Here's a layout that I played around with and realized something I can apply to my game. I'll share later my minor epiphany.
Again this was created from the 8-ball break button and removing 9-15.
Jeff
It's probably not the best approach due to the CB movement, but here's what came to mind. I am not all that keen on the low 5 ball, but I didn't really see another good BB.
How about this for a different approach. 3 - 1 in the corner - 7 in upper right corner - 5 - 8 in the side - 2 - 4 in the top right corner and 6 in top right corner breaking one rail just above the upper side pocket.
How about this for a different approach. 3 - 1 in the corner - 7 in upper right corner - 5 - 8 in the side - 2 - 4 in the top right corner and 6 in top right corner breaking one rail just above the upper side pocket.
Mine turned out very similar to yours, but leaving the 5-ball for the break one rail off of the 6 or 4 into the break shot angle.
For some strange reason my sequence isn't showing the lines for the first shot, no matter what I try, so just picture the 3 in the lower side, cueball coming off of the foot rail into the angle on the 8 in the upper right corner.
3,8,1,7,2,6,4,5
It seems that the Wei program is not drawing lines on 3-ball shots when posted in the forum. They look fine on the cuetable site though. Anyway, here's another option:
I like this approach:
6 top right
4 top right roll up for the 2
2 top right with a leave for the 3 in lower side to the 1 for top side
7 top right
8 lower left
5 top left with the breakout
I like this approach:
6 top right
4 top right roll up for the 2
2 top right with a leave for the 3 in lower side to the 1 for top side
7 top right
8 lower left
5 top left with the breakout
I like it a lot, but how about the same sequence , but off of the 2 get a stop angle on the 3, draw ever so slightly, and play the 1 in the upper left corner. Either way, it's a good sequence though I think.
I guess it depends on whether you feel more comfortable with a longer shot or more difficult cueball travel to get on a shorter shot.
Jeff
It's probably not the best approach due to the CB movement, but here's what came to mind. I am not all that keen on the low 5 ball, but I didn't really see another good BB.
I know that everyone says to minimize cueball movement, but there are plenty of long travels where the cueball can't get lost. I think your shot off of the 2-ball is a good example. You may not end up perfectly on the 7, but you have the 3 and even the 1 if needed. I like your run.
The only thing I see with the 2-ball is that it's a hard shot to stretch for. It may be possible to hold off of the 4 for a thinner cut and easier reach on the 2-ball and go straight across the table for the 7, like this:
My minor epiphany with this layout has to do with the 3 balls nearest the head rail. My first instincts tell me to go for the very simple (with rake) 6-ball and clear out the uptable balls, since in straight pool we usually do this early to minimize up and down movement of the cueball.
But after looking for key shots to get on the 5-ball break shot, nothing really looked appealing to me. If the 8-ball passed the 5, this wouldn't be the case, but from what I can tell, it doesn't. In fact, it's the 8-ball that changed what would look like a normal pattern into something unusual for my first sequence. The problem is how do you get on the 8-ball gracefully? I've since realized a decent way which I'll post next, but here was my thinking:
I look for what lines up into or near pockets on the table.
I see the following line-ups:
8-1 to lower side, 1-7 to upper right, 7-1 lower left, 7-3 lower side, 3-1 upper left, 2-3 bottom side, 2-6 lower right, 2-4 lower right.
For simple stop patterns getting into the 5-ball break from off of the downtable balls I only saw two, but getting on the 8-ball is what makes them difficult:
8-1-7-5, 3-1-7-5
So turning my attention to the uptable balls, I see potential. The 2, 6 and the 4 are all lying fully encompassed by the final 5-ball break shot angle. They also happen to be set up in a nice easy to execute three ball pattern. 2-4-6, 2-6-4, 6-4-2, 6-2-4, or 4-6-2 will all allow you to get to the 5-ball break shot easily.
2-4-6, or 2-6-4 being ideal so that the cueball can drift nicely one rail into the 5-ball break angle, leads me to find out what leads easily to the 2-ball shot. Lo and behold, all of the downtable balls line me up for the 2-ball. As long as I clear all the downtable balls first, in any order, I have a simple pattern into the break shot.
Since I don't want to play the 6-ball first, the only easy shot presented is the 3-ball. So I can now confidently set up my sequence:
3-ball first
Either the 8 or 1 next depending on how the cueball comes off of the foot rail, etc. to the 2-ball.
Jeff
