Highest percentage way to shoot this with BIH, playing Back Pocket 9 Ball

iusedtoberich

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Not a joke. This shot comes up playing "Back Pocket 9 Ball" a bit. I don't think it comes up in any other game. Opponent scratches while pocketing the 9. 9 spots and you must shoot it to your far pocket. I've seen top local players miss it over the years.

How would you shoot it? How much space would you leave between CB and 9? Would you leave like 2 balls and jack up a hair and shoot a bit firmer? Or leave more space and shoot a longer follow thru? Would you hit it pocket speed to hang it up if you miss? Or would you hit it a bit more speed. Assume average pool hall level conditions.

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i will stick my neck out first....:giggle:
if the table didnt have a roll off
i would place cue ball about 1/2 diamond distance from the object ball
and i would hit it pocket speed with a rolling cue ball

if the roll off was bad
again half diamond distance
i would shoot it firm enough to draw back to the head rail


one last thought
which i think is the best is to set it up as a 3/4 ball cut to the left
pocket speed
so the cue ball travels to the right side rail leaving a tough shot to his pocket if i miss
 
I'm glad that I'm not the only one that needs to take that seriously…

Probably about three balls apart and dead straight. About a half tip or so of follow as if my only goal in life is to make the cue ball itself. Roll it...
 
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I agree with the majority about the speed and hit (pocket speed with follow). I'd put the CB just far enough from the OB to be confident they're aligned straight to the pocket (3 balls apart might work).

pj
chgo
 
straightline said:
I'd line it up for a medium stop. Trick question?
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Legit question. I've seen it missed a bunch of times over the years, even by mid to high 600's. I played this game about 4 hours last week, and my opponent and I both missed it once in that session. We are both mid 500's. I shot it a bit faster than pocket speed and slightly jacked up. We were on a 4 1/4" Diamond 9'. Was wondering if there is a more high percentage way to play it.
 
iusedtoberich said:
Legit question. I've seen it missed a bunch of times over the years, even by mid to high 600's. I played this game about 4 hours last week, and my opponent and I both missed it once in that session. We are both mid 500's. I shot it a bit faster than pocket speed and slightly jacked up. We were on a 4 1/4" Diamond 9'. Was wondering if there is a more high percentage way to play it.
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I do the following with all critical shots in a variety of ways but for cinching a straight in, I use the stick to make sure everything is in line - and headed between the jaws. Get in position on the same plane and shoot.
 
One more thing about cinching close shots.

Firm stroke.

It's a hand/eye/mind thing. If you under-hit those, you let the balance shift to perhaps, mind - so any apprehensions can lead the former two.
 
iusedtoberich said:
Legit question. I've seen it missed a bunch of times over the years, even by mid to high 600's. I played this game about 4 hours last week, and my opponent and I both missed it once in that session. We are both mid 500's. I shot it a bit faster than pocket speed and slightly jacked up. We were on a 4 1/4" Diamond 9'. Was wondering if there is a more high percentage way to play it.
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First, set it up absolutely straight to the center of the pocket. (That's usually very near the intersection of the rail grooves.)

To minimize the effect of unintended sidespin, play with either draw or follow. Some players feel they can find the center of the cue ball better at the bottom, so draw is best for them.

A very old technique for straight-in shots: point your stick at the center of the pocket, not the object ball. The distant target may cause you to aim more precisely. Of course, if you have failed to do step 1 correctly, this won't work very well. (A more general use of the idea when the shot is not perfectly straight is to figure out where in the pocket to point your stick, like at the left point or at that rust spot on the corner casting.)
 
I'd be about 3-4" back from where the CB is now with a slight cut to the right, which is where it looks like it's sitting, and would shoot with slight bottom left. Medium speed, unless the pockets are being friendly and I don't really like the opponent, if that's the case, it's going in at warp speed. The first thing I do when I get to a table to practice is shoot shots just like this, but the OB starts closer to the end rail and I move it further away as I progress and I adjust the distance. I do this to learn short, soft draws, draw it 4", draw it 6", draw it a foot, etc. By the time I shoot that 9B I should have a good idea of table speed, any roll off, clean/dirty balls (affects throw), etc.
 
David in FL said:
I'm glad that I'm not the only one that needs to take that seriously…

Probably about three balls apart and dead straight. About a half tip or so of follow as if my only goal in life is to make the cue ball itself. Roll it...
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Bob Jewett said:
First, set it up absolutely straight to the center of the pocket. (That's usually very near the intersection of the rail grooves.)

To minimize the effect of unintended sidespin, play with either draw or follow. Some players feel they can find the center of the cue ball better at the bottom, so draw is best for them.

A very old technique for straight-in shots: point your stick at the center of the pocket, not the object ball. The distant target may cause you to aim more precisely. Of course, if you have failed to do step 1 correctly, this won't work very well. (A more general use of the idea when the shot is not perfectly straight is to figure out where in the pocket to point your stick, like at the left point or at that rust spot on the corner casting.)
Click to expand...

Going straight at it is an excellent time to point out the need to practice the Mighty-X :)

 
The best way to win the $100 is to make it, not complicate things to give the other person a harder shot if you miss. 500s will miss this on occasion but that’s why we are 500s!

Where you positioned the cue ball is definitely closer than I would have, that seems a little claustrophobic.
 
iusedtoberich said:
Legit question. I've seen it missed a bunch of times over the years, even by mid to high 600's. I played this game about 4 hours last week, and my opponent and I both missed it once in that session. We are both mid 500's. I shot it a bit faster than pocket speed and slightly jacked up. We were on a 4 1/4" Diamond 9'. Was wondering if there is a more high percentage way to play it.
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Why would there be any need to jack up?
 
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