A great shot that ALMOST worked!

[tim913]

My opponent breaks in 9 ball and leaves the CB frozen to middle of the head rail. The 1 is one ball to the left of center table just past the side pockets. I could of played safe or pushed but it was only a $5 game and I'd had a couple of beers. The 2 ball was sitting a little to the left of the CB on the same head rail. The right corner pocket was blocked and the only shot I had was the left corner 9 feet away, but I had to get the CB back to the head rail after the shot. If I rolled it the CB would hit the balls blocking the right had corner pocket so I decided to power the 1 ball into the left corner pocket throwing the CB to the right at least 18 inches before the top spin would take affect and go 2 rails out of the right hand corner into the left long rail and back for the 2 ball. Looked good on paper!

I jacked up about 45 degrees and slammed the 1 ball. It went dead center into the left hand corner, the CB went to the right after the collision the perfect amount and then the top spin took over. The CB was headed for the diamond in front of the right hand corner pocket and I'm thinking, OMG Efren has nothing on me!

About six inches before the CB hit the diamond it changed direction again, to the left, sending it into the right hand corner pocket. That was weird, after the top spin took over it THEN changed direction again! It was still a good shot that almost worked!

 

[VarmintKong]

“I jacked up,” that’s where you went wrong; frozen on the rail with a table full of balls.

We’ve all learned the hard way that the slightest off center hit is magnified in those situations. Straight top to safety and leave your opponent jacked up to screw up.

 

[Tin Man]

I'm not 100% sure what you're referring to in the description. I'd imagine it was something similar to this diagram.

I will say there are many shots I've only recently grown comfortable with. In the diagram below I used to have fits getting from the 8 to the 9. Playing the 8 in the easier pocket made position tough. I couldn't draw it enough to get position (the side pocket scratch is huge and I'm too close to the rail), and if I followed I would scratch. Whenver I landed here I would actually back cut the ball to send the cue ball three rails naturally for position. It made the shot harder but the position was natural.

Only recently did I start playing with a firm follow stroke. In the past I thought this would just lead to no-man's land, but that's only because I didn't know the shot. I've learned that if you stroke firm so it slides to the side rail and beats the scratch the cue ball will go two rails towards the side (or short of it). Add a half tip of outside english to check the cue ball up and it lengthens out nicely for shape.

My make percentage on the back cut was probably 40%. My make percentage on the high outside shot is probably 80%. What a difference it makes!

We all have to keep learning. One person's trick shot is another person's bread and butter.

 

[tim913]

I'm not 100% sure what you're referring to in the description. I'd imagine it was something similar to this diagram.

I will say there are many shots I've only recently grown comfortable with. In the diagram below I used to have fits getting from the 8 to the 9. Playing the 8 in the easier pocket made position tough. I couldn't draw it enough to get position (the side pocket scratch is huge and I'm too close to the rail), and if I followed I would scratch. Whenver I landed here I would actually back cut the ball to send the cue ball three rails naturally for position. It made the shot harder but the position was natural.

Only recently did I start playing with a firm follow stroke. In the past I thought this would just lead to no-man's land, but that's only because I didn't know the shot. I've learned that if you stroke firm so it slides to the side rail and beats the scratch the cue ball will go two rails towards the side (or short of it). Add a half tip of outside english to check the cue ball up and it lengthens out nicely for shape.

My make percentage on the back cut was probably 40%. My make percentage on the high outside shot is probably 80%. What a difference it makes!

We all have to keep learning. One person's trick shot is another person's bread and butter.


View attachment 606791


View attachment 606793

Diagram 2 is similar to my layout except the CB was frozen to the head rail and the 1 ball was about 6 inches farther away with balls blocking the right hand corner. I could have easily rolled to a safety putting the CB behind the balls on the right but sometimes you just have to go for it. It was a thing of beauty until the CB changed direction for the second time