That was my fault, I did meant cut the THREE not the four.
4 possible shots, which is best?
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That was my fault, I did meant cut the THREE not the four.
When I saw the layout, my first idea was to bank it, but the 5 combo is about as easy, it would really depend on how good you are at banking vs shooting combos.
Ginky took the combo on the 5 and won the game, he left the 3 and cueball in perfect shape after the combo.
Ginky took the combo on the 5 and won the game, he left the 3 and cueball in perfect shape after the combo.
And especially on a gold crown with buckets and new cloth. The 5 is practically hanging, and it lays natural to have a shot after the combo. As Ginky would say "Dress up baby, we're going out!"
Aaron
It's either combo the 5 or hide under the 6-9. To me those are the textbook choices.
The easiest shot and the easiest safe.
I don't think more than a handful of pros would suggest any sort of "plan C".
Hitting hard and riding the 9 strikes me as a banger move. I'm not saying no pro on earth ever did that
but it's a random outcome, you're just counting on luck to come out ok if both shots fail.
I'm certainly not gonna whack at it like that if 20k is on the line.
I personally duck.
-The combo is missable, and if you do...
it 100% sells out if you just slow roll it looking to keep the 3 near that hole.
On top of that you gotta play dodgedick with the 6 & 9 if you roll it.
- Hitting firm (like trying to draw above the 8) may send the 3 flying away from the hole.
Another random, unpredictable outcome.
No, I think smart money is on ducking.
The easiest shot and the easiest safe.
I don't think more than a handful of pros would suggest any sort of "plan C".
Hitting hard and riding the 9 strikes me as a banger move. I'm not saying no pro on earth ever did that
but it's a random outcome, you're just counting on luck to come out ok if both shots fail.
I'm certainly not gonna whack at it like that if 20k is on the line.
I personally duck.
-The combo is missable, and if you do...
it 100% sells out if you just slow roll it looking to keep the 3 near that hole.
On top of that you gotta play dodgedick with the 6 & 9 if you roll it.
- Hitting firm (like trying to draw above the 8) may send the 3 flying away from the hole.
Another random, unpredictable outcome.
No, I think smart money is on ducking.
Ginky was probably the most calculating pro-level player I ever knew. He was just great at examining all of his options. If he were to play safe, he would examine exactly what his opponent's kick options would be and the likelihood of winning the game. Something like this where the combination isn't really a gimme and neither are the safeties, it was pretty certain he was going to take a minute or two and like a chess-player, he's thinking several moves ahead. To put it best, Ginky never gave-up the table without scrutinizing the situation completely.
Zion Zvi is also a pro-caliber player who can't be taken lightly by anyone. Ginky probably knew that any window of opportunity would likely result in a loss. The safety options stink and although the combination lays tough, it's not absurd. Besides, if he makes it, it's auto-shape and he's out like a fat kid playing dodgeball.
Zion Zvi is also a pro-caliber player who can't be taken lightly by anyone. Ginky probably knew that any window of opportunity would likely result in a loss. The safety options stink and although the combination lays tough, it's not absurd. Besides, if he makes it, it's auto-shape and he's out like a fat kid playing dodgeball.
Years ago back when we were all playing at Chelsea Billiards, they had this weekly tournament on Wednesday nights. My buddy drew Ginky and, as Ginky always did, after making a couple balls on the break and getting post on the 1, he yelled, "DRESS-UP, BABY! WE'RE GOING OUT!"
Well, on this one occasion, Ginky failed to convert, safing himself during his run. After turning the table over, my friend says, "Look at that, all dressed-up and no place to go." Ginky smiled and said he really liked that comeback. He always had a great sense of humor.
The following is assuming that the 3 goes past the 6 into the bottom left corner:
I'm surprised at how many won't even consider shooting the 3 in the corner, but instead opt to shoot a much tougher shot like the combo. Some even claim it's a hanger! The five has to be hit pretty good for it to go. I know that for me, I'm not even hesitating, I'm just going to shoot the 3 in the corner with a soft draw shot, and be perfect on the 4. No need to whack it just because you have draw on it.
