Key Ball Frozen On Foot Rail.

mnorwood

mnorwood

Moon
Silver Member
In my studies of end rack patterns many authors and 14.1 gurus suggest a keyball closer to the side pockets to set up for a traditional break shot. However, I have been experimenting with a key ball that is within an inch, if not frozen to the foot rail. I find it easear to get into position and easier to control the speed on a one or two rail play for a break shot. This pattern is most versitile the further the ball is to the center of the foot rail.

I am sorry I don't have a diagram as I don't have the download.
 
Certainly, the ball you describe can be a very good key ball, offering lots of play onto the standard breakshot, but minimizing the amount of position that must be played onto the break ball is considered best technique, and this fails to accomplish that objective.
 
With these types of key balls, the cue ball will be heading up table fairly parallel to the target zone...going parallel to the zone instead of across it; one of the cardinal position principles. These can be excellent key balls (though having the object ball a bit off the rail gives you more options).

Of course you will also be violating another of the cardinal principles: minimize cueball movement.

It is one of the fascinating aspects of 14.1; there are multiple principles of good play on which all experts agree....and you will have to violate several of them every rack. Knowing which principle takes precedence at what point in the rack is what separates the true old school masters from us schmucks.

Take a lesson from one of the "risk minimization" masters (like Danny D. or Grady; or perhaps Danny Barouty), and you will be very impressed with the amount of thinking that goes on during even a seemingly simple pattern.

What I think you will find is that minimizing cue ball movement is one of the very most important principles LATE IN THE GAME when your muscles get a bit tight, and even the simple hangers start to look tough. Thats when a simple "stop-stop-stop" final sequence is worth its weight in gold - especially if cash is on the line.
 
Mnorwood,

Is this diagram about right? The 1 is your typical break shot and the 2 is where you describe. I kinda like the 3 ball a little better. Both positions can be either 1 or 2 rails. I like the 3 better because it is easier to get the cue ball to position B than position A.

As SJM points out, this works well if you have a previous ball that will let you easily get to A or B.

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I agree with this keyball's utility, but I am curious why you say it is most versatile the closer to the center of the footrail it is?

An end pattern involving an object ball at about the first diamond on the footrail, on the same side as the break ball, is imo much more effective. It is very easy to float two natural rails into position.

With the key ball in the center, it's tougher to use any inside english to get to that second rail, because it often makes a scratch in the side pretty big. So then you have to do some awkward stuff to miss the side, which can cause you to play shape a little too conservatively.

- Steve
 
Steve Lipsky said:
I agree with this keyball's utility, but I am curious why you say it is most versatile the closer to the center of the footrail it is?

An end pattern involving an object ball at about the first diamond on the footrail, on the same side as the break ball, is imo much more effective. It is very easy to float two natural rails into position.

With the key ball in the center, it's tougher to use any inside english to get to that second rail, because it often makes a scratch in the side pretty big. So then you have to do some awkward stuff to miss the side, which can cause you to play shape a little too conservatively.

- Steve
Click to expand...
I guess I ment to say closer to the center because it wouldn't matter which end the cue ball is on the play position. I like the ball frozen because it makes a shot involving inside english more reliable, at least for me. I find the rail first inside english shot easier than a thin cut when the ball is between a quarter of an inch to two inches from the rail espcially if the cut is thin.
 
I wouldn't pass up a classic stop-shot-in-the-side-pocket key ball over the one you described unless I had no reasonable route to get to it. With that said, when those side pocket key balls don't exist, I'm either looking for an alternate pattern, which would include a key ball like the one you described OR, if one happens to be available, an opportunity to push a ball up into a good key ball position. Here's another pattern that shows up often and, when you don't have the "classic" key ball, is a pretty nice finishing pattern. As you can see, the ball that is the key ball in this sequence is also a versatile key ball. Even if you get straight in, or on the wrong side of it, you at least have a shot at getting to your break ball. However, in this example, you'd have to go out of your way not to get the right angle on the key ball. I'm just offering a diagram of a reasonable second-choice pattern when the classic "stop stop stop" pattern doesn't exist.

CueTable Help

 
alinco said:
Mnorwood,

Is this diagram about right? The 1 is your typical break shot and the 2 is where you describe. I kinda like the 3 ball a little better. Both positions can be either 1 or 2 rails. I like the 3 better because it is easier to get the cue ball to position B than position A.

As SJM points out, this works well if you have a previous ball that will let you easily get to A or B.

CueTable Help

Click to expand...

AC,
Your 2 ball is on the head rail, not the foot rail. Having said that, I think all the discussion so far is applicable to key balls on either the head rail or the foot rail.
 
Here is an example of a classic end pattern using the side pocket stop shot key ball.

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From where we are, we pocket the 8 and follow up to get straight on the 12 ball in the top corner. When that is accomplished, we have two very simple stop shots to get on our break ball, (the 7).

This next situation is a little more tricky because you have more options...

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In this layout, we have two potential break balls, and THREE potention key balls. I love when this happens! We can shoot the 13, come around for the 15 in the side... by doing that you can use the 10 as a key ball to get on the 8... that is the beauty of having 2 key balls and multiple key balls to work with as you get down to the end pattern.

This diagram has 3 pages...

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We can also deal with the same situation by using the 13 as a key ball - starting this end sequence by shooting the 10 ...

This diagram has 3 pages...

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It all comes down to what your preference is in that situation.

I will make another post shortly that deals with using a ball at the top or bottom rail as a key ball - and why I don't like that idea.
 
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In this layout we are down to 4 balls, with the 12 ball down on the end rail...

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I have two potential key balls - either the 11 or the 13. I like going from the 11 to the 12 - then using the 13 as my key ball.

This diagram has 4 pages

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Here is the same sequence and I will use the 12 as my key ball...

PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO PAGES 4, 5, & 6 ...

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Page 1... 13 corner coming back to get straight on the 11...

Page 2... 11 in the corner, follow for an angle on the 12...

Page 3... 12 in the corner coming straight down to center table for my break shot...

However....

Look at page 4.... we do not hit the shot correctly... we are left in No Man's Land.

Look at page 5... we come down table too far and at the wrong angle... the slightest bit of sidespin can throw you off target. I bring this up because if you look at that shot on the 12, many players tend to spin these shots in.

Look at page 6.... Another disaster.

The first illustrated end pattern is the correct pattern and using key ball shots on that top rail should be avoided - especially if you have other options.
 
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Using the other rail...



First of all, if you are in this situation, you made some major errors along the way. Sometimes we do find ourselves in these situations, but what I illustrate in this layout (on pages 2 and 3) is what can go wrong by using the 4 as your key ball.

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The first shot we really dont have an angle into the stack, so now we have to create one. You don't want to be twisting your cue ball into the stack on your break shots...

Page 3... we pocket the 4 and run into the 6 ball. I see this all the time, sometimes I do it myself. Needless to say, be careful... lol

In the below diagram, we have more control over the shot. This shot is similar to a shot I did on Saturday playing with fellow poster "Big Perm"... this is a very high percentage shot - you have to set up for it a few shots in advance.

CueTable Help

 
Steve Lipsky said:
Oops, I've never known which is which, lol. Please apply my above post to the head rail ;).

- Steve
Click to expand...

Uh, that would by MY oops! I think I steered you wrong with my diagram of the other end of the table...

Andy
 
alinco said:
Uh, that would by MY oops! I think I steered you wrong with my diagram of the other end of the table...

Andy
Click to expand...

Thanks Andy, but I can't use that as an excuse... I was making my post while you submitted yours - I never saw it until I re-read the thread later :).

Guess we're both lame....
 
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