How to plan a run

[HomerJay20]

I'm just starting to learn how to plan a simple 3 ball run. I'm basically playing the ghost at three ball and taking the ball in hand after the break. I'm sure it might be easy for most on here to run out, but I'm struggling to visualize how the run will play out. Just last night I started imagining big pizza slice shapes behind each object ball with the tip of the slice on the object ball pointing to the pocket. These pizza slices are my cue ball landing zones that I want to hop between.

Anyone else have good tips or resources?

Thanks!

 

[Cdryden]

I'm just starting to learn how to plan a simple 3 ball run. I'm basically playing the ghost at three ball and taking the ball in hand after the break. I'm sure it might be easy for most on here to run out, but I'm struggling to visualize how the run will play out. Just last night I started imagining big pizza slice shapes behind each object ball with the tip of the slice on the object ball pointing to the pocket. These pizza slices are my cue ball landing zones that I want to hop between.

Anyone else have good tips or resources?

Thanks!

One thing I notice beginners doing is always going for the easier shot. Which is fine if it puts you in position but I see people who see the right shot but go for the easier one that has no future whatsoever. Don't get into the habit of doing that. If it's too tough to make, look for the safety.

 

[Okie]

I would advise you to find a way to enter your pizza slice on the crust end. It gives you a much larger margin for error than try to run the cue ball across the center of your pizza slice. With that in mind, While choosing your shot on the 1st ball figure out which side of the 2nd ball you want to be on to give you the best chance of success to shape the 3rd ball. It will probably be slow at first but as you gain experience, the patterns will begin to repeat and become easier to spot.

 

[Cornerman]

I'm just starting to learn how to plan a simple 3 ball run. I'm basically playing the ghost at three ball and taking the ball in hand after the break. I'm sure it might be easy for most on here to run out, but I'm struggling to visualize how the run will play out. Just last night I started imagining big pizza slice shapes behind each object ball with the tip of the slice on the object ball pointing to the pocket. These pizza slices are my cue ball landing zones that I want to hop between.

Anyone else have good tips or resources?

Thanks!

So.... I think this is a decent beginning but I find that most beginners cut the pizza slice in the middle. If you're talking about a 3 ball run, and approaching the pizza from the crust side, then the slice should be biased so that you are attacking a correct angle.

Freddie <~~~ I'm in Italy and can't get a decent slice

 

[RRfireblade]

Whenever possible....

You always want to pick a specific side to get position on, the correct side can often make or break the whole run.

You always want to roll 'into' the pizza slice and not across it.

You always want play a shot that allows for natural position to the next.

SPEED is absolutely THEE most important ingredient in the shot 99% of the time.

Be 'precise' with your position play. Pick spots the size of a cube a chalk even if you dont have the skills for that yet. Develop that habit now.

Work from the money ball backwards.

Thats should get you started, good luck.

 

[ShootingArts]

start back to front and distance

After awhile you will find it easy to plan a run from front to back 1,2,3 but to start with plan where you want to make the three ball and the shape you want to do that, then how you need to make the two ball to do that, and how to make the one to get shape on the two. Also, I'm not a fan of the rolling three balls pattern play. Once you get comfortable doing that keep adding a ball until you are planning the entire run before you ever start to shoot.

Another common error is distance. Common to play shape to get too close to the next ball, often running into it or jamming yourself so close that angle has to be near perfect. You definitely want to come into the shooting zone as close as possible to along the line of the next shot as has already been said by several posters but also keep a little distance from the object ball. As a general rule pick a spot one to two feet away from the object ball and try to put the cue ball on that spot.

Cue ball control is a never ending pursuit of perfection. Never accept anything but perfect as good enough. It's a lot easier to win if you never have to shoot any hard shots.

Hu

 

[JMW]

I'm just starting to learn how to plan a simple 3 ball run. I'm basically playing the ghost at three ball and taking the ball in hand after the break. I'm sure it might be easy for most on here to run out, but I'm struggling to visualize how the run will play out. Just last night I started imagining big pizza slice shapes behind each object ball with the tip of the slice on the object ball pointing to the pocket. These pizza slices are my cue ball landing zones that I want to hop between.

Anyone else have good tips or resources?

Thanks!

There is an iPod/iPad app called Stun Shot or Stop Shot. It is for recognizing patterns using stop only. It is not for the advanced player but is very helpful for a new player.

Try this:

Randomly place four balls around the head spot. Take ball in hand and determine the easiest run out pattern using stop shots only (as best as possible). There should be very little cue ball movement and nothing should touch a rail.

Once you get better at this, place three object balls and the eight ball on the table. Start with ball in hand and run out. Do this until you can run the table 75% of the time and then add another ball and repeat.

 

[mattb]

Pick up the book 99 critical shots in pool and work on the beginning sections of English play and shape play. Second, don't get caught up on a ball having to go in a certain pocket. Just because a ball is close to the side it may be better to play it in a corner to work on shape for the next shot. I see too many people getting hung up because they simply had to play a ball in the closest pocket. The balls do not care where they go, only the player cares. Shoot softer. Most times the easiest shape is obtained by not zinging the CB up and down the table. Learn how to play the natural roll of the CB after it hits the OB.

