9 Ball Situation (3) - What would you do here?

cuetable

cuetable

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Alright, here is another layout. Your opponent, a high caliper player, missed a safety and left you a shot on the 1 ball. This is on a new table with super fast cloth which you are still trying to adjust.

What's your plan?
What obstacles are there?
What skills are needed?
Any interesting tips?


Please keep this a enjoyable thread for everyone. The goal here is not to be Mr. Smartypants but to learn from each other by having a constructive group discussion. There is no best answer to this layout... although it did happen in a real game before. ;)

If you happened to see it already, please keep a secret for now :)

CueTable Help

 
Honestly, there are a lot of ways to lose here and very few ways to win. The key to this rack more than anything is to maintain control from the 4-ball on. Assuming you make the 1, 2 and 3 without a problem, you're going to have to evaluate your situation once you're on the 4 and plan an attack on the 5.

With BIH-like shape on the 4, it's possible to run out but assuming you don't get absolutely perfect, you're going to have to settle for just being able to see the 5-ball and play safe. The key here is, you want to be close to your work. Do whatever it takes to get close to the 5-ball, no matter what side of the ball you end-up being on. There are a lot of blockers here to safe behind but the farther you are from the 5-ball, the harder it will be to get a jail-like safety.

Ideally, when playing safe, you should also consider rearranging the 7/8. The 7/8 issue isn't really a run-stopper but it will improve your chances of running out significantly if you can give the 7-ball a bigger position window.
 
Due to the relatively poor location of the 3 ball, and the number of moderate/difficult position shots in the runout, I would shoot follow on the 1, and try to position myself to carom the cue ball off the 2 and pocket the 9. I think this would be easier than trying to get a leave on the 3 if I am not comfortable with the speed of the table.
 
soulcatcher said:
Due to the relatively poor location of the 3 ball, and the number of moderate/difficult position shots in the runout, I would shoot follow on the 1, and try to position myself to carom the cue ball off the 2 and pocket the 9. I think this would be easier than trying to get a leave on the 3 if I am not comfortable with the speed of the table.
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I mean, it's not a BAD idea but even if I had BIH on the 2-ball, I wouldn't like my chances at caroming in the 9-ball. However, as a general rule, it's good to make these considerations. I think getting shape on the 3 isn't as difficult as you think, especially when you consider you don't NEED to pocket the 3-ball. You can play safe on the 3, too.
 
It would depend how I land on the four as to how I play the five. The easiest way would be to play a stop shot on the four but if you get funny then you might have to come around the seven and land the cue ball somewhere near where it is to start with.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
I mean, it's not a BAD idea but even if I had BIH on the 2-ball, I wouldn't like my chances at caroming in the 9-ball. However, as a general rule, it's good to make these considerations. I think getting shape on the 3 isn't as difficult as you think, especially when you consider you don't NEED to pocket the 3-ball. You can play safe on the 3, too.
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That is true, I was more thinking of the part where he said you were stuggling with the table speed. I would try to set up the carom because of that, knowing if I did not get far enough up the table to go for the carom, I would have a better angle to get back to the 3 ball.

Edit: I am not a big proponent of making carom shots, but in certain circumstances I will look for that kind of alternantive.
 
Does the 6 block the ability to pocket the 5 ball in the lower corner?

It appears as if the 3 to the 4 to the 5 is the key shot of this rack.

My attempt would be to pocket the 2 with some high inside and float down so that I hopefully can stun draw the CB out to where I can draw back one rail for the 5 in the upper corner. 6 in either the upper or lower corner (depending on where I landed on the 5) 7 in one of 3 corners (depending on where I landed on the 6. 8 in one of two corners (depending on where I landed on the 7...9 in the corner.
 
Pocket 1, 2, play safe on 3.

And then ask the guy if we can just play some 1P
 
Position on the 3 would most likely leave an angle to the side rail. I'd probably try to come off the rail and nudge the 5 or 6 a few inches. Can't miss position with good angle on the 4, although some might not like the longer shot. But if you move the 5 or 6 a little, position is not that difficult and the rest of the balls are set up.
 
What would I do? Well, the way Im playing right now, I would miss the 1 ball, it would somehow roll up and freeze perfectly on the 9 ball and I would watch my opponent win.
 
BRKNRUN said:
Does the 6 block the ability to pocket the 5 ball in the lower corner?

It appears as if the 3 to the 4 to the 5 is the key shot of this rack.

