Do you have a strategy when playing a higher rated player?

I saw 548 beat a 675 in a race to 7
9 ball match in a tournament
The 548 got every lucky roll possible every time he missed the 675 was hooked
every time the 675 missed or had to jump / kick because he was hooked he left the 548 an easy shot
the 548 ran the last 3-4 balls consistently
So for strategy
Pray you get lucky 😂
 
doitforthegame said:
So you are playing in a regional double elimination tournament. Your rating is a 500. You draw a 600. Do you have a strategy to play a higher rated player? Chances are if you miss he is going to run out on you. So, when you get out of shape (of course you will...you are a 500!) do you try to make the tough shot or look to duck? Do you play loose and fire away or try to play the grease?
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I think both players should play their standard game or something very close to it. It may be that the 500 hasn't got a clue about how to best play the game, but that's another issue.

Related to which... I used to play in a handicapped league in which there were players so bad I had to give them 6-3 at nine ball -- they go to 3 games while I go to 6. One of them had figured out the right strategy for a player of his level. He moved the nine at every opportunity -- combos, caroms, carom banks, carom kicks, .... If he had a shot where all he could do was make the 1 ball, he would likely play position as well as his limited ability allowed on the 2-9 combo or the carom from the 2 to the 9. He understood how poorly he played. Many players at his level think they should play like SVB.

I think that 9 ball is a lousy game for players who can't occasionally run out unless there is also money on other balls.
 
Bob Jewett said:
I think both players should play their standard game or something very close to it. It may be that the 500 hasn't got a clue about how to best play the game, but that's another issue.

Related to which... I used to play in a handicapped league in which there were players so bad I had to give them 6-3 at nine ball -- they go to 3 games while I go to 6. One of them had figured out the right strategy for a player of his level. He moved the nine at every opportunity -- combos, caroms, carom banks, carom kicks, .... If he had a shot where all he could do was make the 1 ball, he would likely play position as well as his limited ability allowed on the 2-9 combo or the carom from the 2 to the 9. He understood how poorly he played. Many players at his level think they should play like SVB.

I think that 9 ball is a lousy game for players who can't occasionally run out unless there is also money on other balls.
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Interestingly, 3–6 equates exactly to a 100 point Fargo differential, regardless of your own level of play…
 
A 600spd player is not running out the bulk of the time. Odds are you going to get at least one trip to the table per rack if not more so don't play scared.

A moves game is generally the last skill set that's developed by players. So although you could expect to see a 600 player kick out of simple safeties you can pretty much bank on them not returning it to you afterward. That makes playing slightly tighter a good option to develop easy opportunities for yourself, and it can quickly throw that player out of rhythm. That said, a 500spd player will not have a great CB, so you need to pick your spots carefully when playing safe.

I've been under performing for a while now (maybe my new norm) and hover around a mid 670 w/ ~600games in the system. I find I'm in a spot that regulates me to 'open' events, which means I can frequently run into players that 50-60pts higher than myself. In this world you are fortunate to get a look at the table, and often you're sitting for a rack or two if not more. Do I play differently when I run into >750...? Well it's only happened a couple of time but yes I do.

A >730 spd player will a decent/strong moves game. Combined with a strong understanding of kicking safe, or into unfavourable situations for their opponent. In short, my usual advantage now has me as a dog in this game. So although I don't dismiss safe play, I do tend to lean on shot making a hair more. My only hope is to keep pace, and try to place some performance pressure on the stronger player. That means I need to take more chances rather than duck'n'hide.

Tin Man said:
The people who write "Play your game, don't play your opponent" are correct to a point. The problem is that it's easier said than done.
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You should pit (play) your ability/skill against the table. Your decision making should be weighed against the ability of your opponent. IMO, those things are mutually exclusive.
 
The_JV said:
A 600spd player is not running out the bulk of the time. Odds are you going to get at least one trip to the table per rack if not more so don't play scared.

A moves game is generally the last skill set that's developed by players. So although you could expect to see a 600 player kick out of simple safeties you can pretty much bank on them not returning it to you afterward. That makes playing slightly tighter a good option to develop easy opportunities for yourself, and it can quickly throw that player out of rhythm. That said, a 500spd player will not have a great CB, so you need to pick your spots carefully when playing safe.

