How Would You Play This?

C

cuetechasaurus

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I was playing some cheap sets against a guy who plays a little better than me. It was hill-hill, and I was faced with this layout:

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What would you do here? Would you play safe on the 7, or try to get an angle on the 6 to break it out, or something else? I'll post what I did after a few responses.
 
just an option

START(
%C[4A6%Dt6B1%Et5B1%FQ2X3%GD3P9%HF0P0%Id1D2%P[9W3%QQ1W2%Ur3N2
%VC8R0%WS0X4%X[1W4%]D1R5%^Q7X1%eC5a5%__8K0%`f7K9%ar9N3
)END
im sure there are better shots just wanted to see what this would get on a scale for 1 to 10...Ron
 

CueTable Help


Cut the 3 ball past the side with a little draw and appropriate english depending on the angle you actually have. Play speed for the cueball to go to the 8-7 and the 3 to go to the opposite end rail. This gives you a runnable table when you get back to the table if you have a shot. Dont pocket the easy ones then try a safe or breakout..... too many things can go wrong, then you leave your opponent with a 3 ball run.
Chuck
 
I think you have a semi "can't lose" situation. Run out the easy ones and try to get good shape on the 6 so that you can make the 6 in the lower left corner and follow the cue ball into the cluster (hopefully clip the 8 to free up the 7 if you can). If you don't get good on the 6 and can't set up a "can't miss" carom into the cluster, then just play safe by banking the 6 up to the head of the table, and leave the cue ball down near the cluster, or anywhere on the foot rail depending on the angles you have to work with. The idea would be to leave a tough shot on the 6 for your opponent AND leave the cluster in tact. That way he'll have to deal with it -- just make sure you don't put the 6 somewhere that HE has a "can't miss" carom to the cluster. Maybe he'll do something stupid and give you another opening.

Looking at the layout, you could get a little funny on the 5 if you aren't careful, which might prevent you from having a reasonable chance of getting good on the 6 for the breakout. RiverCity's suggestion on the 3 might be good too, but mine gives you a chance to runout without, I think, too much risk. I guess it also comes down to how precise you are with cue ball control.

dwhite
 
cuetechasaurus said:
I was playing some cheap sets against a guy who plays a little better than me. It was hill-hill, and I was faced with this layout:

CueTable Help



What would you do here? Would you play safe on the 7, or try to get an angle on the 6 to break it out, or something else? I'll post what I did after a few responses.
Click to expand...

Since the 7-8 are tied and the runout looks chancy...and the 4 is in the pocket with easy position on the 5, I would make the three and bump the 9 to the end rail, if there's room to get behind it I would try to put it close to the bottom right corner pocket to set up a 5-9 combo. Otherwise, try to put it into the 4 and leave it there. IF the 9 doesn't come out like you like, then you can play safe and leave him where he won't be able to break up the combo.

Cheers,
RC
 
Id run out to the 6 and get shape here, play with follow and break out the 7 8 cluster and hope for a shot on it....

Like so:

CueTable Help

 
Since the 4 ball is dead, I'd do my best to really stroke the 3 ball into the side pocket, send the cue ball to the end rail and back uptable and hopefully crash right into the 7/8 cluster. If you manage to hit the cluster, you'll most likely have a shot on the 4 ball, and probably be able to run the table out. If you miss the cluster, it will be necessary to rethink your plan.

Flex
 
I would personaly not be confident enough to get the breakout shape, so I would play safe. As RiverCity said, don't wait until you are looking at the tied up balls to play safe, play safe NOW and keep playing safe until you see the out. If you wait to play safe against a better player, you are just cutting the weeds for them, making it easier for them to win.

I had a very similar hill-hill situation recently against a very straight shooter who has no clue about strategy. Because I knew my player, I ran to the 7 (the 8&9 were the ones tied up), and shot it pocket speed to just miss, leaving him straight in. Of course I had to act like I was mad that I missed the easy shot. He fell for it and made the seven that had no hope of a breakout, and then was forced to break out the 8&9 to leave me a two ball out. He still thinks that because he is a better shooter, that I beat him every time out of luck. Keep in mind though, I would only play it like that against someone who I know can't play safes as well as me, or someone who knows nothing about strategy. If they know some basic strategy, I would play the first good safe I see.
 
desert1pocket said:
If you wait to play safe against a better player, you are just cutting the weeds for them, making it easier for them to win.
Click to expand...

On the other hand "it depends." Let's say I am playing a better player - Efren Reyes, but I'm not too sure of my ability to get on the 6. I have control of the table, and except for the breakout shot, I have sitting ducks. So my choice is to give up the table and get into a safety battle with Efren at the 3, or to go for it. I keep the table and take my chances on that one. Worst case scenario is that you get into a safety battle at the 6 instead of 3 BUT at least you gave yourself a chance to win. For me I think it is a good tradeoff.

dwhite
 
sixpack said:
... I would make the three and bump the 9 to the end rail, if there's room to get behind it I would try to put it close to the bottom right corner pocket to set up a 5-9 combo. Otherwise, try to put it into the 4 and leave it there. IF the 9 doesn't come out like you like, then you can play safe and leave him where he won't be able to break up the combo....
Click to expand...
My choice, too. While this verges on being a circus shot, you maintain control. If you do pocket the 4 with the 9, you need to be prepared to stun the cue ball from the 5 to the 9 even if the cue ball ends where the 9 starts.
 
Make the 3, play a billiard off the 3 into the 9, make the 9 if possible( can't be sure it will go from the diagram) at least move it towards pocket with another opportunity to score it with 4 or 5. Plenty of time to play safe if it doesn't work out. This is not a circus shot. With the 7 tied up you have control. If the 7-8 were not tied up it would be a run.
 
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START(
%C[9D8%Dr7D2%Er7I9%FQ2X3%GC7Q2%HD8P5%Id1D2%PZ7J5%UR3D5%Vp0[3
%Wq8T8%X\3E3%YF2O0%ZQ0C7%[p6Z3%\s2V1%eC7b3
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I would take one free swing at this breakout....it may seem like a wild shot but even if you miss the breakout you still have many options to keep control of the table; like running up to the six for a gentle breakout angle on the 7/8, and if you didn't get a good breakout angle on the 7/8 you can still play some kind of safety off the seven leaving a low % shot while opening up the 7/8....the first shot is a full power stroke of course....NO FEAR POOL......lol
 
A couple of you guys got it right about what I did. This won me the set.

CueTable Help



The 9 ball was laying about a quarter of an inch from the rail, so I saw an excellent change to carom the 9 into the 4 and hang up the 9 for either a 5-9combination or carom. I got far enough for the combo.

I believe this is the correct shot, because even if the 9 misses the 4, it's almost guaranteed that you will still have a shot on the 4, and perhaps you can play position on the 5 for a safety or something else. Or if the 9 makes the 4 but goes on the wrong side of the pocket for the combo/carom, you will probably still go far enough to have a shot on the 5, or have the option to play safe on the 5.

edit: the red arrow should be pointed at the 3-ball, there is something wrong with the wei table.
 
I think I would shoot the 3, 4, 5 and end up down table for a straight in shot on the 6. Follow the six to play a carrom on the 7/8 with natural shape on the 7--- then shoot the nine and take the cash. My break.
 
Tennesseejoe said:
I think I would shoot the 3, 4, 5 and end up down table for a straight in shot on the 6. Follow the six to play a carrom on the 7/8 with natural shape on the 7--- then shoot the nine and take the cash. My break.
Click to expand...
Good run. Who's rack is it? Who left you out? Cuetechasaurus?

unknownpro
 
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