Most Common Shot In 9/10-Ball

DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am convinced that this shot is just about the most important shot in the game of 9-Ball of 10-Ball. It seems like it just comes up literally all the time. Maybe not this EXACT shot but something very, VERY similar.

In my opinion, if you want to be a top level player you better master this shot and be able to put the CB about anywhere on the table after you pocket the 1-ball.

What do you posters think?

r/DCP

https://pad-v1.chalkysticks.com/c6eef.png
 
I am convinced that this shot is just about the most important shot in the game of 9-Ball of 10-Ball. It seems like it just comes up literally all the time. Maybe not this EXACT shot but something very, VERY similar.

In my opinion, if you want to be a top level player you better master this shot and be able to put the CB about anywhere on the table after you pocket the 1-ball.

What do you posters think?

r/DCP

https://pad-v1.chalkysticks.com/c6eef.png

Why would that shot come up all the time? It's too steep an angle. If that's what you're used to looking at then your cue ball control needs work, not recovering from that shape.

JC
 
I agree, it's rare not shooting this shot one or more times in a single game. I'll add that practicing this shot without shaving the long rail with the ob is a good habit.
 
For a ball near the cushion, about a half-ball shot is usually a good angle that allows you to move the cue ball anywhere. I assume that's the point you're making. I agree with that. I've noticed that some top players leave themselves more angle than I would so they can shoot softer while moving the cue ball across the table.

From the position shown, you should be able to go forward three cushion, draw back for a Z pattern, and go straight across once or twice, and all the in-betweens.
 
For a ball near the cushion, about a half-ball shot is usually a good angle that allows you to move the cue ball anywhere. I assume that's the point you're making. I agree with that. I've noticed that some top players leave themselves more angle than I would so they can shoot softer while moving the cue ball across the table.

From the position shown, you should be able to go forward three cushion, draw back for a Z pattern, and go straight across once or twice, and all the in-betweens.

Excellent points here Bob. Especially the comment about "all the in-betweens"

r/DCP
 
Depending on how close to the rail it is, it's an angle that isn't friendly to excessive speed and spin. Medium speed usually does the trick and sometimes you have to accept that the shot doesn't offer position to the next ball.

A One Pocket player will make this shot most of the time because they control the speed of the ball going to the pocket. Players need to learn which ball speed diminishes the probability of success.

Face the fact that you're not Jayson Shaw and stay within your realm of possibility. Pool is about self control as much as cue ball control. Learn when to make good decisions.

If you are the player that believes he can power this ball in with speed and spin and park whitey anywhere for position.....you're the guy I want to play because you've already beaten yourself.

Dedicated practice will help you master the tougher shots and will build confidence. There are no shortcuts.
 
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I can't agree with the OP's assumption. All break shots have a randomness. There is no one shot that comes up any more than any other. That's one of the beauties of pool. Every layout is different and must be figured out through planning.

I could be wrong but that shot might be the shot that gives the OP the most trouble, the inside cut along the rail.
 
I agree that it's an important one. 99% of the time I run off a dozen or so shots like this either at the beginning or the end of my practice. More often than not I tend to put it right on the rail. I also shoot this one quite often as well.
https://pad-v1.chalkysticks.com/eaa96
 
I am convinced that this shot is just about the most important shot in the game of 9-Ball of 10-Ball. It seems like it just comes up literally all the time. Maybe not this EXACT shot but something very, VERY similar.

In my opinion, if you want to be a top level player you better master this shot and be able to put the CB about anywhere on the table after you pocket the 1-ball.

What do you posters think?

r/DCP

https://pad-v1.chalkysticks.com/c6eef.png
I agree this is certainly a shot any good player needs to execute well, but not more common than many other shots. With a tight rack or a Magic rack, I would say the most common and crucial shot that comes up in 9/10 ball is the final ball shot with the 9/10 resting just below the foot spot where it was racked, and the CB either near the middle of the table, or a straighter in angle with the CB very close to or on the siderail, making it a little tricky.

