Getting Out When It's Easy - 8-ball

[Koop]

So I was playing today and had a fortunate thing go my way and found myself solids with ball-in-hand. Instead of just smacking them all in, I took a very deliberate route to get out and figured I'd let you guys have at it, too. Most importantly, I'd like to know where you'd start and why.

CueTable Help

Without viewing what others have said this is how I would attempt it.

6 in the side
7 in the side
5 in the corner
4 in the opposite corner, bring cueball to center of table.
2 and 3 same corner

8 in the opposite corner.

I like this because my first thought is, which group do I leave last to get on the 8. For me it's the 2 and the 3 so that leaves 4 balls to consider the least troublesome way to get there.

I chose the 7 and 6 first because by getting rid of them everything else is near a pocket and I wouldn't risk getting funny shape on them. The key for me would be position on the 4. I'd like to keep a decent angle so that I can play natural position to the center of the table. Worst thing you could do here is get straight in on the 4.
From near the center it should be simple to play the 3 and draw back slightly for the 2 in the same pocket.

Koop - now I will go back and read what real players would do

EDIT: Well hot damn, I wasn't too far off from the majority. Getting better at this position stuff.

 

[softshot]

So I was playing today and had a fortunate thing go my way and found myself solids with ball-in-hand. Instead of just smacking them all in, I took a very deliberate route to get out and figured I'd let you guys have at it, too. Most importantly, I'd like to know where you'd start and why.

CueTable Help

I have read this whole thread several times over...

it appears to me that 9-ball players are taking the decision too lightly they are not used to choosing their shots. So they chose their runout and make it as easy as possible... a sound strategy in 9-ball... but this ain't 9-ball

the golden rule in 8 ball "You don't run 7 if you can't run 8"...and non 8-ball players reads that as you leave an easy runout... thats only half the truth. the other half is you leave plenty of balls for the opp to hide behind.

You need to play this rack with two way shots almost till the end..

Everyone seems to want to clear the two center table balls first... thats foolhardy.. you save those shots for last... that 6 is "darn" near in the middle of the table.. that means I can put it almost anywhere from almost anywhere and still get position on the 8.... it's in the middle of the table.. you CAN'T get out of line. add in its close proximity to the 7 and you have a nice screen to hide the opp from the 8 while you clear the bottom of the table.

If you clear the 6 and 7 first you just sold out.. Now you HAVE to runout or you lose. because he has a decent 8-ball shot from the rest of your leaves.

I run it this way and here is why.

Start with the 5 take a stop or stun shot leave position on the 4 and don't let the cue ball get past the line of the 8. you leave him a makable but difficult cross corner bank.. but since I have BIH I am a pretty heavy favorite to make the 5 so he will not get the opportunity to take that shot. and thats the best leave I am going to give him for a while.

next is the 4 you shoot with low outside English and float the cue ball behind the 6-7 screen Ideally you get dead straight on the 2.

take the 2 and draw back behind the screen again.

then you take the 7 with a little draw leave an angle on the 3 while hiding behind the 6.

at any point up till now he has no shot or really hard kicks I can miss and still have a chance back at the table.

NOW I sell out

All I gotta do is pocket the 3 and as stated earlier the 6 is in the middle of the table doesn't really matter where you land you have a shot and a leave on the 8.

If more people took 8-ball seriously... 8-ball would be taken more seriously by everyone. believe it or not it is a strategic game second only to straight pool.

Play it properly and you will gain a new respect for the game.

but what do I know I'm just a chump bar banger.

 

[cuesblues]

3-2-5-4-7-6-8-scratch

 

[DeadPoked]

I have read this whole thread several times over...

it appears to me that 9-ball players are taking the decision too lightly they are not used to choosing their shots. So they chose their runout and make it as easy as possible... a sound strategy in 9-ball... but this ain't 9-ball

the golden rule in 8 ball "You don't run 7 if you can't run 8"...and non 8-ball players reads that as you leave an easy runout... thats only half the truth. the other half is you leave plenty of balls for the opp to hide behind.

