pocketing vs. moving?

Egg McDogit

Egg McDogit

street player
Silver Member
my friend and I were having this discussion a couple days ago while sweating some of the us open matches on bcntv.

When you're in a pressure situation, do you use one as a crutch? For instance, when some people get nervous, their pocketing gets a little shaky and they rely heavily on their speed to leave themselves easy shots. Other people lose their speed and rely on shotmaking to get out. Which do you think is more important and why? Or do you think they're equally important?

Let's say it's hill-hill and you're at the table with this:
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Would you play conservative position for a tougher shot? Or would you play more aggressive position for an easier shot?
 
I play tough position for a tougher shot. By the time I get to the 9, I've pulled off 3 or 4 Harrigans. When I get out, it looks tough. :rolleyes:
 
Well ...

First, you have got to make the shot or shape doesn't
do you any good.

On your shot, are you asking to play the cue ball back
to where it starts after making the 6, or to take the
cue ball down table below the 8 for the 7 in the other corner?

If that is the question, I like the cue ball where it originally
starts for the 7 ball, and bring the cue around 2 rails to
get on the 8. With the other option, you might get an
easier 7, but the angle could be wrong for getting on the
8 ball. When running a table, you have to think 2 balls
ahead, not just 1 ball.
 
Making the shot and not getting shape doesn't do you much good either. My question is if/what you rely on more to get out under pressure.

I was trying to leave the shot open-ended. And yes, you can play short position and leave yourself very good position on the 8 to get on the 9...it's a little risky. Then again, maybe some people would consider that medium distance cut shot risky...

Snapshot9 said:
First, you have got to make the shot or shape doesn't
do you any good.

On your shot, are you asking to play the cue ball back
to where it starts after making the 6, or to take the
cue ball down table below the 8 for the 7 in the other corner?

If that is the question, I like the cue ball where it originally
starts for the 7 ball, and bring the cue around 2 rails to
get on the 8. With the other option, you might get an
easier 7, but the angle could be wrong for getting on the
8 ball. When running a table, you have to think 2 balls
ahead, not just 1 ball.
Click to expand...
 
Snapshot9 said:
I like the cue ball where it originally
starts for the 7 ball, and bring the cue around 2 rails to
get on the 8. With the other option, you might get an
easier 7, but the angle could be wrong for getting on the
8 ball. When running a table, you have to think 2 balls
ahead, not just 1 ball.
Click to expand...
I agree with this choice, every time. I like to play the CB in the middle of the table whenever I can. I think this is the right choice, JMO.
 
Rude Dog said:
I agree with this choice, every time. I like to play the CB in the middle of the table whenever I can. I think this is the right choice, JMO.
Click to expand...

I agree...it's the only option I'd consider here. Maybe it was a bad example. Wei diagram aside though, what do you people think your strength is? shotmaking/position? And what do you depend on more in the clutch?
 
In crunch situations I just try and pocket balls...I will even go to the extreme that if the shape is hard, I will pull shape for a bank if need be. I don't mind banking balls under pressure.

Shorty
 
I've heard it said many times by pros, especially at 1-pocket " Don't shoot a shot you can lose with, but can't win with!" I've also heard many times " In tough situations when the shot is hard and the safety is just as hard, SHOOT!, it gives you an opportunity to win." I like both of these because they are easy to remember and understand.

I just got done watching Efren and Grady playing 1-pocket on Accu-stats with Buddy and Nick commentating. They did disagree a few times about when to shoot vs play safe, but they play alot differently. One comment they both made was " when faced with a tough situation, do something very simple" which Efren did a few times. He made a few nice bunt type, little safeties that made life real hard on Grady.I believe Buddy attributed the comment to Hubert "Daddy Warbucks" Cokes.

The only other thing I do when playing is I always play the score. If I'm way ahead in a race of 9-ball I may take a bit more of a flier to add more pressure to my opponent, and keep them off the table. In 14.1 I will rarely play a flier for obvious reasons if the guy I'm playing can get out. In 1-pocket if I get a lead (3 or 4 balls), I'm sending the rest up table to apply more pressure.....Gerry
 
If i was shooting, I'd want to play closer position to the 7. Where the c/b is in this diagram is to far away. I know when it's better to take a longer shot vers being hooked but to me this isn't one of them. I'd put the c/b at point A if I shot it that way. There is little risk in getting a couple of feet closer to the 7 ball. The shot can be missed at a farther range (as shown) especially using english. Not only that, you could under shoot the shot (not likely because of the angle) but you could over run the shot making the 8 more difficult as well as position on the 9.

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%Fi6F2%GH2R1%HK9S9%IL3M6%P`6K0%QU9K4%Wf5D3%Xh9F1%]W4K9%^e6C9

)END

I'm may be going against the grain here so far but I like cross rail under the 8 for position on the 7. If the 6 had a little more angle I'd really like it. Maybe it's eyesight and from playing a lot of 14-1 but I like em closer.

