Missing a shot on purpose?

No defense in some sports...

8onthebreak said:
Niether...this is just simply a safety. When u duck out of trying to pocket ANY ball...you are playing a safety. Call the safety. It's not cheating, scummy, or anything other than defensive play. All sports have offense and defense. Some people say that playing a safety and not trying to make a ball is cheap play.
It's just defense.
Imagine one coach telling another coach in football that they cheated because they deployed the use of defense.
WOW...get over it ...every sport has defense and offense.
Click to expand...

I like what you say, but there actually are sports in which there is no defense, unless you consider "sharking" defense.

Donny L
PBIA/ACS Instructor
 
I don't think I've ever tried to fool anyone... I think good players just step up to the table and evaluate everything. If my opponent is not smart enough to do that, I'm not too worried about him anyway. What I like to do is... if there's a cluster and I can't get out, I sink the current ball and play position to play a good safe on the cluster. Something like this, which you could view as either an 8 or 9 ball diagram. I play shape to arrive near "A" so I can play a safe off my 2 ball.

4xMBt.jpg


There are other options, including taking a flyer at the breakout using my 1 ball, but I like this option because if it works, you can really freeze them tight to a ball and ruin their day. You often come up with BIH from this kind of safe. Obviously you can't apply this to every situation... for example, if it's 8 ball and the opponent has a ball at B.
 
Your just playing safe.Like jude said that type of safe is best for bar-box 8 ball.If you play a half baked safe like that in a 9 ball game your opponent will just play a better safe.
 
Pidge said:
I occasionally do this when for example I have a shot on the 3 but the 4 is tied up and I dont have the angle to go into the cluster and there is no easy safe to play.

So ill make it look like I made a valid attempt at potting but really I've passed the headache over to my opponent. If he manages to run out, well played sir and if not here's my chance!

Would this be considered unsportsman-like or just smart play?
Click to expand...

What you describe is a pretty good way to play against a weaker player you want to keep playing. If they run out fine, in most cases they will sell out to you. You really can't be running out and think the guy will not quit. You want to win off his mistakes, it looks better.
 
macguy said:
What you describe is a pretty good way to play against a weaker player you want to keep playing. If they run out fine, in most cases they will sell out to you. You really can't be running out and think the guy will not quit. You want to win off his mistakes, it looks better.
Click to expand...


That goes some way to explaining why my uncle, who used to hustle back in the day taught me it.
 
8 balls a different story of course,1P obviously, but I don't see why you'd want to miss and leave a hanger in most other games.

Intentionally miss...sure. 'Fool' your competitior....why not.

The art would be to miss and leave him safe and had it look like an accident. That's true skill and the ideal play in almost all situations.

If your playing someone whose THAT bad then I guess it doesn't matter what you do anyway , who can't hustle a banger? :)
 
Once i was in tourn and it was hot as hell and getting late so i figure'd i start missing and get out of there- I didnt want it to be obvious. Anyway i tried to miss the 6, the 7 and the 8 and made them all! AT that point i just went ahead and made the 9
 
Think it would depend upon what rules you are playing by. I play in a bar box 8 ball league with mostly bar rules, no BIH on fouls, call pocket, an honest effort must be made to make your ball, and no safeties Truth is, most of the top players will miss the first shot or two and let the lesser experience weaker players clear out most of their balls giving them an easy run. They will also miss if the 8 is tied up. I call it being dishonest and unsportsmanlike because it's not playing by the league rules but then again, why break out the 8 or a cluster if it's going to give your opponent the game. At any rate the stronger player will usually win out because when forced to, he will eventually take control and do what he has to do. Breaking up clusters is no problem for them, they just rather put odds in their favor and let you do the work giving them an easy win.
 
Played almost entirely straight pool for my first several years of playing, knew how the the other games were played, but didn't know how to play them.

