The End Game 8 Ball Safety

PETROBOY

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I dont think you will win many games this way, maybe against weak players but if you cant make the ball where it sits in your video how are you going to make it when a stronger player leaves you even tougher then say a simple cut up the rail? why not try the shot with playing the cue ball safer incase you miss? thats just my way of thinking but if your playing me feel free to play these safeties I love getting another shot when I should have lost.
 

mnorwood

Moon
Silver Member
I dont think you will win many games this way, maybe against weak players but if you cant make the ball where it sits in your video how are you going to make it when a stronger player leaves you even tougher then say a simple cut up the rail? why not try the shot with playing the cue ball safer incase you miss? thats just my way of thinking but if your playing me feel free to play these safeties I love getting another shot when I should have lost.

This video was not intended for top speed world beaters like yourself. If you play these shots in a league or a weekly tournament they are useful. Not suggesting that you do this in Mosconi cup play.
 

cleary

Honestly, I'm a liar.
Silver Member
I dont think you will win many games this way, maybe against weak players but if you cant make the ball where it sits in your video how are you going to make it when a stronger player leaves you even tougher then say a simple cut up the rail? why not try the shot with playing the cue ball safer incase you miss? thats just my way of thinking but if your playing me feel free to play these safeties I love getting another shot when I should have lost.

If you're playing on a super tight table and you come up funny on the last ball, you're better off letting them be the hero. I don't think he really hit these as good as they should have been, but its an example and I get the point. But if you're gonna miss the shot less than 50% of the time, you better play safe and leave them an even harder shot.
 

PETROBOY

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Haha world beater hahaha, If your good enough to kick a ball to the far rail why not cut it up the table and into the pocket? Im a league player and I play weekly tournaments so I am the guy you will be playing these shots against. I just dont understand giving your opponent a shot at winning the game or making things even tougher on you. the shots you showed looked like they could be made or played with a two way shot thats all dont get upset because I dont agree with your choices again feel free to play these against me.
 

mnorwood

Moon
Silver Member
I didn't hit those shots as well as they could be hit, but good enough that if I was playing in an APA league they would have been hard for most league players to deal with. Its all in what you are comfortable doing. If you are a lights out banker then go for it.
 

Mr. Wiggles

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Playing smart

I didn't hit those shots as well as they could be hit, but good enough that if I was playing in an APA league they would have been hard for most league players to deal with. Its all in what you are comfortable doing. If you are a lights out banker then go for it.

Good stuff. Depends who you are playing for sure. The long rail half ball hit is the easiest and should of course be practiced. For the short rail I like to go for the bank but with speed for leaving the eight on mid rail. Tough but man I hate to sell out while playing leave! This is simple stuff really. Your mindset must be making your opp. Shoot tough shots instead of yourself. Thanks.
 

14.1pocket

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I agree that I would most likely be shooting for the pocket on most of those. Not to say those are not useful shots, they definitely are especially for someone that is newer to the game.

Those types of shots are useful in mid-rack as well and definitely good options when playing nine ball or even straight pool or one pocket.

Great video, thanks for sharing.
 

cuetechasaurus

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I didn't hit those shots as well as they could be hit, but good enough that if I was playing in an APA league they would have been hard for most league players to deal with. Its all in what you are comfortable doing. If you are a lights out banker then go for it.

You have a really nice stroke. I don't really like those kick shots to the side and the corner personally, because if you miss you almost always sell out the game. If I'm gonna shoot in that situation I'd rather play a bank because IMO the percentages are higher and you have more control of the cue ball.
 

Celtic

AZB's own 8-ball jihadist
Silver Member
I didn't hit those shots as well as they could be hit, but good enough that if I was playing in an APA league they would have been hard for most league players to deal with. Its all in what you are comfortable doing. If you are a lights out banker then go for it.

"That was the best attempt"

At 2:40, that was the worst result of the 3 safety attempts. I am not sure how bad people shoot in the APA but if you are playing in the BCA Nationals against the top 10% of the players in the open and left them that you are probably a 80% chance to lose the game to the pretty much straight in side bank.

