One more time, how would you play this? 14.1

As far as this nonsense about right handed VS left handed - I made this video a while back and it explains my views on that crap.

14.1 Break Shots: Right Vs Left

You also said in one of your videos that the best players always set up the same break shot rack after rack. I prefer to break with the rack to my left so I would favor that in my shot selection.

If the 1 was in an inferior position I would set up with the 8 as my break ball. I like the 1 because it is on my preferred side and because it has a better key ball. If the 15 was on the other side I would probably try to set up for the 8 as the break ball.

I would most likely, however, rattle the 11 anyway so it probably wouldn't matter either way. Haha. Rattling balls is my 14.1 specialty. :(
 
You also said in one of your videos that the best players always set up the same break shot rack after rack. I prefer to break with the rack to my left so I would favor that in my shot selection.

If the 1 was in an inferior position I would set up with the 8 as my break ball. I like the 1 because it is on my preferred side and because it has a better key ball. If the 15 was on the other side I would probably try to set up for the 8 as the break ball.

I would most likely, however, rattle the 11 anyway so it probably wouldn't matter either way. Haha. Rattling balls is my 14.1 specialty. :(

Its all situational, and things aren't always going to go according to your plans. If you watch John Schmidt, he likes to keep two break balls, and if he can get into position to use one as a key ball, he doubles his chances to get into the next rack.

Rattling balls isn't just your specialty, it's mine too. FWIW, it's a pretty good guess that Willie sprayed that 8.

;)
 
Here is how my buddy tackled this situation. 6:23 of this video.

http://vimeo.com/4957545

Just caught this now...thursdays are no wifi nights for me.
Nice catch Al

Showing some 14.1 on the main forum is a good thing....
..whoever plays any form of billiards should see Willie play...
..though I wish he'd stop whacking the balls with the side of his shaft...
...and he chalks like Ace911:cool:
 
Just caught this now...thursdays are no wifi nights for me.
Nice catch Al

Showing some 14.1 on the main forum is a good thing....
..whoever plays any form of billiards should see Willie play...
..though I wish he'd stop whacking the balls with the side of his shaft...
...and he chalks like Ace911:cool:

Thanks, there is one bit of information I found valuable. He used high outside on his break shots to power the cue ball into the rack. I just wish the video was 4 hours long, I'd love to see them pick Willie's brain.
 
I would go 1,9,11,15,7,8!

I'm with Papa Red..that's the same number pattern I came up with before i saw his entry. Seems natural and gives you good positional options. I also like E-Rock77's pattern. Either one would work very well IMHO
 
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Just watched the video...interesting how Willie got through it. Thanks for the link. Looks like he just free-wheeled it all in, man handling the cue ball most of the way. Definitely doesn't look like the shot choices you see watching 14.1 matches these days. Probably due to faster cloth and rails. Not sure if I'm in the minority but I miss playing on the slower cloth like he had there.
 
Some interesting stuff in this thread. First, Willie's solution in this spot is atrocious. No two ways about that; sometimes top players just miss easier patterns. He is a hero of mine, but you have to call a spade a spade. If for some reason he really wanted to end with the 11-8, he could've done it better. The 7-1-15 is much more natural to start with than the 7-15-1, which he chose. You almost can't even imagine a spot you'd want to be on the 1 to get on the 11 - it's unnatural almost wherever you are - yet for some reason he chose to go this way.

This clip is a perfect example of how the best players in the world choose the best patterns on average over time, but it's not a 100% thing and it could never be. If I saw a prospective opponent shoot just this one sequence, I'd think he was a 9-ball player trying his hand at 14.1 for the first time, hehe.

On another note, I'm with Blackjack about the right side/left side break positions. Too much mental energy is spent on this stuff, imo. Almost all break shots can be easily shot from both sides.

Anyway, I'm in the 7-8-9-11-15 camp. It looks to make the most sense. There's a couple of long positions, but the layout isn't exactly ideal.

- Steve
 
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