Is there a golden rule that if you can't runout this diagram without worrying about a two-way shot on every shot... you shouldn't be offering advice?

You need to play this rack with two way shots almost till the end..

Everyone seems to want to clear the two center table balls first... thats foolhardy.. you save those shots for last... that 6 is "darn" near in the middle of the table.. that means I can put it almost anywhere from almost anywhere and still get position on the 8.... it's in the middle of the table.. you CAN'T get out of line. add in its close proximity to the 7 and you have a nice screen to hide the opp from the 8 while you clear the bottom of the table.

People really think like this?

If you clear the 6 and 7 first you just sold out.. Now you HAVE to runout or you lose. because he has a decent 8-ball shot from the rest of your leaves.

I run it this way and here is why.

Start with the 5 take a stop or stun shot leave position on the 4 and don't let the cue ball get past the line of the 8. you leave him a makable but difficult cross corner bank.. but since I have BIH I am a pretty heavy favorite to make the 5 so he will not get the opportunity to take that shot. and thats the best leave I am going to give him for a while.

LOL! A two-way shot while having ball in hand on a very easy shot. I've heard it all

next is the 4 you shoot with low outside English and float the cue ball behind the 6-7 screen Ideally you get dead straight on the 2.

You actually know what low outside English is?

take the 2 and draw back behind the screen again.

After reading over your thought process... I have a difficult time believing you can draw a ball.

then you take the 7 with a little draw leave an angle on the 3 while hiding behind the 6.

at any point up till now he has no shot or really hard kicks I can miss and still have a chance back at the table.

NOW I sell out

All I gotta do is pocket the 3 and as stated earlier the 6 is in the middle of the table doesn't really matter where you land you have a shot and a leave on the 8.

If more people took 8-ball seriously... 8-ball would be taken more seriously by everyone. believe it or not it is a strategic game second only to straight pool.

Play it properly and you will gain a new respect for the game.

but what do I know I'm just a chump bar banger.

After reading this I am not sure if you've reached the level of chump bar banger. If so, you give them a bad name.

 

[softshot]

After reading this I am not sure if you've reached the level of chump bar banger. If so, you give them a bad name.

WOW you really don't know how to play 8-ball......have you ever tried it?

you make every shot every time??? right??

if you can't see the strategy of the game and you never miss.. then my post is of little value to you..

Its a shame. playing it my way will win the game more often than "I'm just going to run em".

"I'll just run em" is how you play simple games... like 9-ball... 8-ball isn't simple... and if you think it is... I know plenty of people who will be more than happy to take your money.

dissect my post... point out the flaws in my strategy...prove I am way off base...

but woofing at nothing makes you nothing more than another barking dog.

you need to be put on a leash.

 

[DeadPoked]

WOW you really don't know how to play 8-ball......have you ever tried it?

you make every shot every time??? right??

if you can't see the strategy of the game and you never miss.. then my post is of little value to you..

Its a shame. playing it my way will win the game more often than "I'm just going to run em".

"I'll just run em" is how you play simple games... like 9-ball... 8-ball isn't simple... and if you think it is... I know plenty of people who will be more than happy to take your money.

dissect my post... point out the flaws in my strategy...prove I am way off base...

but woofing at nothing makes you nothing more than another barking dog.

you need to be put on a leash.

Why does it have to be someone that you know? Step up to the plate. I'll play you 8-ball for whatever you are comfortable with. I'll be at next years DCC for the whole thing. We can meet there. Or we could make other arrangements. Whatever works for you. I don't even know who you are but after reading that post I have to like my side of it.

 

[softshot]

Why does it have to be someone that you know? Step up to the plate. I'll play you 8-ball for whatever you are comfortable with. I'll be at next years DCC for the whole thing. We can meet there. Or we could make other arrangements. Whatever works for you. I don't even know who you are but after reading that post I have to like my side of it.

