Easy ball or hard one

[chefjeff]

Howdy right back at ya...

I don't agree. Everytime is practice time, imo. ...unless of course it isn't. However that is a subjective assessment based on the situation and how improtant it is to you personally.

You can't practice playing under pressure, unless you're under pressure. How exactly do you apply that pressure legitimately otherwise..?. You can pretend, but that's not the same thing. There's a harsh reality here. You need to break some eggs to make an omlet.

It's possible.

Pretending is good, but I've heard of folks in other disciplines punishing themselves for not doing what they promised themselves. Punishment by paying good money, to a charity you hate, for example, for each failure to act properly.

I've never done it, but have talked to folks who have.


Jeff Livingston

 

[boogieman]

So you are playing 8. Your opponent breaks dry. You scan the table. Now you have a choice. Take a harder shot to open with an easy out on the stripes. In your mind you are pretty much guaranteed to get the out if you make the opener. Or take the solids. Solids are an easy open with a more difficult out.

If it's within my ability I will go for the harder shot. I'd much rather prefer a hard shot followed by progressively easier ones through the rack.

If there's a chance I'll miss, I'll go for getting the easy ball in. I can always work something out for a safe, even if it's the second shot. The "easy" balls will no longer be easy after I decide to play safe. At the table is a position of control. You literally control your opponent's next opportunity and options.

This choice could vary depending on any little thing and how I'm playing that day. There is no wrong or right answer for everyone all of the time.

Remember, whatever you do here, do it with rhythm and confidence and your opponent will know no different. You missed shape? Play a lock up safe with no change in rhythm or dropping shoulders etc. Keep the body language and pace the same and it will have your opponent on tilt. You want to appear as if you give out pool clinics on the regular.

Pool is a mental game, if all you allow your opponent to see is a stoic ball pocketing, binary choice safety or shoot machine, it can do wonders in getting them to slip up. There is no good or bad outcomes in pool, look at the table and do what needs done. Assigning good or bad appeals to emotions and your ego and will soon wreck havoc. Don't let the sharks even smell one drop of blood or it's a feeding frenzy.

 

[David in FL]

Despite the heated discussion, the opening post just asks what we would do. With the information given, I go for the tougher opener and easier out. Not even mentioned yet that I have noticed is if this is on a bar table, nine footer, or bucket pocketed home table.

I am more inclined to be aggressive and confident in most one shot pocketing skills so unless the shot shows up on trick shot videos I will probably take it. Not necessarily the best answer but you asked what would we do. I would rather be shooting than sitting. If we specify table size and type and start looking at specific layouts my story might change.

I fully agree with play to win the most cash. Keeping the taps flowing without giving up more than you have to is an art in itself!

Hu

Yep.

Someone has gone off his meds…

 

[The_JV]

JV, Howdy;

I understand what it is you are saying. My point is/was, that by practicing the difficult shots until
they become common place then you relieve yourself of the pressure to make the shot. That way
you can just keep humming along to your happy tune. chucklin'

hank

Hi Hank,

There's two types of pressure involved. The pressure regarding potting a ball that is a lower percentage play. ...and the pressure of losing the game due to potentially missing a low percentage play. They're exclusive to one another.

One you can practice. The other you can't until you're faced with it.

 

[chefjeff]

Missing early is better than missing late. You force your opponent to do the work, if nothing else.


Jeff Livingston

 

[TheBasics]

There are no easy shots in pocket pool.
Everyone misses.
Shot selection, now that’s another thing.
Playing 8ball, given your choice, always take the solids.
In almost any rotation game, you’re going to always be shooting the solid balls, so just
make your best effort to control the game, because, no one wants to be shooting at the stripes, that they hardly ever practice shooting into the holes.
Creatures of habit, we are.
Pay attention, look around the tables where players are practicing, they’ll always be throwing the first nine or ten balls onto the table to warm up for their games.

xradarc, Howdy;

I usually throw the stripes out so I can watch the strips tumble and spin. Kinda soothing
almost hypnotic. chucklin'

hank