I posted this in another thread and got some good feedback. In order to get it out more widely to AZ billiards, I decided to make it a thread of it's own, especially for future reference.
Please take a few moments to read this first if you are a higher C or B or B+ of low A player and want to be more competitive. I guarantee you will be more competitive and in some cases, by a lot.
Think of the Superbowl. A good defense usually won't win the game, but a bad defense will surely lose it! I learned the basic 9 ball/ 10 ball safety shots from Frank Almanza, Frank the Barber, who is one of the smartest players I've known. In order to remember the basic moves Frank showed me, I created a notebook. Then over time if I saw or played safeties I would jot them down. I found that knowing them alone was not enough.
A blown safety is like missing a shot, but it actually makes you feel even worse to sell out when playing safe. It's downright embarrassing! Defense and defensive practice is not sexy. Advanced players know these safeties and a lot more or they would not be competitive at the higher levels. They are gourmet defensive players. They are also experts at return safeties, such as kicks, or tying up balls if all else fails. They would not be at their level if they couldn't do this stuff. Top players have both an A offense and an A defense, and if they don't have an A defense, they are not going to be top players!
It is not smart to play offense 100% of the time - even when you have a shot. To advance, intermediate players need to learn and practice safety shots in order to get to that next level. But practice what? Practice some of the shots I've diagrammed. Practice rolling up behind a ball. Practice hooking your opponent any way feasible. Practice banking safe.
Bear in mind I diagrammed some pretty basic safeties but if you practice them, you will:
1) Improve your weapons arsenal. If you know these basic safeties, there will rarely be moment where you can see the ball and not be able to pull a defensive move off.
2) Be a lot more competitive without playing better. Sounds odd but the improved knowledge and defensive skills, used properly, will win you a lot more games without the need to improve your pocketing and position skills.
3) Raise your confidence level in any match.You will know when it's your turn you will have some defense to fall back on if the offense is too risky.
These safeties are not set in stone. Maybe you prefer a two-way cross bank shot to a 2 rail cross bank safety. There are many choices. But mastering these basic skills will assist you in doing so.
Tables play differently. These diagrams are close but not perfect. Set the balls so you can pull off the shot in concept, even if not exactly as diagrammed.
Have fun!
http://www.palmercollector.com/Safety_Game_for_AZ_Publication2.pdf
Please take a few moments to read this first if you are a higher C or B or B+ of low A player and want to be more competitive. I guarantee you will be more competitive and in some cases, by a lot.
Think of the Superbowl. A good defense usually won't win the game, but a bad defense will surely lose it! I learned the basic 9 ball/ 10 ball safety shots from Frank Almanza, Frank the Barber, who is one of the smartest players I've known. In order to remember the basic moves Frank showed me, I created a notebook. Then over time if I saw or played safeties I would jot them down. I found that knowing them alone was not enough.
A blown safety is like missing a shot, but it actually makes you feel even worse to sell out when playing safe. It's downright embarrassing! Defense and defensive practice is not sexy. Advanced players know these safeties and a lot more or they would not be competitive at the higher levels. They are gourmet defensive players. They are also experts at return safeties, such as kicks, or tying up balls if all else fails. They would not be at their level if they couldn't do this stuff. Top players have both an A offense and an A defense, and if they don't have an A defense, they are not going to be top players!
It is not smart to play offense 100% of the time - even when you have a shot. To advance, intermediate players need to learn and practice safety shots in order to get to that next level. But practice what? Practice some of the shots I've diagrammed. Practice rolling up behind a ball. Practice hooking your opponent any way feasible. Practice banking safe.
Bear in mind I diagrammed some pretty basic safeties but if you practice them, you will:
1) Improve your weapons arsenal. If you know these basic safeties, there will rarely be moment where you can see the ball and not be able to pull a defensive move off.
2) Be a lot more competitive without playing better. Sounds odd but the improved knowledge and defensive skills, used properly, will win you a lot more games without the need to improve your pocketing and position skills.
3) Raise your confidence level in any match.You will know when it's your turn you will have some defense to fall back on if the offense is too risky.
These safeties are not set in stone. Maybe you prefer a two-way cross bank shot to a 2 rail cross bank safety. There are many choices. But mastering these basic skills will assist you in doing so.
Tables play differently. These diagrams are close but not perfect. Set the balls so you can pull off the shot in concept, even if not exactly as diagrammed.
Have fun!
http://www.palmercollector.com/Safety_Game_for_AZ_Publication2.pdf
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