Better safety play

Slasher

Slasher

KE = 0.5 • m • v2
Silver Member
Ive always played to my strength and relied on my abillity to pot balls to get me out of trouble but know that this aspect of the game has been costing me matches. What are some of the best resources you have used for learning better safety/tactical play for 9 ball.

Thanks
 
Last edited:
Slasher said:
Ive always played to my strength and relied on my abillity to pot balls to get me out of trouble but know that this aspect of the game has been costing me matches. What are some of the best resources you have used for learning better safety/tactical play.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Are we talkiing 8ball or 9ball?
 
Slasher said:
What are some of the best resources you have used for learning better safety/tactical play.
Click to expand...

What helpped me a lot with respect to safety play was to start practicing on very fast tables (cloth and/or bumpers). On these tables, delicate speed control is paramount. And delicate speed control is where most safties are won or lost.
 
I have the best luck watching the pros, and trying to emulate what I see them doing. I love YouTube.
 
Slasher said:
Ive always played to my strength and relied on my abillity to pot balls to get me out of trouble but know that this aspect of the game has been costing me matches. What are some of the best resources you have used for learning better safety/tactical play for 9 ball.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Where most people fail when first becoming a safety player is they try to control both the cue ball and the object ball. While this is your ultimate goal it may not be easy to start out this way. Try choosing which ball is most important to get safe and concentrate on that particular ball. This will mostly be the cue ball BTW. As you get better with your safety play you can then focus on placing both balls where you would like.
Hope this helps,
Mike
 
I have a dvd called pro skills drills 55 safety play shots. send me your address and i will let you use it for a couple of weeks. john
 
Safe.

Slasher said:
Ive always played to my strength and relied on my abillity to pot balls to get me out of trouble but know that this aspect of the game has been costing me matches. What are some of the best resources you have used for learning better safety/tactical play for 9 ball.

Thanks
Click to expand...

1- one pocket! 2- play one pocket! 3- consider the great French game of One Pocquette!
 
mdestefano said:
Where most people fail when first becoming a safety player is they try to control both the cue ball and the object ball. While this is your ultimate goal it may not be easy to start out this way. Try choosing which ball is most important to get safe and concentrate on that particular ball. This will mostly be the cue ball BTW. As you get better with your safety play you can then focus on placing both balls where you would like.
Hope this helps,
Mike
Click to expand...

Good advice here.
 
mdestefano said:
Where most people fail when first becoming a safety player is they try to control both the cue ball and the object ball. While this is your ultimate goal it may not be easy to start out this way. Try choosing which ball is most important to get safe and concentrate on that particular ball. This will mostly be the cue ball BTW. As you get better with your safety play you can then focus on placing both balls where you would like.
Hope this helps,
Mike
Click to expand...

Thanks Mike, good advice there. I am at a higher level than this though and have pretty good execution. What I was looking for is more common shots and strategies to maybe let me see what I am not seeing now.

Thanks again.
 
Slasher said:
Thanks Mike, good advice there. I am at a higher level than this though and have pretty good execution. What I was looking for is more common shots and strategies to maybe let me see what I am not seeing now.

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

My best advise other than looking at videos or pros would be to play a bit of one pocket sir. You will not believe how quickly your safety play will improve.
 
You Have to learn one pocket! Find somebody knowledgable in the game...willing to spot you to get a fair game...then play only that for 2 months...think "Mr. Miagi and wax on wax off"!! :) After 2 months of only one pocket your 9ball safeties and your banking will go up expedentially!!
 
thanks for all this advice as i need to imrove this part of the game. lost a 14.1 match monday night solely due to lousy safety play or the lack thereof. i was in the lead half way thru but then, due to 2 safety plays, which were not safe at all and leaving the opponent a shot both times, i lost by only 14 balls. :angry: i'll try the 1 pocket game as i have not played that since about 1965 or so. any other tips?
 
brokenarrowjbe said:
I have a dvd called pro skills drills 55 safety play shots. send me your address and i will let you use it for a couple of weeks. john
Click to expand...

Real nice gesture.

LEads right into what I was gonna say- the best help for improving safety play is to be aware of 'natural' shots.
 
The advise above is all good but one tip that helped me is:
Play your safety in 9 ball, the ball before you see the jam up.
ie the 2 is open but the 3 and 4 are tied up. play your safety on the 2.
Here is my reason; either your oppnet takes a flyer on the 2 ball or you get ball in hand to pot the 2 and go for the breakup of the 3 and 4.
Now if you are in APA and ball count is more important than games you must keep in mind where your opponet is on their score.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top