Fast forward about 25 years of very little time at the table and I restart playing in local 9 ball tournaments in NYC, pretty much not knowing the rules nor strategy. Recall playing a very solid A player in one of my first matches and seeing him miss, not call safety, a couple of pretty easy shots and was a little puzzled. It wasn't until after the match (which I lost) when I mentioned to a friend that I was pretty surprised to see my opponent miss such easy shots. My friends reply made me realize just how poorly I understood 9 ball, he said in a matter of fact voice, "of course he could have made them, he missed those shots on purpose because he knew that he wouldn't have a shot on the next ball, he just didn't want you to know". :idea:

J
 
Why would you play anyone who can't read or understand the rules? There's nothing wrong with safety play. It's a skill.
 
smart play, but trying to get ball in hand would be better.But shows your thinking ahead.Problem is if he makes the first shot he might try to leave u safe (go after ball in hand) on the clustered ball.What i try to do is leave them safe and put the ball in a position a carom or combo can be a free roll if you get the ball in hand. but if you miss they still have to make first said ball then deal with clustered ball.
 
Picture this, I live in an area where we have a local BCA rules 8 ball league, bih rules and all......playing safe is considered the worst form here even though all the players know the BCA rules lol. I have actually had people at local tournaments shake hands before the match and say "hey bud I'm not going to play any defense on ya because I dont like that sh*t ok?" Well ok, but you are going to lose lol.
 
Pidge said:
I see your point.
What I mean though is conning your opponent into thinking you made an attempt. Not calling safe, just leaving an absolute hanger.
I'd just follow the CB into the pocket, let them try play safe.
Against good players this can easily backfire but in my local pool room the players aren't great.
Click to expand...


Don't worry about what you opponent thinks about your shot selection. You are playing 9ball. You don't need to call anything.
 
TheNewSharkster said:
If you are playing in a bar with people that don't understand a good safety I would try and hide it just so you don't anger the rednecks.
Click to expand...

Speaking of angering the rednecks, last night at our league match we played a team that is at the bottom of the standings. Good people for the most part but not really good players if you know what i mean.

So I get left with the scenario below, I am solids and I decided to play smart and let this guy break out the 8 ball for me.
Leagueshot1a.jpg


So this is what I did; I left the cue ball on that side of the table so that he could hit his ball and I made sure he couldn't play the 13 off the 8 in the corner. Sort of a trap to get him to help me out with the 8 ball.
Leagueshot1b.jpg


He blew UP! He first said I couldn't do that on purpose! When that didn't work he said it was chicken sh** pool and then continued to whine for a long time before I told him he either needed to take his shot or forfeit.

He took his shot, opened up my 8 ball and I got out. Of course this pisses him off even more but oh well. It's his loss for not understanding the finer points of the game.

In short, don't feel like you need to hide anything. Play smart and don't feel bad about it.

(edit: I guess I should have mentioned that hiding your safety to avoid getting into a fight is understandable. But short of that I let them know that they have been out moved by a better chess player!)
 
Last edited:
I believe it was in one of Phil Capelle's books to ACT disgusted that you missed. Totally legit.
 
I was told this by a pool hustler.

I would never do this, but If you are trying to stall, do not miss balls on purpose. Instead; you intentionally leave yourself bad shape or even hooked on the next ball. That way you stay "in stroke" but still miss right on time. Then when you release the parking brake no one is surprised at your ability to make balls.;) Gives a better chance to leave with the money and your thumbs intact.
 
Cdryden said:
In short, don't feel like you need to hide anything. Play smart and don't feel bad about it.

(edit: I guess I should have mentioned that hiding your safety to avoid getting into a fight is understandable. But short of that I let them know that they have been out moved by a better chess player!)
Click to expand...

I can just see it now. You call the 6 like it goes past the 11, even though it clearly doesn't. You make a big production of trying to line it up in that little gap between the 11 and the rail. You squint, let your tip rest on the table, and so on. You call it, walk around, and very slowly pull back and then shoot.

"AGHHH WHAT THE HELL I SENT IT STRAIGHT INTO YOUR F#$%ING BALL! I ACTUALLY MADE YOUR BALL FOR YOU! HOW STUPID AM I?!?!?!? At least tell me you're hooked on your other ball... AWWW FFFFFOR CHRISSAKE. YOU CAN SEE IT. Of course. That's my luck. I swear I should just quit this game."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top