Also, to the option of playing the combo with a free ride on the 9. Again, that is not a "whack-a-mole" shot. You don't need to hit it hard at all. In fact, you don't want to hit it more than just medium speed. Maybe even just over lag speed.
Maybe that's the real difference of having a solid aiming system to rely on?? To me, that is just another shot that is supposed to be made. It's a wide open shot, just has some angle to it. Maybe that is where the "feel" players falter a little, the angle shots become a little tougher for them.
Only going by the picture provided, it looks like he is checking to see if the 3 goes past the 5. Which it does, but you don't have a full pocket either. How long before someone tells us what he actually did shoot??
I'm surprised at how many won't even consider shooting the 3 in the corner, but instead opt to shoot a much tougher shot like the combo. Some even claim it's a hanger! The five has to be hit pretty good for it to go. I know that for me, I'm not even hesitating, I'm just going to shoot the 3 in the corner with a soft draw shot, and be perfect on the 4. No need to whack it just because you have draw on it.
Also, to the option of playing the combo with a free ride on the 9. Again, that is not a "whack-a-mole" shot. You don't need to hit it hard at all. In fact, you don't want to hit it more than just medium speed. Maybe even just over lag speed.
Maybe that's the real difference of having a solid aiming system to rely on?? To me, that is just another shot that is supposed to be made. It's a wide open shot, just has some angle to it. Maybe that is where the "feel" players falter a little, the angle shots become a little tougher for them.
Only going by the picture provided, it looks like he is checking to see if the 3 goes past the 5. Which it does, but you don't have a full pocket either. How long before someone tells us what he actually did shoot??
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I know from having enough discussions with Ginky over the years, he wouldn't have shot at the lower-left corner unless he had a full pocket to work with OR if he were straight on it. Assuming it barely fit, with that angle, he's going to pass. Also, I've played on that table and know exactly how friendly those pockets were. It was a Brunswick Gold Crown with generous pockets but slightly tightened because the camera lights really made the table play easy.
The 3 in the corner is VERY tight, if it passes, I don't think it will go past the 5, and the other corner pas the 6, which I though was the 7 (TV balls, and the screen shot changed the colors a bit), is very blocked as well. I think the highest % shots are really 3, bank, combo or safe.
I said already that Ginky picked the combo and won from there, but to me, bank combo or safe, looked to be equal chance of winning shots, with maybe the bank being a little bit tougher, although I have a better feel for banks than combos myself.
It's hard to see exactly what is going on, but it looks like the 3 has a half a pocket at most over there. If that's the case, I'm playing the combo every time, especially against a pro. A hanger? No, but there is a huge portion of the 5-ball that you can hit and still make the ball because of the pocket size and proximity.
Aaron
My assessment was based on the 3 going past the 6 to a full pocket. If that's not the case, it does change shooting it there.
Well, you may have seen Ginky play 5 or 10 times. I've seen him play hundreds over 20 years. When things are routine, Ginky moved swiftly around the table. When things got tricky, he would come to a grinding halt. I'm *assuming* he didn't have a full pocket to work with because if he did, he probably would have taken about 10 seconds to shoot.
IF the bottom left corner was a full pocket, do you feel he would have just shot the ball there, or would he prefer not to take it on?? I only ask, because I feel no pro should have a problem shooting that shot , but have seen some shy away from it for whatever reason.
Without a doubt, if he had the full pocket, he would have shot it in the lower-left.
O.K., thanks!
I think you have to be a bank-specialist to prefer the bank here. At least with the combination, you're shooting at something in front of you, you know exactly where you need to hit that ball. With the bank, unless it's straight, you're relying on how the table plays.
I bet you do.
I agree, that shot is at the mercy of the table. But it is what I tend to feel most comfortable with and have had the highest success rate with so in a moment where it's a all or nothing I prefer to go with a shot I feel confident in.
In the meantime I will continue to practice my combos!
