How Do You Shoot This Final Shot?

[DrCue'sProtege]

ok, your down to the last ball in a rack of 9-Ball, and this is the shot you have. how do you posters prefer to shoot this? i shot this just plain center ball the other night, and scratched into the side pocket. last night i had the same basic finishing shot, and used a little low, and undercut this shot and missed.

just wondering how you posters prefer to shoot this shot?
DCP

CueTable Help

 

[pharaoh68]

Play it with follow. But whatever you do, roll it in. If you're shooting it with center ball and scratching in the side, you're hitting it too hard. You should realistically be able to pocket this ball with no english and stop well short of the side pocket.

 

[cheesemouse]

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I hit it like this and scratched in the side also.....I don't think I will do that again....

 

[Andrew Manning]

I wouldn't use low with that much of a cut; the draw won't make all that much difference. I'd probably just roll this shot (by which I mean a bit above center for natural CB roll) with a touch of outside to get the CB into the long rail underneath the side pocket:

CueTable Help

Then once you've decided on that tip placement, just concentrate on your contact point. You've figured out a way not to scratch, so you can put it out of your mind and make the shot. The reason you undercut it when you hit this with draw is that while you stroked, you were still thinking about pulling the CB left of natural, and so you hit the ball too thick in order to accomplish that. Once you know your english will get you where you want to go, you have to put pulling and pushing the CB out of your mind and just make the shot. Especially on the money ball.

-Andrew

 

[Icon of Sin]

Like pharoah said, play it with follow and just roll it in at a little but past pocketing speed. The cue ball shouldnt go near another pocket.

 

[Cornerman]

ok, your down to the last ball in a rack of 9-Ball, and this is the shot you have. how do you posters prefer to shoot this? i shot this just plain center ball the other night, and scratched into the side pocket. last night i had the same basic finishing shot, and used a little low, and undercut this shot and missed.

just wondering how you posters prefer to shoot this shot?
DCP


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I like to hit it firm and double the corner.

CueTable Help

I call this the "professional way," since I see most professional shoot it like this.

Fred

 

[Andrew Manning]

I like to hit it firm and double the corner.

...

I call this the "professional way," since I see most professional shoot it like this.

Fred

Yeah, I agree that you normally see professional players shoot it this way, but with the cut angle as diagrammed, the CB is going to travel well past the end of your black arrow in your diagram, and notice that said arrow is pointing very close to the opposite corner. That's the reason I don't shoot it this way; I don't have the down-to-the-millimeter CB path control the pros have. They can make the ball "double the corner" and come out at an exact angle which doesn't take it near any pockets. I can't do that reliably. That's why I prefer the way I suggested; I feel I can reliably put the CB on the two rails at exactly the points I diagrammed, and then even if it keeps travelling up to another 12 feet, it doesn't scratch.

-Andrew

 

[Sensation]

I don't think the inside english shot would be the best option right here.

To me there are 2 ways of hitting it, letting a hard shot to your opponent in case you miss.

1) Like Fred "Cornerman" said. I would even play 3 or 4 cushions.
Low-left english, no scratch possibility.

2) Andrew Manning's way is great too. Just a bit of left to be sure you are short of the side. I'd try to get the cue ball in the center of the opposite rail.

-Sensation

 

[Cornerman]

1) Like Fred "Cornerman" said. I would even play 3 or 4 cushions.
Low-left english, no scratch possibility.

Me too. I mean, I'd probably go through the center of the table and contact four cushions.

Fred

 

[Cory in DC]

I like to hit it firm and double the corner.

CueTable Help

I call this the "professional way," since I see most professional shoot it like this.

Fred

Me too--I didn't know it was the "pro" way, but I do prefer hitting angled shots at my natural medium stroke speed to hitting them with pocket speed.
Cory

 

[cmssuits]

Me too....

I like to hit it firm and double the corner.

CueTable Help

I call this the "professional way," since I see most professional shoot it like this.

Fred

Same here, low center giving it a good stroke.

 

[Tennesseejoe]

Is this a very slow bar table with a heavy cue ball or a 4.5 X 9 with tight pockets. Does the table roll good or does it have a bad roll? This could effect the decision.

 

[Andrew Manning]

last night i had the same basic finishing shot, and used a little low, and undercut this shot and missed.

Hey DCP, what did you do when you missed it? Did you set it up again and shoot it until you perfected it? I've just always wondered when you post about a straightforward shot you missed, if you practice those misses to keep them from happening again. When reading accounts of good players and their practice methods, this seems to be the one most of them do: when they miss, they stop and focus on that shot until they consistently get it right.

-Andrew

 

[poolplayer2093]

i think you should shoot it with high outside english make sure if you miss it you over cut it and leave the cueball at the other side of the table. it's safer that way

 

[Williebetmore]

just wondering how you posters prefer to shoot this shot?
DCP

DCP,
What Fred (Cornerman) said. Nice medium speed; no risk of scratch; no risk of roll-off. It's rare to see a pro shoot it any other way (it comes up a LOT in 9 ball).

 

[Bob Jewett]

DCP,
What Fred (Cornerman) said. Nice medium speed; no risk of scratch; no risk of roll-off. It's rare to see a pro shoot it any other way (it comes up a LOT in 9 ball).

At the risk of being accused of piling on, I'll say "me too" too. But I'd go a step further and do my best to freeze the cue ball to the fourth cushion (head rail). It's no more effort, stroke-wise, it gives you practice at speed control, and it makes the shot "complete." By this last point, I mean that a lot of players don't plan the cue ball position for the last ball and this lack of complete visualization or planning causes the shot to go wrong.

 

[Hal]

I've always heard you're not supposed to slow roll a money ball. Show some authority.

 

[RiverCity]

I've always heard you're not supposed to slow roll a money ball. Show some authority.

Same here, for several reasons.
1. If you slow roll and the ball hits the point and dies in front of the pocket from lack of speed... leaves your opponent a possibly easy win.
2. Its intimidating (look at Joe Balsis's game, he was feared for slapping the back of the pockets)
3.If you hit the point of the pocket and the ball is rejected....... if you are not playing call pocket.... you might be able to slop it in.......
4. Its a confidence builder to let your stroke out on the last ball, helps pump you up for the next game.
5. To position the cueball in a good spot for you should you miss (leave alot of green or a bad angle for the incoming player)
Of course it means nothing if you dont make the cheese.
Chuck

 

[Cameron Smith]

just wondering how you posters prefer to shoot this shot?
DCP

I disagree with everyone here. Actually a timing shot is the right way to go in this situation. Send the object ball off seven rails and then the cue ball will knock it into the corner. Aim for the first diamond past the side pocket with low left english.

Either that or the jump shot may be a viable option as well.

P.S. slow internet connection and no flash player sucks.

 

[skins]

Me too--I didn't know it was the "pro" way, but I do prefer hitting angled shots at my natural medium stroke speed to hitting them with pocket speed.
Cory

it's not the "pro" way it's the only way. throw it in with a medium stroke using draw and a little left english.