How would you play this?

F

Fastolfe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Tonight, my opponent scratched and left me with this (ball in hand):

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So I played it this way (1/4 ball'ish, half-tip high) and the subsequent rack break worked dandy:

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My opponent said he would have played this, because the ace was easier to pocket, the 3 would have come back on the head spot, and depending on where exactly the cueball stopped, he'd have had at least 3 choices to pocket it and break the rack:

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And indeed after the game, he set them up again and made the break exactly as he said he would, and rather easy-looking too.

What would you do? I don't feel confident at all doing what he did, but he seemed to have no trouble, so maybe it's just me...
 
Fastolfe:

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to agree with your opponent. It's much easier to pocket the ace *and* draw back into the kitchen area (that's a standard shot), than trying to pocket a miss-able 3-ball and get the speed right for the proper angle on the 1-ball for an off-the-cushion break shot. (Tap-tap-tap to you for making that shot, by the way!)

He's right -- once the cue ball is in the kitchen, there's multiple selections of how to pocket that 3-ball [now located on the head-spot] and break the rack, instead of only one off-the-cushion break shot using the 1-ball as the break ball. For one thing, your shot on the 3-ball makes the cue ball cross the shot line on the 1-ball, and you have to get that speed just right. Go too far (i.e. straight-ish on the 1-ball), you regret it. Too short, and you regret that too.

But, you go with what you're comfortable with. If you were comfortable with that 3-ball key-ball shot, then that was the shot for you. Perhaps, though, your horizons were broadened with your opponent's insight? And that's the point of this wonderful game of 14.1 -- speaking for myself, I'm learning all the time, virtually every single match.

-Sean

Fastolfe said:
Tonight, my opponent scratched and left me with this (ball in hand):

[...CueTable snip...]

So I played it this way (1/4 ball'ish, half-tip high) and the subsequent rack break worked dandy:

[...CueTable snip...]

My opponent said he would have played this, because the ace was easier to pocket, the 3 would have come back on the head spot, and depending on where exactly the cueball stopped, he'd have had at least 3 choices to pocket it and break the rack:

[...CueTable snip...]

And indeed after the game, he set them up again and made the break exactly as he said he would, and rather easy-looking too.

What would you do? I don't feel confident at all doing what he did, but he seemed to have no trouble, so maybe it's just me...
Click to expand...
 
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sfleinen said:
Unfortunately, I'm going to have to agree with your opponent. It's much easier to pocket the ace *and* draw back into the kitchen area (that's a standard shot), than trying to pocket a miss-able 3-ball and get the speed right for the proper angle on the 1-ball for an off-the-cushion break shot. (Tap-tap-tap to you for making that shot, by the way!)
Click to expand...

Ah but that's what I don't understand: in my estimation, with the shot I did, the only difficulty is to pocket the 3. The rest is a "natural" shot, you don't force the cueball or anything. As for the speed, there's only one zone you're truly stuck with the cueball, and that's near the long rail, if you get no angle to go into the rack. If you're very short, you have a bank shot on the break ball and a rack break. If you're a little too long but still have an angle, you can always go into the foot rail and break from behind the rack, and if you're really too long, you do 1 or 2 more rails and you're still not bad with the angle.

With my opponent's shot, you need to draw hard / use english, and then, at best, the cueball has the right angle but needs to travel longer from the break ball to the rack, and the break ball has a long distance to go into the corner pocket too, if this is where you need to pocket it. Not to mention, if you force-follow the cueball from the break ball directly into the rack, you run the risk of scratching. This said, yes, there are more pockets to use if something goes wrong with the cueball's position.

I don't know, it still "feels" wrong to me somehow. I'll have to do several breaks like this to figure it out.

sfleinen said:
Perhaps, though, your horizons were broadened with your opponent's insight? And that's the point of this wonderful game of 14.1 -- speaking for myself, I'm learning all the time, virtually every single match.
Click to expand...

Indeed. I often play with him, and he sometimes makes shots of such simplicity it boggles the mind. I tend to favor longer shots if they provide positioning with a "natural" shot, like in carom, but sometimes a little forcing of the cueball for a short shot seems better in straight pool. I too try to learn from other players.
 
I would have made the one ball and just come off the rail about a diamond. Then make the spottted 3 ball and come 2 rails into the rack. If you miss the rack, play safe.

I don't like the payoff for making that hard 3 ball. Making the 1 ball and getting the cue ball to hit the stack and not get stuck is no gimme. That's really great shooting that you made both of those shots.

I'd be curious what a top straight pool player would do here.

Andy
 
I would also play the 1 ball. Lots of options to work with when the 3 is on the spot, break the stack, play safe while pocketing the 3 or pocket the 3 and play shape for a side of the stack safe. Less risk and more reward.

If you miss the 3 it could become a breakball for your opponent that he could play shape on off of the 1.

Bill
 
Marop said:
I would also play the 1 ball. Lots of options to work with when the 3 is on the spot, break the stack, play safe while pocketing the 3 or pocket the 3 and play shape for a side of the stack safe. Less risk and more reward.

If you miss the 3 it could become a breakball for your opponent that he could play shape on off of the 1.

Bill
Click to expand...

I think this is the best option. I myself would have shot the 1 ball in and played position to shoot (called safe) the three in the kitchen corner pocket and try to freeze the cue ball on the back rail and say your shot.
 
Another vote for the 1 ball. Though I would never draw the cb back to the end rail, especially if I'm cold. I'd stun it off the side rail.
 
that s why i love straight pool :p

Ok- there are 2 ways i would ALWAYS play this situation.
1.) The first would be like this- pocket the one-ball in the left corner-pocket- make a follow shot with the cue-ball that it follows to the position behind the rack!

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From here (behind the rack) you re able to play an almost perfectly safety to set your opponent under pressure- it s easy from here to let the cue-ball frozen to 1-2 ball from the last line in the rack. Now your enemy ll see sharks in his bath :) he ll have a big problem to *re-save*.
I love to play safeties from behind- because they re almost perfect to play and set your opponent under extreme pressure.

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The Second would be a bit easier- just shoot the one ball into the corner pocket- the last ball(3-ball) will be set up again onto the headpoint. Pocket this ball but call a safety!!! let the cueball roll to the middle of the head-cushion and from this postion it s hard for your opponent to play a rea-safety.

like this:)

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lg from godfather of safety :p

Ingo
 
Well, if the game had been important, I'd definitely have played a safety. A well executed safety is often a good way of getting an easy ball after your opponent tries to get out of the pickle.

But in this case, my buddy and I were trying to set high runs. It's not necessarily a good winning strategy but it's fun.

Okay so it looks like I got it all wrong again. I guess I'll have to turn my way of assessing shots around. For some reason I keep playing things other people wouldn't play :)

Thanks for the great advices guys!
 
My immediate thought, without much rumination, was to do exactly as Bill described. The side of the stack safe, from where the CB would finish, is one of the best in the game. Few opponents would opt to fire in the 3 while bridging over the stack and risk leaving perhaps multiple shots via the balls dislodged from the stack should the 3 be missed.

Rick
 
Playing to set high runs and playing to win are two different mind sets.
Playing to set high runs you fire at anything.
Playing to win you should be a little more cautious.
 
I would play the 1 ball in the corner, bringing the cue ball close to the middle of the table. After spoting the 3 ball, cut the 3 ball in the corner and go 2 rails in to the stack.
**JUST LIKE ANDY SAID**
 
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