Beginner Needs Advice Again

Mike the Beginner

Mike the Beginner

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi there,
Per my instructor, every night I do a drill that sometimes continues to the next day. The drill is, throw any four balls out on the table, mark them, take cue ball in hand, and sink them in order, repeating any difficult shots until I work out how to get the position right. The rule is, no hard shots and no odd angles. It's a position drill, so I have to get on each ball for an easy shot.

Lots of times it's relatively easy, sometimes I have to work on it for a while, sometimes I have execution difficulties. And sometimes I just don't know what to do, like here.

This looks easy enough but I'm having a lot of trouble getting on the 7 reliably. So my question is, how would you shoot this one?
 
Either the long follow shot leaving the cue at the center of the table, or going all the way down off the head rail back to the center.Or cut it into the near corner with a bit of draw, going one rail to the middle of the table.

I would prefer the long follow shot, as it keeps you on the line of the shot for the 7 ball.
 
Play the two in the corner closest to it, slide over one rail (A) or forward one rail (C) or no rails at all (B) and try to put the cueball on the spot pictured or slightly past it. Play the 7 up in the top right corner (not pictured) with a stop shot or a very small bit of follow so you can play a stop shot on the 9, 12 in the corner.

Easiest run with the least amount of cue ball movement and most room for error with getting on the 7 ball. No difficult shots here.

See attached Pic. You have three different easy paths to get on the 7 to play it into the unpictured corner pocket. C path has the most room for error as you are playing position into the path of the boject ball rather then bisecting. It is also the one that is going to require the most stoke too, but still not a lot of stroke really. The other two are basically stuns.
 

Attachments

  • 12-13problem-1.jpg
    12-13problem-1.jpg
    93 KB · Views: 732
Last edited:
Or you could just follow through off the center of the bottom rail leaving a straight seven to the top corner.
 
Try giving yourself a little backcut on the 2 or 4, whatever it is, and then just follow it. You want the cb to hit the end rail about a quarter diamond past the middle diamond. The cb will then hit the side rail, and give you a good shot on the 7 in the side.
 
Icon of Sin said:
Play the two in the corner closest to it, slide over one rail (A) or forward one rail (C) or no rails at all (B) and try to put the cueball on the spot pictured or slightly past it. Play the 7 up in the top right corner (not pictured) with a stop shot or a very small bit of follow so you can play a stop shot on the 9, 12 in the corner.

Easiest run with the least amount of cue ball movement and most room for error with getting on the 7 ball. No difficult shots here.

See attached Pic. You have three different easy paths to get on the 7 to play it into the unpictured corner pocket. C path has the most room for error as you are playing position into the path of the boject ball rather then bisecting. It is also the one that is going to require the most stoke too, but still not a lot of stroke really. The other two are basically stuns.
Click to expand...

C is the natural line and is playing along the line of position, the other two options are playing across the line of position and are less favorable in most cases.
 
low left to center of table being sure to come far enough to be on the correct side of the 7
if hit perfect you will have stop shots on the 7,9,10
runnout.jpg
 
This is a great thread.

My ideas have already been said. It'd be good practice to try them all since in a real game a ball may be sitting on the spot (for example) making Icon of Sin's route impossible.
 
That 7 is actually interesting as you can play it in so many pockets and still get shape on the 9. I would probably play the 6 with a bit of low with a small angle to go to the middle of the table and play the 7 in the opposite corner. bbb said to use low left, but with both low AND left you can easily end up going too straight down the table up the rail instead of going to the middle, I think just low may be best. Low left would be good if you have a sharp angle on the 6 so you don't go too close to the 7 and end up with a cut shot or even run into the 9, but with a smaller angle, just a bit of low should do ya.

But you can go forward 2 rails and shoot the 7 in the side or the opposite corner, or one rail and shoot the 7 in the other corner and either of those will give you a decent shot on the 7 in any of the pockets if you end up short on position. Going 2 rails to shoot the 7 in the side would be toughest to get good shape on, but any of those shots you need pretty good speed as too little or too much and you end up with a tough shot and may need something extra to get to the 9 properly as you need to stay above it or at least a bit bellow to get to the 10.

Try going forward with the cueball to the top short rail and go for one rail to the 7, or a bit of low right and go 2 rails for the 7 in the side. You will find many times you end up short or long on speed, but you still have a pocket to shoot the 7 in pretty easily.
 
Last edited:
krupa said:
This is a great thread.

My ideas have already been said. It'd be good practice to try them all since in a real game a ball may be sitting on the spot (for example) making Icon of Sin's route impossible.
Click to expand...

I agree, great thread. Wish we had more of these with pictures. Drawing lines on it took all of 2 mins in Paint.
 
2 top left, QB off of side rail to shoot 7 bottom right corner (same side of table 9 is on) which could be a stop shot or a little follow, then 9 in side which gives easy position for 10 in top right corner. But I am not an A player, so maybe others have better ideas, thats just how I would shoot it.
 
bbb said:
low left to center of table being sure to come far enough to be on the correct side of the 7
if hit perfect you will have stop shots on the 7,9,10
View attachment 308055
Click to expand...

Me, I like the pattern that bbb has suggested. I don't particularly care for the draw put on the 2. I may opt to make the 2 and go to the rail and with whatever you feel comfortable with to get the CB back to center table. I just don't like the longer down table shot.
 
At some point you will need all the above mentioned shots for one reason or another so practice them all
 
Last edited:
2 more options
the goal is to get to where the white lines are
2 rails or stun (maybe draw with alittle right english)across
r2.jpg
 
Last edited:
Culinarytracker said:
Either the long follow shot leaving the cue at the center of the table, or going all the way down off the head rail back to the center.Or cut it into the near corner with a bit of draw, going one rail to the middle of the table.

I would prefer the long follow shot, as it keeps you on the line of the shot for the 7 ball.
Click to expand...

^^^What he said! :thumbup: The goal should be to get the CB to the center of the table to play the 7 in the top right corner. Then stun shot on 7, 9 in side, 12 in the same corner as the 7. Position on the 7 is the critical piece.
 
Last edited:
Another option - Not the best IMO - is

a simple off angle stun on the 2
7 - 9 combo soft leaving the 7 in the side
simple straight in 10
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top