Simple SAFETY Shots called the "Prison"
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Good video with nice presentation by Feijen here. I'd say there's not much in this video for the advanced player, as most of the angles required in these examples are very easy to achieve. That said, for the intermediate player, this is a good game for developing both safety instincts and also some basic execution skills.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing.
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Throw the cue ball and two more out on the table. Shoot one and land hooked on the other. There are skills here where you might otherwise be forced to sell out.
i recently tried a game or drill a few times
where im in a position with no shot
say 9ball is on the rail, center short rail and im up table
trying to make a hit where the balls land and the incoming player has no shot
This is the third of three safety videos Niels put on youtube. I think I like the first two better but in this case you are repositioning the two balls forming the fence after every shot so the shot can be as hard or easy as you want it to be. As he mentions, you can use a single ball to hide behind instead of two balls also. That should crank the difficulty factor up nicely!
I think I will work with all three video's when I get around to it. They look like they would encourage safety practice without being boring especially if you have a partner to work with you.
Hu
I think I will work with all three video's when I get around to it. They look like they would encourage safety practice without being boring especially if you have a partner to work with you.
Hu
boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
I absolutely love the content Niels is putting out, he's really starting to hit his stride with the youtube thing. He's great at teaching drills that require less setup time. They get you right into the fun part and learning instead of fiddling with setup.
Try freezing to the second ball. Insanely difficult for me with almost no 3 cushion experience.
Every time I try a freeze like that it double kisses and sells out easy, takes insane touch to get
Which ball kisses?
middleofnowhere
Registered
There is a catch 22 with many safety shots. Even if it works there is no guarantee he doesn't jump the ball or even kick the ball and you end up worse then you were before. You have to weigh the value of maybe taking a shot, maybe a bank and staying at the table and winning the game.
Depending how the balls are laying you often see players attempt safeties that may be more difficult then the shot they are faced with.
Remember, you don't always win with a safety. your opponent "IS" coming to the table. Also, you don't always lose taking the tough shot but you may win. This is important in one pocket. It is always "Risk and Reward" as you decide what to do.
They are voluntary giving the table back to their opponent. Anytime your opponent is at the table he can win or do something terrable to you. I am not saying don't play safe, it just can't be the first thing you think about. You see guys try to thin a ball to play safe and miss it altogether and give up ball in hand. Or be successful only to see their opponent bank the ball they should have banked to win the game.
Bad safety attempts that sell out if they don't work are all too common. Look at all possibilities before you commit yourself.
Just another perspective on safety play and when to do it..
Depending how the balls are laying you often see players attempt safeties that may be more difficult then the shot they are faced with.
Remember, you don't always win with a safety. your opponent "IS" coming to the table. Also, you don't always lose taking the tough shot but you may win. This is important in one pocket. It is always "Risk and Reward" as you decide what to do.
They are voluntary giving the table back to their opponent. Anytime your opponent is at the table he can win or do something terrable to you. I am not saying don't play safe, it just can't be the first thing you think about. You see guys try to thin a ball to play safe and miss it altogether and give up ball in hand. Or be successful only to see their opponent bank the ball they should have banked to win the game.
Bad safety attempts that sell out if they don't work are all too common. Look at all possibilities before you commit yourself.
Just another perspective on safety play and when to do it..
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A nicely reasoned and well-presented post here for sure, but tactical judgement and execution of safeties are two very different subjects.
This drill will teach you how to execute safeties once you have decided that playing a safety is appropriate, not how to choose between offense, defense, and two-way shots. The video offers nothing on the subject of when/whether you should be playing safe. That's a different subject, and it might possibly be covered in a future Feijen tutorial video.
Table IQ is a totally different topic all to itself. Which imo is what you're speaking about here. This is one of the very last aspects of the game people develop. Mainly because there is no system, no short cut, no magic pill that knows you personal strengths/weaknesses and those of your opponent's. All comes down to HAMB and experience.
Most opt to lean toward offensive aggression, and I don't mean to imply one shouldn't play that way. What I do know is, I'll bet on any mid tier grinder against a top tier potter. Rare to see a match between greats not pivotal on some aspect of safety play.