My attempt would be to pocket the 2 with some high inside and float down so that I hopefully can stun draw the CB out to where I can draw back one rail for the 5 in the upper corner. 6 in either the upper or lower corner (depending on where I landed on the 5) 7 in one of 3 corners (depending on where I landed on the 6. 8 in one of two corners (depending on where I landed on the 7...9 in the corner.
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You're 100% right. If the 6 gives you enough room to shoot the 5 ball, this lay-out becomes far more routine. In my evaluation, I assumed there wasn't enough room but that may not necessarily be the case. If there isn't enough room, I stick to my plan - wait to see what kind of position I have on the 4-ball to decide if running out is a possibility. If it's not, get close to the 5 and duck.
 
I would probably try the carom and bring the cue ball two or three rails behind the cluster. At worst you leave a tough out anyway.
 
Instead of a runout I could complete maybe twice in 10 tries, I would go for a safe that I can do 5-6 times out of 10 with alot of room for error, and doesnt have to be hit perfect to get safe....

CueTable Help


Chuck
 
RiverCity said:
Instead of a runout I could complete maybe twice in 10 tries, I would go for a safe that I can do 5-6 times out of 10 with alot of room for error, and doesnt have to be hit perfect to get safe....

CueTable Help


Chuck
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To send the 1ball in the direction in your diagram, it looks to me like there is a double-kiss there. You can cross the 1ball straight across or close to it, but to send it in that direction towards the 4ball, I can't see how you can avoid the kiss.
 
cuetechasaurus said:
To send the 1ball in the direction in your diagram, it looks to me like there is a double-kiss there. You can cross the 1ball straight across or close to it, but to send it in that direction towards the 4ball, I can't see how you can avoid the kiss.
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I agree. What's more, I see no great advantage safing on the 1-ball.
 
I'd play the follow (high left) shot on the 1, hoping to get pretty much all the way to the far end rail that the 2 is on. Then I'd play the 2-9 carom as a two-way shot; with high left english to go 1 or 2 rails after the 9-ball and park in the corner behind the 3,5,and 6. The 2 would likely end up on the top side rail, meaning even if I missed the 9 and left a look at the 2, my opponent's options aren't great. Furthermore, I've got the 5-6 cluster to protect me from any likelihood of runout even if he does pocket the 2 and get a shot on the 3 (position zone for the 5 is absolutely tiny).

That's how I'd play it.

-Andrew
 
I think a person has a free shot at the one. Early in a match or Hill/hill I would play differently. Early I would try and put the CB on the rail with 2 and play off 2 trying to put 9 in and really looking for safe at same time.... I don't play these often unless no other options and this is close to no other option. Hill/hill I would try and leave mid diamond on the side rail. Playing the 2 with a little top left down for the 3. Depending on the angle here I would choose trying run out or safe. If I landed perfect, 1 diamond from the end rail. I would slide up the side rail leaving an angle on the 4 so I can play 3 rails to the starting position of the CB before the 1 is hit, I would be thinking run out. If I didn't have that, I would be playing safe on the 3. My safe would depend on CB position on the 3.
 
Andrew Manning said:
I'd play the follow (high left) shot on the 1, hoping to get pretty much all the way to the far end rail that the 2 is on. Then I'd play the 2-9 carom as a two-way shot; with high left english to go 1 or 2 rails after the 9-ball and park in the corner behind the 3,5,and 6. The 2 would likely end up on the top side rail, meaning even if I missed the 9 and left a look at the 2, my opponent's options aren't great. Furthermore, I've got the 5-6 cluster to protect me from any likelihood of runout even if he does pocket the 2 and get a shot on the 3 (position zone for the 5 is absolutely tiny).

That's how I'd play it.

-Andrew
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I was actually thinking the same thing when I originally posted that as my choice. Attempting the carom with the cue going 2 rails behind the cluster, so if I miss the 9, there should not be a shot on the 2 for my opponent.
 
soulcatcher said:
I was actually thinking the same thing when I originally posted that as my choice. Attempting the carom with the cue going 2 rails behind the cluster, so if I miss the 9, there should not be a shot on the 2 for my opponent.
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Yeah, I'm pretty convinced that's the right shot/safe.

Then again, I don't have nearly the experience playing 9-ball that some others in this thread do.

-Andrew
 
Given the table information/conditions given in the set up of this table layout I would not be liking the jacked up shot on the one so I would be slow rolling the one in w/o english on the cb. Once I saw where I landed for the two ball I would hope to have two good options; the best option would be to play off three rails with the cb and enough speed to try and split the five/six therebye maybe opening the easy runout; second best would be to make the two ball and play the cb down to the three ball end of the table and see how I fell on the three. I wouldn't really think it beyond this....
 
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