I am sorry you can't see the strategy... you clearly don't understand the concept of "favorable position" you know... like two way shots.. if I make it I'm good... if I miss I'm good...

I'll do you one better.. I'll play you 14.1 to 150 points. I'll even give you the break

10 bucks a ball.... you drive to me...

send me a PM with when you will get here and I'll PM back telling you where to find me.

stop woofing and start shooting.

 

[Roy Steffensen]

WOW you really don't know how to play 8-ball......have you ever tried it?

you make every shot every time??? right??

if you can't see the strategy of the game and you never miss.. then my post is of little value to you..

Its a shame. playing it my way will win the game more often than "I'm just going to run em".

"I'll just run em" is how you play simple games... like 9-ball... 8-ball isn't simple... and if you think it is... I know plenty of people who will be more than happy to take your money.

dissect my post... point out the flaws in my strategy...prove I am way off base...

but woofing at nothing makes you nothing more than another barking dog.

you need to be put on a leash.

i think i know of a couple of people who will be more than happy to take your money too

 

[DeadPoked]

I am sorry you can't see the strategy... you clearly don't understand the concept of "favorable position" you know... like two way shots.. if I make it I'm good... if I miss I'm good...

I'll do you one better.. I'll play you 14.1 to 150 points. I'll even give you the break

10 bucks a ball.... you drive to me...

send me a PM with when you will get here and I'll PM back telling you where to find me.

stop woofing and start shooting.

You are obviously way too knowledgeable for me to ever play you 14.1 for $10 a ball.

 

[softshot]

You are obviously way too knowledgeable for me to ever play you 14.1 for $10 a ball.

I'm an idiot who can't play pool to the level of a bar banger... you said so yourself..

if your backing down thats fine....

I hope you show up.. and bring all your freinds... and all their money

when you grow up and own your own car... borrow a bunch of money from dad and come play.

you might learn something about how to play pool

then again you might not you do seem pretty dense..


the offer stands

 

[Russ Chewning]

I have read this whole thread several times over...

it appears to me that 9-ball players are taking the decision too lightly they are not used to choosing their shots. So they chose their runout and make it as easy as possible... a sound strategy in 9-ball... but this ain't 9-ball

the golden rule in 8 ball "You don't run 7 if you can't run 8"...and non 8-ball players reads that as you leave an easy runout... thats only half the truth. the other half is you leave plenty of balls for the opp to hide behind.

You need to play this rack with two way shots almost till the end..

Everyone seems to want to clear the two center table balls first... thats foolhardy.. you save those shots for last... that 6 is "darn" near in the middle of the table.. that means I can put it almost anywhere from almost anywhere and still get position on the 8.... it's in the middle of the table.. you CAN'T get out of line. add in its close proximity to the 7 and you have a nice screen to hide the opp from the 8 while you clear the bottom of the table.

If you clear the 6 and 7 first you just sold out.. Now you HAVE to runout or you lose. because he has a decent 8-ball shot from the rest of your leaves.

I run it this way and here is why.

Start with the 5 take a stop or stun shot leave position on the 4 and don't let the cue ball get past the line of the 8. you leave him a makable but difficult cross corner bank.. but since I have BIH I am a pretty heavy favorite to make the 5 so he will not get the opportunity to take that shot. and thats the best leave I am going to give him for a while.

next is the 4 you shoot with low outside English and float the cue ball behind the 6-7 screen Ideally you get dead straight on the 2.

take the 2 and draw back behind the screen again.

then you take the 7 with a little draw leave an angle on the 3 while hiding behind the 6.

at any point up till now he has no shot or really hard kicks I can miss and still have a chance back at the table.

NOW I sell out

All I gotta do is pocket the 3 and as stated earlier the 6 is in the middle of the table doesn't really matter where you land you have a shot and a leave on the 8.

If more people took 8-ball seriously... 8-ball would be taken more seriously by everyone. believe it or not it is a strategic game second only to straight pool.

Play it properly and you will gain a new respect for the game.

but what do I know I'm just a chump bar banger.

