How Would You Play This II

[Jude Rosenstock]

This is a shot that came-up in a set with SJM a couple years back. I safed him and thought I would be in great position to win the game but found myself racking a few seconds later.

SJM might very-well be the best player in the world at this scenario.

http://CueTable.com/P/?@3ACCh3BNGU4CKVx2DLFk1EQyk3FLVi3GVLF3HRdi4IAnh3PUfi@

 

[Handsumm]

If I couldn't clear the 8 ball on a jump shot, I would kick up towards the side rail with a lot of left sidespin (possibly some masse)for the combo and the win. What did SJM do? Who is that again?

 

[jdr]

I'd probably try to push the 8 into the 1 and pocket the 9, trying to leave the 8 close enough to the 1 so there's no pocket it could go into. Since you ended up racking, I'm guessing that's not SJM did.

I might try semi-masse away from the 8, into the long rail at maybe 3/4 a diamond and come back into the 1...

Along the same line of thinking, you might try to jump the cueball off the tit up over the 8... But make sure you're carrying your bible when you try that shot...

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

If I couldn't clear the 8 ball on a jump shot, I would kick up towards the side rail with a lot of left sidespin (possibly some masse)for the combo and the win. What did SJM do? Who is that again?

IMO, anyone who fetched their jump-cue here deserves to lose. Also, I don't think SJM even owns one.

 

[Aaron_S]

I would kick up towards the side rail with a lot of left sidespin (possibly some masse)

Yep, masse into the rail. That way requires a little less curve than going around the 8 directly, and the 1-ball is pretty large from that angle. Just make contact, game over.

Aaron

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

Yep, masse into the rail. That way requires a little less curve than going around the 8 directly, and the 1-ball is pretty large from that angle. Just make contact, game over.

Aaron

Yep, that's exactly what he did. He then went on to illustrate how much curve you can get off the rail and it's really quite impressive.

As stated, SJM has ridiculous control over this shot. The cueball seems to curve as though it were laser-guided. No matter where you place the target, the cue-ball will curve into it right at the correct moment. Evenso, using this approach (as you said) makes the target HUGE with little risk.

 

[mosconiac]

In a cheap game, I would go for the kick-masse as suggested above. I would aim to over-masse if anything because the 1 is very big that way and you won't dog it as often. Even so, I estimate I could make this shot 1/3 of the time. I may hit it more often than that, but I can imagine that the 9 wouldn't reach the pocket on some of those hits.

In a more serious game, I would try to roll the 8 onto the 1...making sure to pocket the 9 and hopefully sticking the 8 to the 1. The 9 would spot and the opoonent would have to deal with that cluster. My main priority would be to make the 9 and hope the guy doesn't get out if the 8 doesn't freeze.

 

[Jimmy M.]

This is a shot that came-up in a set with SJM a couple years back. I safed him and thought I would be in great position to win the game but found myself racking a few seconds later.

SJM might very-well be the best player in the world at this scenario.

http://CueTable.com/P/?@3ACCh3BNGU4CKVx2DLFk1EQyk3FLVi3GVLF3HRdi4IAnh3PUfi@

View attachment 35966

If I were looking for a crowd pleaser, I'd masse off the side rail and bend it back into the 1. However, I might be more inclined to push the 8 into the 1-9 and mess it up. Aside from possibly sticking the 8 to the 1 while pocketing the 9, there is a bit of a problem in the out in that the 5 to the 6 isn't so routine because the 6 doesn't go past the 7 so they'd have to get a good enough angle on the 5 to play the 6 on the short side. Ultimately, it would come down to whether I liked my chances of pulling off the masse more, or less, than my opponents chances of getting out with ball-in-hand.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

If I were looking for a crowd pleaser, I'd masse off the side rail and bend it back into the 1. However, I might be more inclined to push the 8 into the 1-9 and mess it up. Aside from possibly sticking the 8 to the 1 while pocketing the 9, there is a bit of a problem in the out in that the 5 to the 6 isn't so routine because the 6 doesn't go past the 7 so they'd have to get a good enough angle on the 5 to play the 6 on the short side. Ultimately, it would come down to whether I liked my chances of pulling off the masse more, or less, than my opponents chances of getting out with ball-in-hand.

Yes, I agree. Forcing your opponent to run-out the rack is a great option, especially if there are problems. The lone big-mistake (which you didn't mention but I'll comment on anyway) is to tie-up the 1 between the 8 and 9 leaving a three ball cluster and BIH. If your opponent cannot safe you back on a legal shot, they'll tie it up further on a foul and force you to break it open.

 

[Rarelymisses]

I would just masse' around the eight ball to hit the one and make the nine, without the cueball going to the side rail.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

I would just masse' around the eight ball to hit the one and make the nine, without the cueball going to the side rail.

You should try the masse with the rail. You'll be surprised how much easier it is than just masseing. You don't even need to elevate over 30 degrees.

 

[sjm]

Wow! Thanks, Jude, for the kind words, but I preferred the thread where you were the hero of the story.