A test for a player's defensive ability?

[Billy_Bob]

It seems to me the current player ability tests do not test the ability of a player to shoot defensive shots (a "thinking" thing). It seems to me these test a player's "shot making ability" only.

I came up with the following as a starter...

Player Defensive Ability Test

1. Break a 9-ball rack.

2. Shoot a safety with lowest number ball (or if lowest number ball is blocked by another ball, push out for better cue ball location, then shoot a safety from that spot with lowest numbered ball).

3. Judge the "quality" of the safety played as follows. The shot left after playing the safety leaves...

-No balls blocking path of cue ball to lowest numbered ball - easy high percentage shot. 0 points.
-No balls blocking path of cue ball to lowest numbered ball - difficult low percentage shot. 1 point.
-Requires a one rail kick to hit lowest numbered ball. 2 points.
-Requires a two rail kick to hit lowest numbered ball. 3 points.
-Requires a three or more rail kick to hit lowest numbered ball. 4 points.

4. Do above 5 times in a row and count your points.

 

[Baker(6x6)]

Results count too...

It seems to me the current player ability tests do not test the ability of a player to shoot defensive shots (a "thinking" thing). It seems to me these test a player's "shot making ability" only.

I came up with the following as a starter...

Player Defensive Ability Test

1. Break a 9-ball rack.

2. Shoot a safety with lowest number ball (or if lowest number ball is blocked by another ball, push out for better cue ball location, then shoot a safety from that spot with lowest numbered ball).

3. Judge the "quality" of the safety played as follows. The shot left after playing the safety leaves...

-No balls blocking path of cue ball to lowest numbered ball - easy high percentage shot. 0 points.
-No balls blocking path of cue ball to lowest numbered ball - difficult low percentage shot. 1 point.
-Requires a one rail kick to hit lowest numbered ball. 2 points.
-Requires a two rail kick to hit lowest numbered ball. 3 points.
-Requires a three or more rail kick to hit lowest numbered ball. 4 points.

4. Do above 5 times in a row and count your points.

ADD the following:

After playing yourself "safe" shoot, to try to work yourself out of the safe:
1) If you miss entirely, bad hit, or otherwise foul- 0 points
2) Good hit, but leave an easy hit/make- 0 points
3) GH, tough (but makeable) leave - 1 point
4) GH, 1-rail bank/kick safe (or jump-shot) - 2 points
5) GH, 2+ rail, (or tough jump)- 3 points
6) GH, lock-up safety - 4 points
7) GH, pocket the ball (must be called, no slop)- 5 points

A defensive test should include working yourself out of a safety "defensively"

Ray

 

[Billy_Bob]

How about adding bonus points for the safety leaves...

If the cue ball is left within one inch of a rail + 1 point.

If the cue ball leave would require your opponent to shoot over another ball and the other ball is within 1 inch of the cue ball + 1 point.