Getting Out When It's Easy - 8-ball
- Thread starter Jude Rosenstock
- Start date
Prepare to miss before you begin.
I'm glad you mentioned this.
To start, I elect the 2 as my key ball to get on the 8. There's more room for error.
If I'm in stroke, I'd take the usual route... 5, 4, 7, 6, 3, 2...
If I'm not feeling all that great I'm going 6, 7, 4, 3, 5, 2, 8
I go this route because if I screw something up... there's the easy safe off the 5, or behind the 5. If I miss the 4, I've played position closer to the 8... making a more difficult shot into the nearest corner, and my 2 is blocking the easy kick.
Why I take the 3 instead of taking the 2 first... the 3 is so close to the rail that it'd be hard to control the leave. With the 2... there's more room for error.
Da Poet said:
I'm glad you mentioned this.
To start, I elect the 2 as my key ball to get on the 8. There's more room for error.
If I'm in stroke, I'd take the usual route... 5, 4, 7, 6, 3, 2...
If I'm not feeling all that great I'm going 6, 7, 4, 3, 5, 2, 8
I go this route because if I screw something up... there's the easy safe off the 5, or behind the 5. If I miss the 4, I've played position closer to the 8... making a more difficult shot into the nearest corner, and my 2 is blocking the easy kick.
Why I take the 3 instead of taking the 2 first... the 3 is so close to the rail that it'd be hard to control the leave. With the 2... there's more room for error.
softshot said: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.
Wow are you ever one condescending banger. You are a prime example of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing. I think people here take the game to seriously to take YOU seriously.
nuff said.
I feel what you are saying here Neil....And I agree fwiw.
But for me and my game (just hovering above banger *maybe*) I gotta start with the five because it has a dedicated hole and gives up the 4 which is also for the most part dedicated to one pocket.
In a lot of ways I see this as Soft does fwiw which I realize is not a popular position to take..... but considering the eight is hugging the top rail pretty good,I can blow my shape pretty dam bad (I can do that) and still push safe enough to gain another turn at the table if not BIH again.
If I'm playing half way worth a dam it won't matter either way...but either way the 5 makes sense to me.If I'm seeing em good I'm out from there,if I lose the run (which I can do) then I got a few dodge balls in the middle to work off or hide in/behind ect.
Soft's point is play the win and not just the out while playing the out I think.My approach would be the same fwiw although we may do it differently.
Id run out like this......7,5,4,3,6,2,8
this insures a winning shot on the 8....(for me)
this insures a winning shot on the 8....(for me)
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Am I the only one who read Softshot's original post on this thread and thought he was kidding?
Seriously, I had clicked on rep to give him some good rep for an amusing parody post ribbing the over-safetying tendencies of some 8-ball players (sorry, Andrew). I thought it was funny, and I'm still not sure he wasn't kidding.
Cory
P.S. I'm a big fan of 8-ball and agree that it often calls for more interesting strategies and decisions than 9-ball. But for a C player or better, not going for this run is insane.
P.P.S. If I were coaching one of my APA 2's or 3's in a big match, I would be worried about them playing 2-3-8 or 3-2-8 correctly. So what's the right call for that player? I think I'd recommend 6 in the lower side pocket, then 3, 5, 4, 7, 2, 8 (and point out to them where the huge safety zone is if they get out of line).
Seriously, I had clicked on rep to give him some good rep for an amusing parody post ribbing the over-safetying tendencies of some 8-ball players (sorry, Andrew). I thought it was funny, and I'm still not sure he wasn't kidding.
Cory
P.S. I'm a big fan of 8-ball and agree that it often calls for more interesting strategies and decisions than 9-ball. But for a C player or better, not going for this run is insane.
P.P.S. If I were coaching one of my APA 2's or 3's in a big match, I would be worried about them playing 2-3-8 or 3-2-8 correctly. So what's the right call for that player? I think I'd recommend 6 in the lower side pocket, then 3, 5, 4, 7, 2, 8 (and point out to them where the huge safety zone is if they get out of line).
At first, I thought 5 -4 - so on, but after reading through the posts, I think the right choice would be starting with the 6 or 7 and following the way many have said.