I've been under performing for a while now (maybe my new norm) and hover around a mid 670 w/ ~600games in the system. I find I'm in a spot that regulates me to 'open' events, which means I can frequently run into players that 50-60pts higher than myself. In this world you are fortunate to get a look at the table, and often you're sitting for a rack or two if not more. Do I play differently when I run into >750...? Well it's only happened a couple of time but yes I do.

A >730 spd player will a decent/strong moves game. Combined with a strong understanding of kicking safe, or into unfavourable situations for their opponent. In short, my usual advantage now has me as a dog in this game. So although I don't dismiss safe play, I do tend to lean on shot making a hair more. My only hope is to keep pace, and try to place some performance pressure on the stronger player. That means I need to take more chances rather than duck'n'hide.



You should pit (play) your ability/skill against the table. Your decision making should be weighed against the ability of your opponent. IMO, those things are mutually exclusive.
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I assume you meant aren't mutually exclusive but I will ask for clarification rather than put words in your mouth. I have always assumed you played both. I am working with the table but when I notice that my opponent is uncomfortable with shots from against or very near the rail it will certainly factor into my safety play. If the ball(s) I am hiding behind are ten inches off the rail I may jam the cue ball on the rail knowing that anywhere on the rail is likely to be a safety while hiding the cue ball entails more risk. It is also in my mind that every time I make my opponent shoot with the cue ball against the rail I am adding to his frustration level.

While I wouldn't do that to a friend in casual play I have done it to my opponent in a tournament match and will unhesitatingly do it in a fairly high stakes gambling match. The other person is trying to take my money by any legal means and many will happily blur the line of "legal" to mean anything they don't get called on. I restrict myself to legal play, but within the rules the battle is on. In the old days, "accidental" safeties frustrated a lot of players. Two way shots and impossible to be certain safeties became a major part of my game if the other player indicated irritation or frustration faced with the results of such shots. Shots of mine where the safety and pocketing the ball are about equal in likelihood of success shift from being shots to shoot for the pocket to shoot for the safety. Which reminds me, as the 500 playing the 600, I would probably spend at least half of my time on the practice table focusing on one and two ball safeties, one ball and rail safeties. You are going to spend more time shooting safeties, spend more time practicing them.

Of course all of this effort can be bypassed by going with the Tonya Harding school of handicapping!(grin)

Hu
 
Stickman9 said:
Playing the table makes sense when you are going for the runout. But when playing a safety or deciding whether to play a safety, you need to consider what your opponent’s response is likely to be. Therefore, you need to consider your opponent’s ability.
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You put this very well. Too many people say, “Play the table, not the opponent” but this kind of calculation is done, whether well or not, with every safety play, or at least is should be. And it’s not just calculating the odds on what you hope is a lock-up safety. It even comes into play deciding if you can gamble on leaving your opponent a tough bank, etc.
 
ShootingArts said:
In the old days, "accidental" safeties frustrated a lot of players. Two way shots and impossible to be certain safeties became a major part of my game if the other player indicated irritation or frustration faced with the results of such shots. Shots of mine where the safety and pocketing the ball are about equal in likelihood of success shift from being shots to shoot for the pocket to shoot for the safety.
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The best part about developing 2 way shots into your game is that many opponents truly think you just get lucky. I've had several players at league think I get lucky rolls and I never correct them. Even certain good players really think luck is against them that night. I get kind of devious joy on playing a two way and hearing them gripe about luck. 😅
 
boogieman said:
The best part about developing 2 way shots into your game is that many opponents truly think you just get lucky. I've had several players at league think I get lucky rolls and I never correct them. Even certain good players really think luck is against them that night. I get kind of devious joy on playing a two way and hearing them gripe about luck. 😅
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Bearing in mind that I was swimming in a pretty small pond, I often heard "you are the best or luckiest player I have ever seen!" That pleased me far more than them saying the best player they had seen because they would come back again and again trying to beat luck.

Hu
 
Yes,
This situation calms me, if way outclassed. I throw out the notion of winning.
Just have fun and learn.

When the match skills are close, that's when my head gets in my way.
That's a different discussion.
 
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