Is This A Difficult Shot For Most?

[DrCue'sProtege]

7faff.png (1667×903) (chalkysticks.com)

You have to pocket the 6B and then draw back for position on the 7B. The measles CB is where I start and the plain white CB is where I would like to end up.

If you hit it too hard you will have a thin cut on the 7B. And if you hit it too soft you would more than likely run into the 9B when pocketing the 7B. Unless you hit it just a hair too soft have just a slight angle where you can pocket the 7B with low left and draw off the rail for the 8B.

I struggle with this shot. Seems like I am always either too hard or too easy and hose myself.

r/DCP

 

[sparkle84]

Not particularly. Hitting a low ball with a good amount of left allows you to get a fuller hit on the 6 which for most people (I think) helps in controlling the speed.

 

[evergruven]

just looking at it, I'd say that's a touchy shot
looks like low to get that position, touch of left
to me, the nine is scarier than the eight
I think I'd try to drag it, to float back for shape
might end up short, if I run into the nine so be it
better than overrunning shape, in this case
for funsies, I'd like to try really stroking that
try end up behind the seven

 

[boogieman]

7faff.png (1667×903) (chalkysticks.com)

You have to pocket the 6B and then draw back for position on the 7B. The measles CB is where I start and the plain white CB is where I would like to end up.

If you hit it too hard you will have a thin cut on the 7B. And if you hit it too soft you would more than likely run into the 9B when pocketing the 7B. Unless you hit it just a hair too soft have just a slight angle where you can pocket the 7B with low left and draw off the rail for the 8B.

I struggle with this shot. Seems like I am always either too hard or too easy and hose myself.

r/DCP

Personally, I'd rather the CB end up a diamond upwards from the between the L and K on the logo after the 6, follow on the 7 and shoot the 8 in the same pocket as the 6, with a stop shot and shoot the 9 in the upper right corner. I'm no good at 9B but this seems easier to me if you're ok with long shots. I generally don't have problems with long cuts, so even if I were to follow short on the 7, I should still make the 8.

Don't judge me too harshly on my patter, as I said, I'm not good at 9B and still learning.

 

[SurfTopics]

I think I would go forward three rails and come into the line of the 7. This gives a lot more room for speed control errors.

 

[bbb]

playing shape by playing the cue ball off the rail just above or just below the side pocket gives you better margin of error


the diagram doesnt show the below the side pocket which is better ...imho
you want to stop the cue ball on a dime
you arent good enough to do that
'jmho
edit to add
1) its better to come towards your position zone
2) add the path below the side

7faff.png (1667×903) (chalkysticks.com)

You have to pocket the 6B and then draw back for position on the 7B. The measles CB is where I start and the plain white CB is where I would like to end up.

If you hit it too hard you will have a thin cut on the 7B. And if you hit it too soft you would more than likely run into the 9B when pocketing the 7B. Unless you hit it just a hair too soft have just a slight angle where you can pocket the 7B with low left and draw off the rail for the 8B.

I struggle with this shot. Seems like I am always either too hard or too easy and hose myself.

r/DCP

 

[bbb]

I think I would go forward three rails and come into the line of the 7. This gives a lot more room for speed control errors.

i think the angle coming towards the ball may lend it to naturally leave an angle to run in to the 9
icbw

 

[Imac007]

the diagram doesnt show the below the side pocket which is better ...imho

I agree with this thinking. The nearer you get to the 7 ball the more precise the shape becomes, distance tends to straighten angles. If you draw a line across the table from the 6 ball and put the cue ball off the rail near the first diamond below the side, the 7 is just off straight to the corner. The eight can be shot to the lower left corner as the shape and the nine is right there. I prefer to shoot the 6 with a firm stun stroke with just enough inside english to counter the normally acquired outside english. The ball doesn’t speed up or slow down off the rail making pace easy to judge. It’s easier to learn to make the seven ball from that distance than to get the cue ball to the intended location via the path as diagrammed. While the cue ball ends up without spin the inside english on the cue ball transfers left hand english onto the six. That english pulls the 6 into the pocket off the short rail jaw, avoiding a rattle In the jaws.

