Run This (15)

Well, I took a stab at it. My layout is below. I would appreciate any feedback because I am still learning to read the good key and break balls.

I also thought of using the 5 as a break ball, but will have to look at that path later (am at work & break is over :D )

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Irish, the only issues I see are that you are going across angles to the 11 and to the break ball, so there's a good chance that you'll either have to replan things along the way because you haven't fallen on the ball you intended to shoot next. And of course that's deadly on the break ball.

I usually wait to post mine, but here it is:

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Hey Jeff,

With all due respect, why the bias against below-the-rack breakshots? ;)

I think 6 or 7 ball layouts with a perfect below-the-rack breakshot and a perfect side-of-the-rack breakshot would lead to some interesting discussion.

Out of your 15 or so layouts, I can only remember one which started with a potential break shot below the rack, and it was actually a pretty bad one (it was positioned directly in the center of the last row of balls).

Love your layouts and all you do for this forum - so just wondering if you could include some of these in your upcoming posts.

Thanks,
Steve
 
Steve Lipsky said:
Hey Jeff,

With all due respect, why the bias against below-the-rack breakshots? ;)

I think 6 or 7 ball layouts with a perfect below-the-rack breakshot and a perfect side-of-the-rack breakshot would lead to some interesting discussion.

Out of your 15 or so layouts, I can only remember one which started with a potential break shot below the rack, and it was actually a pretty bad one (it was positioned directly in the center of the last row of balls).

Love your layouts and all you do for this forum - so just wondering if you could include some of these in your upcoming posts.

Thanks,
Steve

My bad. Just throwing balls out on the table usually. I guess my subconscious seems to avoid throwing them below the rack. Next time for sure, unless someone else wants to post one. I also want to post some layouts where we have ball in hand perhaps anywhere on the table. I think that will show some wildly different points of view.

And as I've said before, if anyone has a layout to post please go ahead. Feel free to just take the next thread number in the "run this" series. I don't want to monopolize the original layouts. And as you've made me realize, I'm probably missing some interesting possibilities that others may want to bring up.
 
OK, guys, just thinking a little outside the box here. This is probably one of the last ways you'd want to run this rack but shows that there is more than one way to skin a cat. My main point being not to over look that 5 in the side as a potential break shot. May not be the best one ever but it is an option.
MULLY

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mullyman said:
... My main point being not to over look that 5 in the side as a potential break shot. ...
The 5 could work well as a break shot, but I think the 2 is the wrong key ball. I would tend to play for the 2 as soon as possible and keep as my key ball either the 11 or 1 or both because they are the balls closest to where I want the cue ball for the 5. The position you show on the 5 is back too far, and it requires a 5-diamond run from the key ball across the line of position.
 
Thanks for the reply, Bob. I chose the 2 as the key ball so I keep the CB above the 5 rather than having to play from below and get up there. I also thought coming off that end rail in the middle of the table would insure that I don't get too close to a cushion.
MULLY
 
Here's a question for y'all. Assuming a leave similar to Mully's on the 5-ball break shot, do you like going two rails to glance off of the bottom of the rack at an angle or one rail straight into the rack? And where would you like to connect with the rack?
 
I just tried to look for a graceful way to get up table for that 2-ball and without the 5-ball I couldn't find any way better than what Mully came up with. Anybody see anything different?

Maybe just leave the 8-ball rather than shooting it after the 6. Shoot the 1 the same way to get on the 2 and use the 8 to get back down table for the 5-ball break. I guess when there's this much fuss you choose a different break ball.
 
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bluepepper said:
Here's a question for y'all. Assuming a leave similar to Mully's on the 5-ball break shot, do you like going two rails to glance off of the bottom of the rack at an angle or one rail straight into the rack? And where would you like to connect with the rack?

I chose the 2 rail behind the rack because, going one rail into the side of the rack, the chances of smacking that rack dead on a ball and sticking there scares the living bejeezus outta me. Unless you really smack it good you're most likely not going to get balls out on that side of the table.....and if you stick to the pack, with my luck that's what would happen, there wouldn't be anything to shoot at.

