Easiest way to pocket this ball?

Andrew Manning

Andrew Manning

Aspiring know-it-all
Silver Member
Hi, it may seem like an odd question, but assuming you need to pocket the 8 ball in this diagram, what do you all think is the easiest (highest percentage) way to pocket it? Include details like english, speed, etc. I'm not looking for safety suggestions.

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The reason I ask is because I always shoot this shot one particular way, and it's by far the highest percentage shot for me, but everyone else in my league always seems to try something which is lower-percentage for me. I won't say more than that yet because I don't want to bias the posts.

-Andrew
 
From this exact position, I would shoot the straight back bank into the lower right hand corner. If the cue ball were moved down a few inches, so my body wasn't spread all over the table, I would shoot the bank into the upper right hand corner.

Chris
 
Bank the ball back into the lower left corner hitting the cueball at the 2:00 position slightly harder than pocket speed.
 
Andrew Manning said:
The reason I ask is because I always shoot this shot one particular way, and it's by far the highest percentage shot for me, but everyone else in my league always seems to try something which is lower-percentage for me. I won't say more than that yet because I don't want to bias the posts.

-Andrew
Click to expand...
The bottom right pocket seems easier to me, by a good stretch. Partly because it's easier to identify the contact point on the rail for the bank, and partly because the effective pocket size is larger for the back-cut bank (due to the shallower approach angle.)

Cory
 

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this is my highest % pot shot, and if im going PURE for the win. id chose it over the bank.

BUT the bank is safer. u can leave the cb against the cussion (in case u miss the pot, he will have hard potting it) and if the 8 wobles in the pocket it might spit it out tight in the middle of the short rail. so this would be the shot id play. but the highest % = the 2 cussion shot (i prefere to pot them in 2cussions, then in 1 cussion. no real idea why, just seems alot easyer)
 
This thread has gone exactly how I hoped it would so far. Banking the ball back underneath, the the lower-right corner, is the shot I usually see people go for, and it's also the shot most people who have replied would choose, apparently.

I have much better results with EXACTLY the shot Solartje just posted. Two-rail kick, about one tip of 10:00 english.

Is there anyone else besides Solly who prefers this shot to banking the ball? For me, it's the easier shot, hands-down.

-Andrew
 
Damn Efren, you been eatin some Filipino Wheaties? I would go with the bank in lower left too...seems the two rail kick is more subject to different table conditions (rails, cloth, pocket size).

That's a big ball to kick but you're gonna feel like a fool if you foul on it.
 
That was a suggestion that I would also have offered, but you said going for the win. The bank is almost guarunteed shot properly, the added benefit if you miss you probally won't leave an easy follow up shot. I actually won a game last night at league banking to the upper right hand pocket.

Though the kick shot is makeable, the bank is safer.

Black Cat :cool:
 
I would kick shot the 8 into the bottom left pocket. Aim just to the right of the first diamond on the upper rail, using a medium stroke with a touch of left english.
 
axejunkie said:
Damn Efren, you been eatin some Filipino Wheaties? I would go with the bank in lower left too...seems the two rail kick is more subject to different table conditions (rails, cloth, pocket size).

That's a big ball to kick but you're gonna feel like a fool if you foul on it.
Click to expand...

True, you risk fouling, but for me, I don't think the risk of fouling the kick attempt is any higher than the risk of scratching on the bank attempt. It could happen, but something would have to go pretty majorly wrong. Anyway, next time you see me lining this kick up in a match, call time-out and tell me to play safe.

-Andrew
 
Everyone answered with the single-rail bank because it is an easy bank. If you can't make an easy single rail bank, why would you try to bank 2-rails? Practice the single rail until you have the confidence to make it, rather than trying something cute that is less likely to work. Save the cute shot for when the other shot is blocked.
 
Agreed

Cory in DC said:
The bottom right pocket seems easier to me, by a good stretch. Partly because it's easier to identify the contact point on the rail for the bank, and partly because the effective pocket size is larger for the back-cut bank (due to the shallower approach angle.)

Cory
Click to expand...

The angle of the bank also does not require using english at all, just a little follow and the right speed.
 
If the ball sits too far off the rail, I wouldn't dream about going for the kick. 9 out of 10 times if you don't make it, you sell out an easy shot. On the bank, you have a few chances to leave your opponent touch if you miss.
 
cuetechasaurus said:
If the ball sits too far off the rail, I wouldn't dream about going for the kick. 9 out of 10 times if you don't make it, you sell out an easy shot. On the bank, you have a few chances to leave your opponent touch if you miss.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I'd bank it every time. If that bank wasn't available, I'd shoot safe by banking the 8 to the middle of the top rail, leaving the CB on the foot rail.
 
8ball said:
Everyone answered with the single-rail bank because it is an easy bank. If you can't make an easy single rail bank, why would you try to bank 2-rails? Practice the single rail until you have the confidence to make it, rather than trying something cute that is less likely to work. Save the cute shot for when the other shot is blocked.
Click to expand...

well then we are different. i prefere to :

use englisch to know where the cb will hit the short (2d) rail
instead of
knowing where cb should hit exactly the long (1st) rail to pot it.

it has nothing to do with, not being able to make the shot, i just see the traveled way of the cb more easily in 2cussion
AND
the 2 cussion bank, gives the added value that u increase the angle to get the cb back to the middle of the table. no way to to it with 1rail bank, making it harder to go for the next ball.

but maybe im just weird :D
 
GADawg said:
Agreed. I'd bank it every time. If that bank wasn't available, I'd shoot safe by banking the 8 to the middle of the top rail, leaving the CB on the foot rail.
Click to expand...

The kick shot isn't as hard as it looks. The 8 is only 1.5 diamonds from the corner pocket. The CB is less than 2 diamonds away from the 8 so it's fairly easy to determine the contact point on the top rail for the kick shot.
 
Steps, logic, and accuracy

Usually, the less steps involved (and logic), the greater the chance for accuracy, so the 1 rail back bank to the corner is the correct shot.
(That's why you always hear someone say, don't bank a ball if you can
cut it in.)

The 2 rail kick would be my second choice, and banking to the other
uptable corner would be my 3rd choice.
 
PoolSharkAllen said:
The kick shot isn't as hard as it looks. The 8 is only 1.5 diamonds from the corner pocket. The CB is less than 2 diamonds away from the 8 so it's fairly easy to determine the contact point on the top rail for the kick shot.
Click to expand...

This kick shot is actually pretty tough. When a ball is 1/4-1/2 of an inch off the rail, the shot is alot easier. But when it's further from that, it becomes alot more difficult to make.
 
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