Here's the bet. Take it or leave it. We set up this table layout, and I get ball in hand to begin every layout. If you get to shoot, you win $30 bucks. If I run out, I get $10. We keep it up until one of us loses minimum $300.

And the beauty of this is... It doesn't matter who you are. Joe Banger, or Efren Ryes. You STILL get broke as a joke.

Put up or shaddap.

Russ

 

[softshot]

Here's the bet. Take it or leave it. We set up this table layout, and I get ball in hand to begin every layout. If you get to shoot, you win $30 bucks. If I run out, I get $10. We keep it up until one of us loses minimum $300.

And the beauty of this is... It doesn't matter who you are. Joe Banger, or Efren Ryes. You STILL get broke as a joke.

Put up or shaddap.

Russ

your on

Tell me when your in mankato..

all that tells us is you never miss.. (no one buys that)

all your saying is YOU can run that rack ( sometimes) and therefore its the best way to play it?

I don't believe you.

strategy and smart play wins over shot making 90% of the time.

your saying me playing the rack smart... not leaving an easy shot.. and giving myself a good chance back to the table even if I miss... is bad strategy????

are you on crack???

I thought I was discussing this with pool players... not cocky kids

playing smart will win more often than shooting the lights out.

the best shooter in a match wins rarely.. the guy who makes the least mistakes wins much more often..

 

[DeadPoked]

I'm an idiot who can't play pool to the level of a bar banger... you said so yourself..

if your backing down thats fine....

I hope you show up.. and bring all your freinds... and all their money

when you grow up and own your own car... borrow a bunch of money from dad and come play.

you might learn something about how to play pool

then again you might not you do seem pretty dense..


the offer stands

softshot I'd play you at anything remotely pool related for any amount you are comfortable with. I am not going to drive halfway across country to play you straight pool for $10 a ball. My luck I would get there and find out you are some 13 year old kid who still hides the fact that he smokes from his parents. Remember the smoking thread? I told you that my Father passed away in that thread. So unfortunately I will not be borrowing any money from him, nor do I need to borrow money from anyone.

If wasn't for the moronic posts you made in the smoking thread I would have just overlooked your ridiculous 8-ball strategy, maybe laughed to myself, and moved on without commenting.

And please, by all means, if you want to compare your life to mine and see who has been more successful.. I'll make a bet on that, too.

 

[softshot]

softshot I'd play you at anything remotely pool related for any amount you are comfortable with. I am not going to drive halfway across country to play you straight pool for $10 a ball. My luck I would get there and find out you are some 13 year old kid who still hides the fact that he smokes from his parents. Remember the smoking thread? I told you that my Father passed away in that thread. So unfortunately I will not be borrowing any money from him, nor do I need to borrow money from anyone.

If wasn't for the moronic posts you made in the smoking thread I would have just overlooked your ridiculous 8-ball strategy, maybe laughed to myself, and moved on without commenting.

And please, by all means, if you want to compare your life to mine and see who has been more successful.. I'll make a bet on that, too.

one comment on an NPR thread and all of a sudden I can't play pool?

that just makes you shallow...I am sorry you can't see past that.

I'm sorry we don't agree on one particular subject. obviously you can't let it go. thats your fault not mine..

and has nothing to do with the conversation at hand.

I'm not going to compare my bank book to yours....but I am pretty successful in my own right.

on and off the pool table...but regardless your personal issues with me have nothing to do with the proper way to run that rack.

pick apart my run. don't just tell me I'm an idiot because we disagreed on a completely different topic...That is shallow and childish... stick to the discussion at hand.. or just keep it to yourself..your not making me look bad.. you are making you look bad.

get over it

and grow up

seriously ..... its in your own best interest.

 

[DeadPoked]

one comment on an NPR thread and all of a sudden I can't play pool?

that just makes you shallow...I am sorry you can't see past that.

I'm sorry we don't agree on one particular subject. obviously you can't let it go. thats your fault not mine..

and has nothing to do with the conversation at hand.

