How would you play this?

CreeDo

CreeDo

Fargo Rating 597
Silver Member
This came up recently in a game of 9b.
The six doesn't go in the top left or bottom left corner.

The 5 was laying nice, I got a good angle on it. So I played to plant the cue ball around A (so far so good) and then draw to the rail with heavy left, to send the cue ball along the black line.

However, once I got in front of it, I realized I had to use pretty soft, very low draw to avoid bumping the 8, and bend the path of the cue ball a little. By the time it reached the rail it may even have been going backwards. The left spin carried the ball to "B". And there wasn't enough force because if I hit it any harder, I clip the 8.

So what should I have done? Allowed it to clip the 8 and skipped the draw maybe? Tried to run into the cluster when I shot the 5? Just position myself for a planned safety where I freeze the CB to the 8?

O6XaH.jpg
 
I don't know what is right. Your shot doesn't appear too difficult. But if it was me playing I might have wanted the cueball on the other side of the six-ball. And then go 2 or 3 rails to the 7. (it's pretty tight position either way)
 
Last edited:
CreeDo said:
So what should I have done? Allowed it to clip the 8 and skipped the draw maybe? Tried to run into the cluster when I shot the 5? Just position myself for a planned safety where I freeze the CB to the 8?
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with clipping the 8, unless the carom's set for the side. Depending on how it's laying, it may be helpful to get the 8 either out into the middle of the table or down table towards the 7 so you don't have to work as hard on the leave or rigging the shot on the 6.
 
Depending on how I feel at the time. There are several different ways out.

First ,,if not feeling it,,,play a safety with the 5, and put cue behind 6/8,,5 on opposite rail.

Or go for it,,make the 5 and break the 6/8. Chances are great that it will line up as long as you do hit them. A mis ,,,,,,,and its terrible.

Nothing really wrong with what you tried though. Sounds like you put a little too much draw on it. Not the end of the world. And bad luck,,it didn't line up better from 5 shot.

If you would have nicked the 8,,maybe the cue would go down table ,,same side and lined up for 7,,but who knows??
 
Jacking up and jumping the 8-ball isn't as hard as it sounds.

The way you went is good, but load it with left english....
...with a very short follow-through.
Even if you clip the 8-ball, you'll probably get there.

A short follow-through gives you 'quick' draw, which avoids the 8-ball.
 
Thanks for doing one if these, CreeDo.

Forgive me, but I'm confused about the set up. Where is the cue ball when shooting the five?
 
I've found that these sorts of shots tend to require more English than you think. You're asking the English to do more of the work than you would on a typical follow shot. You can get there; you just need a short stroke and a lot of left spin.

I don't think you did anything wrong here from a strategy perspective. It's a hard shot and even pros don't have to get perfect on that 7 ball. It's worth shooting this shot a bunch of times to get a feel for the stroke and the spin.
 
I think playing to bump the six on the bottom side was the play on the 5. If you miss the cluster then you have a nice bank to the corner which can be played as a 50/50 shot by sliding the cue ball up the side rail and behind the 8 if you miss the bank. Or if you hit the 6 on the bottom side it should slide off the side of the 8 towards the side leaving you a nice shot at the side.

If I was left at point A on the 6, I would have looked to play safe behind the 8 and moving the 6 to the end rail possibly under the 7 as well instead of going for it. But if you go for it, you must put some left on it to make sure it travels far enough and wide enough to get on the 7.

Good thread!

Ken
 
I may be (probably am) seeing it wrong, but it doesn't look like hitting the 8 is likely if you make the 6 in the side. I would have let the cue run down the table - off the long rail just a bit past the side, then to the short rail for shape near the bottom right corner.

bes
 
Thanks for the replies so far.

Chris: I thought about playing for the other angle but was a little scared of hooking myself on the 6 or falling so straight I have to hit it at warp speed. If I get the right angle I still have to dodge the 9. But maybe that's the play even if it's a little risky.

Petey: did you mean the other way around (more spin, less draw)? I actually drew it too much I think, hitting the side rail below the 8. The ball was almost going backwards.

flash: I think I agree with you... if I fell a little more perfect on the angle it's not so tough, but I didn't... going into them shouldn't be hard but the outcome is a little random and I'm hooked if I miss them... Clipping the 8 also is a little random. Probably it's ok, but maybe not.