 

[straightline]

I'd pass if if the speed was out of spec though there are ways to cinch the whole range.

 

[evergruven]

hey this isn't a wwyd tho..
maybe it's not the easiest option, but still it's a shot
and how to get *there* was what the OP asked about
maybe it's harder than it has to be
but why not have more of a discussion about it
dig into the OG shot a little more

anyway, I tried hitting it a few times tonight and had fun
it was actually easier than I thought it would be
I think because once I got on the table
I saw that the nine wasn't really blocking the seven's shot line
the position zone was a lot bigger than I thought

 

[straightline]

Gotta put it in self terms though. Can't tell why DCP fails on it.
I use BHE and that makes the shot nearly as reliable as anything on the strict vertical axis. If you need more speed with outside you need to experiment with the actual spot the stick is pointed at but once you get your marks it's just as reliable. One good alternative is just going across the table playing for the 8 per the landing on the 7. There's a lot to be said on keeping it loose as possible.

 

[The_JV]

7faff.png (1667×903) (chalkysticks.com)

You have to pocket the 6B and then draw back for position on the 7B. The measles CB is where I start and the plain white CB is where I would like to end up.

If you hit it too hard you will have a thin cut on the 7B. And if you hit it too soft you would more than likely run into the 9B when pocketing the 7B. Unless you hit it just a hair too soft have just a slight angle where you can pocket the 7B with low left and draw off the rail for the 8B.

I struggle with this shot. Seems like I am always either too hard or too easy and hose myself.

r/DCP

The low/outside shot is in my wheel house. Not that I think you were paying attention to the various threads in this sub-forum I've been active lately, but I've been hammering the default use of that type of shot for nearly everything that doesn't require something else, and this is an example of why. Variations of this shot are used continuously in the game. ....I wouldn't have too much of a problem getting the CB where you suggested. However, if it matters, I play a low-ish 'short-stop' level. My unsubstantiated fargo is ~680, but is right about where I should be.

Now the reason I manage to play at the level I do, is simply because I wouldn't attempt this shot as you designed. If the forward 3 rails wasn't an option, (dead rails, slow cloth, etc) I'd hit it hard and punch the CB over to the opposite long rail above the side pocket. Hard enough to come off the rail. Not hard enough just to make it there. My goal on 7 ball shape isn't to get above the 8 ball but below it so I can shoot it passed the side pocket and up into the top corner. This makes your landing zone to get on the 7 quite large. Keeping the CB there for the 9 is easy enough. Having an angle on the 8 ball allows you to control the CB with the long rail.

The difficulty in your scenario isn't the shot you want to play. It resigning yourself into a pattern play that's foreign to you. Which subsequently changes the shots...lol.

If I may be so bold and a little more long winded, here's how I approach the game.... I flat out assume I'm going to pot every ball I line up for. Regardless of how I'm hitting it. I cannot control cloth speed, or rail action. I can control direct potting. I base my decisions solely on the best way to get on the next ball to create a pattern that gives me the best odds of getting out. Your shot, as described adds a positional element that doesn't need to be there. All in a hopes to get 'right' on the 7 so you can play one option shape on the 8. The way I suggested to play it provides a much larger landing zone after the 6, which allows me to choose how to play shape on the 8 after the seven. I could roll the 7 and slide under the 8. If the angle into the pocket is great enough, I can hit it more firm and come back up off the bottom rail....etc. It's about options.

 

[FranCrimi]

Easy shot for a spin player. Low with 2 tips of left. No need to travel to the opposite rail. Hit it nice and easy. The CB floats back down for position on the 7. BTW, this shot is a MUST to know if you're a rotation game player. It comes up a lot. Players who like to punch the ball will have a little more trouble executing this shot because it's a finesse shot.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Easy shot for a spin player. Low with 2 tips of left. No need to travel to the opposite rail. Hit it nice and easy. The CB floats back down for position on the 7. BTW, this shot is a MUST to know if you're a rotation game player. It comes up a lot. Players who like to punch the ball will have a little more trouble executing this shot because it's a finesse shot.

