How would you play it?

pocket

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
9 ball. I'll make it easy, ball in hand.

What is the easiest route to get out. I know, basic stuff, but it's where I'm at.

Shot 1:

I would think going off the short rail and up to about middle table would be the best bet, but I never get the speed right. That may be the issue as opposed to shot selection, speed control. Is there a better path?

shot1.jpg

Shot 2:

Tried a bunch of paths, none seemed to be the obvious one. Cutting the 7 and going 2 or 3 rails worked sometimes and I think I was on to it but couldn't get consistent with it even though it felt a lot like I should lol.

shot2.jpg
 

Tin Man

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Shot 1: place cueball in the middle of the table, shoot the 7 in and come off the end rail 1 rail back to the middle of the table. This way you are 'going with the line of position' as much as possible. (Placing the cueball near the end rail and playing to the side rail and out to the middle is cutting across the line and makes your positional zone smaller and the direction and speed tougher)

Shot 2: Depends on your skill set. I like ball in the middle of the table, then 3 rails back to the center. I like that because I hit that shot well and won't ever mess it up. Playing for a side pocket I might get out of line and miss an awkward shot in the side off the rail once in a while. Placing the cue ball fuller on the 7 and drawing out one rail I might come up short or run into the 7 once in a while. With the 3 railer all I have to worry about is my speed, but it's a speed shot where I'm rolling the ball, and if I get out of line I am shooting to a corner, not a side.
 

Shooter32

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It all depends on where you place the cue ball for the 7 on how to get position on the 9 .


Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 

Mkindsv

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I would play them both the same way...stop shot nine in the side...might wanna get off the rail a hair for the second one
 

Yotehntr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I would think going off the short rail and up to about middle table would be the best bet, but I never get the speed right. ]

It sounds to me like you have the right idea's in your head. You just need to lay it on the table and practice until you understand speed control. Put the chalk where you want the cue ball to stop and keep at it until you're where you want to be. Try different angles with the cue ball and learn to adjust for the angel you'll find that on a more direct hit on the object ball absorbs more energy/speed from the cue ball.
 

slide13

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Shot 1 I definitely like going off the short rail and straight back up to mid table technically....but I'd probably shoot it with less angle initial and some inside and go two rails because for some reason I find myself more comfortable with controlling the speed even though it's going across the shot line.

Shot 2 I'd just hit a little stop shot with just enough angle to come off e rail a touch. Seems a shot that would be hard to screw up given this layout with the 7-9 directly in line to the side pocket.

all this being said....I'm not that good and am more interested in what the better players here have to say.
 

louieatienza

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
1 - I'd place the cue ball between the 9 and the foot rail, shoot the 7 in the corner and just use a little follow, and just let the cue ball bounce off the long rail. As long as the cue ball gets past the 2nd diamond on the long rail you're fine. Even if you somehow come up short you still have a sot at the 9

2 - Three rails is the right shot. But I would use some high left to get the cue ball to go to the third rail without having to use a lot of speed. Again, if you somehow flub it and just get to the third rail, you'll still have a shot at the 9.
 
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Danimal

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Shot 1: If you're lefty, place the CB near the footspot and bounce off the short rail with a little top and a smidge of inside. If you're righty, place the CB parallel with the 7 and come to center table with a little high outside.

Shot 2: As a lefty, this shot and variations of it have cost me several matches and tournaments. A lot of choices are unreliable, and the best way is to come out of the corner with high inside english. However, depending where the CB lies it can get very tricky to put a good stroke on it with your left hand.

The solution is to learn to shoot it righty. This is the first shot that convinced me to practice off handed. If you are serious about improving your skill set, you must get specialty situations like this comfortable with both hands. You don't have to learn how to shoot all over the table off handed, but I spent several hours drilling this shot with my right hand and now I don't shy away from shooting this with either high inside or low outside in competitive situations when the CB is within a diamond or two from the OB (If you are right handed and the balls are in mirrored positions on the other side of the table, it would behoove you the practice shooting it lefty).

The amount of racks I have closed out with this shot has paid didvidends for the few short sessions that I spent woodshedding it.
 

louieatienza

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Shot 1: If you're lefty, place the CB near the footspot and bounce off the short rail with a little top and a smidge of inside. If you're righty, place the CB parallel with the 7 and come to center table with a little high outside.

