I'd recommend this match to all those who enjoy 8 ball safety battles. I've read the comments reflecting a general frustration with the break-and-run out ratios on the IPT, so here's one match where that didn't happen. Two racks toward the end showed a pretty complex safety battle.
It was better played, I think, then the Accu-stats 2001 8 ball Invitational match between Bustamante vs. Reyes, which gathered a cult following on this board. That one safety battle IMHO contained at least two very basic safety errors by both Bustamante and Efren; e.g., Efren hung his 3 ball and took it out of play for no apparent reason. You almost never want a HANGING ball in 8 ball because then your opponent can just combo it in with one of his balls and play safe. But Bustamante didn't do that, despite being the heavy favorite to win that rack had he done it.
It was better played, I think, then the Accu-stats 2001 8 ball Invitational match between Bustamante vs. Reyes, which gathered a cult following on this board. That one safety battle IMHO contained at least two very basic safety errors by both Bustamante and Efren; e.g., Efren hung his 3 ball and took it out of play for no apparent reason. You almost never want a HANGING ball in 8 ball because then your opponent can just combo it in with one of his balls and play safe. But Bustamante didn't do that, despite being the heavy favorite to win that rack had he done it.
