How to play safe

[WesleyW]

I've 4 situations, and I would like to know what kind of safety shot you will apply. I don't want to make the ball. I just want to play the best safety.

Table 1:

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Table 2:

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Table 3:

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Table 4:

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[Jude Rosenstock]

Hmm... It would help if there were some sort of a scenario here. Is this the only ball left on the table? Are we playing 9-ball, 1-pocket? Why do you not want to pocket the ball in the scenarios where pocketing is an option?

 

[WesleyW]

Hmm... It would help if there were some sort of a scenario here. Is this the only ball left on the table? Are we playing 9-ball, 1-pocket? Why do you not want to pocket the ball in the scenarios where pocketing is an option?

Sorry. But it's the last ball. So you can imagine playing 8-ball or 9-ball. I don't want to make the ball, because I'm not always able to make the shot. When I'm playing good, I can make the ball. But when I'm in a bad game, I will not be able to make the ball. When I'm not in the zone, it will be better to play safe. So it's depend on how good I'm playing at the moment. It will give me more options to decide what I'm gonna do, play safe or try to make the ball.

 

[cigardave]

With only a couple of balls still left on the table in a 9-ball or 10-ball game, a very effective safety is leaving both balls on the brunswick... or as close as possible to it. Look at your tables and see how you might be able to do that.

The other is leaving a difficult thin cut up the rail or a difficult cross-side bank. This can usually be accomplished by leaving the object ball near the 2nd diamond on a long rail and leaving the cue ball on the (near) brunswick or close to it... or... over against the opposite long rail at about the same position (2 diamonds up). Look at your tables and see how you might be able to do that.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

With only a couple of balls still left on the table in a 9-ball or 10-ball game, a very effective safety is leaving both balls on the brunswick... or as close as possible to it. Look at your tables and see how you might be able to do that.

The other is leaving a difficult thin cut up the rail or a difficult cross-side bank. This can usually be accomplished by leaving the object ball near the 2nd diamond on a long rail and leaving the cue ball on the (near) brunswick or close to it... or... over against the opposite long rail at about the same position (2 diamonds up). Look at your tables and see how you might be able to do that.

I actually love this idea and honestly, it's something I've never really spent much time with perfecting. However, the fact the ball is frozen to the rail scares me a bit. I feel like a double-kiss is inevitable.

 

[Bob Jewett]

I've 4 situations, and I would like to know what kind of safety shot you will apply. I don't want to make the ball. I just want to play the best safety....

For tables 3 and 4, one standard way to play it is to hit the ball half-ball on the left side and leave the two balls on opposite side rails. It leaves a bank for your opponent, but not an easy one. Otherwise I'd try a fullish hit to leave the cue ball "frozen by follow" on the rail where the one ball sits and move the one to the other end rail.

 

[BPG24]

Sorry. But it's the last ball. So you can imagine playing 8-ball or 9-ball. I don't want to make the ball, because I'm not always able to make the shot. When I'm playing good, I can make the ball. But when I'm in a bad game, I will not be able to make the ball. When I'm not in the zone, it will be better to play safe. So it's depend on how good I'm playing at the moment. It will give me more options to decide what I'm gonna do, play safe or try to make the ball.

I am going to explain something that really helped me in the long run. First of all, I play safe alot. It is just my style. However......

In scenarios 1 and 2 you should not ever play safe! I know exactly what you are saying about how you will shoot it if you are in the zone because I used to be the same way, but this will fail you in the long run. What I mean is... You need to practice these shots alot because this situation is very common in 8,9,10 ball. Learning the ability to focus on 1 shot is very important if you want to improve. You may play a great end to end safe freezing the balls to each rail, but you still leave a bank or return safety or even a sell out. Never let your opponent out of his seat until it is time for him to rack

Practice these shots, eventually you will see that because you know you can make it you wouldn't even consider a safe. you have to train your mind to see those shots going in and execute.

Hope this helps

 

[av84fun]

I think the safety options have already been suggested. I would just add the general rule that if the odds of making the ball and leaving a strong safety are the same...always shoot against a strong player at least.

The rule is less applicable against a weak player.

Conversely, if leaving a strong safety appears more probable than making the shot, shoot the safety against ANY skill level opponent because a botched safety will likely to be a sell out to either skill level player.

Regards,
Jim

 

[softshot]

I am of the opinion that you should never choose to play safe.the table occasionally forces you to play safe, but. if you have a shot you take the shot. and try to make a two way out of it if you can. but you never ever ever throw away a makable shot just to play safe.

Every one of your shown shots is a makable one rail to one or the other top corner pockets.

if these are all money balls you should be trying to win right now not hope to get safe THEN hope he dogs it.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

For tables 3 and 4, one standard way to play it is to hit the ball half-ball on the left side and leave the two balls on opposite side rails. It leaves a bank for your opponent, but not an easy one. Otherwise I'd try a fullish hit to leave the cue ball "frozen by follow" on the rail where the one ball sits and move the one to the other end rail.

I see Ginky play this safe quite a bit. The trick to it (as he'll quickly point out) is to leave it off-angle enough that a one rail bank is impossible. The speed can be a little tricky but as most know, Ginky has a knack for having pretty decent speed control.

 

[cubc]

You should go for the first few shots. If you miss odds are itll bounce back out towards the center of that rail and the cue ball will be up table leaving them the same or possibly a harder shot.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

Actually, an interesting four-railer exists if the object ball is slightly off the rail. On a GC IV, the key is to hit the side-rail right near the side-pocket. If you can do that, you're definitely going to be close.

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The shot works often enough that it's worth knowing.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I've 4 situations, and I would like to know what kind of safety shot you will apply. I don't want to make the ball. I just want to play the best safety.

Table 1:

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Table 2:

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Table 3:

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Table 4:

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Or so it says here...

pj
chgo

 

[klockdoc]

I like the 2 rails to the head rail on the shots Patrick diagrammed, however, I think that the banks to the side rail need to be played closer to the side pocket with the 1 in order to take away the cross bank.

Also, the return safety is too easily played if the 1 is left in the middle or close to the corner pocket.


Here's what I like

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Here is a return safety from a shallow one rail leave

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