One Pocket issue that’s really bothering me

Bob Jewett said:
Here's a video from a while back. It shows three ways to play the head ball. The second and third way are played without draw helping the shot. And yes, the standard draw method worked on the first try. It helps to practice your long, straight draw shots.


The third way -- off angle and the cue ball taken three rails with inside follow to the opposite corner -- was shown in Billiards Digest by Wade Crane. It doesn't get much speed on the front ball.
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Could you explain the angle to make the middle ball when there are 3 balls please?
 
Bob Jewett said:
The third way -- off angle and the cue ball taken three rails with inside follow to the opposite corner -- was shown in Billiards Digest by Wade Crane. It doesn't get much speed on the front ball.
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Cliff joyner was known to play the third way
i sometimes get a double kiss near the 3rd rail
 
Anyone have the video of 3 balls spotted up cueball is basically parallel to bottom ball.
Bank bottom ball 1 rail with draw whitey back out to center table. You get all 3 balls.
 
fjk said:
The game score would always be the same in that situation (you have ball in hand behind the line with two balls on the spot). You have 7 and your opponent has 6. I don't believe there can be another scenario in that situation. And the match score shouldn't make a difference...wouldn't you always want to shoot what gives you the highest probability of winning?

That leaves player and table conditions. But despite those two variables always changing, almost everyone always chooses the exact same break. Being that this scenario, like the break, always comes up exactly the same way, every time, it seems like there should be "one best shot" that decent players use in that situation...just like the break. I mean, the break takes skill too, and you can screw it up and leave a shot if you hit it bad, so it's not like it's automatic. But again, regardless of skill level, players almost always choose the same traditional break.

From what it sounds like, you would say concentrating on making the front ball and lagging the back ball by your pocket is the best choice (assuming you have the basic skills necessary to execute that shot). I wouldn't argue that choice.
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The score would not necessarily be the same if a spot/handicap was involved.

Lou Figueroa
 
fjk said:
Aren't they all old fart nerds over there? Sigh, I'm probably old enough to join now, maybe I'll check it out.
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A lot of them are grumpy too.

You can't crack a joke over there without getting a rap on the knuckles from the head nun, lol.

Lou Figueroa
 
lfigueroa said:
The score would not necessarily be the same if a spot/handicap was involved.

Lou Figueroa
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Pretty sure it would always be the same in that situation. For there to only be two balls on the table and the shooter has ball in hand behind the line, that means someone just scratched and spotted one. That means before that they were playing the last ball. If there was a handicap, that should have already been resolved by then (spotted).
 
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There is another way I used to shoot this shot that proved very effective. Put the cue ball close to the side rail and hit the head ball very thin so that you also hit the second ball at the same time. That way you move both balls to your side of the table (often the front ball blocking the back ball) and sending the cue ball all the way back up table. Not such a hard shot and it can win you the game.
 
fjk said:
I've never liked that shot. Not aggressive at all. Kind of a boring non-shot.

I much prefer the soft split-hit pushing both balls over by my pocket and putting the cue on the nameplate. Difficult to screw up and puts some pressure on your opponent.
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There you go. My favorite way to shoot this shot. Safe and effective.
 
BilliardsAbout said:
Solution from Mars:

Jump the cue ball with precision so as it begins its descent, it cuts the rear ball in the corner. (Tom Cruise to play this one in "Color of Money Deux").
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No thanks. This is somewhere in the 'one in a thousand' range.
 
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fjk said:
Pretty sure it would always be the same in that situation. For there to only be two balls on the table and the shooter has ball in hand behind the line, that means someone just scratched and spotted one. That means before that they were playing the last ball. If there was a handicap, that should have already been resolved by then (spotted).
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I was referring to the 7-6 part of your post:

"The game score would always be the same in that situation (you have ball in hand behind the line with two balls on the spot). You have 7 and your opponent has 6."

Lou Figueroa
 
fjk said:
Pretty sure it would always be the same in that situation. For there to only be two balls on the table and the shooter has ball in hand behind the line, that means someone just scratched and spotted one. That means before that they were playing the last ball. If there was a handicap, that should have already been resolved by then (spotted).
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Many spots at one pocket do not involve spotting balls as if you started by owing some number. If you are giving up 10-6 you do not spot two, you just go to 10. So Lou's point is that the score could be 9-4 as you approach the table for the double spot shot.

I'm pretty sure that you will always need one and your opponent two in that situation.

Ah... I just thought of an exception. You are going to 14 and have 13. Your opponent is going to 2 and owes 3. There is a ball on the spot and your winning ball is hung in your pocket. Your opponent makes your ball and scratches. The score as you come to the table for the double spot shot is 13 to -4. Seems unlikely but it is possible.
 
I must be the TOAD, Walter won't even respond to my two rail returns. Yesterday I was in a game for $100 when a better player followed in my winning hung ball. Well, with two balls the spot needing one ball, I shot the okey-dokie just barely missing the front ball went the bottom ball kissed in off the missed front ball. Thanks for the hundred🤣
 
jtompilot said:
I must be the TOAD, Walter won't even respond to my two rail returns. Yesterday I was in a game for $100 when a better player followed in my winning hung ball. Well, with two balls the spot needing one ball, I shot the okey-dokie just barely missing the front ball went the bottom ball kissed in off the missed front ball. Thanks for the hundred🤣
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That's nice but that's also the kind of shot that makes them quit. 💸💸💸 Or did he want to raise the bet?
 
jtompilot said:
I must be the TOAD, Walter won't even respond to my two rail returns. Yesterday I was in a game for $100 when a better player followed in my winning hung ball. Well, with two balls the spot needing one ball, I shot the okey-dokie just barely missing the front ball went the bottom ball kissed in off the missed front ball. Thanks for the hundred🤣
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Toads don’t croak. Frogs do.
 
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