Difficult (for me) 9-Ball Shot/Position

Samiel

Samiel

Sea Player
Silver Member

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The 8-ball is frozen or nearly frozen. The 9-ball is nearly frozen.

This shot, and shots like it continue to be difficult for a C player such as myself.

I was curious what fellow posters would do. Do you shoot with follow or draw... or do something else?

With follow, I'm not sure I can get around the table or avoid scratching in the lower left pocket (of the diagram).

With draw, I'm not sure I can avoid scratching in lower side pocket (of the diagram) or get to a position where I have a good shot on the 9-ball.

Of course, the 3-railer with draw isn't practical for my C player skills. :p
 
I have a difficult time with this shot as well. I look forward to hear some responses.

BVal
 
The reason you're having a tough time is because this is a REALLY hard shot. My inclination is to bust out the talent and spin around the table with left but if I don't feel I'm going to make the ball (like, if I'm playing on tight equipment), there is one really cool safety option to get you back to the table. I say it's cool because it's not that tough to do and nobody sees it coming until the balls stop rolling.

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Samiel said:

CueTable Help



The 8-ball is frozen or nearly frozen. The 9-ball is nearly frozen.

This shot, and shots like it continue to be difficult for a C player such as myself.

I was curious what fellow posters would do. Do you shoot with follow or draw... or do something else?

With follow, I'm not sure I can get around the table or avoid scratching in the lower left pocket (of the diagram).

With draw, I'm not sure I can avoid scratching in lower side pocket (of the diagram) or get to a position where I have a good shot on the 9-ball.

Of course, the 3-railer with draw isn't practical for my C player skills. :p
Click to expand...

Making the 8 and getting shape on the 9 would be difficult for ANY player.

I would duck by banking the 8 4 rails with draw sending the 8 up to the neighborhood of the 9 and leaving the CB down table.


I prefer that approach because if you miss the 8 it would be a likely sell out.

Regards,
Jim
 
Tough shot, but the way I've played it and seen it played is to use low and extreme right-english with a firm but not too hard of a stroke, coming two rails past the side and short of the top right hand corner pocket, where you can scratch if you're not careful.

I've seen Alison Fisher make it that way.

Another strategy might be to hit the eight ball almost head on, but a little left of center with low, just below center and bank the eight four rails and have it rest near the end rail close to the nine. The cue ball floats down to the opposite end rail and leaves a tough shot, but of course a danger of leaving a billiard or combination on the nine.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
The reason you're having a tough time is because this is a REALLY hard shot. My inclination is to bust out the talent and spin around the table with left but if I don't feel I'm going to make the ball (like, if I'm playing on tight equipment), there is one really cool safety option to get you back to the table. I say it's cool because it's not that tough to do and nobody sees it coming until the balls stop rolling.

CueTable Help

Click to expand...


I like this option (if you don't feel confident in either making the ball or are worried about scratching in the bottom corner pocket.

I think there is a tiny bit of care that needs to be taken on this shot...You have to hit the 8 square in the face with follow or even err to a slight cut......If you hit this just a hair to high on the 8.....the 8-ball will still clear and the CB will follow right into the corner pocket......
 

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not necessarily the ideal thing to do, but what is wrong with simply giving yourself an opportunity that is within your ability?

-Jon
 
jongreve said:

CueTable Help



not necessarily the ideal thing to do, but what is wrong with simply giving yourself an opportunity that is within your ability?

-Jon
Click to expand...


I don't disagree with this option. You ARE leaving yourself a situation to whack at the 9-ball and take your chances. If you don't see a safety and you think position will put great risk at missing the shot altogether, you might as well spin the wheel and see what happens.
 
Yea this is not an easy shot. Putting that much left english throws the ball quite a bit. I remember a shot similar to this and Joe Tucker did some videos of it.
 
I play this shot with a little top and a lot of left. I pocket the 8 in the top left corner pocket and send the cueball three rails around the table: left short rail, bottom long rail, and across the table to the top long rail just above the 9. Its tricky, but it works.
 
Not to complicate this, but it also matters what cueball you're playing with! Because there are some differences in what you can do. With the measle ball you are pretty much limited to spinning 3 rails with left, or going 2 rails with bottom right, but if you play with the old red circle(we still play with those), you can simply draw back towards the bottom right corner with bottom right english ending about where the ? is on your cuetable!
Of course you should only do which option your ability allows you!
Jeremy
 
I play with both the red circle and measles.. it doesnt change what you can and cant do in regards to shape IMO. I play the same patterns with both.
 
instroke75 said:
Not to complicate this, but it also matters what cueball you're playing with! Because there are some differences in what you can do. With the measle ball you are pretty much limited to spinning 3 rails with left, or going 2 rails with bottom right, but if you play with the old red circle(we still play with those), you can simply draw back towards the bottom right corner with bottom right english ending about where the ? is on your cuetable!
Of course you should only do which option your ability allows you!
Jeremy
Click to expand...


Actually, a brand new red circle cueball (assuming you are referring to the one that comes with Super Aramiths) is identical to the measles ball. However, an OLD red circle will be worn which will make it noticeably lighter than a new measles ball.
 
I know that if the cue ball was up a little higher towards the center dot I could get on the 9 using three rails and a high top left stroke... not positive the result from this spot... but thats what I would try here.. would take a good hard stroke though... imagine I'd rattle the pocket with the 8. lol.
 
The most important part of this shot is to cuss and look dissapointed in having to shoot it for at minimum 2 minutes prior to actually making up your mind.
 
I only called them old because they're not the cueball of choice anymore. But I also disagree about the weight of the balls, they weigh different, and they play different! JMHO
I know that there are shots I can do easily with the red circle, that I can't do, or at least not easily with the measle ball.
Jeremy
 
pharaoh68 said:
I play this shot with a little top and a lot of left. I pocket the 8 in the top left corner pocket and send the cueball three rails around the table: left short rail, bottom long rail, and across the table to the top long rail just above the 9. Its tricky, but it works.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I would have done. The left english will make it go 3 cushion for sure. The second, the left english will transfer a little right english to the 8-ball. So the 8-ball will stick to the rail and go to the pocket.
 
instroke75 said:
I only called them old because they're not the cueball of choice anymore. But I also disagree about the weight of the balls, they weigh different, and they play different! JMHO
I know that there are shots I can do easily with the red circle, that I can't do, or at least not easily with the measle ball.
Jeremy
Click to expand...


You have to look at them both when they're new. You can't compare an old red circle to a new measles ball. Cue balls wear over time. In a poolroom, they can wear rather quickly. When I managed Amsterdam billiards, I easily had to replace at least a cue ball a month due to wear.
 
tough shot

The easiest way for me to make the 8 and get shape is going forward with a little top and a lot of left.

Using low right, I didn't think I'd be able to make it past the side pocket, but after trying it, I was wrong. The side pockets still look big to me though.

Nice safety you guys pointed out.
 
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