1pocket Question

This is a really dangerous spot against a good player.
I would really concentrate on moving the 6 ball into his 3 ball bank lane and leaving the cueball near the bottom rail on his side.
If you leave a free bank on the 3 or 6 the next shot will be a carom on the 8 into the nine {It looks dead to me}, possibly making the 8 and putting the nine in play.
Your opponent could get the 6 3 8 9 and a 1 or 2 rail bank on the 1 or a 3 rail bank on the 14 and beat you from here.
I would be thankful if my opponent did a couple of the things suggested.


And that was the conundrum for me -- the guy was fearless shooting almost any kind of bank. In this same match he went 9 and out from a bank I left him (he owed one) and a not so easy table layout.

Lou Figueroa
 
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Up 6-3 I think I would clear out the 6. Down 6-3 I would break up the cluster or even try to bank the 1 two rails but I can't tell from the cue table if there is a good angle to play the one.


This *might* be the best move and just wait for a better opportunity to loosen up the two on my side.

Lou Figueroa
 
I might consider kicking the six to my side of the table.

Just taking out the six to clear his pocket will probably still leave him an opportunity for a bank on one of the balls uptable.

With the six on your side of the table he might think twice about risking to get one ball while selling out the game. At this point with you ahead in ball count there's no need to put two more balls in play for him. Wait for an other turn to open them up.

With the way they are sitting I don't see an easy way of opening up those two balls and guarantee a good safe.


I like kicking, but there is a strong possibility of leaving a cross-over bank or leaving it on the end rail so that now there are three balls in play and if he shoots a bank off the end rail *four* balls in play down table with more bank threats up table.

Lou Figueroa
 
I'd move the 6 Lou. You can open the 2 balls on your side at a later inning. The 6 has to go. He'll have a free straight back on the 3 but it's the right move being up 6-3.


Of course. I can open up the two tied up balls later, but meanwhile I'm getting banked to death...

Lou Figueroa
 
Move his ball!


Part of me wanted to do this, BUT I was thinking he'd never let me get a chance to do that because, as you know, a good shooter will always find a shot to move a ball (or two) towards his pocket. Would you be willing to sweat it out for four or six more innings, hoping he didn't nail one, get on the carom-bank on your side, to finally get an opportunity to open them up?

Lou Figueroa
 
Simply 2 rail the 1 ball using low right on the cue ball to hit the long rail 1st near your opponent's pocket and reverse spin back down/up table (I never know which is which). If you hit it bad and sell out, your opponent has to break up those 2 balls on your side for you :). I love 1-pocket!

dave
 
What do you say to Freddy the Beard who would tell you that with a 6-3 lead he wouldn't leave balls up table with a gun to his head?

Lou Figueroa

Well, first of all, I'll play ball for ball anytime I'm up 6 -3. Second of all, we aren't talking about just leaving balls up table, we're talking about taking a ball away from his pocket that he can make and get position on another shot, or maybe even worse, play a shot to put a second ball next to his pocket along with that 6 ball.

There will be plenty of opportunity for you to open up those balls on your side. There is no need to be in a hurry. First things first, you remove that ball and if you can do so and block a banking lane on him, all the better.
 
I like kicking, but there is a strong possibility of leaving a cross-over bank or leaving it on the end rail so that now there are three balls in play and if he shoots a bank off the end rail *four* balls in play down table with more bank threats up table.

Lou Figueroa

Lou, from the positions of the six and the cue ball it's very unlikely that you would leave and easy bank on the six by kicking at it. If you hit it fairly good the six goes toward your pocket and the cue will travel down table.

If you hit it bad (full) then the six goes toward the two balls that are tied up and the cue remains where the six is at.

To give up a decent bank on the six you would have to hit the six and get a kiss on it for both balls to remain there for a possible easy bank on the six.

P.S. I don't like the bank on the six three rails, trying to get it your side of the table. You'll either lose control of the six or the cue ball. And as far as leaving some kind of shot, there will always be something for him to shoot at. Never mind who you're playing just shoot the best percentage.
 
Hit the 6 nearly full leaving it near his side rail blocking his long bank on the 3. He may try to two-rail the 1 if your shot works, but that's harder to control and he may leave a bank on the 6. I'd worry next about the 8-9 which might be dead or close to dead to his pocket.
 
Hit the 6 nearly full leaving it near his side rail blocking his long bank on the 3. He may try to two-rail the 1 if your shot works, but that's harder to control and he may leave a bank on the 6. I'd worry next about the 8-9 which might be dead or close to dead to his pocket.

Good call here Bob. I would want to break those two up next. And from the bottom rail, sending them down table.
 
and that kids is as good as it gets.

Jack-Nicholson.jpg


I think I found my new Avatar

Hit the 6 nearly full leaving it near his side rail blocking his long bank on the 3. He may try to two-rail the 1 if your shot works, but that's harder to control and he may leave a bank on the 6. I'd worry next about the 8-9 which might be dead or close to dead to his pocket.
 
I was playing a very good shooter the other day and the following situation came up: it was 6-3 me, he had a ball near his hole but on the end rail, and I had two balls on my side that were tied up. It's my shot and I was wondering to my self, "Self, do you get rid of the ball on his side or do you open up the two balls on your side?"

What to do, what to do...

CueTable Help



Lou Figueroa

Actually I like leaving the cue ball about where it is, but touching both the 1 and the rail if possible. From there he HAS to shoot his way out, so he can't leave you there again without a foul. Only thing he has is possibly a 3 railer on the 9 and he ain't shooting that down 3.
 
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I just tested a couple of routes on my table and had success with the following:

1) I thined the 8 and brought the cueball up to the head rail. The 9 moved toward my pocket. As my opponent, I would then not feel comfortable shooting any bank since the 9 was now makeable in my pocket from almost anywhere. Of course I may have just hit it well, the speed control and accuracy are very important.

2) I snugged the cueball right up behind the one. It just so happened that the cueball then hugged the rail, making it difficult for my opponent to return the shot. In fact there really was no shot. My opponent would have risked scratching or taking a foul. At the best, my opponent would probably give me a shot on the 3 and let me out of the trap.

As a result I vote #2 for simplicity and ease of execution.
 
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Then you get this....

CueTable Help




Actually I like leaving the cue ball about where it is, but touching both the 1 and the rail if possible. From there he HAS to shoot his way out, so he can't leave you there again without a foul. Only thing he has is possibly a 3 railer on the 9 and he ain't shooting that down 3.
 
Then you get this....

I agree, no way you can leave the cueball there. It's a tough spot, I might consider hitting the 8 really thin with outside and bringing the cueball two rails back into the area it started out in.
 
Actually I like leaving the cue ball about where it is, but touching both the 1 and the rail if possible. From there he HAS to shoot his way out, so he can't leave you there again without a foul. Only thing he has is possibly a 3 railer on the 9 and he ain't shooting that down 3.

Ooops, this looked like a no brainer to me till I realized the head of the table is to the right!
 
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