8-ball right after break

[Jude Rosenstock]

Okay, I'm a little bored and figured we'd play some 8-ball. I hit the random break button on the cuetable diagram and got this layout. Now, I know we all play perfect online but for the sake of human imperfection, can you explain:

1. Which group would you take and why?
2. What portion of the sequence is your biggest concern?
3. Which ball(s) would you leave last?

It'd be great if we could keep the discussion civil but I'm thinking the odds are 2:1 against.

CueTable Help

 

[axejunkie]

From here, I would take the high balls. Start with the 9 in upper right corner.

I'm most concerned about getting uptable (back to the 8), so I'd try to use the 12 in the upper side pocket to get to the 10 and shoot the 11 last.

My runout pattern would be: 9 (upper right corner), 13 (lower right corner), 15 (lower right corner), 14 (upper right corner), 12 (upper side), 10 (lower left corner), 11 (lower left corner).

 

[Patrick Johnson]

1. Which group would you take and why?

Solids, because the 13/14/15 are a bit more challenging than anything among the solids and because I have a start on one of my "worry" balls: the 2.

2. What portion of the sequence is your biggest concern?

Choosing whether to take the 3 or the 4/7 after shooting the 2 first.

3. Which ball(s) would you leave last?

1/5.

It'd be great if we could keep the discussion civil but I'm thinking the odds are 2:1 against.

WTF kind of brainless comment is that?

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pj
chgo

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

From here, I would take the high balls. Start with the 9 in upper right corner.

I'm most concerned about getting uptable (back to the 8), so I'd try to use the 12 in the upper side pocket to get to the 10 and shoot the 11 last.

My runout pattern would be: 9 (upper right corner), 13 (lower right corner), 15 (lower right corner), 14 (upper right corner), 12 (upper side), 10 (lower left corner), 11 (lower left corner).

Does the 13-ball go? I think you may need to clear the 15-ball first.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

----
pj
chgo

 

[cubc]

1. Which group would you take and why? Solids
2. What portion of the sequence is your biggest concern? Getting on the three which is easy
3. Which ball(s) would you leave last? 7 or the 5

 

[Bastian]

9, 14, 15, 13 (top side), 12 (bottom side), Stop for the 10, follow for the 11.. easy out.

 

[jjr183]

The only ball that has even a slightly tight zone to play to is the 11 and with the 15 blocking the 13 I would choose solids. My pattern is to take the 2 to get on the 4/7 so that I can use one to put me on the 1 and 5. After clearing those balls up, then I take the other half of the 4/7 to get to the 3 and come back for the 8 using the 6 to get there. A nice little 'round-the-table cleanup.

 

[MikeM]

Alright, A-Hole. I'll give it a try.

Okay, I'm a little bored and figured we'd play some 8-ball. I hit the random break button on the cuetable diagram and got this layout. Now, I know we all play perfect online but for the sake of human imperfection, can you explain:

1. Which group would you take and why?
2. What portion of the sequence is your biggest concern?
3. Which ball(s) would you leave last?

It'd be great if we could keep the discussion civil but I'm thinking the odds are 2:1 against.

CueTable Help

JK...wanted you to win your bet

I would go 2,3,7,4,6,1,5,8. I don't like dealing with those stripes in a line at the bottom right corner. Toughest shot is getting from the 3 to the 7,for position on the 4, but the 6 is left as a bailout. And you're right, I never miss position online!

MM

 

[CrownCityCorey]

Okay, I'm a little bored and figured we'd play some 8-ball. I hit the random break button on the cuetable diagram and got this layout. Now, I know we all play perfect online but for the sake of human imperfection, can you explain:

1. Which group would you take and why?
2. What portion of the sequence is your biggest concern?
3. Which ball(s) would you leave last?

It'd be great if we could keep the discussion civil but I'm thinking the odds are 2:1 against.

CueTable Help

Random Break Button! What is that?

This one is tough! I'd have to look and see what balls actually "go" and what does not.

If the 12 passes the 2 in the side, the 14 passes the 15 and the 3 in both corners and the 13 passes the 3 in the other corner, basically I am looking at options in case I get bad shape on a ball.then I am shooting stripes - 9, 12, 13, 15, 14, 10, 11 and 8.

If those balls do not "go", I shoot solids, though I am especially concerned about the position of the 4 & 7. This pattern for solids - 2, 3, 7, 4, 6, 1, 5 & 8. Tougher run out, but all the balls go.

 

[IA8baller]

JK...wanted you to win your bet

I would go 2,3,7,4,6,1,5,8. I don't like dealing with those stripes in a line at the bottom right corner. Toughest shot is getting from the 3 to the 7,for position on the 4, but the 6 is left as a bailout. And you're right, I never miss position online!

MM

I guess I'm really bored today so I printed the layout and set it up on my table and after looking at it I decided to attempt the run and it ended up almost exactly as you described. I pocketed the 2 softly, ended up almost straight in on the 3, shot it in with low and spun it back and off the rail and ended up with a slight cut on the 7, shot it down in the corner softly which gave me the 4 at near the same shot as the 7, then I shot the 6 into the side with a stop shot, cut the 5 in the corner with a little low and slid over off the rail and behind the 1 perfectly and the 8 was a duck. It was a very easy run IMO.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

Random Break Button! What is that?

