficial to me. I was a 9-ball player when I started 8-ball league and I used to just make balls and keep trying breakouts, then when it didn't happen, i was in 1-ball-hell and lost the game. Now, if I have more than 1 cluster with no easy break-out balls, I make a ball if I have to in order to get a good position, or choose suit, to play the best safety. When it works, I come back with BIH and can *sometimes* get out from there, depending on how they're laying.
 
SpinDoctor said:
As league season fires up yet again, it got me to thinking about some of the stuff I've learned over the years playing.

I think the best advice I've ever gotten was "If there is no reason to bump into balls, stay away from them." Seems like pretty simple advice but I can't count how many guys I've seen over the years crashing into stuff and turning an easy out into a nightmare.

What was the best advice you've ever gotten?
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Not only play within your ability, but play WELL within your ability.
Dave
 
dont play last pocket 8ball when your matching up and the other guy suggests it.
 
When it is your shot, run the rack in reverse, starting with the eight ball and then figuring out which balls make it easiest to make the eight ball and so on.

Move the ball as little as possible, and don't disrupt balls unless you must.

Most often, eight ball is played on a barbox, where you can make nearly any shot with semi-sound mechanics. Choose moving the ball less ans leaving yourself slightly harder shots, rather than trying to get perfect shape on easier shots.

And last, but not least, always leave yourself an angle to get shape on the next shot.
 
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All good advice and I would go along with all that. The advice I was given when I started playing 8 Ball, was pretty sound I think.

Don't force it and try to run out when a good safety will probably get you the same result with less problems.

Never worry about who you are playing, always play the handicap.
 
Always find the key ball (the one used to get shape on the eight) and visualize the rack backwards to the starting point.
 
SpinDoctor said:
As league season fires up yet again, it got me to thinking about some of the stuff I've learned over the years playing.

I think the best advice I've ever gotten was "If there is no reason to bump into balls, stay away from them." Seems like pretty simple advice but I can't count how many guys I've seen over the years crashing into stuff and turning an easy out into a nightmare.

What was the best advice you've ever gotten?
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well I don't think thats too good of advice by itself....reason being is that if you don't bump into balls especially in BB 8 ball your not going to get to your clusters to be able to run out the game...

I mean i guess you could wait for your opponent to break up the crap.....

BUT my advice is to LEARN TO MOVE YOUR FURNITURE PROPERLY......

I play BB 8 ball like its straight pool or one pocket.....you have to use your angles to set up to clip into balls to break clusters apart nice and gently......then i run out.

8 ball is a furniture moving game just like straight pool and one hole.

I move the furniture so well PODS called me the other day and offered me a job.

i declined,
-Grey Ghost-
 
SpinDoctor said:
As league season fires up yet again, it got me to thinking about some of the stuff I've learned over the years playing.

I think the best advice I've ever gotten was "If there is no reason to bump into balls, stay away from them." Seems like pretty simple advice but I can't count how many guys I've seen over the years crashing into stuff and turning an easy out into a nightmare.

What was the best advice you've ever gotten?
Click to expand...

Don't miss the EASY shots.
 
Frank...This may be the best advice of all. I've seen more players scratch on the 8, simply because they didn't give the CB a location.

Jack White gave me this advice, many years ago..."You wanna play safe? RUN OUT!" Tough to argue with that! :grin:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

dabarbr said:
When shooting at the eight, make absolutely sure of where the cue ball is going.
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Best advice i've ever got and it had improved my 8ball game, "Don't travel with the cueball alot, try to move cueball as little as you possibly can, and never run into balls unless there is no pocket for that object ball"
 
Pattern play is essential.

If your oppenent has one or two balls left you're considered the favorite, I think. If u have all your balls on the table, don't think of them as problems that are holding you back, they are helping you. You have many ways to play safe and make them kick at clusters opening up your run out.

Also don't make balls in wildly if u can't run the entire rack out. Play smart and always look for safeties. Just my two pennies...
 
I guess it depends on the situation.

First thing I look for when I come to an open rack is to see if I got a decent shot at either stripes or solids to get me started.

If I got a shot on both then I look at what's on the rails and what's clustered.

Then ( and here's the best advice i've learned ) I draw the pattern backwards.
 
A big % of 8-ball games are won before you shoot after yours good break or his empty break. Knowing which balls to take and maping the pattern out before taking that first shot will make you the winner more than not. Johnnyt
 
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