Do you play "Close to your work" on purpose for potential hooks?

codeoncoffee

codeoncoffee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've just started playing 9-ball as my main game recently having spent the majority of the last 13 years playing others. One of the things I've noticed is that I often play position close on my next shot, "close to my work" as they say. 9-ball is such an open game, yet I'm not taking advantage of the space.

It gets me into trouble at times, but I've noticed another aspect of it. If I happen to miss my last shot, I've got a much greater chance of hooking my opponent. It's an unconscious two-way shot.

I'm trying to break myself of the habit, but I got to thinking. If I'm shooting a low percentage shot but have the ability to control whitey, it may be a smart move to get a bit closer to the next ball.

Anyone else play this way deliberately?
 
I tend to get too close to my work unintentionally rather than deliberately; just bad at getting the last few inches of my roll correctly on the long ones. I agree that it can, on occasion, leave your opponent hooked when you miss, I find it bites me in the backside far more than it does to my opponent.

I feel it's better to just get the right leave in the first place. Getting the right leave allows you to get good on the next ball, and in turn the next. Get the proper leave, play the next shot, play the safety if you have to; if you miss, at least you maximized your opportunity to win vs counting on a lucky position. Unless you are having bad luck, you will overall be better-off for having the right leave, and you will be winning more games than you would if you were just counting on the lucky hook.

Your mileage may vary :)
 
codeoncoffee said:
I've just started playing 9-ball as my main game recently having spent the majority of the last 13 years playing others. One of the things I've noticed is that I often play position close on my next shot, "close to my work" as they say. 9-ball is such an open game, yet I'm not taking advantage of the space.

It gets me into trouble at times, but I've noticed another aspect of it. If I happen to miss my last shot, I've got a much greater chance of hooking my opponent. It's an unconscious two-way shot.

I'm trying to break myself of the habit, but I got to thinking. If I'm shooting a low percentage shot but have the ability to control whitey, it may be a smart move to get a bit closer to the next ball.

Anyone else play this way deliberately?
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Couple things I don't like about this is;

1) Negative affect of assuming your going to miss and thus trying to protect yourself. Pool is so much of a mental game you have to make the next shot and elimate the "doubts" that advsersely affect our shot making ability but also our concentration.

2) Why shoot a low percentage shot. If it is low percentage, then why not intend to play a great safety from the beginning and not an "unconscious 2-way shot". Play a safety and hook'em good. Low percentage shots lead to low percentage win percentages.

3) Sounds a little like playing not to lose, versus playing to win. As our Norwegian friend says, there really is a difference.
 
When I'm playing 9-ball or 10-ball on a 9-footer, each target position spot for my next shot is roughly a shaft length (30") from the next object ball.

If you find yourself repeatedly being more than a shaft length from the next OB... like 1.5 shaft lengths... then making the shot and getting to your next position spot is more difficult that it should be in order to sustain runs.

The same is true about whitey being constantly close to the cushions. Target whitey to be at least 6" away from the cushion nose if possible.

If you might go into a cushion with whitey after contacting the OB, make sure that you do so you won't get stuck on the rail.

Just a couple of things to keep in mind when establishing your target positions for whitey.
 
codeoncoffee said:
I've just started playing 9-ball as my main game recently having spent the majority of the last 13 years playing others. One of the things I've noticed is that I often play position close on my next shot, "close to my work" as they say. 9-ball is such an open game, yet I'm not taking advantage of the space.

It gets me into trouble at times, but I've noticed another aspect of it. If I happen to miss my last shot, I've got a much greater chance of hooking my opponent. It's an unconscious two-way shot.

I'm trying to break myself of the habit, but I got to thinking. If I'm shooting a low percentage shot but have the ability to control whitey, it may be a smart move to get a bit closer to the next ball.

Anyone else play this way deliberately?
Click to expand...


I personally think that you should break yourself of the habit, unless you have the control necessary to not hook yourself. I think in most cases having a little room will give you more options than it will detract from you ability to get position for your next shot.

Nine Ball is a shooters game were you have to accurately make the ball your shooting at and play good position, but good position can be 6 inches or even 6 feet away for example depending upon the situation and the lay of the table.

I think it is more important to focus on only moving balls that must be moved to continue running the table, and then only enough to get that position if this requires getting close to your work then do it, but it not necessary on every shot.

JIMO
 
codeoncoffee said:
I've just started playing 9-ball as my main game recently having spent the majority of the last 13 years playing others. One of the things I've noticed is that I often play position close on my next shot, "close to my work" as they say. 9-ball is such an open game, yet I'm not taking advantage of the space.

It gets me into trouble at times, but I've noticed another aspect of it. If I happen to miss my last shot, I've got a much greater chance of hooking my opponent. It's an unconscious two-way shot.

I'm trying to break myself of the habit, but I got to thinking. If I'm shooting a low percentage shot but have the ability to control whitey, it may be a smart move to get a bit closer to the next ball.

Anyone else play this way deliberately?
Click to expand...

Angle is king in 9-ball. The closer you try to get to your work, the less control you have over your angle.