 

[cleary]

So.... I think this is a decent beginning but I find that most beginners cut the pizza slice in the middle. If you're talking about a 3 ball run, and approaching the pizza from the crust side, then the slice should be biased so that you are attacking a correct angle.

Freddie <~~~ I'm in Italy and can't get a decent slice

Great, now I'm hungry...

 

[Renegade_56]

easist way for me is to plan backwards from the last ball, to the second ball, then the shot at hand,,,,,,and try to play position rolling along zones, not accross them, as this makes speed a little less critical

 

[elvicash]

Play backward from the three, two and one only start when you have a plan. Try to have short cue ball movements off the object balls. The center of the table is a good place to have the cue ball so when in doubt look there first. Straight in only good rarely, you normally want an angle. Another things to consider is reach and the cue ball on the rail both can stop a run. Start out in the half table keeps the shots short. Corners are easier than sides generally. If you miss on a run-out, replay the same run out till you do it twice in a row. Play the 3 ball ghost 10 ahead when you beat it go to the 4 ball ghost. Hit alot of balls

 

[MitchAlsup]

I'm sure it might be easy for most on here to run out, but I'm struggling to visualize how the run will play out. Just last night I started imagining big pizza slice shapes behind each object ball with the tip of the slice on the object ball pointing to the pocket. These pizza slices are my cue ball landing zones that I want to hop between.

In Phillip Chapelle's book, he essentially breaks a run-out into three steps. A) get control of the table, B) the middle of the run, C) sinking the 8-ball.

The analysis starts at the end (8-ball) and works its way backwards (step C). Where is the 8-ball, what ball of mine can I use to get position on the 8-ball (the key-ball), and what ball of mine can I use to get position on the key ball (the key-ball to key-ball or the lead ball).

Since there are so many orders that run-outs can be made, if you tried to calculate all of them your head would explode. So, from locking down order that leads to the 8-ball, we turn our attention to getting control over the table (step A). You basically have 2 shots to get control over the table, making a couple of balls and then having precise position that one can actually pull off the run-out. Make a first ball and have better position on ANY second ball, then make the second ball and have really good position on the third. At this point you have control over the table and step A is done.

Don't bog yourself down at the beginning (analysis phase) on an overly precise order of things. Subtle errors in position may require your planned order to change, be ready to adapt and follow what you have done to yourself. But do not alter your plan on the key ball or the lead ball, unless the table has changed enough that you can pick a different key ball or lead ball that still leads to a successful runout.

Many ball positions have multiple runout orders, and some positions may have only one, a few, or even none. Learn to spot these positions and duck before you have removed useful interference from your opponent (ball that interfere with your opponents runout but not your runout are useful to you).

In a perfect 8-ball safety, you place your opponent in a position where his only shot improves your position (i.e. removes one or more of his interfering balls from you position). If you can do this so that he has to improve your position and he still cannot sink a ball, you have effectively obtained 3 shots in a row. This is actually better than the opponent picking up the ball and giving you BIH many times.

So for making a 3-ball run, start at the last ball you wnat to pot, and then see which of the other two balls makes for easier to obtain position on the last ball. Then shoot the other ball first.

As to your pizza pie slices, once you get better, you will want to avoid a lot of the dead-nuts straight in shots as these are harder to get position on the next shot. Cuts up to 45 degrees should becomes essentialy dead easy. The larger angles makes it a lot easier to move the CB around the table with less velocity and/or spin.

 

[Masayoshi]

What helped me a lot when I was starting out was practicing running out by always bringing the cue ball back to the center of the table. Once you get used to that, you can start trying to play shape to other parts of the table, but bringing the cue ball to the center of the table will be something that you can nearly always fall back on if you don't know what to do.

 

[CreeDo]

When playing the ghost or doing similar drills, what you want to look for are stop shots. Stop shots don't require that much finesse and if you don't have them in your arsenal, you should be practicing them anyway. Learn how to stop at various distances.

In almost any small group of balls, you can usually find a situation where a stop shot on one of them gives you a pretty easy shot on another. If you do this drill with, say, 6 balls... you should be able to do stop shots on at least half of them, or at least shots with 'stop-like' speed and english... in other words, center ball or a touch below, medium firm hit.

In a game situation, the stuff mitch is telling you from phil C's book is exactly right. Before you can plan, you must first get in control which usually means just making the easiest shot and trying to get "in line". One bad habit I see too often is a player being stubborn about his planned pattern, to the point where he passes up a hanger and shoots a missable ball instead. 99% of the time... "never shoot a ball you can miss".

Some other rules of thumb:

- Always solve the most difficult shot first, with your ball in hand. Don't get cute and say "well if I play this other shot first, I can get position on my difficult shot!" ...just... no. Don't 'play position' on your problem. SOLVE your problem. That's what the ball in hand is for. Shoot it first.

