One-Pocket Situation

Aaron_S

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
These seem to be kind of popular, so I'll throw out another one. After this, it's someone else's turn (so I can play too :D). This one should spark some of those shot/return-shot discussions that are so much fun.

You have pocket A (bottom), you need 3. Oh, and for those detail-oriented folks out there: assume that your opp plays about a ball under you, you're giving up 9-8, you're betting by the game, it's the first game of the night, and you have 10% of your BR on the light. Oh, and you're wearing an Adidas hat, while your opp. is wearing a Nike hat (that's probably worth half a ball to somebody, right?)

CueTable Help

 
I'm a ball better, I need 3, and he needs 4? Given all that, I play it conservative: hit underneath the 9 and send the 5 up table, trying to leave the CB on the bottom rail around his pocket. Sure, this moves the 9 to his side, but overall it looks pretty good, plus he'll have to worry about selling a crossover bank. Also, it leaves 3 balls in play (5, 9, and 6), which happens to be how many I need. For him to win, he'll have to open up the 2/7 or move the 13.

But this stage of the game is probably where my game needs the most work, so thanks for doing these!

Cory
 
creative, hit 9 slightly on the right side with right hand english and play to bank the 9 back at your hole.

conservative, hit the 9 on the left hand side slightly and send the 5 up table making sure it its the head rail, sticking the cue ball over near his pocket.
 
Cory in DC said:
But this stage of the game is probably where my game needs the most work, so thanks for doing these!Cory

Me too. This situation illustrates one of the things I love the most about 1p, though. Regardless of what shot you choose here, execution is going to be relatively simple. All of the emphasis is on using the most effective strategy. As a 9-ball player, I find that to be a very refreshing change, but also very challenging in it's own way.

Good suggestion, BTW.

Aaron
 
1 pocket shot ...

I would clip the 7 on the right side, and bring the cue ball back down in the area where it started from. Reason is, I can 2 rail the 9 ball in from where it is, and the 7 will come back over to the middle or my half of the table for a bank, especially since I am a ball better.
 
Snapshot9 said:
I would clip the 7 on the right side, and bring the cue ball back down in the area where it started from. Reason is, I can 2 rail the 9 ball in from where it is, and the 7 will come back over to the middle or my half of the table for a bank, especially since I am a ball better.
Given the score, you'd have to pay me to get me to open up that cluster!
 
The following link contains 3 layout pages, use the page arrows next to the page number in the lower right to navigate:

http://CueTable.com/P/?@2BUna3EALd2...3dALv3dboS4dbFw4kKau4kBKJ7kJDR3kSbj4qcIyA&ZZ@

page 1: I'd exam closely whether 13 is makable

page 2, A possible safety route. However, there are some holes. (From here it is possible for your opp to bank the 5 and 2 rail kick 13 to his side and there will be nothing left on the table that's good for you.

page 3, Another safety route which require good speed control. (This protects the 13 and moved th 9 to your side)



These are fun, thanks to Aaron.
 
With the score as it is, I would play pretty safe, and try not to put any more balls into play. If my opponent is more of a mover than a shooter, I like cuetable's suggestion about banking the 13, but it doesn't look like it goes from the first diagram. I would look closely at thinning the 13 with left english, putting the cue ball near the opponents hole, and hope that the 13 two rails out far enough for a potential bank later. Of course with the hat situation taken into consideration, maybe that's not the shot after all.
 
Snapshot9 said:
I would clip the 7 on the right side, and bring the cue ball back down in the area where it started from. Reason is, I can 2 rail the 9 ball in from where it is, and the 7 will come back over to the middle or my half of the table for a bank, especially since I am a ball better.
I agree with a few of the other posters opening up those two balls can only invite disaster why open up balls that can't be made in his pocket?
This is the time when you have to grind it out. Hitting the 9 on the left side and bringing the cueball down to the bottom rail sounds reasonable and not difficult to execute. Philw
 
Scarrrreddy Cat!

philw said:
I agree with a few of the other posters opening up those two balls can only invite disaster why open up balls that can't be made in his pocket?
This is the time when you have to grind it out. Hitting the 9 on the left side and bringing the cueball down to the bottom rail sounds reasonable and not difficult to execute. Philw

For Pete's sake, you a ball better, and you are leading the score, and you're not playing Efren for $10,000, in fact, he didn't indicate you were playing for anything, so why grind it out so much? I don't play for free the same way I play for money, wait a minute .... I don't play for free, belay that .... LOL

Yes, your shot is the SAFE route to take, although laying groundwork for 3 shots down the line is also important in 1 pocket.
 