If you're shooting a low percentage shot and want to make it a 2-way shot, then figure out how you're going to leave the CB to make sure it's a 2-way shot, rather than just trying to get close to your work and hoping.

Better yet: most of the time you're going to play a 2-way shot, just play safe instead.

-Andrew
 
manwon said:
I personally think that you should break yourself of the habit, unless you have the control necessary to not hook yourself. I think in most cases having a little room will give you more options than it will detract from you ability to get position for your next shot.

Nine Ball is a shooters game were you have to accurately make the ball your shooting at and play good position, but good position can be 6 inches or even 6 feet away for example depending upon the situation and the lay of the table.

I think it is more important to focus on only moving balls that must be moved to continue running the table, and then only enough to get that position if this requires getting close to your work then do it, but it not necessary on every shot.

JIMO
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I agree with manwon, sometimes, being close but not having the right angle due to other balls is not the best thing. Sometimes, distance has to be sacrificed for the best angle for position for the next OB.
 
cigardave said:
When I'm playing 9-ball or 10-ball on a 9-footer, each target position spot for my next shot is roughly a shaft length (30") from the next object ball.

If you find yourself repeatedly being more than a shaft length from the next OB... like 1.5 shaft lengths... then making the shot and getting to your next position spot is more difficult that it should be in order to sustain runs.

The same is true about whitey being constantly close to the cushions. Target whitey to be at least 6" away from the cushion nose if possible.

If you might go into a cushion with whitey after contacting the OB, make sure that you do so you won't get stuck on the rail.

Just a couple of things to keep in mind when establishing your target positions for whitey.
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I like this way of thinking Dave...I've never thought about this in such an exact way, but I'm going to bring this to the table with me from now on.:thumbup:
 
Andrew Manning said:
Angle is king in 9-ball. The closer you try to get to your work, the less control you have over your angle.
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Nice observation.

If you're shooting a low percentage shot and want to make it a 2-way shot, then figure out how you're going to leave the CB to make sure it's a 2-way shot, rather than just trying to get close to your work and hoping.
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Yep. But I think we should be more on the lookout for 2-way opportunities even when the shot isn't that hard.

pj
chgo
 
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First things first.. make sure you have a decent shot. Keep the cueball in the shot window for as long as possible, instead of floating across it. We can go on and on about trying too hard to get good shape and hooking yourself, but it will still end up with you at least had a decent shot if you would've just taken the simple leave.

Make the game easier, not harder. I find it easier to deal with if I miss a shot than if I screw myself on the leave.

"Better yet: most of the time you're going to play a 2-way shot, just play safe instead." - I could've used that a week ago. Didn't bother to double-check the leave on a 2-way.. missed and sold out after playing a good defensive battle. Horrible way to end a D battle when you've got them on the ropes..
 
Thanks for the good replies all!

I definitely know the pain of being too close causing a more severe angle and that affecting your ability to lay on the ball after. Probably one of the reasons why my inside english is so good! I've still got good eyes and shoot the long ones well so there's just no need for me getting up that close.

It's all about comfort to me. It's nothing for me to be 8 inches from a ball. For you long-time 9-ball players that probably seems crazy. Doesn't help that my carom muscles kick-in on my shape shots sending whitey right after my next ball half the time.

I like the one shaft-length rule! Gives some room on either side to be wrong but not blow out the angle for the next. I'll try that out tonight.
 
Banks said:
...Keep the cueball in the shot window for as long as possible, instead of floating across it..
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Can't agree with you more there. Better to land the plane going strait into the runway than counting on perfect speed. Usually by adding another rail to the mix
 
Patrick Johnson said:
I think we should be more on the lookout for 2-way opportunities even when the shot isn't that hard.
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I have mixed feelings about 2-way shots. As a purely strategic consideration, it's a no-brainer that your odds of a good outcome go up if failing the shot will yield a safe. But psychologically, I think they're poisonous. Mentally committing to the shot is both necessary for high-level execution, and very difficult while harboring thoughts of contingencies in the event of poor execution. Furthermore, CB control depends greatly on a very accurate contact between the CB and OB, so missing the shot will often mean missing the safe as well; meaning your 2-way shot was really a 1-way shot in disguise.

-Andrew
 
Me:
I think we should be more on the lookout for 2-way opportunities even when the shot isn't that hard.
Click to expand...
Andrew:
I have mixed feelings about 2-way shots. As a purely strategic consideration, it's a no-brainer that your odds of a good outcome go up if failing the shot will yield a safe. But psychologically, I think they're poisonous. Mentally committing to the shot is both necessary for high-level execution, and very difficult while harboring thoughts of contingencies in the event of poor execution. Furthermore, CB control depends greatly on a very accurate contact between the CB and OB, so missing the shot will often mean missing the safe as well; meaning your 2-way shot was really a 1-way shot in disguise.
Click to expand...
I try to always commit fully to the shot or the safety. If it's a two-way on an ordinary shot I'll try to cinch the shot and position for the next ball and hope the safety comes together. If it's a two-way on a low percentage shot I'll try to cinch the safety and hope the ball drops.

pj
chgo
 
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