What's your favorite opening shot?

kavik79

kavik79

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Was out practicing tonight, still working out the kinks after too many years of not playing, but at least I remembered a few tricks :D

Not sure if I can describe this without a pic (can't post even if I had one, still too new here), but I'll try:
My old favorite was always cue ball on the line, left half of table lined up with the first diamond on the head rail. Hitting the left corner ball and banking it back to the pocket you were standing by

Made it 5 times tonight out of 10 attempts. 2 of those times I sunk another ball on the break as well.
Of the 5 I missed though, I scratched 3 times and left the rack way too opened up for giving anyone ball in hand :(


I know there are some other good opening shots, but I thought it'd be fun to hear what everyone prefers, rather than just looking up examples :thumbup:


edit: here we go, I can post links now, here's an example :)
Click Here
 
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kavik79 said:
... I know there are some other good opening shots, but I thought it'd be fun to hear what everyone prefers, rather than just looking up examples ...
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Are you familiar with the traditional opening safety in 14.1? I think anything else is inadvisable if your opponent is at least as good a player as you are, or if it's a realistically handicapped game.
 
AtLarge said:
Are you familiar with the traditional opening safety in 14.1? I think anything else is inadvisable if your opponent is at least as good a player as you are, or if it's a realistically handicapped game.
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I also find it a bit disrespectful of your opponent to do this. If you play like that you better win the game to prove that you are in fact that much better than your opponent.

Of course if you're just playing for fun then this is a neat shot. I like the one Mosconi has done where you shoot the cue ball 2 rails through the corner and contact the corner ball from the back. This sends the ball on the head spot to the opposite 2 rails and in the side pocket. Amazing shot.
 
I definitely prefer the traditional safety as opening shot. All offensive shots are - in my opinion - way to risky and unreliable.

Xperia Z - Tapatalk
 
Dan White said:
I also find it a bit disrespectful of your opponent to do this. If you play like that you better win the game to prove that you are in fact that much better than your opponent.

Of course if you're just playing for fun then this is a neat shot. I like the one Mosconi has done where you shoot the cue ball 2 rails through the corner and contact the corner ball from the back. This sends the ball on the head spot to the opposite 2 rails and in the side pocket. Amazing shot.
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I Love that shot too, but the rack better be perfect for that to work. when i mess around with that shot, i kick one rail to the corner ball.

-Steve
 
baboon said:
I definitely prefer the traditional safety as opening shot. All offensive shots are - in my opinion - way to risky and unreliable.

Xperia Z - Tapatalk
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I agree. I've had people play the head ball in the side without hitting a rail but only when playing for table time or split-time. These people were always a lot better than me but, still, they never played that shot against players their own speed. I've never seen anyone of pro caliber speed play anything other than the standard opening break in a serious match. I've fooled around with other breaks myself but they are unreliable in a serious game.
 
A fun opening shot if you are playing someone who can only run a dozen or so balls at best.

Suicide if you are playing anyone who can play straight pool well.
 
I know a couple different safes to play, and they have their place, absolutely.
But, keep in mind, not everyone here plays pro level games LOL Sometimes it's just about playing for fun. I wouldn't consider it disrespectful in a friendly game.

I've shot some great players over the years. I can recall one game when I was around 16, he had to go to 150, I had to hit 30....it was a friendly game, just a fun 'lesson'. I only got to shoot twice and it ended up 150 to 28 :eek:
I ended up paying for his time just because I enjoyed watching him play.
Against him I would've played a safe. Against someone closer to my level I'd still take the shot I mentioned more often then not.

At my best, my high run was only 27 balls.....but back then I could still make this shot on average 8 out of 10 times

That head ball in the side is much riskier in my opinion
 
The only time I would play that shot is if I am on a run and it is for fun or I am just practicing. In a real league match, even if I was on 50, I would not try that shot. Might as well get used to playing the right way.
 
I kinda figured it would go without saying that a shot like this would only be used in a 'just for fun' game....not a league match, not a tournament, not with money on the line

Don't any of you guys ever just play to relax and have some fun? LOL :p
 
I agree with the traditional opening safety. I don't understand calling it disrespectful. I would consider it far more disrespectful to the other player if I just went up and blew the rack apart. Sort of like saying, "I don't think you're going to run more than a few balls, so I"m going to make it easy for myself."

I think the trad safety break is an art in itself too. I"ve always been pretty good at getting the rack to go right back together like it hadn't been touched. Not to say I'm really any good. High run is about 35 and that was starting with an already blasted rack.
 
Culinarytracker,
I read Dan White's post differently. I thought he was quoting about the safety shot to say he agreed with it, and was saying that trying to make a ball on the break was disrespectful....implying you're not worried about what would happen if you miss it
 
kavik79 said:
I kinda figured it would go without saying that a shot like this would only be used in a 'just for fun' game....not a league match, not a tournament, not with money on the line

Don't any of you guys ever just play to relax and have some fun? LOL :p
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I think I like the feeling of executing the opening safe effectively better than the feeling of going for the bank, whether you make it or not.

Well played defensive moves in straight pool can be very relaxing and fun.

Even in a fun game, I think it is a sign of disrespect to go for it. Maybe you don't mean it that way, but on the receiving end, that is the way I would feel about it.
 
kavik79 said:
Culinarytracker,
I read Dan White's post differently. I thought he was quoting about the safety shot to say he agreed with it, and was saying that trying to make a ball on the break was disrespectful....implying you're not worried about what would happen if you miss it
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Yup, that's it.
 
kavik79 said:
Culinarytracker,
I read Dan White's post differently. I thought he was quoting about the safety shot to say he agreed with it, and was saying that trying to make a ball on the break was disrespectful....implying you're not worried about what would happen if you miss it
Click to expand...

Yea, I reread that and came to the same conclusion.
 
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