Maybe I Invented a Safety? lol

[cuetechasaurus]

I'm sure I didn't "invent" this safety shot, because I'm sure that other people know it. It's a slight variation of a one-pocket shot that people rarely play in one pocket, so it can't be that widely known. It's when you only have only the 8 or 9 left on the table, and someone leaves you like this, and you don't have the angle for the cross side bank:

CueTable Help

I don't like going for the cut, if the edges of the side pocket are not level, you are going to hit the tit and sell out. There is no bank here, unless you are a master banker and can juice it up to avoid the kiss for the cross side bank. I also don't like trying to bank cross corner. The shot I discovered, I was able to execute it a surprisingly VERY high percentage of the time- 9 out of 10 times....which aint bad at all. 9ball ends up on short rail, cueball ends up at 'B'

Here's the safety shot:

CueTable Help

You cut the 9 about half ball with alot of low left hand english. Both balls go around the table, and I was absoloutely amazed at how many times I got the cueball to end up frozen or nearly frozen on the rail. Only once did they double kiss while criss-crossing paths in the middle of the table, and that was because I hit it bad. Some might say that you should play a more conservative safe, but this one seems like it's real high percentage if you practice it enough. Hit the shot pretty hard, when you get the speed down to where you leave the cueball on the rail, that's when you've nailed it. It's also a good hustling move lol....pretend like you're going for the bank! It's fun to discover shots like this, hope this helps someone win a game or two

Edit: green arrow is glitched, it's supposed to be pointing from the 9ball, indicating the cueballs path after it hits the 9 half ball with alot of low left.

 

[VIProfessor]

That's a nifty looking shot! Although I heard you when you say you don't like to try the cross corner bank, I wonder if it's not the best shot in the situation you show. I would try the bank while attempting to bring the cue ball one rail to the middle of the foot rail with a little left english.

With a little practice, I believe that one can make this shot at least 6 out of ten times, thus giving the opponent no opportunity to make a bank shot or return a safety. Also, if you make sure to err on the pro side (short) while leaving the cue ball on the rail the opponent sure isn't going to like what he's faced with. For the sake of argument, we can state that in the situations where you miss the shot, you will still have at least an even chance of winning the game if playing against a good player. Thus, in my opinion, taking the cross corner bank probably gives you an 80% chance of winning the game, while playing the safety might give you a 50-60% chance. What do you think?

P.S. (Edit)--I tried to use the cuetable.com table layout tool, but something didn't work out in the way I pasted it. I hope the text is clear enough!

 

[Tin Man]

options

I don't disagree that the shot described above is an option.

My problem is that I get nervous under a lot of pressure. I am fairly sure that I could also achieve a pretty strong result on my home table for fun, but picture this.

You are out of town, and make a game with an unknow player for $200 a set. The tables play a little slower than you are used to, the balls grab way too much, and the rails seem to play too long some of the time and too short some of the time. You're speed has been off all set, and whenever you shoot a long shot with sidespid the cueball seems to curve too much and cause you to dog it. You're confidence is a little low, and it seems that the balls are just uncooperative. Despite all of that, you grind it out and make it to hill-hill, but once again end up funny on the nine.

NOW- do you REALLY want to 4 rail both balls, or is it time to just cut the 9 ball one rail to the name plate with a little outside to bring the cueball back to the headrail?

 

[cheemagun]

I don't disagree that the shot described above is an option.

My problem is that I get nervous under a lot of pressure. I am fairly sure that I could also achieve a pretty strong result on my home table for fun, but picture this.

You are out of town, and make a game with an unknow player for $200 a set. The tables play a little slower than you are used to, the balls grab way too much, and the rails seem to play too long some of the time and too short some of the time. You're speed has been off all set, and whenever you shoot a long shot with sidespid the cueball seems to curve too much and cause you to dog it. You're confidence is a little low, and it seems that the balls are just uncooperative. Despite all of that, you grind it out and make it to hill-hill, but once again end up funny on the nine.

NOW- do you REALLY want to 4 rail both balls, or is it time to just cut the 9 ball one rail to the name plate with a little outside to bring the cueball back to the headrail?

Honestly.. with that shot and all the tightness you just described, I would cut that sucker right in the corner with center ball med stroke.

 

[Cornerman]

Honestly.. with that shot and all the tightness you just described, I would cut that sucker right in the corner with center ball med stroke.

And the ball would get spotted, if the game was one pocket. Is this 9-ball, then?

Fred <~~~ can't play one-pocket for $hit

 

[Cornerman]

.

NOW- do you REALLY want to 4 rail both balls, or is it time to just cut the 9 ball one rail to the name plate with a little outside to bring the cueball back to the headrail?

For one-pocket, it's the choice of a free bank with just one ball on the table vs. the possibility of the two balls wacking each other in the center of the table for a sellout.

For 9-ball, cut the thing in.


Fred

 

[Cornerman]

It's when you only have only the 8 or 9 left on the table, and someone leaves you like this, and you don't have the angle for the cross side bank:

CueTable Help

There is no bank here, unless you are a master banker and can juice it up to avoid the kiss for the cross side bank. .

Why wouldn't there be a cross corner bank?

Fred

 

[Harvywallbanger]

I think the only SANE option here is to bank cross corner with low left trying to pot or hit the side rail to get safe on the long rail.

 

[I rack balls]

I would just cut that in the corner, I am like 11 out of 10 for that shot. HAH! I always seem to mess up those 8 or 9 ball safeties, I need to work on them. I am gonna try that one out.

Eric.A.

 

[Hal]

I'm sure I didn't "invent" this safety shot, because I'm sure that other people know it.

What a dumb shot. Bad rep for you.

 

[TATE]

At least with your shot you have some options.

