A game of 8 ball

[Rod]

A few years back our team went to Vegas for the nationals. We all were playing well, of course at times one of us might sputter but as a team we were solid.

We were playing for tenth place when we played a team out of Colorado. I don't remember all there names but the cuemaker Dave Kikel was on that team. First round the only time we got out of our seats was to rack and say nice game after they run out. 5 straight break and runs. BTW Kikel was my first opponent.

I knew as well as everyone it was going to be a short match at that rate and we were difinetaly in the hole. I'm first to break second round and I run out. Everyone followed suite, there may have been one game without a break and run. That's 9 run outs in two rounds.

We turned things around and the score was 11 - 9 us when it was my next at bat. I was determined to get us on the hill. After a good break, the out was not bad but I made a mistake earlier. Still at the table here is the appx layout. Keep in mind the 7 won't go off the 9. It's real close but I thought it wasn't an option. It sure looked tough and a safety battle wasn't in my thoughts at that time.

What do you think I did? I'll show what I did but that still wasn't the end of my problems. LOL

Rod

 

[poolguy123]

How about- carom off the 6 into the 13, 12, 5 making the 5- probably with a little speed so as not to be buried behind the 15, to get a shot on the 1 or 6 depending on where it went? Looks like eventually the 7 will be a cross side bank- caroming off the 9 helping you get the cueball to the top left corner for a long shot on the 8? Or maybe 5, then 7 to the top of the table along with the cue off the 9- then the 2, 6.

But what do I know........ fun stuff Rod.

 

[TheOne]

You screwed off the 7 down the rail into the cluster, either sinking or developing the 5. Therefore removing your two problems in one shot, with a reasonable chance of falling on the 1, but from what you said you where probably not on the 1 afterwards and had to play it off the rail?

 

[Rod]

You screwed off the 7 down the rail into the cluster, either sinking or developing the 5. Therefore removing your two problems in one shot, with a reasonable chance of falling on the 1, but from what you said you where probably not on the 1 afterwards and had to play it off the rail?

I thought about that shot and it would have been a good way to kill two birds with one stone. I thought about follow and draw but these shots with less than a good hit and stroke can be missed.

Darn it I didn't save the wei #'s so I'll have to draw it out again. Be back later with what happened.

Rod

 

[Rod]

Ok here is what happened. I played the 6 - 1 combo and followed the c/b into the 13,12 and 5. The one went and so did the 5. I thought I would get a shot on the 6 if it hits the 15 solid. Luck has to be involved no doubt but it still wasn't looking good. The 6 kissed off the 15 but to much happening to keep up with. I've mentioned I don't like rearanging balls but I sure did this time.

Looking back on this, playing a safe might have been my best option but anyone of my opponents could manufacture shots. Here is what I left.

Rod

 

[Rod]

It doesn't look good from here. I stunned the 6 firm with follow to hopefully break out the 7. It worked but this game is a nightmare. What did I do from here?

 

[snook789]

boy that is tough! Not really a good safe from here.

If the 8 will go in the corner pocket (where the 1 went) then I guess I would bank the cue ball to the side rail to make the 7.
Then tough cut on the 8 in the corner

If the 8 wouldn't go in that corner, I would shoot to the inside rail of the pocket the 6 went in, hitting 2 rails, with right english, and alittle speed, to make the 7 in the side, and have the cue ball slide down alittle for the 8 in the side.

 

[sjm]

It doesn't look good from here. I stunned the 6 firm with follow to hopefully break out the 7. It worked but this game is a nightmare. What did I do from here?

Tough to tell from the diagram, but it looks like the seven banks three rails in the corner. If it does, you can easily play shape off of it. If it doesn't pass, you can either kick it into the side or kick it into the corner.

This was one sick rack!

 

[KingCarom]

I'd say you banked the 7 in the opposite corner with a little draw and a stun stroke, then played the 8 in the corner.
But, maybe the cue drifted too far and you had to bank the 8 into the same corner the 1 went into earlier?

 

[TheOne]

It looks like the 8 goes in the corner, if so the best shot as already mentioned is to bank the white of the rail medium weight. Good chance to sink the 7 and the white would naturally come away from the rail off the 9.

 

[lewdo26]

I guess...

The 8 doesn't go in the corner. He's gonna have to bank this 7 three rails and bring the CB two rails to the third diamond on the lower half of the table for the thin cut in the side. The only problem with that: there might be a kiss...

 

[TheOne]

according to the diagram the 8 goes comfortably - is it incorrect?

 

[sjm]

The 8 doesn't go in the corner. He's gonna have to bank this 7 three rails and bring the CB two rails to the third diamond on the lower half of the table for the thin cut in the side. The only problem with that: there might be a kiss...

My variation, Lewdo, was the three rail seven with low right english, which would cause the cue to cross the table for shape on the eight in the side. I also felt the eight didn't go in the corner, but possibly only because my eyesight isn't quite what it used to be!

 

[snook789]

boy that is tough! Not really a good safe from here.

If the 8 wouldn't go in that corner, I would shoot to the inside rail of the pocket the 6 went in, hitting 2 rails, with right english, and alittle speed, to make the 7 in the side, and have the cue ball slide down alittle for the 8 in the side.

I tried just what I wrote on my table tonight, and can make the 7, with shape on the 8, the majority of the time.

That is hitting the inside rail, with right english, going 2 rails, and then into the 7
I marked the spot on the rail I am hitting.
And the cue ball slides down nice for the 8 in the side.

 

[TheOne]

I tried just what I wrote on my table tonight, and can make the 7, with shape on the 8, the majority of the time.

That is hitting the inside rail, with right english, going 2 rails, and then into the 7
I marked the spot on the rail I am hitting.
And the cue ball slides down nice for the 8 in the side.

Snook, thats the shot i would play if the 8 didn't go in the corner. Its a shot most players should practice and have in their arsenal.

You can use something with a straight edge to see if the 8 goes, according to the diagram it does, but it may be inaccurate?

 

[Rod]

I thought the kick on the 7 across side was a decent option. Although it's hard to tell from diagram I'd have to use a tiny bit of left to make the shot. The two rail is there but unless you hit the shot a time or two it's difficult to know how much right is needed. Either way it's guess work and I chose not to guess on making the ball.

I thought if I cut it in the c/b would hit the point and come back into the 13 or 14 leaving me a shot down table on the 8. As it turned out I did cut the 7 in the corner. It did hit the point. Funny thing happened, the c/b trippled the side pocket points. Real close to a scratch but after the tripple it went across to the long rail with a lot of right spin. Between catching the points and reversing off the side rail it come to rest near straight in on the 8.

The 8 had half a pocket and I knew that before I cut in the 7. I didn't think I would be shooting it there but after all I had been through it was a fairly simple shot. So there you have it one wild and crazy game.

BTW my team mates lost the next 4 in a row so we never advanced, bummer. We were put out by Hard Times later on that night. We should have one that one also but it never happened. Vegas really becomes a test of endurance on the one loss side.

Thanks to those that replied. It was a hard one to guess what happened

Rod