Yep, easy enough. But there's no real need for spin on this shot - plain low (with a little more speed) works fine.

pj
chgo

 

[FranCrimi]

Yep, easy enough. But there's no real need for spin on this shot - plain low (with a little more speed) works fine.

pj
chgo

Not for me. I won't shoot this without left. The last thing you want is more speed on this shot.

 

[David in FL]

Easy shot for a spin player. Low with 2 tips of left. No need to travel to the opposite rail. Hit it nice and easy. The CB floats back down for position on the 7. BTW, this shot is a MUST to know if you're a rotation game player. It comes up a lot. Players who like to punch the ball will have a little more trouble executing this shot because it's a finesse shot.

That was my first thought too...

 

[The_JV]

Not for me. I won't shoot this without left. The last thing you want is more speed on this shot.

...and that's another reason to go to the opposite rail, above the side pocket. (again, if the 3 rail forward isn't an option based on conditions).

That route allows you to put a stronger stroke on it and not have to worry about over cooking it. f you're trying to reach the opposite rail, you're not going to come up short. To go too far after the second rail, you'd have to blast that shot.

Take speed out of the equation. One less variable to have to worry about.

Playing with 'touch' is fine when you're dialed in. ..and I'd most likely do the low/left shot. Just saying imo it's not the higher percentage play.

 

[FranCrimi]

...and that's another reason to go to the opposite rail, above the side pocket. (again, if the 3 rail forward isn't an option based on conditions).

That route allows you to put a stronger stroke on it and not have to worry about over cooking it. f you're trying to reach the opposite rail, you're not going to come up short. To go too far after the second rail, you'd have to blast that shot.

Take speed out of the equation. One less variable to have to worry about.

Playing with 'touch' is fine when you're dialed in. ..and I'd most likely do the low/left shot. Just saying imo it's not the higher percentage play.

I seriously don't get it. This is such an easy shot to shoot with low left and a medium soft stroke.

 

[The_JV]

I seriously don't get it. This is such an easy shot to shoot with low left and a medium soft stroke.

agreed...

the point that you're struggling with is I'm suggesting that you can make a higher percentage play by staying on the top half of the table. A dead rail, slow cloth, worse yet fast cloth, and your easy shot ends up putting you in a less than ideal place. By simply making the effort to get the CB just to the opposite side of the table, you have an equally easy shot and eliminate any concerns about either running too far or too short.

Maybe your thinking to get the CB to the center of the table rather than follow the path the OP illustrated. Both shots are low left, just varying power.

What's confusing me, is that nearly every instructional vid I've seen states that playing shape by having the CB cross the target line is the bad way to play it. Yet here, we're promoting it....? Odd....

Look, I'm not an instructor. It is certainly not my place to argue with one, in this particular forum. All I'm saying is... despite how easy one may feel a shot is. If there's another option, just as easy, that provides increased odds of success. Then odds are, you'll be more successful following that option.

 

[Imac007]

It’s easier to learn to make the seven ball from that distance than to get the cue ball to the intended location via the path as diagrammed.

In fairness to the original post, there will be situations, especially in 8 ball where other balls won’t allow for optimum paths.

Part of the trouble with shots like the 6 ball is the closeness of the rail. A cue ball struck too hard will only travel on the tangent line, not draw. If hard enough the side spin often fails to react until the second rail.

So given the constraint that the given final resting spot on roughly the given path is the goal, this is very much of an Effren type shot. The idea is that you want lots of left spin without the pace of a draw shot. That doesn’t mean that a draw stroke is out of the question.

A drag shot uses such a stroke. By using english with draw it is possible to have a softer hit at impact and lots of spin. The backwards spin on the cue ball acts like brakes slowing the cue ball on the way to impact if not struck too hard. The idea is to maximize side spin while ending up with a softer controlled contact at impact.

I would choose a shot speed for a straight on stop shot about ¾ of the distance between the balls. That way, the last ¼ distance travelled, will have plenty of side spin yet be just started rolling.

There are different stop shot strokes for that distance. Pick one that tends to track on the tangent line into the rail. You need to let the spin generate about half the speed to get to the preferred landing place.

Effren is the master of the stroke using all the nuances of amount of spin combined with speed. He takes the cue ball gently by the hand and guides it quietly into place showing it all the possible things it can be.