I'm not going to compare my bank book to yours....but I am pretty successful in my own right.

on and off the pool table...but regardless your personal issues with me have nothing to do with the proper way to run that rack.

pick apart my run. don't just tell me I'm an idiot because we disagreed on a completely different topic...That is shallow and childish... stick to the discussion at hand.. or just keep it to yourself..your not making me look bad.. you are making you look bad.

get over it

and grow up

seriously ..... its in your own best interest.

I never said that because of those comments, in the smoking thread, that you couldn't play pool. I said that the only reason I commented about your 8-ball runout is because of the rude and insensitive comments that were made in the smoking thread.

Your strategy is so flawed it would take too much effort, which you're not worth, to explain. Just hold your breath until someone comes along and agrees with your strategy.

Anyways, I am done threadjacking Jude's thread with this back and forth BS.

 

[softshot]

I said that the only reason I commented about your 8-ball runout is because of the rude and insensitive comments that were made in the smoking thread.

exactly its just childish vindictive BS because you decided that you don't like me.

Your strategy is so flawed it would take too much effort, which you're not worth, to explain. .

flawed how? I am asking you.. or anyone else to PLEASE point out those flaws. what am I not seeing? what don't I get??

My run is too hard to accomplish?? you are not capable of making those shots?? they are the wrong shots?? if so how??

Pick it appart. SHOW ME where I am wrong.

 

[easy-e]

WOW you really don't know how to play 8-ball......have you ever tried it?

you make every shot every time??? right??

if you can't see the strategy of the game and you never miss.. then my post is of little value to you..

Its a shame. playing it my way will win the game more often than "I'm just going to run em".

"I'll just run em" is how you play simple games... like 9-ball... 8-ball isn't simple... and if you think it is... I know plenty of people who will be more than happy to take your money.

dissect my post... point out the flaws in my strategy...prove I am way off base...

but woofing at nothing makes you nothing more than another barking dog.

you need to be put on a leash.

Okay, I guess it's time to get involved.......I have to ask you this: If you can play well enough to shoot a two way shot on all of the shots, can't you control your cue ball enough to run out?

Russ is a C player on his best day, and even he is confident enough to lay odds on the money. I agree there is a strategy in 8-ball that isn't there in 9-ball, but why not run out when you can?

 

[Cornerman]

the golden rule in 8 ball "You don't run 7 if you can't run 8"...and non 8-ball players reads that as you leave an easy runout... thats only half the truth. the other half is you leave plenty of balls for the opp to hide behind.

You need to play this rack with two way shots almost till the end..

This might be the golden rule for beginners. For any decent players, running this rack out is the right play. The question (and it is the correct question) is "what is the best pattern to give the highest percentage of running out." After all, the entire thread is called "Getting Out When It's Easy - 8-ball."

Everyone seems to want to clear the two center table balls first... thats foolhardy..

I'll be so bold to say that my runout 8-ball strategy is pretty damn strong. I don't agree with you. There aren't many (any) top 8-ball strategist that would agree with you.

Fred

 

[softshot]

Okay, I guess it's time to get involved.......I have to ask you this: If you can play well enough to shoot a two way shot on all of the shots, can't you control your cue ball enough to run out?

Russ is a C player on his best day, and even he is confident enough to lay odds on the money. I agree there is a strategy in 8-ball that isn't there in 9-ball, but why not run out when you can?

so you ALWAYS run out every time its there?

I doubt it.

Have you heard of hedging your bets?

I make it.. or miss it and still have a great chance back at the table

compared with selling out on my first shot, and if I don't run out I lose?

do any of you ever play safe??

I play safe every shot on that run... and I'm the idiot???

I need to get back into action...... the newer generation just doesn't get it...

 

[softshot]

I'll be so bold to say that my runout 8-ball strategy is pretty damn strong. I don't agree with you. There aren't many (any) top 8-ball strategist that would agree with you.

Fred

Hopefully I'll see you in Reno.