Banger... "He has all those balls to pocket!"

[Billy_Bob]

At a regional tournament, I was watching a banger play a much better player at 8-ball. The banger shot in all his balls and was not able to make the 8, because it was tied up, so he missed an attempt to pocket the 8. The other player still had all his balls on the table.

Then the banger says to a friend; "He has all those balls to shoot in so I will get another shot!"

I was thinking fat chance, the banger had cleared the table of any blocking balls and had broken out the 8. So the other better player had an easy runout. And that is exactly what the better player did.

Then the banger says; "He got lucky!"

It was not luck...

On the part of the banger, it is "big fish in small pond sydrome" - he plays only in lesser skilled leagues and in tournaments which ban better players. Then wins locally and is then faced with playing better players at regionals. No experience playing these guys. So lack of knowledge and lack of experience playing better players cost him the match.

On the part of the better player, it is patience - can't shoot in the 8, so don't attempt to runout. Then when runout possible, go for it. Knowing position play and speed control - Knowing where the cue ball will go after each shot. Knowing how to shoot shots in a certain way to get the cue ball to go where he wants. Using the correct speed of hit to leave the cue ball where he wants. And then running the balls in an order which will leave him a shot on the 8 after shooting in his last ball. (Thinking 8 shots ahead.)

 

[Fast Lenny]

I agree some guys just dont know the strategy of 8 ball and always try shooting at you,you have to play smart and know the table before you start firing,especially in bar box,you dont want to run out from the break if you cant make the 8 because then you leave the guy an open table which we all know is easier to run out then one that is right after the break with all the balls,traffic and tie ups.

 

[8-ball bernie]

a long time ago back in around 1985, i was playing an 8-ball tournament in a bar in new york, my opponent was horrible. an idea occured to me, i thought, usually when a bad 8-ball player plays a good 8-ball player on a bar sized table, the worse player usually ends up winning! because the good player, trys to run out, and is not succesful, because the bad player can't shoot straight, thus his group of balls are left on the table as obstacles to the good player, so here was my idea, why not miscue on purpouse?? and that's exactly what i did! i got up to the table, addressed the cue ball way above 12:00, and shot. BINGO! a big "crack" sound echoed throughout the bar, i looked at the tip, and with my best actors face said this fu#4ing tip!!!, and i kept, doing that until my opponent made 4 or 5 of his group, then i went to town and cleaned up, without fear of the failed runout! strategy wise, to this day, it was one of my smartest and best performances.

 

[APA7]

B_Bob the banger sounds like U from last year. U dont think UR ahead when U have 1 ball N they have 6 or 7 anymore??

Brian

 

[Billy_Bob]

B_Bob the banger sounds like U from last year. U dont think UR ahead when U have 1 ball N they have 6 or 7 anymore??

Brian

Yep that was me last year! I'm certainly transitioning away from banger that is for sure!

One of the best things I learned was to leave a few balls on the table until I can runout. (Now learning to leave more or all balls.)

But being able to play position and leave the cue ball where I want has made dramatic changes in my playing. Elevated me about 3 levels higher or I win about 3 times more games. It is so easy now!

Before it was "just make the ball" and not worry about where the CB went, and make a lot of difficult shots because of this. Now most shots are easy because I can leave the CB so it will be an easy shot.

Now I have no problem if my opponent has just one ball left and I have all of mine still on the table and they are wide open. I feel I have the advantage in this situation. I think I started feeling this way last summer. (I took time off from playing and my game went to heck, but I learned I could keep playing safeties and still win.)

 

[lewdo26]

It's all in the opposition

One thing that can't be said enough times IMHO, is that 8 ball is more sensitive to the level of your opposition than 9 ball.

If you're playing a weak player, you should try to win strategically (that of course generates the whole miss-and-miscue-on-purpose problem because safeties will be looked down upon in that millieu).

If you're playing a tough player, however, strategy alone won't do. The only way to be competitive then is attempting AND finishing tough runouts before the other guy does.

Play the waiting game against a real straight shooter, and he'll runout on you from spots you didn't think possible.

 

[Tokyo-dave]

I don't know where I heard it, but it was written in a billiards collumn someplace, and it really stuck with me. In the game of 8 ball, it's like a war, and each player has 7 soldiers to play with. Each soldiers job is to get you closer to the 8 ball, and consquently, each soldier has to sacrificed in the process. Bangers love to count the balls to determine "who's ahead" but if I'm at the table with 7 of my soldiers to one of my opponents, I'll probably run out, but even if I don't, my opponent will never see his soldier again.
dave

 

[Gregg]

Most commonly call this "The Failed Runout", and it's normally a disaster against stronger players in the APA, or players in stronger leagues like TAP.

 

[PoolFool]

a long time ago back in around 1985, i was playing an 8-ball tournament in a bar in new york, my opponent was horrible. an idea occured to me, i thought, usually when a bad 8-ball player plays a good 8-ball player on a bar sized table, the worse player usually ends up winning! because the good player, trys to run out, and is not succesful, because the bad player can't shoot straight, thus his group of balls are left on the table as obstacles to the good player, so here was my idea, why not miscue on purpouse?? and that's exactly what i did! i got up to the table, addressed the cue ball way above 12:00, and shot. BINGO! a big "crack" sound echoed throughout the bar, i looked at the tip, and with my best actors face said this fu#4ing tip!!!, and i kept, doing that until my opponent made 4 or 5 of his group, then i went to town and cleaned up, without fear of the failed runout! strategy wise, to this day, it was one of my smartest and best performances.

Hmmm... best acting face, huh? From what I know, I don't think our "friend" Bernie was acting. You mention that it was your smartest and best performance? What do you call it when someone just breaks and runs against you then? For someone who claims his game is so great, why don't you run out more often? I just don't get it... anyone remember his first post of being a great potter and be able to pocket a ball from anywhere on the table? Hmmm... hype or hot air?