Shot 2: As a lefty, this shot and variations of it have cost me several matches and tournaments. A lot of choices are unreliable, and the best way is to come out of the corner with high inside english. However, depending where the CB lies it can get very tricky to put a good stroke on it with your left hand.

The solution is to learn to shoot it righty. This is the first shot that convinced me to practice off handed. If you are serious about improving your skill set, you must get specialty situations like this comfortable with both hands. You don't have to learn how to shoot all over the table off handed, but I spent several hours drilling this shot with my right hand and now I don't shy away from shooting this with either high inside or low outside in competitive situations when the CB is within a diamond or two from the OB (If you are right handed and the balls are in mirrored positions on the other side of the table, it would behoove you the practice shooting it lefty).

The amount of racks I have closed out with this shot has paid didvidends for the few short sessions that I spent woodshedding it.

I would think that'd be easier for a lefty. A righty would have to reach over the table or set the cue ball a decent amount away. Lefty, you just have to play a tiny angle and draw it back two feet. In fact, I probably would shoot this lefty if not behind my back...
 

pocketsplitter

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
1st shot: one rail following from 7. you just have to learn the speed of that kind of shot, theres not short cut, and that kind of shot comes up all the time. if you are scared of hitting too hard or soft just make the angle bigger so you have greater room for error (but a longer shot).
2nd: side pocket for sure, just come off a few inches and shoot in side. no matter what table that ball is very makeable in the side.
 

pocketsplitter

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
1st shot: one rail following from 7. you just have to learn the speed of that kind of shot, theres not short cut, and that kind of shot comes up all the time. if you are scared of hitting too hard or soft just make the angle bigger so you have greater room for error (but a longer shot).
2nd: side pocket for sure, just come off a few inches and shoot in side. no matter what table that ball is very makeable in the side.

and if you think the 9 in side on 2nd photo is a "rookie" setup, watch some youtube videos where players like ko pin yi set up like that consistently. KISS
 

michael4

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
both layouts can be made with a stop shot, and 9 ball in side pocket.


But you really should practice coming off the end rail with speed and direction control, you will use that shot a lot !
 

michael4

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Shot 1:

I would think going off the short rail and up to about middle table would be the best bet, but I never get the speed right. That may be the issue as opposed to shot selection, speed control. Is there a better path?

On shot 1, you first think about where you DONT want to be, and this is SHORT, so you make sure you dont hit it too soft. Even if you go uptable (ie too far) you still have a make-able shot on the 9.
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well since you are asking how I would play it, first shot I'd miscue and leave the 7 hanging or even foul with no rail.

Second shot I'd try to go 3 rails with inside but not put enough spin on it and would scratch in the opposite corner.
 

Masayoshi

Fusenshou no Masa
Silver Member
For both shots, it doesn't matter how you approach them, they are easy, just be decisive and don't doubt yourself.
 

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Shot 1 - 1 rail above the 9.

Shot 2 - forward with high inside 3 rails above the 9.
 

Icon of Sin

I can't fold, I need gold. I re-up and reload...
Silver Member
Stop shots.

Little angle on the second one to pull me off the rail. I want the 9 in the side on both of them.
 

Matt

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Shot 1 - Despite the fact that you'll be going across the line of the next shot, I think playing position off the long rail is the hardest to screw up with BIH because you can choose a natural angle that brings you into a comfortable part of the position zone. I'd probably play the CB right in between the 1st and 2nd diamond and just focus on getting the speed right. Playing off the bottom short rail isn't bad either, but it also crosses the shot line a bit and is easy to come up short on. I don't like shooting the 9 in the side at that angle on most tables because it's easy to clip the near point and miss, but that depends a lot on the table.

Shot 2 - If I like the shot in the side (depending on the table, again), I'd put the CB just a little but off the rail and play a stun shot to get it to float out a bit. Otherwise, I'd play from the middle of the table and double the pocket with some inside english to come 2/3 rails, aiming to hit the 2nd diamond of the top long rail and shoot the 9 in the same pocket as the 7.
 

efirkey

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For both shots there are 3 or 4 different ways to play them and you should practice all of them until your are confident playing them. Then when these situations do come up go with the route you are most confident in. That will be different for everyone.
 
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