Need help with a couple of shots I have trouble with.

BVal

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have trouble with a these and sometimes or actually most of the time it makes the difference in whether I win or lose the set. In your help explinations please diagram it if you can and let me know where to hit the cue ball and what if any english to use. Thanks in advance.

I have trouble with this shot and it seems to come up a lot. I know I could win more games if I find a better way to play this shot to get good shape on the 9. I have a tendancy to either scratch in the side pocket, end up on the 50yd line or run into the 9 and leave myself a tough bank or cut. Your help is appreciated.

CueTable Help




I also have trouble with this shot and have almost the same results as the previous shot. Again your help is appreciated.

CueTable Help

 
This works for me, but then again my stroke is f@#$ed so it may need some adjusting for you. I tend to hit center or very slight follow to cut the 8 in and then shoot the 9 in the side. A good friend of mine who is better with english and cuts than I am likes to use outside (i think it's outside. on the table shown it would be hitting 2 or 3 o'clock english) english to cut it in and shoot the 9 in the other corner.

With your second table I have to say I honestly wouldn't have a foolproof way to run that. Knowing me, I'd try to bank the 8 with follow and hope the CB ends up close to the 9.
 
I have trouble with a these and sometimes or actually most of the time it makes the difference in whether I win or lose the set. In your help explinations please diagram it if you can and let me know where to hit the cue ball and what if any english to use. Thanks in advance.

I have trouble with this shot and it seems to come up a lot. I know I could win more games if I find a better way to play this shot to get good shape on the 9. I have a tendancy to either scratch in the side pocket, end up on the 50yd line or run into the 9 and leave myself a tough bank or cut. Your help is appreciated.

CueTable Help




I also have trouble with this shot and have almost the same results as the previous shot. Again your help is appreciated.

CueTable Help



The first shot is definitely difficult. There isn't a player in the world who is looking at this like it's a hanger. The way I handle it is simple - I cut it in the same way as if it were an inch off the rail - a little bit of top and a little bit of right. My objective is to get the cueball to stay above the 9 with minimal effort. I don't want to come back too far for fear of scratching in the side and I don't want to run into the 9 or fall below it. I want a straight and predictable path off the rail and from years of mistakes, I've learned a little top and a little right do the trick. I HOPE for a decent angle on the 9 and allow a bit of speed control and acceptance of likely probability to give me a good angle.


The second shot sucks too, even with BIH. There are two ways to handle it and both depend on your preference (though i would advise becoming comfortable at both). Either you're using inside english and spinning around the table or you're using right draw and taking a z-route to the 9. These shots come up pretty often so spending some time with them will have a quick payoff.
 
I have trouble with a these and sometimes or actually most of the time it makes the difference in whether I win or lose the set. In your help explinations please diagram it if you can and let me know where to hit the cue ball and what if any english to use. Thanks in advance.

I have trouble with this shot and it seems to come up a lot. I know I could win more games if I find a better way to play this shot to get good shape on the 9. I have a tendancy to either scratch in the side pocket, end up on the 50yd line or run into the 9 and leave myself a tough bank or cut. Your help is appreciated.

CueTable Help




I also have trouble with this shot and have almost the same results as the previous shot. Again your help is appreciated.

CueTable Help


For the first shot I would probably try a little bit of top and play the nine in the same side pocket of the table the eight is on. For the second shot, Shoot it with some right english, "should" put you behind the 9.
 
ok Brady, I just gave each one a few tries the way I would have played them...first shot - center ball not much speed sent the cueball below the nine for a straight in shot in the side (right side pocket - same side the 8 was on). That's how I would handle this shot always - worked 4 of 4 times, all with the same EASY result. Now, the 2nd shot - it SUCKS unless you're playing on a table with no side pockets...lol. I tried it multiple ways (mostly different speeds, since all involved right English, and varying degrees of draw), and the best I can come up with is just getting whitey on the opposite siderail of the corner pocket for the 9. It can be made from any length on that side of the table, but avoiding the side pockets (yes, both of them) is really tough.....wish I could help more with that one.

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I might be tempted to play safe (distance safe, cue ball freeze (or follow to head rail), OB 4 rails to the kitchen short rail) on either one of those shots. The safe is not a difficult shot and is probably a higher % than the make & shape vs. sellout.... on the top shot I'd be more tempted to safe for fear of selling out. If I were to go for the bottom shot = 2 tips bottom, 2 tips outside... firm Z stroke.
 
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The first shot is definitely difficult. There isn't a player in the world who is looking at this like it's a hanger. The way I handle it is simple - I cut it in the same way as if it were an inch off the rail - a little bit of top and a little bit of right. My objective is to get the cueball to stay above the 9 with minimal effort. I don't want to come back too far for fear of scratching in the side and I don't want to run into the 9 or fall below it. I want a straight and predictable path off the rail and from years of mistakes, I've learned a little top and a little right do the trick. I HOPE for a decent angle on the 9 and allow a bit of speed control and acceptance of likely probability to give me a good angle.


The second shot sucks too, even with BIH. There are two ways to handle it and both depend on your preference (though i would advise becoming comfortable at both). Either you're using inside english and spinning around the table or you're using right draw and taking a z-route to the 9. These shots come up pretty often so spending some time with them will have a quick payoff.

