Another One Pocket WWYD

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fjk

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Similar to two spotted balls with ball in hand behind the line, this is another shot that comes up regularly. The last ball gets worked up table and your opponent sinks it, it gets spotted, and the cue is left in the jaws. How do you play it? I play to cut it in. If you make the shot, you don't scratch. The key is to make it or overcut it. Even if you miss the ball completely, it's not the end of the world because another ball spots up. Also, for simplicity's sake, let's assume you and your opponent are an even match. I do realize your appetite for risk, in this position, would change if you were the much weaker or much stronger player.
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Take yellow off the opposite long rail with outside with 2.2 table lengths (10 diamonds) of energy/speed.
If you miss, CB ends up up near corner at top left after hitting end rail and your side rail.
 
mr3cushion said:
You have to really hit it Bad to get the kiss. I'm contacting the OB 75-80+%, along with the 2 O'clock English.
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Here's what I don't like about that shot: if you don't place the object ball right where you plan, you give up a one or three railer. All that risk for a shot that's 100% defensive.
 
I dont think many players would back cut that ball from that position
the margin to scratch (too thick) or miss (too thin) is too high
you have to hit it perfect
i am a banger (but know alot ….😏)
so
jmho
icbw
 
Hungarian said:
What's wrong with crossing it towards your pocket with right side spin (maybe a hair of draw) so that the cue ball goes three rails short of the upper left corner and drops gently on the first diamond on the end rail?
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Nice shot
thats a common reply
the key is to not leave a cross bank
 
Hungarian said:
You'd have to hit it with inside, right?
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I deleted as I was trying to repost a better picture. Yes a little inside. Not sure if that’s the right shot. Other choice is bank it to the side pocket… leave cue on bottom rail
 
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bbb said:
I dont think many players would back cut that ball from that position
the margin to scratch (too thick) or miss (too thin) is too high
you have to hit it perfect
i am a banger (but know alot ….😏)
so
jmho
icbw
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It looks ridiculous difficult. But set it up and hit 10 of them. You'd be surprised. When I play it I'm not planning on making it. I'm trying to get it very close. I can probably make it 20% of the time. 70% of the time I get it close. I probably scratch 5 or 10% of the time. Winning the rack 20% of the time is worth the risk. I roll that cue pretty softly. Fast cloth helps a lot when back cutting that shot.
 
bbb said:
I dont think many players would back cut that ball from that position
the margin to scratch (too thick) or miss (too thin) is too high
you have to hit it perfect
i am a banger (but know alot ….😏)
so
jmho
icbw
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Evan Lunda beat Scott Frost with the back cut at Buffalo’s.

I’ve made the back cut more than several times and opponents have made it against me. I’ve also scratched and whiffed it. The up and down two railer is good. The most common is to try and leave the object ball in front of the side pocket.
 
fjk said:
Similar to two spotted balls with ball in hand behind the line, this is another shot that comes up regularly. The last ball gets worked up table and your opponent sinks it, it gets spotted, and the cue is left in the jaws. How do you play it? I play to cut it in. If you make the shot, you don't scratch. The key is to make it or overcut it. Even if you miss the ball completely, it's not the end of the world because another ball spots up. Also, for simplicity's sake, let's assume you and your opponent are an even match. I do realize your appetite for risk, in this position, would change if you were the much weaker or much stronger player.
View attachment 714811
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Cue ball on the back rail between 1st and 2nd diamond and the yellow ball near opponents side pocket close to the rail. This has long been the standard shot.
 
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fjk said:
It looks ridiculous difficult. But set it up and hit 10 of them. You'd be surprised. When I play it I'm not planning on making it. I'm trying to get it very close. I can probably make it 20% of the time. 70% of the time I get it close. I probably scratch 5 or 10% of the time. Winning the rack 20% of the time is worth the risk. I roll that cue pretty softly. Fast cloth helps a lot when back cutting that shot.
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I just tried it and left the object ball in the jaws of my pocket and scratched in the other pocket. My opponent (me) had the easy shot on the spotted ball into his pocket.

It's a little beyond me, but, with a little practice, I can see how the cut into the pocket can be a favorable shot. Depending on your shotmaking vs your ball moving skills, I can see it being the best choice.

I set it up a few more times, seemed like 50/50 scratching vs leaving my opponent a tough shot. I don't think I really sold out. If the cue ball is a little further from the pocket, it's not a bad shot.

What about taking an intentional and rolling the cue ball somewhere for no shot after the second ball spots? I'm fine with safety play, but that seems a little bit more like playing not to lose, or even just prolonging a defeat.
 
for most mortals--. the easy shot is to bank it up near the side pocket but not past it on his side. and leave the cue ball near your pocket on a rail.

he then has no effective offensive and a weak defensive shot.
 
I don't cut this to my pocket, unless the cue ball is one diamond over on the short rail. You want a table that doesn't roll off and if you miss the ball completely, another one spots behind it. Cutting it left to bank one rail is also a critical hit.
 
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tomatoshooter said:
I just tried it and left the object ball in the jaws of my pocket and scratched in the other pocket. My opponent (me) had the easy shot on the spotted ball into his pocket.

It's a little beyond me, but, with a little practice, I can see how the cut into the pocket can be a favorable shot. Depending on your shotmaking vs your ball moving skills, I can see it being the best choice.

I set it up a few more times, seemed like 50/50 scratching vs leaving my opponent a tough shot. I don't think I really sold out. If the cue ball is a little further from the pocket, it's not a bad shot.

What about taking an intentional and rolling the cue ball somewhere for no shot after the second ball spots? I'm fine with safety play, but that seems a little bit more like playing not to lose, or even just prolonging a defeat.
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No sense in taking the intentional. Before you do that just shoot it to his rail towards his side pocket and roll the cue down on the foot rail.

If you try cutting it, think just trying to hit it as thin and soft as you can. Rolling it a foot or two towards your hole is good. On fast cloth, every once in a while it goes (20% of the time for me).

Funny thing on the scratch, if you do scratch, the ball is probably pretty close to your hole and a little bit of a blood test spot shot for your opponent. It ain't no gimme! I know guys that wouldn't shoot the spot shot, they would knock your ball away.
 
Buckzapper said:
I don't cut this to my pocket, unless the cue ball is one diamond over on the short rail. You want a table that doesn't roll off and if you miss the ball completely, another one spots behind it. Cutting it left to bank one rail is also a critical hit.
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Someone on here told me you bitch slapped Buddy Hall a few times back in the day in some big tournaments. Man, YOU can shoot that ball right in probably half the time without scratching. Or at least back in the day you coulda :)

Good point on the table roll though.
 
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