BRKNRUN said:
Frankly...If I leave two balls on the table...I expect to lose that game against any decent player...
I think a key thought process that needs to change is your difficulty of shot... The last two or three balls you have left should be planned out to be your easiest shots.....If they are not the easiest shots when you get to them....you probably played the pattern wrong.
The above is a very simple (and immediate) way to analayze your run out timing selection, pattern play, and shot selection...
BTW...I hated the the points system because it is a teaser to make you to attempt a run out that you should probably have played safe and or even given up a few balls to your opponent knowing that the table is so tied up they have no chance of runnig out.....but everyone is looking for that perfect 60 week and goes for the first run out chance they get...
The league I play in went away from that format and it is the best thing that could have happened.
Agreed, I have one league that scores like this and I hate it.
In 8ball, a good
player can often beat a better
shooter by manipulating the table in their favor.
The key to 8ball is options, you want to have more options on the table then your opponent. A ball you can pocket and get a good break out with is an option. A ball that you can roll in front of one of your opponents balls is an option. A ball you can hide behind is an option. Every time you take a ball off the table, you just eliminated 3 important things that you could have done with that ball that might have gotten you closer to winning the game or kept your opponent from winning the game. That being said, look for chances to take out your opponents options. If he has a ball in the jaws, sometimes the best shot you have is to roll one of your balls into it and sink it. If you do it right and at the right time, you might effectively take control of the table.
You need to learn to read the table and figure out who is in control at any given time. Use that to gauge who is winning the game at any given point, not by who has made more balls. By knowing who is in control when you walk to the table, you will have a better idea of what you need to accomplish.
Finally, learn when to make intentional fouls. Sometimes the best thing you can do is pick up the cue ball and hand it to your opponent or deliberately hit one of your opponents balls first and send it into a bad spot, either where it can?t be made easily or where it can?t be easily used to break out one of his balls. You give up ball in hand, but if you do it right, he will need to use BIH to fix what you just broke. Note that this is rarely very effective against solid players, but you might get weaker players to make mistakes by giving up the cue ball.
Just a few things to think about. I love 8ball because if it doesn't end with a brake and run, it can turn into a great chess match with many dimensions.