Thank you for chiming in Jude. Scratching on either of the shots is my biggest fear. When I hit the first shot does the cue ball come back towards the side pocket I am shooting from? above it or below it? I am going to set these shots up on my table tonight but I want to know what results I should expect.

The second shot. I need to practice my inside english on all my shots. A lot of times I end up over cutting the ball or I hit it too full and drill it into the rail. Once I become more confident with inside english I think my game will go up a ball or so because there are times where it is the correct shot to hit and I don't because I don't want to screw it up. With the Z-route I think I might not be hitting either low enough or right enough because I tend to scratch more often then not on that. Or maybe I am just hitting it too hard and not allowing the low right to take.

Thank you for your advice.

BVal
 
Thank you for chiming in Jude. Scratching on either of the shots is my biggest fear. When I hit the first shot does the cue ball come back towards the side pocket I am shooting from? above it or below it? I am going to set these shots up on my table tonight but I want to know what results I should expect.

The second shot. I need to practice my inside english on all my shots. A lot of times I end up over cutting the ball or I hit it too full and drill it into the rail. Once I become more confident with inside english I think my game will go up a ball or so because there are times where it is the correct shot to hit and I don't because I don't want to screw it up. With the Z-route I think I might not be hitting either low enough or right enough because I tend to scratch more often then not on that. Or maybe I am just hitting it too hard and not allowing the low right to take.

Thank you for your advice.

BVal

CueTable Help



Much will depend on the table you're playing on. The key is making sure you make the 8ball and just keeping the cueball above the 9.

The other responses about positioning below the 9 are also good, just not my preference.
 
ok Brady, I just gave each one a few tries the way I would have played them...first shot - center ball not much speed sent the cueball below the nine for a straight in shot in the side (right side pocket - same side the 8 was on). That's how I would handle this shot always - worked 4 of 4 times, all with the same EASY result. Now, the 2nd shot - it SUCKS unless you're playing on a table with no side pockets...lol. I tried it multiple ways (mostly different speeds, since all involved right English, and varying degrees of draw), and the best I can come up with is just getting whitey on the opposite siderail of the corner pocket for the 9. It can be made from any length on that side of the table, but avoiding the side pockets (yes, both of them) is really tough.....wish I could help more with that one.

Thanks Rusty. My only fear is running into the 9 and bumping it towards the side rail and leaving another difficult shot. I know another person said a little top and not just center so I am guessing a little top will make sure I don't run into the 9. I am going to set these shots up tonight when I get home and try all the different suggestions I have and will recieve today. Thanks for taking the time to help me out. I appreciate it.

The concensous on the bottom shot just seems to be it SUCKS LOL. I know this man :) So as long as I can get the cue ball back on the same side of the table as the 8 with out scratching that should be good. I will just practice that cut on the 9 from all different lenghts then.

Thanks,

BVal
 

CueTable Help



Much will depend on the table you're playing on. The key is making sure you make the 8ball and just keeping the cueball above the 9.

The other responses about positioning below the 9 are also good, just not my preference.

So once I get the shot where I am consistently making it with top right the only thing after that is the speed. The thing that scares me is coming across the angle and possible ending up dead center in the middle of the table but once I get the speed down it should be no problem.

BVal
 
So once I get the shot where I am consistently making it with top right the only thing after that is the speed. The thing that scares me is coming across the angle and possible ending up dead center in the middle of the table but once I get the speed down it should be no problem.

BVal

You develop a feel for it eventually but even then, you're occasionally going to fall bad. There's little one can do to avoid it. So long as you stay above the 9 by about a diamond, you should still be okay. I've seen the very best players fall bad here but you sorta just play the odds that 90% of the path will be okay.
 
So once I get the shot where I am consistently making it with top right the only thing after that is the speed. The thing that scares me is coming across the angle and possible ending up dead center in the middle of the table but once I get the speed down it should be no problem.

BVal

Ending up dead center table after making the 8 in the 1st diagram is not the end of the world. You should be practicing that shot, too. I tend to play that shot for position on the 9 in the side, but I am not too uncomfortable either way. The 2nd shot is pretty tough.
 
I agree with shooting 8ball and going below the 9 to play it in the side pocket.

The 2nd shot is tough.
 
There have been several good suggestions and illustrations on how to handle those shots. Each are difficult and warrant practicing. I would give stronger consideration to the position error that got you there. Last three on the table with BIH should help. Practice it five times in a row and do your best to get out. After five attempts, evaluate your results and go at it again after a brief rest period.
 
There have been several good suggestions and illustrations on how to handle those shots. Each are difficult and warrant practicing. I would give stronger consideration to the position error that got you there. Last three on the table with BIH should help. Practice it five times in a row and do your best to get out. After five attempts, evaluate your results and go at it again after a brief rest period.
A lot of times I seem to be left these shots after an opponents miss. Your suggestion is a good one though. That is something I practice but I normally just throw the last 3 on the table randomly.

BVal
 
With the Z-route I think I might not be hitting either low enough or right enough because I tend to scratch more often then not on that. Or maybe I am just hitting it too hard and not allowing the low right to take.
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Try using a longer bridge and hit it the same way you have been. The longer bridge will put more english and avoid the scratch.
 
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