Dub: see the corner of the rack outline, the corner that's up and to the left of the 9b? That's about where the CB was. It was a pretty nice angle, I could go into them cluster with natural top almost.

pt109: I like your solution a lot. I always felt like these jump-for-shape shots are kind of gimmicky, but this is one case where it may honestly be the best solution. Especially after the 5 is already gone and I'm stuck shooting from position A whether I like it or not.

TSW: I actually used a ton of left (I thought). But I'll practice and see if I can juice it a bit more. I think maybe the problem was too much draw.

bes: I may not have drawn it right... or it may be one of those things that isn't clear from a top down view. Looking at it, it seems like you'll miss the 8 all day with little or no draw. But in reality I definitely had to put good draw on the ball to avoid touching that 8.

Okie: If I miss running into the cluster I may end up kicking the 6! :) I guess you're planning to hit softly so that's not a concern, but then you're still looking at nothing but a shot in the side, maybe from the other angle (like the cue ball ends up where you see the ghostly ball touching the rail). I can't see running into them working out well unless I get a great roll.

I think you're right though, a safe is pretty easy here and if I go for it, I must really go for it with enough spin to get the job done.
 
Last edited:
It looks to me like you played it right but hit it badly. We do that more than we would like to admit. Hitting it with more left doesn't really require much more power.
 
CreeDo said:
Thanks for the replies so far.

Okie: If I miss running into the cluster I may end up kicking the 6! :) I guess you're planning to hit softly so that's not a concern, but then you're still looking at nothing but a shot in the side, maybe from the other angle (like the cue ball ends up where you see the ghostly ball touching the rail). I can't see running into them working out well unless I get a great roll.

I think you're right though, a safe is pretty easy here and if I go for it, I must really go for it with enough spin to get the job done.
Click to expand...

I agree if the line you used to get to point A is the red line then that would be a bad choice. But if you used a line like the green line I doubt you could go wrong. Love this stuff!

I have a 78 year old pool playing buddy. My favorite saying of his goes as follows: "He got out and he shot all the wrong shots!".
 

Attachments

  • O6XaH.jpg
    O6XaH.jpg
    86 KB · Views: 521
bes said:
I may be (probably am) seeing it wrong, but it doesn't look like hitting the 8 is likely if you make the 6 in the side. I would have let the cue run down the table - off the long rail just a bit past the side, then to the short rail for shape near the bottom right corner.

bes
Click to expand...

That's what I see too, if it would mis or just nip the 8. That seems to be an easier shot from an execution stand point.
 
Carom the 6 Ball off of the 8 into the same side pocket you were trying to make it in with your planned shot.

Use draw, and draw the cue ball back behind the 9, which will give you a great shot on the 5, if you make the 6.

If you miss the 6 the 9 is a blocker, and your opponent has a VERY hard shot to make or hit the 6 and get on the 5.

Thats my choice.
 
CreeDo said:
Thanks for the replies so far.

Chris: I thought about playing for the other angle but was a little scared of hooking myself on the 6 or falling so straight I have to hit it at warp speed. If I get the right angle I still have to dodge the 9. But maybe that's the play even if it's a little risky.

Petey: did you mean the other way around (more spin, less draw)? I actually drew it too much I think, hitting the side rail below the 8. The ball was almost going

Less draw(the tanger line already misses the 8)a little more inside English (left) you could spin the cb off the rail right toward the corner pocket
Click to expand...
 
Its tough to tell from the diagram, but it looks like the natural path off the 6 is close to the side pocket. Also appears as though bumping the 8 is about the same. If that's the case, I think you played it right. If you can miss the side by either playing slight draw with right or by running into the 8, my vote is either of those 2.
 
bes said:
I may be (probably am) seeing it wrong, but it doesn't look like hitting the 8 is likely if you make the 6 in the side. I would have let the cue run down the table - off the long rail just a bit past the side, then to the short rail for shape near the bottom right corner.

bes
Click to expand...

that's how I would have shot it too
 
You screwed up on the 5 ball. You came up short on position on the six, leaving a hard shot. If you would have played position to be straight in on the 8, you could of just played the six into the same pocket as you did, using a bit of right, end rail, side rail, positioning the cue ball on the opposite side of the table from where you wanted to in the first place.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top