To Softshot and Thunderball- while I definately agree there is a time and place for 2 way shots, I do not believe this to be one of them, no matter the "skill" level. The reason I say this, this is one of those layouts that if you ever intend on "moving up", it is essential that this next step is taken. I have watched just as many people be too conserative as too aggressive (which is a problem of its own, JUDE- did the guy just miss the 8 or was he too aggressive? curious). Point is, at some point you have to take the plunge, and I think this rack is a prime example. Cory
To Softshot and Thunderball- while I definately agree there is a time and place for 2 way shots, I do not believe this to be one of them, no matter the "skill" level. The reason I say this, this is one of those layouts that if you ever intend on "moving up", it is essential that this next step is taken. I have watched just as many people be too conserative as too aggressive (which is a problem of its own, JUDE- did the guy just miss the 8 or was he too aggressive? curious). Point is, at some point you have to take the plunge, and I think this rack is a prime example. Cory
The one thing I see here that sucks is that if you are right handed and on a 9-footer you'll probably need the crutch to shoot the 5 from that position.
Snapshot9 said:
I agree. You could run this out 20 different ways, but I like shooting the 2 early also.
Cornerman said:
I have to admit, at first, I was thinking exactly the same as Cuebacca...6-7-5-4-3-2-8. However, you bring up an excellent point about the two balls left going in the same pocket. I'd probably still elect to do it 6-7-5-4-3-2-8, as I have seriously misplaced confidence in my ability to actually do it right. Oh, I have the ability, but whether I actually do it or not, well that's another question.
But this demonstrates that is in fact a very good thing to get different viewpoints. There's always something new to be learned, especially when you consider the previous paragraph.
Cornerman said:
I have to absolutely agree with this though. With this layout, it's time to grow a pair and run out. I couldn't have said it better than Fred...if you miss from here, you DESERVE to lose. The only time I would consider playing two way shots is if the runout is prohibitively difficult. THIS layout is a frickin' patsy. There is no reason not to go for the jugular here, if you even got an inkling of talent.
DeadPoked said:
How does my shot selection equate to my shooting skill?
I play to win the game first and foremost that is my only goal. runouts happen I get my share. I also miss from time to time and so do you and Earl and Efren. people miss shots its a fact of pool life.
If we were discussing a 9-ball rack and there was one difficult bank most folks on AZB would be telling the guy advocating the shot that he is a moron, hit and play safe, hit and play safe, you can play safe this way, you can play safe that way... ect
yes my runout requires more cueball control than yours.. I am confident that I am capable of pulling off those shots more often than not. I can hold on to the rock pretty well. but sometimes I miss.
you don't hang your bare butt to the wind when you still have to make 7 more shots.
my route only hangs it out there for 2.
I think its the smarter play. question my skills all you want.
softshot said:
You and you alone think it's the smarter play. Answer me this question... Why do people miss shots? Possibly there stroke isn't straight, poor aiming, jumped up, or no confidence? Could be a combination of the above...
When you miss because of any combination of the above, does your cueball go exactly where you were intending each and everytime? Mine doesn't. So those two precision draw shots that you execute for the sole purpose of "just in case" you miss, are they going to go exactly where you intended? When you miss you are confident that you'll end up in those very precise zones that allow you to have a screen behind your blocking balls? I believe the increased difficulty of your strategy totally negates any positives you get from it.
Also, your Golden 8-ball rule that says "Don't run 7, if you can't run 8" doesn't apply here. That only applies if there is something preventing you from actually running out. What's preventing you from running out this rack? Besides your own overly elaborate idea of how to do so?
I think a right hander has to stretch his body. A left hander will have to use the crutch. No?shinyballs said:
But, in any case, your point is absolutely spot on and needs to be addressed. As someone who will never be called up to play pro basketball, much of my position play ends up with longer shots by necessity.
Fred
softshot said:
Now I don't play too much pool but I do know that this method goes against anything I was ever taught(thanks Easy). I'd rate myself as a C player max and I would still feel comfortable playing you for any amount. Unfortunately im not touring on Mankato, MN this week.
I'll see you in Reno!! I'll be the guy not using your strategy. Wait a minute, that's gonna make it difficult to find me.