- if your pattern involves mostly stop shots or soft follow, you're on the right track.

- if your pattern involves spinning precisely off a rail, moving the cue ball more than halfway across the table, or drawing to a very specific distance, you're on the wrong track. Especially the draw part - fine draw control is hard and takes a long time to master. Beyond that, draw shots have a nasty habit of sending the cue ball sideways at angles you didn't expect. Even on a straight shot it's easy to cheat the pocket a little and send the cue ball to the left or right.

- Shots close to the side pocket are gold and can easily get you anywhere. But move them a foot out or so, and they're more like problem balls because you must get the right angle on them. Beware a pattern that demands you get straight in on a side pocket shot. That's usually only gonna work out perfectly if there's a stop shot to set it up.

- Use the rails. Something you see pros do, especially in 9-ball but it applies anywhere... is to use 1 rail on most shots. By going to a rail you can use it to help you... you can apply spin in either direction to send the cue ball more towards the angle you want. If you're not touching a rail, you don't have that option. The other advantage is... if you plan on hitting a rail and then bouncing out a bit, you probably won't get stuck on that rail, a problem that has brought many runs to an end.

- If you screw up a planned pattern, think about what happened. don't just roll out some more balls and say "Well that didn't work out, time to try again". Analyze it and figure out where you went wrong. Be honest with yourself. Maybe your planned pattern was too difficult... put the balls back where they were and come up with a plan B, see if you can execute it more easily than your plan A.

 

[HomerJay20]

These tips are AWESOME! Thanks everyone. I'm starting out slow, but two tips have paid off immediately. 1 - Placing the cue ball a good foot away from the object ball with ball in hand. This helps control the cue better (even though for me it makes the shot a bit tougher). 2 - guiding the cue ball laterally into the pizza slices rather than across. Before the tips I often made the mistake of going across the slice most of the time because of close proximity to land into. However, as most of you already know, the tip of the pizza slice is so slender that it's easy to miss the zone no matter how close you are to it.

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

Runs

I'm just starting to learn how to plan a simple 3 ball run. I'm basically playing the ghost at three ball and taking the ball in hand after the break. I'm sure it might be easy for most on here to run out, but I'm struggling to visualize how the run will play out. Just last night I started imagining big pizza slice shapes behind each object ball with the tip of the slice on the object ball pointing to the pocket. These pizza slices are my cue ball landing zones that I want to hop between.

Anyone else have good tips or resources?

Thanks!

The third ball is the money ball. You must fall on the out ball, second ball, to get out. The idea should be consecutive order not just any three in a row. Always be thinking of which SIDE of your next ball you need to be on. Most people run out of their shape instead of falling short. Speed is huge. Learn how to kill speed. The stop shot is the easiest speed killer of all. Stun shots are also big speed killers. Always play the bounce off the rail and try and get crooked on next ball. Being straight on your next ball sounds good but limits ability to move the cue. Angle, angle, angle! Bringing the cue to the center of table always gives more options.

 

[TheBook]

I'm just starting to learn how to plan a simple 3 ball run. I'm basically playing the ghost at three ball and taking the ball in hand after the break. I'm sure it might be easy for most on here to run out, but I'm struggling to visualize how the run will play out. Just last night I started imagining big pizza slice shapes behind each object ball with the tip of the slice on the object ball pointing to the pocket. These pizza slices are my cue ball landing zones that I want to hop between.

Anyone else have good tips or resources?

Thanks!

I wouldn't use pizza slices. They are too greasy and will ruin the cloth. :embarrassed2:

.

 

[Thunderball]

Whenever possible....

You always want to pick a specific side to get position on, the correct side can often make or break the whole run.

You always want to roll 'into' the pizza slice and not across it.

You always want play a shot that allows for natural position to the next.

SPEED is absolutely THEE most important ingredient in the shot 99% of the time.

Be 'precise' with your position play. Pick spots the size of a cube a chalk even if you dont have the skills for that yet. Develop that habit now.

Work from the money ball backwards.

Thats should get you started, good luck.

I was gonna say everything this guy did. He saved me some typing. Very solid starting point imo.

 

[Scaramouche]

To expand the discussion
How to run 147 in snooker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3pTXsz8wyE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBc0iCmiBlw

Latter part of the first clip and the second clip may be of interest.

Where is the good area of the table?
Where is the danger area?
Hit fuller ball to control the cue ball
Play high on a ball
Try for a more difficult cue ball position if it will make getting position for a subsequent shot much easier

 

[GuyI-NJ]

I would advise you to find a way to enter your pizza slice on the crust end. It gives you a much larger margin for error than try to run the cue ball across the center of your pizza slice. With that in mind, While choosing your shot on the 1st ball figure out which side of the 2nd ball you want to be on to give you the best chance of success to shape the 3rd ball. It will probably be slow at first but as you gain experience, the patterns will begin to repeat and become easier to spot.

Perfect advise for a beginner, well done.