How Would You Play This 9-Ball Position?

sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
BVal and Maniac noted in another thread that our recent soap operas have gotten us a little of the topic of pool and sharing our thoughts about the game and its theory. They're right, and I'm dedicating this thread to them.

Here's an awkward position one might encounter playing nine ball. In the diagram below, the cue ball and the eight ball are both 1/8 of an inch off of the long rail. The nine is a 1/4 inch off of the opposite long rail. What's your approach here?

I expect a variety of answers, as what lies in the comfort zone varies from player to player, and strong players might be expected to take a different approach here than intermediate players and novices. The question is not "What would a top pro do?", but instead "What would you do?"

Late addition: Ted Kaufman correctly noted that the equipment matters in making the decision, so let's say the pockets are medium tight.
 

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My choices would depend on the table, whether the pockets are forgiving or tight.

If the pockets are accomodating, I'd go rail first with high right, spin off the bottom rail, bringing the cueball above the opposite side pocket to play the 9-ball in the top left corner pocket.

If the pockets are tight, I'd stop the cueball when I shot the 8-ball, and bank the 9 into the same pocket as I shot the 8. The reason I'd go for a corner bank is it's more likely I'd leave my opponent with a long, difficult shot if I missed.
 
Stop shot on the 8, bank the 9 cross corner making sure that if I miss, it is going to be on the short side so the 9 will end up on the short rail and the cue ball goes to the other end of the table.

I'm sure there is a better shot, but this is best thing I could think of given that if I tried to draw 5 or 6 feet to set for the cut, I'd probably jaw the 8.

Edit: Dang it, Ted beat me to it. I was trying how to figure out how to diagram the shot on Cue Table but after 10 min, I eventually just gave up lol.
 
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I’d try to force and angle by using top right (inside) english and go two rails to make the nine in the other corner
 
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sjm said:
BVal and Maniac noted in another thread that our recent soap operas have gotten us a little of the topic of pool and sharing our thoughts about the game and its theory. They're right, and I'm dedicating this thread to them.

Here's an awkward position one might encounter playing nine ball. In the diagram below, the cue ball and the eight ball are both 1/8 of an inch off of the long rail. The nine is a 1/4 inch off of the opposite long rail. What's your approach here?

I expect a variety of answers, as what lies in the comfort zone varies from player to player, and strong players might be expected to take a different approach here than intermediate players and novices. The question is not "What would a top pro do?", but instead "What would you do?"

Late addition: Ted Kaufman correctly noted that the equipment matters in making the decision, so let's say the pockets are medium tight.
Click to expand...
Bank the eight to the top left corner and get easy shape on the nine, to the same pocket. :rolleyes:

Tracy
 
Table conditions are a big factor to me not just pocket size. Med tight pockets, clean balls, newer cloth. Takes little speed to draw whitey back about a 1 1/2 diamonds past the side and a bit more away from the rail then cut the 9 ball.

Worn cloth somewhat dirty conditions including balls. Stop it there, bank the 9 and aim would be on the short side leaving a long shot off the end rail if missed.

If I was playing real well I might shoot it the same no matter what conditions, it all depends, you know?

Rod
 
I would shoot the 8 straight in and draw the cueball back to about where it started, then make the long cut shot on the 9. I would take the longer shot on the 9 instead of a really thin cut because the ball is so close to the rail. Move the 9 out an inch or two and I would take the shorter thin cut.

There is no way I would try to cheat the pocket on the 8 using draw.

Chris
 
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I'm playing the 8 and rolling a tad forward for the cross-side bank.

Martin
 
InTheCloudzzz said:
I'd shoot the eight straight in and follow the cue ball about a foot, then bank the 9 cross side.
Click to expand...

My first choice, but...

I have learned that an extreme follow here, and a very slight (ie. none) cut on the eight will bring the cue forward and back off of the bottom rail for good shape on the 9.
 
For me the shot Tate said off the rail is suicide. Would sell out 7-8 times out of 10. I would prefer to draw straight back in front of the side. From there I can shoot over the side pocket and get some draw with a touch of right on the 9. Nine ball cross corner.
This is an interesting thread..... shows where peoples strengths and weaknesses are.
Chuck
 
Play the eight in the corner, draw the rock to the side pocket so that you can see the whole cue ball, and slice the 9 in the corner. If you're not playing confident, play the stop shot and bank the nine in the same corner, making sure that if you miss, it's on the pro side. Trying to force the eight in with top right runs too high a risk of selling out the game, particularly if you're playing on tight equipment.
 