Anyway, like I said in my original post, this whole pattern is just thinking outside the box. I don't think I'd use the 5 as a break ball but it's nice to know it's there just in case. And to be totally honest, I kind of like the 11 as a break ball if you can get good position on it. With new cloth you can get away with something that high.
MULLY
 
Here are 2 options on position for the 11 as a break ball. I prefer the position of cueball A because with cue ball B I'm not too hip on shooting a ball into the side pocket from middle table, at an angle, with that much force. I also don't like glancing off the top side of the rack like that and going up table.....but it is an option. Personally, I would probably choose to get in position A, use a touch of follow, break up the rack, bounce back a few inches and let the follow stick me below mid table.
MULLY
Oddly enough I can play any position I like and have any angle I want when I do it on the cue table. In real life though......prayers need to be answered. hehe!

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mullyman said:
I chose the 2 rail behind the rack because, going one rail into the side of the rack, the chances of smacking that rack dead on a ball and sticking there scares the living bejeezus outta me. ...
I might be wrong, but try the shot one-rail to the side of the rack with plain draw and see if you really have a problem with freezing.
 
Bob Jewett said:
I might be wrong, but try the shot one-rail to the side of the rack with plain draw and see if you really have a problem with freezing.


Will do. Thanks for the advice. One question though, doesn't bottom spin become top spin off the rail? What prevents it from sticking?
MULLY
honest question, I'm not trying to sound like a jerk
 
mullyman said:
Here are 2 options on position for the 11 as a break ball. I prefer the position of cueball A because with cue ball B I'm not too hip on shooting a ball into the side pocket from middle table, at an angle, with that much force. I also don't like glancing off the top side of the rack like that and going up table.....but it is an option. Personally, I would probably choose to get in position A, use a touch of follow, break up the rack, bounce back a few inches and let the follow stick me below mid table.
MULLY
Oddly enough I can play any position I like and have any angle I want when I do it on the cue table. In real life though......prayers need to be answered. hehe!

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I prefer the side pocket break on the 11 from cue ball position B, however getting to that point is no easy task. I believe the 8 is the best breakball due to the fact it will be easier to get on. I think bluepeppers first pattern (post #3) is the best choice so far. You have a fairly large positional areas on all the balls leading up to the 8. I especially like using the 5 to get to the 2. Good job Jeff.
 
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Marop said:
I prefer the side pocket break on the 11 from cue ball position B, however getting to that point is no easy task. I believe the 8 is the best breakball due to the fact it will be easier to get on. I think bluepeppers first pattern (post #3) is the best choice so far. You have a fairly large positional areas on all the balls leading up to the 8. I especially like using the 5 to get to the 2. Good job Jeff.

Yeah, man, that's the great thing about this game. There are a dozen ways to do it. Not all of them are fantastic but they're there. I like the 8 as a break too other than there's not really a great key ball as far as just shooting and stopping. I also like the 6 as a break ball if you can get say 2 balls over from where the 8 is. Having a slight angle on the 6 you can draw right back into the corner of the rack and most likely end up with something to shoot at afterwards. Position on that 6 would be a challenge depending on what ball you use as a key ball though.
MULLY
 
How about the 11 as the KB and the 1 as the BB? Or would this be too far out of shape? (I know the taboos about going past 90 and all, but am just thinking aloud)

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Irish634 said:
How about the 11 as the KB and the 1 as the BB? Or would this be too far out of shape? (I know the taboos about going past 90 and all, but am just thinking aloud)


You know, Irish, if that's the way you want to play it then it's not wrong at all. It may not be the easiest but it is there and if you have the confidence to pull it off then who's to say it's wrong? Personally, I didn't think it was very smart of Efren to be playing the 1 rail draw shot from up table for the break, but he did it and everyone applauded because he pulled it off flawlessly. If that was you or me they'd be calling us fools for trying it but because it was Efren it was "innovative".

Anyway, with the shot you described it's actually not a bad break shot if you get the right angle on that one ball because you'd be splitting the 2 top balls of the rack and you surely wouldn't stick there...........and if you did it would be extreme bad luck. It would be tough getting the position though. I think in all reality the good straight pool players look for the path with the least resistance. When they do it it looks easy because A. They play great position and B. with the position they play they usually have "easy" shots.....but those easy shots are there because of their spectacular talent and control.
MULLY
 
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Irish, I like it. You could also keep the 14-ball where it is until just before the 11 and do pretty much the same run.
 
For the purpose of conversation, how about nudging the 6 up a couple inches off the 10? From there, once the 6 has been nudged up for a break ball (and it really only needs to move a couple inches), the out is pretty routine. You'd shoot the 14, get rid of the 11 and 1, then use the 5 to get up-table for the 2, then use the 8 as the key ball.

Not that I would play it like that, but I'm just pointing out how, sometimes, moving 1 ball a couple inches would change the entire route that you might take.
 
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