How do you play this shot?

[poolbanger89]

How would you play this shot?

This is one of the most commonly misplayed shots I see in 9-ball, and sometimes in 8-ball, in my opinion. The shooter always seems to play the very difficult cut shot instead of shoot an easy safety. If you miss the cut, you sell out almost every time.



The all out safety is almost automatic. This is the way I like to play it.



You can also play a 2 way shot and try to bank it cross corner. If you miss short, you might get a safe. I think the all out safe is better, but this might be good too.

 

[supergreenman]

I'd rather go for the win with a mildy hard shot than let my opponent back to the table.

 

[Andrew Manning]

Especially considering those safeties aren't safe.

-Andrew

 

[Nine Ball]

Yeah the reason you may see so many shoot at this is because your supposed to.

I'm never duckin on this shot. I'm cutting but some may try and bank. Either way you have to shoot at it.

 

[Neil]

IMHO, if you are equivalent to an APA 5 or below, and playing your equal, play the safe. Anyone ranked higher than that should be making this shot about 80-90% of the time. 'A' players, higher than that.

 

[Nine Ball]

Oh and for playing safe on this shot you only bank it one rail to the rail behind the spot not two.

Playing the cue ball off the side rail to the other end rail.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

This guy once walked into the poolroom I go to, making a big deal about how he was a trick shot artist from France. He basically was trying to woo every female in the room that would listen to him and to make a long story short, I proposed I could do anything he could do.

One shot he set up was identical to the diagram and the proposition was to see who could one rail bank it to the corner pocket more. I hit it 15 times in a row before my first miss. Seriously, until then, I had no idea I was so good at this bank.

All I can say is, you might want to spend a few minutes trying the bank. You might just have some intuitive knowledge you didn't know about.

 

[senor]

It really depends. If you're playing a set for money or in a tournament, and it's hill-hill, you are supposed to shoot the shot everytime, be it a bank or a cut.

Valid arguments can be made both ways as to why one should shoot or duck if you were behind or ahead in a session. It really just comes with experience and knowing your game and knowing your man.

But, I do know this, a coward dies a thousand deaths.

 

[SmoothStroke]

Sell out very possible

Banking it is one thing.
Banking that shot and trying to bank it short is something else.You better pray you hit it short with the right speed. Even then, miss the shot near the point (trying to cross corner bank and cheat a Pocket) and a sellout is definetly possible,,, lots of hoping going on there .Even from a short distance on a straight in shot many players can't pocket a ball on the long side or short side of the pocket.

Just cut it in and win the game.
On a newer cloth it's about 1 click speed,no hanger but not that difficult
On a worn cloth where the rail track has been established you have to up the speed or the ball will grab the outside of the track and run long on you.

Cut it in, run it up the rail, Win

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

Banking it is one thing.
Banking that shot and trying to bank it short is something else.You better pray you hit it short with the right speed. Even then, miss the shot near the point (trying to cross corner bank and cheat a Pocket) and a sellout is definetly possible,,, lots of hoping going on there .Even from a short distance on a straight in shot many players can't pocket a ball on the long side or short side of the pocket.

Just cut it in and win the game.
On a newer cloth it's about 1 click speed,no hanger but not that difficult
On a worn cloth where the rail track has been established you have to up the speed or the ball will grab the outside of the track and run long on you.

Cut it in, run it up the rail, Win

If I were playing in a room I'm not 100% familiar with, I'd probably cut it in. At my homeroom, I'm banking it simply because I know I'm making this shot most of the time.

I don't like safing here. I know a few standard safeties that exist here but none of them offer a guaranteed shot afterward. IMO, you safe on the 9 only when you have near zero chance of pocketing it. This shot, IMO, does not fall in that catagory.

Whether you choose to cut or bank, at least you have a chance to win outright and there remains the possibility that you won't leave much even if you miss. The key is to try and bring the cueball as close as possible to the endrail so if you do miss, you'll leave a challenging shot. If you safe, you're pretty much giving your opponent a free shot at winning. I guess, if you're playing on tight equipment, the strategy changes. Perhaps I'd safe then. On standard equipment, I'd go for it!

 

[CharlesUFarley]

The safe is the wrong shot.

Worst case is you play safe and your opponent makes the shot.

2nd worst case is you play safe and you get safed back and come to the table with a MUCH harder shot than the one you passed up.

Playing safe guarantees nothing. The only way to assure you don't lose is to keep your opponent in the chair.

If you think this shot is too tough....practice it. It isn't tough enough to justify playing safe when you can win instead.

 

[poolbanger89]

IMHO, if you are equivalent to an APA 5 or below, and playing your equal, play the safe. Anyone ranked higher than that should be making this shot about 80-90% of the time. 'A' players, higher than that.

You hit the nail right on the head. I'm an APA 7 in 9-ball, and I've seen APA 5s and below miss variations of this shot and about 1000 times and leave an easy shot almost every time, which is exactly why I asked the question. If it's laying correctly, you have an almost automatic 2 rail safety, which leaves your opponent a very difficult cross corner bank. I diagrammed the shot poorly and that's the point I was trying to make.

 

[LittleMonster]

How would you play this shot?

This is one of the most commonly misplayed shots I see in 9-ball, and sometimes in 8-ball, in my opinion. The shooter always seems to play the very difficult cut shot instead of shoot an easy safety. If you miss the cut, you sell out almost every time.

View attachment 89173

The all out safety is almost automatic. This is the way I like to play it.

I see your point, but with it, there are problems. Its not as automatic as you make it out. The answer depends largely on your level of play.

Any B player or higher should be trying to cut this ball in (with little or no struggle). Now as you point out, the cut comes with a risk of selling out, but the risk is slight considering the angle isn't all that severe.

As for the safe, two rails would be a bad idea. Playing on the rail table, the nap of the cloth and/or the rails might kill the object ball and wind up doing exactly what you feared with the offensive shot... selling out.

A one rail safe (playing a hair of an angle with low left) would bring the cue back towards the middle of the left short rail and the cueball (if your speed is right) towards the middle of the right side short rail. Still, this is a problem depending on who you are playing. If your speed is off or the cloth is fast, getting both balls to those spots leaves a lot of room for error and leaves your opponent a decent chance of potting the 9. Even if it doesn't leave an EASY shot, it can and likely will leave your opponent the ability to play safe on you, coming across the middle of the 9 sending it to the exact same spot on the other end of the table for YOU.

And if you didn't like the cut, you are NOT going to like that leave.

 

[poolplayer2093]

I'd rather go for the win with a mildy hard shot than let my opponent back to the table.

yep me too! i've tried playing safe there and i've lost enough games doing it to know i should just go for the shot.

the other guy gets back to the table it gives him a chance to win. weather he cuts it in, sh1ts it in, or plays a better safe.

i think going for that shot is the way to go

 

[Richardson]

I'd rather go for the win with a mildy hard shot than let my opponent back to the table.

Noway am i going to play a safe there on a 7ft table, a 9 it would depend on my opponent and the table i guess.