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JohnnyC
Guest
Being new to the game, how does one legally perform a safety shot if the rules state you must contact the lowest numbered ball first? 
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
TheGame
Registered
If you do not have a good shot at your object ball you would want to try to play a safety by hitting the ball and sending it or the cue ball to a position that leaves your oponent hooked . If he misses the ball you get ball in hand and a chance to run out...if he hits it you have to hope that you come out with a shot that is playable.
JohnnyC said:Being new to the game, how does one legally perform a safety shot if the rules state you must contact the lowest numbered ball first?
I assume you mean that you do not have an open shot at the lowest ball.
Hard to play safe when kicking. Main thing is to try and make a good hit. Kick to make contact on the low ball and get something to a rail. Anything is better than giving up BIH.
T
THE SILENCER
Guest
pelican is correct, however sometimes in 9-ball you DO want to give up ball in hand! check to see if some balls are tyed up, with no break out ball in site, then purposely miss the kick! and let him run all the way down to nothing, forcing him to open the tyed up balls, yet accomplishing nothing, and letting you have a crack at a wide open table with 2 balls remaining!
THE SILENCER said:
Hey Bernie. In 9-ball, do you HAVE to miss a shot to purposely give your opponent ball in hand? In other words, instead of purposely missing a kick, can I simply walk up to the other player and tell him to take a ball in hand without actually touching the CB?
If he's got half a brain he's going to use that ball in hand to address the cluster while making a ball and thereby defeating Bernies plan to run out 2 balls.
T
THE SILENCER
Guest
listen, if there is NO BREAKOUT BALL he can't break up the cluster! as far as just handing him the ball, you could do that in the A.P.A. leaugue, but in professional pool, it's loss of game, for unsportsman like conduct, meaning, you MUST hit the cueball. i would like professional refs, to chime in on this one, for i'm not 100%, but i believe you must shoot the cueball in pro pool.
Whether you have to hit the cueball or not, it usually makes sense to accomplish something while giving your opponent ball in hand. Maybe you can tie a loose ball into a cluster, change a dead ball, or put an object ball on a rail. The point is to get something out of a situation like this. That said, of course there are times when you don't have a better option than fouling the cueball without moving another ball.THE SILENCER said:
I am glad to know that picking up the cueball instead of hitting it can be (is) seen as unsportsman like conduct. I won't do that anymore.
If there are clusters in the first place and missing on purpose one might just use that cluster up to hook ya which could result in the 3 strikes you're out. Really depends on the situation.
The next time Karen Corr or Allison Fisher is on ESPN watch how they play safeties. A picture is worth a thousand words.