I think being a ball up and a ball better I would pull an Efren and kick two rails into the 6ball and try and make it in my hole or maybe leave it close to my hole and possibly hidden from the cb by the two balls on the spot......but then I'm a nineballer and crazy.....hehehe...:)
 
Snapshot9 said:
For Pete's sake, you a ball better, and you are leading the score, and you're not playing Efren for $10,000, in fact, he didn't indicate you were playing for anything, so why grind it out so much? I don't play for free the same way I play for money, wait a minute .... I don't play for free, belay that .... LOL

Yes, your shot is the SAFE route to take, although laying groundwork for 3 shots down the line is also important in 1 pocket.

It says here that they are playing by the game and you've got 10% of your roll riding on the game.

Aaron_S said:
Oh, and for those detail-oriented folks out there: assume that your opp plays about a ball under you, you're giving up 9-8, you're betting by the game, it's the first game of the night, and you have 10% of your BR on the light.
 
I would try and make the Five, and leaving him froze to the rail.. If I miss it I dont think hes going to run four from there.. If he could I wouldnt spot him 9 to 8 =)
 
Another good shot is to thin the 5 ball banking it to your side and bring the cue ball up & down the table towards your opponents pocket. I would think since you are the better player, you just got all the balls you need in play and wouldn't give your opponent a free roll at the 13 2-railer to his pocket. I agree with one or two posts, why grind it out if you don't have to.

Dave
 
the9ballroller said:
creative, hit 9 slightly on the right side with right hand english and play to bank the 9 back at your hole.


This is the first shot that came to mind with the position of the balls. but i don't cut the 9, i hit it full in the face with right english and play the bank.

With good speed, the ball will bank back into your hole, and the ball above it doesn't have the speed to come back down and sell out.
 
Aaron, you should really use the cuetable tool instead...

I look at the situation like this...

1) I don't want to be the one to move the balls off the spot.
2) I don't want to disturb the 7/2 cluster, which would open those balls on his side and potentially open up a bank on the 6.
3) I don't want to give up a three-rail bank on the 6.

This is what I would do given the score is roughly even...since the cue ball is a comfortable distance from the rail, I would deposit the 13 in the closest pocket (which would spot it) with a little inside english to bring the CB back to the foot rail. I would pace the cue ball as close to the foot rail as possible while trying for a secondary goal of using the spotted balls as blockers for the 6.

http://CueTable.com/P/?@2BUna3EALd2FWFK2GUGJ3IALv1MVla4PKau1hVla1hcxs4kKau1kTQV1kSjl4kNdj4qcIyA&ZZ@

If I block him from the 6 and he responds by breaking the balls off the spot, I'm probably going to like it.

If I block him from the 6 and he responds by breaking the 7/2 apart (softly), I'm probably going to get a bank on the 6 from the head rail.

If I block him from the 6 and he responds by breaking the 7/2 apart (and runs the cue ball to the foot rail), I'm probably going to get a bank on the 6 or one of balls he just broke apart.

If I fail to block him from the 6 and he responds by banking the 6, he can only get one ball...even if he makes it which he will not be a favorite to do (we are assuming he is not Efren or Cliff).

Overall, I can't see where I could go wrong as long as I pace the cue ball pretty close to the foot rail. Even if he gets the bank on the 6, its a low percentage shot and I should survive to fight again.

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Rail first and hit the 13 lightly, hopefully exteremly limiting the next shot choices. No scratch because the 13 is out too far.
 
I would shoot the cue ball just to the right of the center of the 13 ball with right english. This would send the 13 ball to the left and double kiss the cue ball back towards my pocket. The 13 ball in its original position is no good to me and a possible shot for my opponent.




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