I was trying to figure out how to safe this shot, where the 9 is almost frozen to the rail so it is hard to bank anywhere and it's also hard to safe it the easy way (half ball hit soft leaving the side bank or a shot like yours).

So I started practicing this shot. Bank the 9 with very firm center ball aiming back toward the first diamond by the corner and try to make it in the other side pocket as diagrammed. If you miss, it comes up safe most of the time. I will use this for sure if the occasion comes up - it's really not a bad shot, try it.

Chris

 

[RiverCity]

Another safety in the ball position Chris posted was suggested by Grady Mathews. It works best if the balls are lined up straight into the cushion, but can be hit in this position too. Hit the 9 just a HAIR to the right of center with a lagging speed, the 9 will stay pretty much still, and it will kick the cueball back to the opposite end rail.
Gradys version was with the balls straight and a centerball hit full in the face of the object ball, but experimentation led me to realize it can be hit off the line of centers when the balls arent lined up perfectly. How much of an angle dictates how far off center. And you reach a point where it wont work, so it has to be played with to figure it out.
Chuck

 

[TATE]

Another safety in the ball position Chris posted was suggested by Grady Mathews. It works best if the balls are lined up straight into the cushion, but can be hit in this position too. Hit the 9 just a HAIR to the right of center with a lagging speed, the 9 will stay pretty much still, and it will kick the cueball back to the opposite end rail.
Gradys version was with the balls straight and a centerball hit full in the face of the object ball, but experimentation led me to realize it can be hit off the line of centers when the balls arent lined up perfectly. How much of an angle dictates how far off center. And you reach a point where it wont work, so it has to be played with to figure it out.
Chuck

I'll try that too. I seem to have terrible luck with those double kiss shots.

Chris

 

[ez2h8]

Another safety in the ball position Chris posted was suggested by Grady Mathews. It works best if the balls are lined up straight into the cushion, but can be hit in this position too. Hit the 9 just a HAIR to the right of center with a lagging speed, the 9 will stay pretty much still, and it will kick the cueball back to the opposite end rail.
Gradys version was with the balls straight and a centerball hit full in the face of the object ball, but experimentation led me to realize it can be hit off the line of centers when the balls arent lined up perfectly. How much of an angle dictates how far off center. And you reach a point where it wont work, so it has to be played with to figure it out.
Chuck

I agree. Depending on how close the side pocket is and the angle of the cueball, I would either play center left or center right english and spin the cue ball up to the head rail. Try and stick the opponent up in the corner while the nine rolls out a few inches to mid table. Not an easy 9ball shot you left then.

When I am playing safe on the last ball in 9 ball, I try to keep one ball either the cue or last object ball from moving very far. I don't like having both rolling around the table much.
ez

 

[Tin Man]

I think the only SANE option here is to bank cross corner with low left trying to pot or hit the side rail to get safe on the long rail.

I am beating a dead horse, but just can't believe that not ONE OTHER PLAYER agrees with my shot selection. In the original position, I play the 9 ball one rail LONG to the middle of the end rail with a drag-low outside, bringing the cueball down by the lower left corner as we see the table. It is easy to kill the 9 ball on the other end rail, right around the name plate.

On loose tables or a bar box I would consider shooting a cut or one rail bank, but on the tight pockets that accompany non-WPBA tourneys, I would hate to try one of these monsters straight at the hole.

Can I get an amen?

 

[TATE]

I am beating a dead horse, but just can't believe that not ONE OTHER PLAYER agrees with my shot selection. In the original position, I play the 9 ball one rail LONG to the middle of the end rail with a drag-low outside, bringing the cueball down by the lower left corner as we see the table. It is easy to kill the 9 ball on the other end rail, right around the name plate.

On loose tables or a bar box I would consider shooting a cut or one rail bank, but on the tight pockets that accompany non-WPBA tourneys, I would hate to try one of these monsters straight at the hole.

Can I get an amen?

No, but you get a gold star for effort (sorry).

The standard shot for this position, assuming you don't go for the cross corner bank, is to bank short and leave the balls like this. It's much easier to control this shot than to try to bank the 9 directly to the end rail because of ball speed. If you get on a table and try this, I think you'll see what I mean. This is the safe you will get played on you most of the time.

Chris

 

[sjm]

That's a nifty looking shot! Although I heard you when you say you don't like to try the cross corner bank, I wonder if it's not the best shot in the situation you show. I would try the bank while attempting to bring the cue ball one rail to the middle of the foot rail with a little left english.

With a little practice, I believe that one can make this shot at least 6 out of ten times, thus giving the opponent no opportunity to make a bank shot or return a safety. Also, if you make sure to err on the pro side (short) while leaving the cue ball on the rail the opponent sure isn't going to like what he's faced with. For the sake of argument, we can state that in the situations where you miss the shot, you will still have at least an even chance of winning the game if playing against a good player. Thus, in my opinion, taking the cross corner bank probably gives you an 80% chance of winning the game, while playing the safety might give you a 50-60% chance. What do you think?

P.S. (Edit)--I tried to use the cuetable.com table layout tool, but something didn't work out in the way I pasted it. I hope the text is clear enough!

If we're playing nine ball, this is my choice, too. I'm also cool with the shot recommended by Tin Man. As for Cuetechasaurus' shot, it looks a bit on the complicated side, and Tin Man's shot provide nearly the same result. Tate's shot is excellent, too, if you're playing defense over the two way bank. Still, the initial post contained a very interesting shot.

 

[TATE]

If we're playing nine ball, this is my choice, too. I'm also cool with the shot recommended by Tin Can. As for Cuetechasaurus' shot, it looks a bit on the complicated side, and Tin Can's shot provide nearly the same result. Still, the initial post contained a very interesting shot.

Hi SJM,

I defer to the god of safety! Sounds like Tim Man got his Amen.

AMEN!