I know what not to do, but what DO I do????

D-Rock

D-Rock

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So here's the scenario thats lost me many matches I could have won. My opponent breaks, runs a few balls and misses. I get to the table to look it over, there is a cluster of balls, mine and his, that needs to get broke out but I see no feasible way of breaking them out and running the rack. I know not to be clearing my balls off the table and make it easier for him, but what do I do? eventually the balls will have to be addressed, Do i just dodge until he breaks them up or what? I'm always told not to start shooting in all my balls unless i can see the entire run out but what do I do if I can't see one? Its hard to play safeties in 8 ball early in the match when we both have balls on the table.
 
Put yourself in your opponents shoes...

look at the problem.... find a path for your CB that both solves your problem and leaves him as difficult a shot as you can...

if you can't solve it from where you are now.. plan a series of shots to get you in a position where you CAN

and you must do this as SOON as you can...

putting it off helps the opponent...

clutter is your friend... use the traffic to your advantage

more balls equals more places to hide...

not every break is runnable.. especially in 8 ball on a box

so bunt the balls around rearrange the furniture.. as long as he can't run out from where you leave him you will get back to the table..

oftentimes he will not know as much... and will take a free shot at a duck run 3 or 4 balls and .. by ignoring his problems .... he will be stuck and.... he will clear a path for us to win.. let him have that opportunity..

beware of the guy who solves his problems and creates more problems for you... he knows what he's doing..

be that guy

not the guy draining ducks without a plan...

always have a plan
 
softshot said:
Put yourself in your opponents shoes...

look at the problem.... find a path for your CB that both solves your problem and leaves him as difficult a shot as you can...

if you can't solve it from where you are now.. plan a series of shots to get you in a position where you CAN

and you must do this as SOON as you can...

putting it off helps the opponent...

clutter is your friend... use the traffic to your advantage

more balls equals more places to hide...

not every break is runnable.. especially in 8 ball on a box

so bunt the balls around rearrange the furniture.. as long as he can't run out from where you leave him you will get back to the table..

oftentimes he will not know as much... and will take a free shot at a duck run 3 or 4 balls and .. by ignoring his problems .... he will be stuck and.... he will clear a path for us to win.. let him have that opportunity..

beware of the guy who solves his problems and creates more problems for you... he knows what he's doing..

be that guy

not the guy draining ducks without a plan...

always have a plan
Click to expand...

super good points. Remember no one ever said you have to always shoot for your hole. If you need to play safe and lay up bank one of your balls by the side pocket to get a breakout then. 8 ball especially on the bar box has more similarities to one pocket and straight pool. You don't want to just blast away wildly trying to break balls out, you have to use strategy and shot making skills to get you into the best avenue's to run out. Once your out of balls your helpless if you get in trouble.

Having control of your inside english is a key to getting around many obstacles and the runout. If unsure then just play safe, if you can't make a decision then at least keep the table neutral as it stands but better if the layout can be shifted in anyway to your favor even if its only one ball being moved 4"

Always play so that the balls become advantageous to you for the run out, position play for breakouts etc, like the man said always have a plan. GI Joe-knowing is half the battle, the ones who come to battle without a plan are for sure to be slaughtered.
 
Why not do a two way shot? Break up your clusters and try to play safe at the same time? If you are not able to break up your clusters and there is nowhere to hide, I would leave the cb on the rail and try to put some distance on his available shots and definitely not give him a chance to break out his own clusters. If you do have a shot, I would go for a breakout. If you don't get your breakout after the shot, then you either need to make sure you get the breakout on the next shot or play safe.
 
Caseyj9779 said:
Why not do a two way shot? Break up your clusters and try to play safe at the same time? If you are not able to break up your clusters and there is nowhere to hide, I would leave the cb on the rail and try to put some distance on his available shots and definitely not give him a chance to break out his own clusters. If you do have a shot, I would go for a breakout. If you don't get your breakout after the shot, then you either need to make sure you get the breakout on the next shot or play safe.
Click to expand...

you are on the right track..

but remember..

in 9 ball you generally play safe after a mistake or if you don't have a shot.. it's easy to hide him from 1 ball

in 8 ball you play safe before you make a mistake even if you HAVE a shot.. typically that mistake is shooting off to many balls without a plan to get them all down.
it is very difficult to hide him from 7 balls when you have nothing to hide behind..

