20 SAFETIES You Must Know and Practice

dr_dave

Instructional Author
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FYI, I just posted a new video that demonstrates 20 important safeties you must know and master. The shots are presented in a quiz format so you can practice coming up with a good solution for each 8-ball or 9-ball game situation. For each layout, you first think about what you would do, then I show what I think is the best option for most people. Check it out:


Content:
0:00 - Intro
0:42 - Shots 1-4
Shot 1 - Stop and hide (9-ball)
Shot 2 - Two-way, three-rail bank and hide (9-ball)
Shot 3 - Roll up and snuggle (9-ball)
Shot 4 - Equal-separation hide behind blockers (8-ball)
3:37 - Shots 5-8
Shot 5 - Equal-separation to opposite rails (9-ball)
Shot 6 - Equal-separation straddle hide (9-ball)
Shot 7 -Equal-separation self-hide (8-ball)
Shot 8 - Short-bridge half-ball-hit hide (8-ball)
5:18 - Shots 9-12
Shot 9 - Short-bridge full-ball-hit hide (8-ball)
Shot 10 - Short-bridge thin-hit lock-up hide (8-ball)
Shot 11 - Separate and hide close to long rail (9-ball)
Shot 12 - Come into the line of blockers (8-ball)
6:49 - Shots 13-16
Shot 13 - Thin-hit hide (8-ball)
Shot 14 - Send ball straight down table with natural-angle hide (9-ball)
Shot 15 - Send ball straight down table with inside-spin hold and hide (9-ball)
Shot 16 - Kick-and-stick hide (9-ball)
8:56 - Shots 17-20
Shot 17 - Draw to hide (9-ball)
Shot 18 - Stun hide off two rails (9-ball)
Shot 19 - Rail-first thin hide (9-ball)
Shot 20 - Tickie hide (9-ball)
11:07 - Wrap Up
---- 11:51 - shot montage


Content:
0:00 - Intro
0:25 - Shot 4
1:33 - Shot 6
2:00 - Shot 11
3:04 - Shot 13
4:13 - Shot 17
5:09 - Wrap Up
---- 5:25 - shot montage

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!
 
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i agree with most of them except for some of the first as easy banks should be shot as passing your turn can lead to a mistake or he kicks and hooks you.

but if you show all these safes you should also say how many tries it took you to get there with each. that determines whether they are the right shot.

good video for the weaker league players as most shoot at any possible shot.
 
i agree with most of them except for some of the first as easy banks should be shot as passing your turn can lead to a mistake or he kicks and hooks you.

but if you show all these safes you should also say how many tries it took you to get there with each. that determines whether they are the right shot.

good video for the weaker league players as most shoot at any possible shot.

Good points. The right choice definitely depends on the player (and their ability to execute) and their opponent.
 
great video, dr dave. i made most of the same choices as you, although my execution at the table probably would not be as solid! thanks for posting, keep up the good work
 
This is the only one I didn't care for. I would thin the 7 o the other side and go two rails behind the 8 & 9. Less touchy and you are not leaving the 7 near the pocket for an easy hit/make/fluke/jump etc

Nevertheless. Like all your stuff. Great video.

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Good Video. That bank shot you could just have 4th ball to make sure there is no bank. Then that draw is right shot always. :)
I would like to see similar video from pro games where is not so obvious safe available but safety is needed. maybe just 1, 2 or 3 shots on video.
How they play it? what else could be done? what happened in game? etc..
 
This is the only one I didn't care for. I would thin the 7 o the other side and go two rails behind the 8 & 9. Less touchy and you are not leaving the 7 near the pocket for an easy hit/make/fluke/jump etc

Nevertheless. Like all your stuff. Great video.

View attachment 660567
This is much more controlled then thinning the 7. It has a higher rate of completion
 
great video, dr dave.

Thanks.


i made most of the same choices as you, although my execution at the table probably would not be as solid!

Video editing makes me look more solid than I was on many of the first attempts.


thanks for posting, keep up the good work

You’re welcome. I like doing this kind of video since it forces me to practice these important shots!
 
This is the only one I didn't care for. I would thin the 7 o the other side and go two rails behind the 8 & 9. Less touchy and you are not leaving the 7 near the pocket for an easy hit/make/fluke/jump etc

Excellent point. I need to think of a better situation where the finesse draw is the right play.


Nevertheless. Like all your stuff. Great video.

View attachment 660567
 
Good Video. That bank shot you could just have 4th ball to make sure there is no bank. Then that draw is right shot always.

Good idea. I'll block banks in the next version of the document.


I would like to see similar video from pro games where is not so obvious safe available but safety is needed. maybe just 1, 2 or 3 shots on video.
How they play it? what else could be done? what happened in game? etc..

Good idea. FYI, I already have these online:



And I have many more pro safety examples posted here:


Enjoy!
 
This is much more controlled then thinning the 7. It has a higher rate of completion

I might do a follow up video looking at all the interesting comments people have posted on YouTube, Facebook, and here. If I do, I'll be sure to explore both options on this shot.
 
My drawing is crap on my phone, but another option on shot 4 would be to bank the stripe out of the cluster and follow to the center diamond on the foot rail. That way everything is open if you get ball in hand. And, to me, the safe is easier playing it that way.
B7ED338E-0EB0-4086-8E7D-72A35DCAC2CA.jpeg
 
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My drawing is crap on my phone, but another option on shot 4 would be to bank the stripe out of the cluster and follow to the center diamond on the foot rail. That way everything is open if you get ball in hand. And, to me, the safe is easier playing it that way.View attachment 660647

Many people have suggested this on YouTube and Facebook. I agree. You can even follow with enough speed to come off the end rail to snuggle close to the other stripes.
 
I might do a follow up video looking at all the interesting comments people have posted on YouTube, Facebook, and here. If I do, I'll be sure to explore both options on this shot.
I really don't prefer the other options. They do not have a high success rate of return. Remember K.I.S.S
 
I feel like I would sell out shooting #13. I would have lightly hit the left side of the object ball with slightly less than half ball hit.
 
I feel like I would sell out shooting #13. I would have lightly hit the left side of the object ball with slightly less than half ball hit.

I agree that is a much better shot here, assuming you use finesse speed to prevent an easy jump.
 
People who have desire to be better at Pool should watch everything on Dr. Dave’s Utube channel.

He even give a clear SPLAINING of Geno’s Perfecting Aiming Secrets.
 
Thank you...enjoyed watching, learning, reinforcing.......... I know... you aim to..... oh nevermind.
 
People who have desire to be better at Pool should watch everything on Dr. Dave’s Utube channel.

I am approaching my 500th YouTube video (about 10 away), so if anybody wants to binge-watch, there is a lot of material there. Here is the channel address: DrDaveBilliards.


He even give a clear SPLAINING of Geno’s Perfecting Aiming Secrets.

I have not posted anything on YouTube about this. All I have is AZB quotes from Gene and Patrick Johnson here:
Perfect Aim resource page
 
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