Rod
 
Egg McDogit said:
Making the shot and not getting shape doesn't do you much good either. My question is if/what you rely on more to get out under pressure.

I was trying to leave the shot open-ended. And yes, you can play short position and leave yourself very good position on the 8 to get on the 9...it's a little risky. Then again, maybe some people would consider that medium distance cut shot risky...
Click to expand...

I don't know much about pool but isn't it a mistake to change your game because you are under pressure?
 
well it was told to me like this when you are under the gun think of this.remember you have made this before numerous of times. well this is kind of goes back to what i had written in the greatest advice ever thread. if you practice like you play and play like you practice you will know what it feels like to have to pocket balls numerous of times in pressure situations and it makes it alot easier.
 
In a high pressure situation I would prefer to play short side shape on the 7, drawing across the table. If I play center of the table position on the 7, I would have to finesse the shot 2 rails, and if the heat is on me I don't like those kinds of shots. I would rather risk the short side shape, because I know that even if I do screw up position (which is hard to do) I'm gonna be close to the 7 ball and can work with it from there. That's just my opinion. When the heat is on me I definately don't like to finesse a ball with sidespin, I'd rather hit it with authority if possible.
 
alstl said:
I don't know much about pool but isn't it a mistake to change your game because you are under pressure?
Click to expand...
NO, you always have to do the best thing in any given situation. This thread assumes that one can execute any option reasonably well and seeks to determine propensity toward risky or safe. Isay KISS- Keep It Simple, Stupid! shoot the 7 from center table and go 2 rails to the same spot for the 8. :)
 
Black-Balled said:
But ,what about this one? Are you shooting or ducking?

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%Fr8H7%GH2R1%HK9S9%IL3M6%P_5L9

)END
Click to expand...

Shooting. A safe here doesn't guarantee me getting my opponent hooked. And if I don't get him hooked, I might get hooked on my next shot. So my situation is likely to get worse if I play safe here so I have to go on an offense here. And the shot isn't too hard either because the cueball is relatively close to the object ball. Heck, I might even go for this if the cueball was near the 7-/8-ball. Little bit of inside english, if I accidentally hit it cushion first, the 6-ball will usually hit the long rail and return near the short rail thus leaving not much of a shot to my opponent.
 
mjantti said:
Shooting. A safe here doesn't guarantee me getting my opponent hooked. And if I don't get him hooked, I might get hooked on my next shot. So my situation is likely to get worse if I play safe here so I have to go on an offense here. And the shot isn't too hard either because the cueball is relatively close to the object ball. Heck, I might even go for this if the cueball was near the 7-/8-ball. Little bit of inside english, if I accidentally hit it cushion first, the 6-ball will usually hit the long rail and return near the short rail thus leaving not much of a shot to my opponent.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but you are 180+cm, aren't you?! IIRC, our man Egg is only 134cm!!

You don't like thinning the 6 to center, CB 4 rails to other end?
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%Fr8H1%GH2R1%HK9S9%IL3M6%P_5L9%Qr3K1%RF3R8%Uq6C9%Vs2E6%WC8U0
%XR4[5%YS4[2%Zp6C1%[F4S7%\C2T1%eA5a3%_t4F8%`r5G1%a`7L2
)END
 
Black-Balled said:
But ,what about this one? Are you shooting or ducking?

START(
%Fr8H7%GH2R1%HK9S9%IL3M6%P_5L9

)END
Click to expand...
It looks tough either way you go but I might consider thinning the 6 on the left and going 4 rails to get behind the 7,8,9. Playing an offensive shot is risky because you have to let the CB go. Making the ball isn't the challenge, getting position is.
 
Black-Balled said:
But ,what about this one? Are you shooting or ducking?

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%Fr8H7%GH2R1%HK9S9%IL3M6%P_5L9

)END
Click to expand...

I'd 100% shoot at that. play it with an inside english off-the-rail cut and try to leave the cueball behind 9 for a possible 2 way shot.
 
Egg McDogit said:
I'd 100% shoot at that. play it with an inside english off-the-rail cut and try to leave the cueball behind 9 for a possible 2 way shot.
Click to expand...

oh just to clarify that last post...I'd try to go off the top rail with inside english - into the side rail - and off the bottom rail up towards the 9. Even if you dog the 6, you have a pretty good chance of hooking the guy. If you don't have a shot on the 9, you have 2 balls to hide behind for a lockdown safe.
 
Black-Balled said:
Yeah, but you are 180+cm, aren't you?! IIRC, our man Egg is only 134cm!!

You don't like thinning the 6 to center, CB 4 rails to other end?
START(
%Fr8H1%GH2R1%HK9S9%IL3M6%P_5L9%Qr3K1%RF3R8%Uq6C9%Vs2E6%WC8U0
%XR4[5%YS4[2%Zp6C1%[F4S7%\C2T1%eA5a3%_t4F8%`r5G1%a`7L2
)END
Click to expand...

134cm...man I'm just glad they let me shoot on a stool :D
 
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