My most memorable 8 ball game .. went well over 10 innings might have been 20... with ducks sitting in corners most of the game..

I don't think either one of us missed a shot..

someone walking by commented to someone else that we sucked.. with all the easy shots on the table one of us should have sunk a couple balls at least...

guys like that don't understand 8 ball

the game ended with me running 6 and out for the win.

don't start running balls until you KNOW you can get them all..

play chess not checkers :grin-square:
 
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don't play safe to hide him from a shot...

play safe to solve your problem and hide him from his problem.... or to create a new one for him
 
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8-Ball is sooo often under-estimated. And the ppl who underestimate this great game will get often a nasty suprise :p. Like GreyGhost shown up already- 8-Ball is a very tactical way- experience and tactics are very important. If it s your turn at the table, take your time<---- watch if there is a good way to run-out..and if not- play a safety. With a well played safety you can force your opponent to make errors to bring you in an advantagously position. 8-Ball can keep you so long at the table like almost any other game...if you have a good break- and on the other side a 8-Ball game can even be a strategy-war which takes very long :p

8-Ball is my greatest love^^ just because of those *nasty surprises* you can offer your oppenent :p

practise, and learn, learn, learn from watching :)

have fun,

Ingo
 
That all makes sense. 8 ball is a very tough game when you have clusters. If it's an open table, that's a different story. A soft break can destroy a straight shooter who goes for everything because they don't understand strategy.

All in all, what would you do? I would try to break up my clusters, try to play safe, and not give him a chance at a break out.

There are so many questions you have to answer. What do his clusters look like? Will he be able to break his out easier than I will? If I give him a shot is he good enough to break up his clusters? Is this the kind of person that is capable of a table run, or should I just give him an open shot? Where I'm going to leave the cue ball....what would I do?
 
I used to go about my table trying to break my clusters up as soon as possible so I could run them. sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. Now I usually look to break them out only if I can do it with a safety, otherwise I let him break it out. worked fine in leuge, but I played a tournament this weekend and got killed doing that. I think i'm going back to my old way, sure, I don't always get out but it leaves me the best chance I think
 
D-Rock said:
I used to go about my table trying to break my clusters up as soon as possible so I could run them. sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

was that because of the plan or because you missed a shot?

Now I usually look to break them out only if I can do it with a safety, otherwise I let him break it out.

using a safe to break a cluster is a good idea... giving away control of the table to let your opponent control your game is a BAD IDEA!!!
when your enemy controls your fate .....you lose.... simple as that

worked fine in leuge, but I played a tournament this weekend and got killed doing that.

because you were facing guys in the tourney who know that strategy... they have been doing it longer than you have and they see things that you don't see yet.. learn from how they beat you ..
....let your losses lead you to future wins

I think i'm going back to my old way, sure, I don't always get out but it leaves me the best chance I think
Click to expand...

short term ... this game... maybe it does...

long term .......mastering the game... you stay stagnate while everyone else moves forward..


not a recipe for success...

I'd rather fail doing it right.. and learning in the process ...

over winning a rack... and losing the tourney..

a lot of this comes down to ability..

2 players who can't run two balls... strategy is useless...

1 player with decent shot making and decent control
against a player who can't run 2 balls... strategy is useless..

2 players who can each run a wide open table most of the time...

now it matters.. now mistakes cost you... and the stakes get higher..

now it comes down to strategy... now what I posted matters..

if your goal is to beat the drunk and his wife in league..

... you don't need to play high level strategy

play up to your skill level and you will stay where you are..

reaching for the next level is the only way to get there...

you do what you want to do.. up to you.. I don't care..

but for me I won't stop until I am the best in the building

different set of goals = different set of results..

best of luck to you:grin:
 
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