I can attest that at the age 60, and I'm guessing older players here will agree, that as your eyes and 3D depth perception have clearly started declining, a longer cut shot like this with the OB within 2-3 inches of the side rail does become a much more difficult shot. I always make a point to take the extra time to walk around and eye the OB down the siderail to determine exactly how far it is off the rail (within 1/4" to 1/2" accuracy) and keep that distance in my mindset as I go down and start in to my preshot routine to shoot the shot.
 
I am convinced that this shot is just about the most important shot in the game of 9-Ball of 10-Ball. It seems like it just comes up literally all the time. Maybe not this EXACT shot but something very, VERY similar.

In my opinion, if you want to be a top level player you better master this shot and be able to put the CB about anywhere on the table after you pocket the 1-ball.

What do you posters think?

r/DCP

https://pad-v1.chalkysticks.com/c6eef.png

I practice this shot and on the rail with full right hand English in order to get the CB back to the other end rail. On my Revo, I just about hit the ball hard almost pretty square and the swerve takes over to make the ball. Great practice.
 
I agree that it's an important one. 99% of the time I run off a dozen or so shots like this either at the beginning or the end of my practice. More often than not I tend to put it right on the rail. I also shoot this one quite often as well.
https://pad-v1.chalkysticks.com/eaa96


I think this angle is the hardest for me to see on the pool table (the back cut).

Anyone have any simple ideas on how to make this more consistently?
 
I think this angle is the hardest for me to see on the pool table (the back cut).

Anyone have any simple ideas on how to make this more consistently?

I have a strange feeling that this thread will be moved to the Aiming Forum eventually. I think sometimes we over analyze and that's when doubt creeps in. When doubt is there, confidence leaves. KISS. As Allison Fisher says "just hit the point on the object ball that is the furthest away from the pocket."
 
Op.....

It is a common shot in any game. That is the starting/standard shot for the "clock" drill. (usually placed two diamonds from a corner pocket) . Doc
 
This was basically the shot I thought of before I clicked the link.

If you take a look at what I sent you previously, the OP is basically describing variations of both Shot #2 and Shot #3 . I split them up because the attack of the shot with follow when the object ball is closer to the cushion is a different enough animal (Shot #3).

It feels more like the OP is wanting to talk about Shot #2, one rail across the table, normally with outside, to-and through the center of the table.

Add Shot #1 (cut to the corner, and two-railing the cueball - doubling the other corner, to-and-through the center of the table), and you cover a whole lot of short rack rotation shots.


Freddie
 
As Allison Fisher says "just hit the point on the object ball that is the furthest away from the pocket."
This might be good advice for a beginner, and will get you close enough to pocket a lot of shots, but isn't 100% accurate most of the time.

It also doesn't tell you how to get the cue ball to hit the object ball at that point, which is really more of the issue for most players. Even the weakest league players can usually show you where they want the cue ball to contact the object ball, but can't make it happen.

IMO, the KISS principle is more applicable to shot selection and position play. For making shots, there are some tip and techniques that can be learned through study, but there's no substitute for practice to develop the correct "muscle-memory".
 
This might be good advice for a beginner, and will get you close enough to pocket a lot of shots, but isn't 100% accurate most of the time.

It also doesn't tell you how to get the cue ball to hit the object ball at that point, which is really more of the issue for most players. Even the weakest league players can usually show you where they want the cue ball to contact the object ball, but can't make it happen.

IMO, the KISS principle is more applicable to shot selection and position play. For making shots, there are some tip and techniques that can be learned through study, but there's no substitute for practice to develop the correct "muscle-memory".

I am not one to ascribe to aiming "systems." I have seen them confuse more players than help them. My approach is very basic. I believe PSR takes care of most of the things that bothers players. Hit a million balls and squirt and deflection are accounted for unconsciously. Yes, I'm obviously a feel player.
 
I think this angle is the hardest for me to see on the pool table (the back cut).

Anyone have any simple ideas on how to make this more consistently?

I imagine this is the hardest one for a lot of people, as it certainly is for me. Most people tend to undercut it (that's what I do anyway) so aiming for the inside of the pocket helps. Also, spinning it a little to compensate for the tendency to undercut helps, if you can afford to. Aiming the ferrule to the contact point on the object ball works if your using center ball. I'm sure theres some other good tricks out there, these are the ones I use.
 
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