So the question is, what's the highest percentage play to get out from here, given that you're dead straight in on the 8 with medium-tight pockets?

For me the choice is obvious. I'm gonna cinch the 8 with a firm middle-ball stroke to go a couple inches forward with the cueball and get a good look at the cross-side bank (not the cross-eyed bank, mind you--that's only for when I've had a few beers). Then I'm gonna bank the 9 with the speed to leave my cueball as close to the end-rail as I can.

For my money that's definitely a higher percentage to get out under these conditions than trying to cheat the pocket with a huge draw stroke or inside follow for two-rail position on the 9.

The only other option I would even consider (as someone mentioned) is maybe backing up the cueball a couple inches (which makes pocketing the 8 much tougher IMO), and banking the 9 cross corner, but making sure to bank it short with the right speed to leave it on the end rail if I miss. But that bank is a lot harder than the cross-side bank, IMO. That option carries maybe a slight defensive percentage in its favor, but weighing the draw shot in with the added difficulty of the cross-corner bank to me means that I'm going with the first option. If I miss that bank but leave my cueball very close to the end rail my opponent is still gonna have a heck of a hard shot on the 9 with medium-tight pockets.
 
On tough equipment I'm most likely banking the 8 cross-side. On easier equipment, I may follow forward to the bottom rail with outside english and try to spin the cue ball up for a shot in the natural pocket that you'd like to shoot the 9 in. Since both the cue ball and the object ball are the same distance from the rail, you're really not dead straight in. To be dead straight in, the cue ball would be slighter further from the rail than the object ball. There is a small amount of room there to follow the cue ball to the bottom rail (especially if the pockets aren't too tight).
 
PoolBum said:
So the question is, what's the highest percentage play to get out from here, given that you're dead straight in on the 8 with medium-tight pockets?

For me the choice is obvious. I'm gonna cinch the 8 with a firm middle-ball stroke to go a couple inches forward with the cueball and get a good look at the cross-side bank (not the cross-eyed bank, mind you--that's only for when I've had a few beers). Then I'm gonna bank the 9 with the speed to leave my cueball as close to the end-rail as I can.

For my money that's definitely a higher percentage to get out under these conditions than trying to cheat the pocket with a huge draw stroke or inside follow for two-rail position on the 9.

The only other option I would even consider (as someone mentioned) is maybe backing up the cueball a couple inches (which makes pocketing the 8 much tougher IMO), and banking the 9 cross corner, but making sure to bank it short with the right speed to leave it on the end rail if I miss. But that bank is a lot harder than the cross-side bank, IMO. That option carries maybe a slight defensive percentage in its favor, but weighing the draw shot in with the added difficulty of the cross-corner bank to me means that I'm going with the first option. If I miss that bank but leave my cueball very close to the end rail my opponent is still gonna have a heck of a hard shot on the 9 with medium-tight pockets.
Click to expand...

After some consideration, I like PoolBum's choice of a stop shot ONLY because I'm right handed and would thus have to put at least part of my bridge hand on the side rail. If it's on the other side of the table however, I like my original shot, which is to back the cue ball up to about the side pocket and cut the nine in, or hold the rock and bank the nine cross corner, making sure that if I miss, it's to the pro side.

Because the cue would be left so close to the rail on a stop shot, I don't like the cross side bank since my ability to control the rock would be impaired by its proximity to the rail. If I have limited control of the cue ball, I would prefer to leave a missed nine ball on the end rail rather than in the middle of the table.

P.S.--I've practiced the draw shot from a 1/4 off the rail enough (like 45 reps a day) that I KNOW that I can make the shot and draw the rock 4 diamonds from the ball 19 times out of 20. Therefore, my confidence in the draw option may be higher than many people's. Practice this shot! It will pay big time dividends in your stroke and your confidence.
 
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If it was a week ago I'd have said I'd probably conceded! This week I'd go for playing the draw shot on the 8 & cutting the 9 in the corner.
 
Definitely drawing the cb back to cut the 9 into the corner. I admire all those that feel more comfortable with banking the (side or corner) because I wouldn't dare play shape to bank any money balls with the cb so close to the rail. Especially when a little draw can give you a pretty good look at the 9. The way I figure..............if I miss that 9, I deserve to lose. Don't get me wrong, I do miss shots like that, but it's also one of those shots that I consider a "you're not suppose to miss" type of shot.
dave
 
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