On your break in 8 Ball, you make three solids and no stripes. All things being equal (balls being tied up, the position of the 8 Ball, etc.): Would the run out probability be higher shooting solids or stripes?
Choosing Solids or Stripes (Poll)
- Thread starter Tennesseejoe
- Start date
Too general of a question.
Whichever pattern is easier without moving whitey around too much. Whichever has a great key ball to get perfect on the 8.
Amount of balls left doesn't really matter.
C and below players often take the group with less balls thinking that is an advantage, without even thinking of which group is easier. Which is harder, shooting 3 balls that you have to play 2 or 3 rail position through traffic on, or shooting 7 balls that are all nice and open and provides multiple patterns?
Whichever pattern is easier without moving whitey around too much. Whichever has a great key ball to get perfect on the 8.
Amount of balls left doesn't really matter.
C and below players often take the group with less balls thinking that is an advantage, without even thinking of which group is easier. Which is harder, shooting 3 balls that you have to play 2 or 3 rail position through traffic on, or shooting 7 balls that are all nice and open and provides multiple patterns?
trick question?
It depends.... what is the skill level of the player? If he is new enough to the game to not consider cue ball control, and might be prone to missing the easiest of shots, he would probably be more likely to get out shooting the least number of balls possible, which would be solids.
However, since you said, "your break", I am taking it to mean to vote for our own probability of running out, so I picked stripes. All other factors being equal, I think most C players or higher would get out more often by choosing "less obstacles to avoid" than they would from having "less balls to pocket".
It depends.... what is the skill level of the player? If he is new enough to the game to not consider cue ball control, and might be prone to missing the easiest of shots, he would probably be more likely to get out shooting the least number of balls possible, which would be solids.
However, since you said, "your break", I am taking it to mean to vote for our own probability of running out, so I picked stripes. All other factors being equal, I think most C players or higher would get out more often by choosing "less obstacles to avoid" than they would from having "less balls to pocket".
like everyone above said. It depends.
If all things are equal like you said(in regards to problem balls and such), you would need to see a diagram to pick. this isnt really a question. Maybe if you asked to pick between shooting 7 wide open balls then the 8, or shooting 5 balls that say 2 of them are tied up.
This seems like a pretty easy answer the way I read the poll question. All things being equal except there are 3 less solids on the table. So I'll take the solids.
8-Ball Solids r Stripes!
Well if I was playing in Arkansas or Texas (Bars/Taverns) I'd have to shoot "Solids", because we play "take what you make" in this case, only if I made one of the other balls on the break also, would I have the option to shoot Stripes, and then it may be better to SHOOT the balls with the most left for position!..( if we were playing by those rules)...
all depends!
David Harcrow
Well if I was playing in Arkansas or Texas (Bars/Taverns) I'd have to shoot "Solids", because we play "take what you make" in this case, only if I made one of the other balls on the break also, would I have the option to shoot Stripes, and then it may be better to SHOOT the balls with the most left for position!..( if we were playing by those rules)...
all depends!
David Harcrow
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For the folks that want to see the layout, this is the way I think the OP wants us to look at it (please correct me if I'm wrong).....
Take a random layout of 15 balls (plus cue ball) and remove 3 solids from the table. Repeat that for a million random layouts. Some of those layouts will sit better for running out solids, and some of them you'll have a better layout for running stripes. But which do you think you'd be able to run out more often?
Take a random layout of 15 balls (plus cue ball) and remove 3 solids from the table. Repeat that for a million random layouts. Some of those layouts will sit better for running out solids, and some of them you'll have a better layout for running stripes. But which do you think you'd be able to run out more often?
Probably stripes since you may have more opportunity for breaking balls out...really iffy question though.
I guess it's a trick question designed to make you think about the fact that more balls to shoot = more opportunities to get out of trouble when you screw up, more shots to solve problems, more balls to block the opponent's runout, etc.
However your skill level is a factor here. At high levels, shooting 4 vs 7 balls is meaningless, both players can run either amount easily. At low levels it can be like both players will only average 1 ball per inning so a 3 ball head start is a big help. So it's just one more reason to come up with the usual answer:
"it depends"
I think the poll did its job getting people to think about the concept though.
However your skill level is a factor here. At high levels, shooting 4 vs 7 balls is meaningless, both players can run either amount easily. At low levels it can be like both players will only average 1 ball per inning so a 3 ball head start is a big help. So it's just one more reason to come up with the usual answer:
"it depends"
I think the poll did its job getting people to think about the concept though.
I thought you were driving at a which do you like to shoot at question, stripes or solids? I know several people who prefer one group to the other before the rack is broken, stating "stripes are easier to shoot"or some other such nonsense, like "the dark solids are harder to make, that's why the 8 gets missed, because it's black"
I am going to pick the group that has the best layout, or if it's a play what you make situation, try and run the solids or lay up.
:grin:
If all things are equal, then wouldn't it be a non-issue? It doesn't matter what you take since all things are equal.
However, if you happen to make three solids and no stripes, generally, all things wouln't be equal and stripes would have a higher chance of being the easier set of balls to run.
Is that what you're after???
Fred
Worst poll in the history of AZB...sorry...
8 ball? I want to play him some 9 ballEric I want to play you some 8-Ball.!!!!!
David Harcrow
Thanks for all the responses. I was trying to get some of the novice players to think about this option. It seems that many bar players always jump at taking fewer balls when in fact it may give them more problems.
See post #9. I think by "equal" he means "random". That's how I'm taking it anyway. TennesseeJoe, any comment on that?
All things being equal
I'll take stripes. There are more contact point targets on a striped ball. The six ball being the one with the least amount of contrast, assuming green cloth, is not yours to worry about. Again, we assume that each group is equally easy to run.
I'll take stripes. There are more contact point targets on a striped ball. The six ball being the one with the least amount of contrast, assuming green cloth, is not yours to worry about. Again, we assume that each group is equally easy to run.