How do you play these two shots?

mjantti

mjantti

Enjoying life
Silver Member
Opponent misses and leaves two balls at the table. How do you play position for the break ball?

#1.

CueTable Help



#2.

CueTable Help



Additional question: does your choice of position play change if the cloth is either brand new or very old?
 
Last edited:
Without doing a CueTable response, I think this is where your ability to get out to the center of the table comes in handy.

With the break ball where it is, I'm comfortable hitting it and drawing out to the center of the table off the pack. If I can get the cue ball as close to center table as possible, I'll have the angle per the diagramm. You can go one rail on either shot I guess.
 
On a worn cloth, I'd try using inside, two or four rails for the first, three for the second... if you can catch enough of the first rail and avoid hitting the opposite point.
 
for the second diagram, i would probably try to play it so the breakball goes in the side pocket by going rail, ball, rail, rail.

for the first, i would probably try to power draw back, and completely screw up the shot, scratching in the side, or nudging the BB :D
 
I would try to pocket the ball in the jaws and draw straight back. In the first case I could try 3 cushions rail first shot too.
 
I thought about whether trying to combo and leaving a hanger for the break ball has any merit, but it looks like the answer there is no. The odds of making both balls are high and you can't really get ideal shape on the hanger from that angle. Also forget about leaving the CB in the rack area, that requires even more precision than just getting on the break ball the old-fashioned way.

I think that when the ball is deep in the jaws, going off the side rail or foot rail is asking for trouble. I honestly feel there is more accuracy and predictability if I don't touch the rail at all and draw with just the right amount of cut on the hanger to travel almost straight back towards the original shooting position (except favoring the center of the table a bit more). That basically means I handle both shots the same way and the cloth condition doesn't matter so much. In 9 ball I might go off a rail if I am travelling from one end of the table to the other and I don't want to crush the ball drawing 9 feet.
 
I assume we have a decent break shot from the zone I outlined with the lines. I would go rail first on both shots, leftwise. Why not the opposite way? Just because of the risk of knocking the break all if I misjudge the angle and/or english.Again, the task is just to drive the cue ball past the red line

CueTable Help

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top