This came up in a match last night (missing it cost me the match, unfortunately - well, what really cost me is not getting proper shape to this point). How to make the 13 and get shape to the square pictured? I tried shooting it numerous ways afterward and still couldn't figure it out, other than stunning the ball, which seems too risky. And no, I couldn't hit to the right of the 13 and come around - there were impeding balls in various spots on the table. My attempt was left english, slow sidespin - which hit the right side of the pocket and rattled the 13. On this shot I'll either rattle the 13, scratch, hit the left side of pocket with CB, or come up short almost every way I try. Thanks in advance for any input.
Help with side pocket shot
- Thread starter jimtauer
- Start date
Whether you can hit the 13 on the left side and go straight to the square indicated depends on exactly where the ball is in the pocket and how the pocket is assembled. I think it is your best chance here if there are lots of blockers to the right.
On some equipment you may be able to hit the 13 nearly full on the right side with left follow and get the cue ball to hook back to the side cushion, but the angle is not very good for that shot.
It is possible to shoot a masse shot. Not likely, but possible. Take the cue ball out to the right and curve it back to the left to come across the face of the 13.
If you are playing 8 ball and the 13 is your last stripe and the square is the only place you can shoot the 8 from, you have to choose the shot that is most likely even if very unlikely. If you have no masse shot, play thin off the right side of the 13 with a lot of right english and hit it as hard as you can but not fly the ball off the table hoping to rearrange the table enough that you get a shot at the 8. If it works, it's devastating.
On some equipment you may be able to hit the 13 nearly full on the right side with left follow and get the cue ball to hook back to the side cushion, but the angle is not very good for that shot.
It is possible to shoot a masse shot. Not likely, but possible. Take the cue ball out to the right and curve it back to the left to come across the face of the 13.
If you are playing 8 ball and the 13 is your last stripe and the square is the only place you can shoot the 8 from, you have to choose the shot that is most likely even if very unlikely. If you have no masse shot, play thin off the right side of the 13 with a lot of right english and hit it as hard as you can but not fly the ball off the table hoping to rearrange the table enough that you get a shot at the 8. If it works, it's devastating.
Stunning is the shot - easy, natural and very little risk (if you can hit a medium speed stop shot).
pj
chgo
I like this shot, but I'd check the firmness of those side pocket noses first. May have to hit it a bit firm with a touch of low inside to make sure the ob drives through and into the pocket.
I agree sometimes, but the way the ball lies in the pic it wouldn't have to be "driven through" the point - there's enough cheating angle without that.
pj
chgo
You're probably right, but that little side pocket dance happens quite often (when the ob hits the point perfectly to whirl right out of the pocket)! Lol.
I'm probably going to say that there were probably other options and the leave didn't need to be that perfect. Giving up a perfect position for acceptable position might have been the right move.
The full layout of the table would have been nice since you already told us there were 3 rail blockers.
Another option could be to draw the ball one or three rails off the bottom left cusion.
The loses risk is probably just the stun shot tangent angle to the rail.
The full layout of the table would have been nice since you already told us there were 3 rail blockers.
Another option could be to draw the ball one or three rails off the bottom left cusion.
The loses risk is probably just the stun shot tangent angle to the rail.
True dat!
And your point (nyuck nyuck) is an important one: you gotta be careful with object balls near a point - it's very easy to get careless because you "can't miss" from that close. The lesson is painful - from a gimme to a f*ckme in a split second.
pj
chgo
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If the balls lay as pictured, you could pretty easily thin the 13 into the side pocket and twist the CB past the opposite side pocket across and back to the target. "Easy", but you gotta hit it thin (enough that now the opposite point might be an issue).
pj
chgo
pj
chgo
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Definitely the best and most common shot, as long as there's no traffic to maneuver.
Some people seem to have missed this in the OP:
And no, I couldn't hit to the right of the 13 and come around - there were impeding balls in various spots on the table.
I did miss that. I wish those impeding balls were placed on the table in the original diagram. I would've like to have seen the possibilities on that side of the table. Too late now. Unless the op took a photograph, there's no way to remember where those balls were.
I didn't miss it. That's why I agreed with Fran that the 3-railer would be the best shot "as long as there's no traffic to maneuver."
Thanks all for the replies. Very insightful. I have come to the conclusion that the best shot would have been to play proper shape before this one 
. Or, should have taken that ball out earlier in the run. Tried practicing some of these options yesterday and it's still a difficult situation no matter what. It's also a very deceiving shot because it looks easy from the opposite side of the table.
In regard to hitting to the right 3-4 rails, I could have tried it, don't remember where the balls were but it was the end of a break and run so from what I recall, there were 5 opponent balls on the right side of the table to the middle and 2 on the left, thus the narrow shape window needed to get on my last ball before the 8. That is why the proabability of hitting one and getting hooked was pretty high. But I admit I should have taken more time on the shot too.
. Or, should have taken that ball out earlier in the run. Tried practicing some of these options yesterday and it's still a difficult situation no matter what. It's also a very deceiving shot because it looks easy from the opposite side of the table.In regard to hitting to the right 3-4 rails, I could have tried it, don't remember where the balls were but it was the end of a break and run so from what I recall, there were 5 opponent balls on the right side of the table to the middle and 2 on the left, thus the narrow shape window needed to get on my last ball before the 8. That is why the proabability of hitting one and getting hooked was pretty high. But I admit I should have taken more time on the shot too.
It probably didn't need to be exact - but close, somewhere closer to the rail would have worked but not ideal. I was at the end of an 8 ball break and run, so all the opponent's balls were still on the table. The position there was to get to the ball before the 8, and to also get a good angle to come back off the short rail for shape on the 8. Worse position on my last ball could have been acceptable (more toward the short rail on the left) but I would have had a harder shot on the 8 in one of the side pockets.
Thanks all for the replies. Very insightful. I have come to the conclusion that the best shot would have been to play proper shape before this one
In regard to hitting to the right 3-4 rails, I could have tried it, don't remember where the balls were but it was the end of a break and run so from what I recall, there were 5 opponent balls on the right side of the table to the middle and 2 on the left, thus the narrow shape window needed to get on my last ball before the 8. That is why the proabability of hitting one and getting hooked was pretty high. But I admit I should have taken more time on the shot too.
That's why I think it would've been interesting to see the actual layout. You don't always have to avoid blocking balls. You can also run into them intentionally. It does get a bit tricky when you do that, but it's an option that shouldn't be overlooked.