Alot of these shots are better played with controlled bank shots with built in safeties by aiming such that if you are going to miss then missing on the "pro" side. Such as the first shot you shoot in the video, that can be played with a controlled corner bank shot aiming to miss it short if you are going to miss. With the right weight the object ball will stop in the center of the footrail and the cueball will be up in the kitchen close to the headrail.

Your shooting these shots on what looks like a 9-foot and some of these shots make more sense on a 9-foot. If you made this video on a valley bar box or a diamond 7-footer the shots would not look so "safe", and that is the audience you are admitting you are targetting for the video...
 
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Atlatlien

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Did we really need an entire minute of "Never give a game away! Make your opponent shoot the hard shots." Anyway, good strategy against an APA SL1-4.
 

Luxury

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A small handful of smart shots and a cornucopia of ill advised shots. Not to try to be mean but just looking out for the guys trying to learn.
 

onepocketron

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Circumstances and my opponent would dictate if I shoot or play a safe such as in the video. I do appreciate the work you put into this video. I would venture to say most leauges and weekend tourneys on played on bar boxes or 8 footers which makes pocketing balls easier and could make these safeties less effective.
I see you video was on a 9 footer which, in my opinion, makes these safeties more effective. I have seen the half ball safety executed many times very effectively on a 9 footer with good results. Simply put, safeties win games. If I have an easy safe VS a hard shot, I will play the safety 90 percent of the time and let my opponent have a swing at it. If he misses, he loses.
Regardless, eveyone's style is different. Some will say take the shot, don't let you opponent back up to the table, others will say the opposite. Again, for me it depends on my opponent and the circumstances. Thanks for sharing.
 

trob

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The first two safes are basic safes that I've used 1000+ times ... if you don't know those two safes that you have little to no knowledge of safety play. In leagues theres no room for cowboy crap. You got one game to get it done. Now on the other hand the last kick safe is just silly. If you can't make that shot more then you miss it then you need to practice it for awhile. It's really not that hard. The simple rule of safes is if the safe is equal to or harder then shooting the shot... you shoot the shot. I think your taking a MUCH bigger risk kicking that ball up table then you are shooting that shot. Lets also keep one other thing in perspective... Your shooting that on a gold crown. Most league players are playing on bar box tables with big happy pockets so that makes that shot even easier.
 

cleary

Honestly, I'm a liar.
Silver Member
You guys really are beating up on this guy. This is clearly a 9' table which is a different ball game than a barbox. He's simply saying, DON'T SELL OUT, make your opponent take the high risk shot.

The 1st shot will win you games.

The 2nd shot, the ball is in your opponents court. He will more than likey take the bank.

3rd shot, I would shoot at my hole unless it was super tight pockets.

4th shot, its a little touchy but ends up very well kicking up table. It travels a long way in "not safe" area until it gets to a safe area. I would rather play 1 rail bank up table. Aim to the back of the side pocket and shoot soft.

The kick in the side is a dead sellout.

Anytime you're on the 8ball (or 9ball), playing safe is a huge risk, huge reward kind of situation. First off, its easy to sell out the safe and you're offering them the chance to get lucky. But if you can leave them a low percentage shot everytime, the high percentage shot is sitting in the chair watching them miss.
 

dfweyer

Play it safe...
Silver Member
"That was the best attempt"

you are probably a 80% chance to loose the game

I'd agree...you should be practicing the bank shots to get to 80% instead of these poorly played safeties!

Maybe try to bank for a 2-way shot instead...at least you have an XX% chance of winning instead of 0%!

New thread... 8 Ball End Game Two-way Shot

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mnorwood

Moon
Silver Member
I'd agree...you should be practicing the bank shots to get to 80% instead of these poorly played safeties!

Maybe try to bank for a 2-way shot instead...at least you have an XX% chance of winning instead of 0%!

New thread... 8 Ball End Game Two-way Shot

v6TdA.png

Hey great video!!! I posted a link to the other thread on youtube. You should make your video a response to mine on youtube.

Thanks for sharing,
Marcus
 

plainbutt

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Maybe ok for a good player against a low level player or two low level players but a low level player against a good player might as well try for the pocket as his odds of success of pulling off a safety is probably about the same.
 
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