The ones with the exclamation point in the middle actually scatter the balls.

 

[supergreenman]

Okay, I'm a little bored and figured we'd play some 8-ball. I hit the random break button on the cuetable diagram and got this layout. Now, I know we all play perfect online but for the sake of human imperfection, can you explain:

1. Which group would you take and why?
2. What portion of the sequence is your biggest concern?
3. Which ball(s) would you leave last?

It'd be great if we could keep the discussion civil but I'm thinking the odds are 2:1 against.

1. This is an easy runout for both suits. I'd take stripes myself just because of the easy start with the 9. I'm going 9, 15, 13, 14, 12, 10, 11, 8.
2. The transition between the 10 and 11 worries me the most because of the traffic. The 12 is in an ackward place so it's important to get a good angle on the 14 from the 13 so you can come off the head rail and get a straight in shot to the side.
3. 10 and 11 last for an easy lay up on the 8. The 10 is not a great key ball, it's best to use it to transition to the 11.

 

[Get_A_Grip]

Stripes

View attachment 60772

The ones with the exclamation point in the middle actually scatter the balls.

I'd go with: 9, 14, 13, 15, 12, 10, 11, 8.

My biggest concern would be getting on the 11 ball.

I'd leave the 11-ball last, only because it would take too much work to get on it any earlier.

 

[soulcatcher]

The only ball that has even a slightly tight zone to play to is the 11 and with the 15 blocking the 13 I would choose solids. My pattern is to take the 2 to get on the 4/7 so that I can use one to put me on the 1 and 5. After clearing those balls up, then I take the other half of the 4/7 to get to the 3 and come back for the 8 using the 6 to get there. A nice little 'round-the-table cleanup.

My thoughts ecactly. 2-4-1-5-7-3-6-8 ideally. The only concern is getting the proper leave from the 4 to the 1, but it would still be a low dificulty shot.. The rest is easy. Not much cue ball movement from each shot except the one mentioned. Natural leaves all around.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

I find it interesting that many have taken a moment to describe the rack as "easy". Easy is when you're playing stop shots the entire way through. Any time you have to get the cue ball to travel, you're taking risks. At least, that's how I see it.

These are my thoughts on the rack:

1. The 8-ball can be made from just about anywhere so long as I can see it so I'm not terribly worried about which ball is last.

2. Both solids and stripes offer a dead-end ball. The 11-ball and 3-ball, if I land straight, can cause trouble. However, I'll treat both exactly opposite. I'll likely take the 3-ball as early as possible and I'll likely leave the 11-ball last assuming I can guarantee a route that will get me there. Leaving myself north of the 10-ball will get me to the 11 and that doesn't seem that hard to do.

3. I think I prefer solids but I'm not overwhelmingly fond of the 4/7 or the 1/5. I think I can handle these balls but I want to be careful with my positioning. With both these areas of the table, I'm going to make sure I land perfect on my next shot.

In the end, no matter which group I choose, I expect to get out but I'm not going to handle this lazily. Stripes have a few balls that MIGHT go in some easy pockets but it appears I'll need to get near-straight on them to do so. Solids doesn't have this issue but I have to make sure I don't run into anything and I don't get any funny angles. This is definitely the type of rack someone can SNAFU. I think, the biggest mistake a player can make is trying to pattern down to the 8-ball. The 8-ball appears easy enough that you should structure any pattern to address the awkward balls.

 

[cubswin]

I'm playing solids because I like the layout more. Starting with the 2 in the side (unless of course I can't see enough and then I'm taking stripes), then the 3 in the corner, 6 in the upper left corner, 1 in the lower left corner, 5 in the same corner, 7 down table in the lower right corner, 4 back in the lower left corner, 8 in the upper left corner

 

[Thunderball]

I like 2 to the 3 ect as well...

But high balls don't really turn me off and a real table where the smaller angles can be seen might make the difference and put me on stripes.

as it looks on the screen its low ball for me....and as mentioned,if you don't hook yourself,the eight plays from almost everywhere.

 

[axejunkie]

Does the 13-ball go? I think you may need to clear the 15-ball first.

Eyesight was not God's gift to me. You're right, on second look I don't think it passes.

 

[jjr183]

I find it interesting that many have taken a moment to describe the rack as "easy".

I agree that every rack runs some sort of risk. Even racks that truly are "easy" run the risk of being taken for granted.

2. Both solids and stripes offer a dead-end ball. The 11-ball and 3-ball, if I land straight, can cause trouble.

If I get straight in on the 3 then I would just stop for the 6. I would prefer to have some angle to use to get closer, but this should still be an easy shot that leads naturally to the 8 so I can just make it.

3. I think I prefer solids but I'm not overwhelmingly fond of the 4/7 or the 1/5. I think I can handle these balls but I want to be careful with my positioning. With both these areas of the table, I'm going to make sure I land perfect on my next shot.

I am not fond of these pairs either, but in this case there is the 2 which is the key ball to getting on an easy route that eliminates all of these balls early. That is the key to how I try to run every rack. I assess which balls are problems on both sides and then which problems I can eliminate the earliest and use this information to choose sides. Then if I fail to remove the problems on the side I chose there are still other soldiers in the field of battle that I can try to use to recover and continue the out or to protect my position when giving up the table to my opponent.

Works for me a lot of the time.