When planning a run-out in 9-Ball, and a ball (or balls) are near the center of the table, is there any hard and fast rule (or general rule) about when one should choose to pocket a ball in the side or corner pocket? Of course there are many factors that would determine whether to go in the side or corner, but I do vaguely recalling years ago that there were some guidelines that could help in making the decision easier or better.
General Rules About Corner & Side Pockets
- Thread starter booville
- Start date
Bar table or regulation table?
That depends on what kind of table you're playing on. Don't forget, bar tables (specifically Valley, Dynamo, et al. -- *not* Diamond) are the only tables in existence where the apertures of the side pockets ARE EXACTLY THE SAME as the apertures of the corner pockets. This is peculiar to coin-op bar tables (again, *not* Diamond -- which have properly cut side pocket apertures).
These side pockets become very tiny, very quickly, when the shot isn't straight-on into the pocket at or near the perpendicular (i.e. having to approach the side pocket from an angle).
So if playing on a bar table, most players eschew cut shots into the side pockets (that is, approaching the side pocket from an angle), if there's an alternative shot into the corner pocket.
I seem to recall that Buddy Hall himself had a rule where he eschewed the side pockets almost completely, and played the corners. This "planning your patterns with minimal use of the side pockets on the bar table" is covered in the great work, The 8-ball Bible (yep, I know this book is specifically about 8-ball on the bar table, but the issues with the side pockets on a bar table apply to *any* game played on the bar table).
Hope this is helpful!
-Sean
That depends on what kind of table you're playing on. Don't forget, bar tables (specifically Valley, Dynamo, et al. -- *not* Diamond) are the only tables in existence where the apertures of the side pockets ARE EXACTLY THE SAME as the apertures of the corner pockets. This is peculiar to coin-op bar tables (again, *not* Diamond -- which have properly cut side pocket apertures).
These side pockets become very tiny, very quickly, when the shot isn't straight-on into the pocket at or near the perpendicular (i.e. having to approach the side pocket from an angle).
So if playing on a bar table, most players eschew cut shots into the side pockets (that is, approaching the side pocket from an angle), if there's an alternative shot into the corner pocket.
I seem to recall that Buddy Hall himself had a rule where he eschewed the side pockets almost completely, and played the corners. This "planning your patterns with minimal use of the side pockets on the bar table" is covered in the great work, The 8-ball Bible (yep, I know this book is specifically about 8-ball on the bar table, but the issues with the side pockets on a bar table apply to *any* game played on the bar table).
Hope this is helpful!
-Sean
I don't believe there is a hard and fast rule. I think as a general rule of thumb you should not pass up the side pocket given the choice. Why go an extra 4.5 feet if not totally necessary?
I am side pocket retarded and almost always avoid them.
Side pockets are evil. 
I actually tell myself before shooting a tough side pocket cut-shot that I must defeat the evil side pocket. I have taken to actually attempting them more lately, so I can get better at it, rather than taking the longer corner shot that I am more comfortable with. The evil must be vanquished!
I actually tell myself before shooting a tough side pocket cut-shot that I must defeat the evil side pocket. I have taken to actually attempting them more lately, so I can get better at it, rather than taking the longer corner shot that I am more comfortable with. The evil must be vanquished!