How'd you shoot the 5?

What do you do on the 5?

  • Stop shot to take 6 in side

    Votes: 57 62.6%
  • Draw back for 6 in upper right corner

    Votes: 27 29.7%
  • Stroke the straight in 5 to get the 6 somewhere else

    Votes: 7 7.7%
  • Play a safe...

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    91

dfweyer

Play it safe...
Silver Member
You messed up and left yourself straight on the 5? What would you do?

CueTable Help

 
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Neil said:
I would shoot it with just enough follow to get about two ball widths past where the 5 is now. Then shoot the 6 in the side with left follow to get back to the middle of the table.

Basically what I did in a hill-hill match this weekend...but I missed the easy 6. Its still eatin me up!

CueTable Help

 
I like following the 5 a bit too. If you're really comfortable drawing back for the 6, that's ok, but I'm not crazy about drawing straight through the straight-in angle on the 6.
 
It's all about the shooter's strength or weaknesses. I'll draw, I'm always queasy shooting balls on the side/center pocket for reasons I don't know...
 
Personally, I went with third option, "Stroke the straight in 5 to get the 6 somewhere else", instead of the more popular stop shot or draw. :o

Wouldn't it be easier to shoot the 5 into the corner, playing the CB off to the right into the rail, ending up with a corner pocket shot on the 6? :confused:

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hfelsh said:
Personally, I went with third option, "Stroke the straight in 5 to get the 6 somewhere else", instead of the more popular stop shot or draw. :o

Wouldn't it be easier to shoot the 5 into the corner, playing the CB off to the right into the rail, ending up with a corner pocket shot on the 6? :confused:

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You will cross bank the 5 just to get the rail for your CB???
 
gopi-1 said:
You will cross bank the 5 just to get the rail for your CB???
Never said I was a great player. :embarrassed2: But it does seem to me that shooting the 5 straight into the corner, playing the cue off to the right after contact, striking the rail, and ending up back on a straight shot into the corner for the 6 is what I would try to do.

Now, as to whether i'd make it or not... :shrug:
 
In spite of the fact there are only two balls left, this is a challenging out. For me, the best choice is to draw back and give my self a shot for the corner pocket but I know there are excellent players out there that will shoot the stop shot and play the 6 in the side.

Interestingly, I just played a tournament in a room I don't often go to and had several cue control issues so perhaps in that case, I would have played the stop shot. I think, if it's my home room and assuming I'm comfortable drawing the cue ball back a few feet, I'm going this way. However, that's because I don't like messing with steep angles to the side pocket.

In sum, I would have to feel insecure about drawing to go for the side pocket.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
In spite of the fact there are only two balls left, this is a challenging out. For me, the best choice is to draw back and give my self a shot for the corner pocket but I know there are excellent players out there that will shoot the stop shot and play the 6 in the side.

Interestingly, I just played a tournament in a room I don't often go to and had several cue control issues so perhaps in that case, I would have played the stop shot. I think, if it's my home room and assuming I'm comfortable drawing the cue ball back a few feet, I'm going this way. However, that's because I don't like messing with steep angles to the side pocket.

In sum, I would have to feel insecure about drawing to go for the side pocket.

not trying to be smart here Jude but is that because it's a smarter play or because that is playing to your personal strength?
 
K.I.S.S.

seems as straight forward as it could get. slight follow on 5, stop shot on the 6 side, then out. dunno why anyone would complicate this out with "fancy play syndrome" and try to draw or use more stroke than is nessasary. IMHO u made the right choice, just got the yips on the 6 side.
 
leehayes said:
not trying to be smart here Jude but is that because it's a smarter play or because that is playing to your personal strength?


No, that's a perfectly reasonable question. I think it's a little of both. Most of the time, I feel very comfortable drawing the cue ball a couple feet. However, I also recognize the 9 ball is not a hanger and the corner pocket is an easier pocket than the side in this case. I figure, I've got a challenging shot ahead of me no matter which way I go. By going for the corner pocket, my reward is ideal shape on the 9-ball. By going for the side, I'm going to have a challenging shot on the 6 ball and possibly a challenging shot on the 9, as well. Not a great trade for a stop shot, IMO.

With that said, I know there are some fine players out there that will not hesitate taking the shot in the side. Also, it's fair to say, that shot is very sensitive. A few fractions of an inch can change my opinion. If I think I can play a stop shot and simply follow for position, I might do that. I'm assuming the angle will leave me entirely on the wrong side of the 6 ball but if it's near straight, it might not be so bad.
 
Beware_of_Dawg said:
K.I.S.S.

seems as straight forward as it could get. slight follow on 5, stop shot on the 6 side, then out. dunno why anyone would complicate this out with "fancy play syndrome" and try to draw or use more stroke than is nessasary. IMHO u made the right choice, just got the yips on the 6 side.



Will this work if I have yips on the side pockets?
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image_fmabspic_0_2.jpg
 
I Usually do into have a problem shooting into the side pockets even on thin cuts. Especially on the thin cuts you have to focus on hitting that far pocket facing. I mean I focus on that far facing being the center of the pocket. Most of the tables we play on around here are 4.5 x 9 Brunswick Gold Crowns and the side pockets are huge. My home table the side pockets are just about 4.75 inches and many times I won't try the same cut shots I would on the Brunswick GCs. If you were playing on a coin op those have some pretty tight pockets esp. the sides compared to many others.:grin:
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
No, that's a perfectly reasonable question. I think it's a little of both. Most of the time, I feel very comfortable drawing the cue ball a couple feet. However, I also recognize the 9 ball is not a hanger and the corner pocket is an easier pocket than the side in this case. I figure, I've got a challenging shot ahead of me no matter which way I go. By going for the corner pocket, my reward is ideal shape on the 9-ball. By going for the side, I'm going to have a challenging shot on the 6 ball and possibly a challenging shot on the 9, as well. Not a great trade for a stop shot, IMO.

With that said, I know there are some fine players out there that will not hesitate taking the shot in the side. Also, it's fair to say, that shot is very sensitive. A few fractions of an inch can change my opinion. If I think I can play a stop shot and simply follow for position, I might do that. I'm assuming the angle will leave me entirely on the wrong side of the 6 ball but if it's near straight, it might not be so bad.



Are you a mind reader Jude?
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Every single time...

I would draw back on the 5....without hesitation. Plenty more ways to go wrong on the 6 in the side than the corner. I don't get why anyone with any kind of draw stroke would choose the side. With the draw shot you've got a 3 foot margin of error..... I'd have to fall back on Buddy Halls' advice of playing position for a corner shot over a side shot whenever you can. JMO

td
 
shoot the 5 in with follow like half a tip above center, soft draw shot on the 6 in the side or follow to the side rail make the nine ball in the corner pocket of course.

pretty routine runout.
 
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Beware_of_Dawg said:
"fancy play syndrome"

I agree with that...usually this side shot is automatic. Set this up at home and got out 9 out of 10 playing the 6 in the side. I made the 6 all 10 times and missed the 9 once. Now when I tried to draw it back 18-24 inches... I messed it up 3 times. Drew it too much 2 times and not enough once with still taking the 6 in the side.
 
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Neil said:
In this case, draw or follow, either works just as well. All you have to do is get back to the middle of the table after the 6 for a good shot on the 9.


Neil makes an excellent point. It's not unreasonable to assume you will run out going either way. What's more, just because it didn't work out doesn't necessarily make your decision wrong. This is a demanding scenario no matter which way you go and you have to execute it as best you can. The important thing is, once you make a decision, try to believe it's the best one.
 
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