offense vs defense

SandFox

SandFox

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I was recently in a 48 team tournament but of those 48 very few would actually use any defense now this is 8 ball on a bar box table mind you but still instead of trying to play a safe they would go for low percentage shots.

Anyone have any thoughts on straight offense vs smart defense?
 
Depends on your oppenent, and how easy the safety is. if your choices are a good safety or a bad shot, play the safety. I've been winning a lot more games since I started playing it safe within the last few months against the same opponents. I used to be a total offensive player. I'm personally finding more success when going for the safe now, and in doing so my offensive leaves are also improving
 
Awhile back I tried an experiment. I played 8ball against myself. I played my normal game,
which does include a bit of defense, against a more defensive game with a lot more safeties.
After 20 games I found that I won more games using the more defensive strategy. Score was 13 to 7.
Since using the more successful strategy in league play my wins in matches have also increased.
 
My wife finally started playing pool in a league when she turned 42 years old. First thing I showed here was what was called a safe and she practiced a lot just bumping the cue ball to an object ball again and again, set up some simple shots and to this day is a very soft hitter but has shown extreme ability to play smart and will play safes all day long to get a foul on her opponent, as many times as it takes. When she appears for her match, they all groan as they know my wife brings a ton of effort. Her accomplishments make me very proud as she may be the queen of mean during a pool match, but, she's one of the nicest people and a well respected person. Three operator state titles, numerous league titles, one overall state title and two runner ups, various top four finishes. As I have mentioned to her, a safe is never a wrong shot or thought, if someone pulls off a very low percentage shot against you, more power to them, play the percentages and of course though shoot to win, never play shoot to not lose. She has done very good.
 
I enjoy playing all games of pool. I have found that if you are overly aggressive and playing to run out every rack you will be beaten by a player that plays the percentage shot. The safety is part of the game and should be used when needed. No one plays cut shots on every shot. If a shot needs to be banked they bank it. Same with a safety. If it needs to be shot shoot it.
 
were you in Walker

SandFox said:
I was recently in a 48 team tournament but of those 48 very few would actually use any defense now this is 8 ball on a bar box table mind you but still instead of trying to play a safe they would go for low percentage shots.

Anyone have any thoughts on straight offense vs smart defense?
Click to expand...

I played in the B division in Walker, MN, along with the team tourney and I said the very same thing to a lot of people. The difference from a B player that I play with in Fargo, and most the B players at that tourney I played against or watched was defense. I had a more than a few frowned faces with safeties I played, or even a couple of intentional fouls to bunch up balls.
 
It's not either or

SandFox said:
I was recently in a 48 team tournament but of those 48 very few would actually use any defense now this is 8 ball on a bar box table mind you but still instead of trying to play a safe they would go for low percentage shots.

Anyone have any thoughts on straight offense vs smart defense?
Click to expand...

I play offense and defense on most shots. The two are not mutually exclusive.

To an inexperienced player it may not appear that their opponent is doing this; there's much more to strategy than just making balls or just playing an obvious safety.
 
I do agree you get a lot more frowns if you hook someone on a safe then try the run out. I would rather do a nice two way shot as opposed to either safe or runs.
 
I'm not sure how but defence needs to be eliminated from pool. I was going to say especially at pro levels, but watching two beginners go all defensive is tortuous in the extreme.

I've noticed an obsession with defence on this site. I think it comes at the detriment of offence, which is unhelpful in the long term. People place too much emphasis on winning and not enough on being able to play IMO.

As ever, nobody will agree lol.
 
One is just as important as the other. In eight ball there seems to be a lot more clusters and problem balls so there is normally the need to move balls around just to be able to setup the runout.
 
SandFox said:
I was recently in a 48 team tournament but of those 48 very few would actually use any defense now this is 8 ball on a bar box table mind you but still instead of trying to play a safe they would go for low percentage shots.

Anyone have any thoughts on straight offense vs smart defense?
Click to expand...

All defense should be offense. Every turn at the table should be advancing you to the goal. You do not always have to be pocketing a ball to be on offense.
 
TheThaiger said:
I'm not sure how but defence needs to be eliminated from pool.
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Really? Seriously? At the risk of seeming over critical I find your statement to be ridiculous. Reality is no matter what game you play the obvious object is not only to pocket balls but to have position on the next shot. To reach the pinnacle is to look ahead and know where you want to be for the entire rack never affording your opponent an inning at the table. While this is the goal inevitably you will eventually end up out of line or on the wrong side of the ball. How often this happens depends upon your level of proficiency. When it does happen leaving you unable to proceed in the path that you would prefer, which is getting out, that is when safeties come into play & your skill & ability to execute them is equally as important as the skill to pocket balls. Having the discipline to recognize being in low percentage situation & that the safety is the higher percentage play & then having the ability to execute it properly is the difference between winning and losing, EVERY TIME.


Why am I the Colonel? Because I always get the chicken
 
TheThaiger said:
I'm not sure how but defence needs to be eliminated from pool. I was going to say especially at pro levels, but watching two beginners go all defensive is tortuous in the extreme.

I've noticed an obsession with defence on this site. I think it comes at the detriment of offence, which is unhelpful in the long term. People place too much emphasis on winning and not enough on being able to play IMO.

As ever, nobody will agree lol.
Click to expand...

Do you play with Push&Pool? At a decent level, if your run isn't going to finish the rack, you had better play safe or the game is over. Not only is it over, but it may cost you more than one. Safeties are both part of winning and being able to play.
 
the answer is of course, it depends on your opponent. a good example is my pool upbringing. in my pool world i was taught two-way shots were the best choice. blatant safety was frowned upon unless you were playing one pocket and even then most of your safety play included at the least moving a ball to your side of the table. rotation games and 8 ball were not included. i should also state this was a gambling town. no funsies or for time, nope there had to be a wager. as i went up through the ranks from bangers to shortstops the same "rules applied" unless you were playing someone not from the community or when you played out of town. failing to not play by the local ettiqueate could kill your action; so after all that ... the answer is still the same: it depends on your opponent.
 
I think Defence is a big part of Pool . When a player does not have the skill to make shots , or how to play position , or what order to run the balls and break up the clusters , they should revert to Hide the cue ball .
 
TheThaiger said:
I'm not sure how but defence needs to be eliminated from pool. I was going to say especially at pro levels, but watching two beginners go all defensive is tortuous in the extreme.

I've noticed an obsession with defence on this site. I think it comes at the detriment of offence, which is unhelpful in the long term. People place too much emphasis on winning and not enough on being able to play IMO.

As ever, nobody will agree lol.
Click to expand...

Not trying to start an argument, but....Winning is the main object of the game. It doesn't matter how well someone can play, its the one who sinks the winning ball that accomplishes the goal of the game, to win...Defense should be worked on just as much, if not more, than pocketing balls... A shooter with average pocketing skills, but good defense can win against a shooter with great pocketing skills but no defensive game. Not so much the other way around....
 
Why are you guys using the british spelling of defense (defence)? Anyway, defense is used because it's an important part of the game...duh. It has come at the expense of the occasional amazing circus shots, but it wins, When I go back and watch professional matches from the 80s and before, I think that modern players would destroy all of these old guys because of the use of defense these days. It's not an obsession on this site, it's just how the game has evolved and improved. Why would you sell the farm when you can play a safe? That's just ridiculous...and that's coming from a VERY aggressive player. I'm almost always going for the out, but there are times where defense is the only thing that makes sense.
 
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