Typing slowly this morning, I see two posts covering this while I was typing!
The rule of thumb is that if both shots are equally difficult, shoot to pocket a ball. I take it a good bit further than that, 60-40 or to put it another way 3:2. I don't play a safety unless it is very clearly the stronger shot. If I have to take longer than moments considering, I will shoot to pocket a ball. Another thing, if I don't think I will sink the money ball this inning, I will plan the safety early. Planned safeties tend to be much stronger than safeties you are forced to play because of the shot before the safety.
Niels credits winning five or six major tournaments in a row to stepping up his defensive game, hard to argue with that! That doesn't mean he played more safeties, more likely he played better safeties. What really bites is a failed safety. You gave up the chance to stay at the table and failed to play a safety too! This is what these drills try to prevent. If you are going to play a safety make sure it is a good one. I am happy to see a jump cue come out for a tough jump. People are getting better but I have never owned a jump cue and have to say that they have won me a lot more games than they have cost me.
Hu
Don't disagree with the above, but I will add it may not be the best practice if you are indeed attempting to improve your 'moves' game. At some point, or maybe even just match based, you need to put the onus on playing tight rather than aggression. I honestly don't know how you'd build any confidence unless you go after HAMS, (safeties).
I recall catching wind of an opinion, spoken by an equal tier competitor. He, like myself were strong offensive pool players born from snooker. He had some years on me and I respected his opinion. His comment (spoken to someone else) after dropping a close match to me was that I was a great potter but my safe game wasn't "all that special". Well needless to say, for the next few months people really hated playing me. I made it a goal to ramp up that aspect in my game, so the next time we'd meet, he'd regret the comment. I was probably leaning toward 60/40 toward safe play. That's extreme I know, but to this day I'm more known for my moves game then anything else.
My point... casually attempting safeties will not gain you proficiency. Drills are great for people that like drills. I perfer to gain experience within match play. I'd advise anyone that is looking to ramp that aspect of their game, to prepare to lose a bit more to poorly played shots. However in the long run, it will serve you well. ...imo
middleofnowhere
Registered
The one thing with safety play as opposed to aggressive play is the type of match. In head to head play I am more aggressive. This is due to the fact the match has no time or pre set end.
If I throw away a game or miss a shot no big deal. Not so in tournament play. A tournament match is sudden death all the time. You can't risk throwing away games.
You have to play more careful.
My point is, (if there is one), both school's of thought on safety play are correct. Sometimes you play conservative and sometimes you play aggressive.
Safety play is another tool in your toolbox. It is very important you know how, as illustrated in the video posted by the OP.
One reason I tend to play more aggressive gambling is not just I value any given game less. But I don't like to get tight, playing every shot like it is life or death. When I play faster and looser I play better.
But that's just me.
If I throw away a game or miss a shot no big deal. Not so in tournament play. A tournament match is sudden death all the time. You can't risk throwing away games.
You have to play more careful.
My point is, (if there is one), both school's of thought on safety play are correct. Sometimes you play conservative and sometimes you play aggressive.
Safety play is another tool in your toolbox. It is very important you know how, as illustrated in the video posted by the OP.
One reason I tend to play more aggressive gambling is not just I value any given game less. But I don't like to get tight, playing every shot like it is life or death. When I play faster and looser I play better.
But that's just me.
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dquarasr
Registered
When I play safe (and I do it poorly as a low skill level player) I always try not only to hide the OB from the CB, but also freeze the CB against another ball preventing the jump. Needless to say I am nearly always unsuccessful usually due to speed control but I continue to work on it.
middleofnowhere
Registered
Another thing with safety play, before shooting you better have a good idea where the balls are going to be after you shoot. Just because he may not be able to pocket a ball doesn't mean it was a successful safe. He is going to safe you back. In fact you may have trapped yourself with a poorly thought out safe, even if well executed.
Like as in one pocket or chess for that matter. You need to anticipate what the other player is going to do back to you. You see it all the time, safes, that set up the incoming player to kill you with a safe back.
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dquarasr
Registered
Hell, yeah.
