My 8 ball play in APA this last weekend

[Loun]

That was my thinking. Also by playing safe and leaving a few of your balls on the table, you have a lot of options - some of which would be to snooker your opponent being as he only has one ball left, so easy to do.

I am learning (by playing the better players) that they don't go knocking all their balls in and leave just the 8. They have a lot of patience and will have say 3 balls left in a situation like this, then make a shot and intentionally miss. Then their opponent's only option is to hit the 8 or an intentional foul. If they hit the 8, then you probably could run out at that point. (Players who leave themselves with just a clustered 8 ball on the table probably would not think of shooting an intentional foul and would hit the 8 - not realizing that by doing this, they have lost the game.)

So I've been learning that it is good to leave a few balls on the table, be patient, and wait out your opponent. If you are more patient than they are, eventually they will mess up and leave you with a run-out.

in my book this is 100% correct as long as you realize that you do have to play catchup at some point. But in most cases unless the guy with the 8 ball left gets lucky, whoever has to break up that cluster in not in a good position unless it is broken up with a break shot off the 3 or 6 and even then you have to hope for position on it.

 

[frankncali]

I dont think the shot that Shorty shot is a bad shot but I dont think it
was a shot that created victory.
I think his opponnet did something that Shorty would never do. He lost
the game on a scratch. So in this case Shorty out moved the guy.

I coach for my APA teams and one of my thoughts is to ALWAYS make the
opposition kick at the 8 if there are still balls on the table and if theres a possible scratch. Usually I like to get the cueball closer to an object ball.

The problem with the shot in my eyes is that it really does not help Shorty
unless the guy kicks at the object ball and breaks open the 1 ball or if he scratches.

Shorty
What would you have done had he quickly rolled the ball back to you with BIH? Would you have tried to run out?
What if he tied the balls up more? Granted in the process he would have tied up the 8 but with it tied up you can not win either. Could you have out moved and outsmarted him?
I dont think your first shot was that bad but I would wonder if you can get out from there. Maybe try and make the 7 and then the 6 getting on the one next and then the 3 and 8. At any time you have a safety until you shoot the 1 ball.
I will say this. If more 4s and lower would play even the first shot then I would love to have them. Most 4s I know would have shot at the one first and would not have gotten out maybe leaving an easy shot. They also would have left the 1 for last if they were trying to run out another pattern.

Shorty-
Good luck in your cities. We have ours here in a couple weeks. Just curious--how many teams will be in yours and how many spots are there for Vegas?