running a rack?
- Thread starter jcpoolgod
- Start date
Are you a 4-5-6-7-8 ball runner?
It can change the answer....Its sometimes easier to start with 3 balls or 4...at every shot...
So you have the 4 balls laid out in your mind....you sink one....and add the next...so you are always running 4 balls...till ya run out...then eventually you can add a ball....and work from there till you see the whole pattern and its permutations standing there...
R
It can change the answer....Its sometimes easier to start with 3 balls or 4...at every shot...
So you have the 4 balls laid out in your mind....you sink one....and add the next...so you are always running 4 balls...till ya run out...then eventually you can add a ball....and work from there till you see the whole pattern and its permutations standing there...
R
usually thinking 3 balls ahead will get the job done. there's usually 1 shot that makes or breaks the "out", so it's important to find that ball when you're planning and decide how you want to shoot it
if you make sure you're planning 3 shots ahead and you'll probably be fine. Don't be afraid to change the plan if you get out of line!
if you make sure you're planning 3 shots ahead and you'll probably be fine. Don't be afraid to change the plan if you get out of line!
The first thing I start with when faced with a new table is to look for the problems. Problems can either be a cluster of balls, balls blocking the path of another ball, ball near rail close to centerpocket. Then I see if there are any shots that demands a difficult positition shot.
If I do not see any real problems on the table, I start to plan a couple of balls ahead.
If for example the 7 is blocking the table for the 5 ball in the corner pocket, I will use my imagination to see if I can run the table and get another position for the 5 ball to pocket it in another corner, bank it, or go for the 5-7 combination. When I have made a plan that I believe in, I will start pocketing balls with my gameplan in mind.
If I do not see any real problems on the table, I start to plan a couple of balls ahead.
If for example the 7 is blocking the table for the 5 ball in the corner pocket, I will use my imagination to see if I can run the table and get another position for the 5 ball to pocket it in another corner, bank it, or go for the 5-7 combination. When I have made a plan that I believe in, I will start pocketing balls with my gameplan in mind.
IIRC, I read an article in B Digest by the Black Widow whereby she said "work backwards." She was talking about 8 ball though. I don't know how sage that advice is, as I hadn't played it much.
But that advice doesn't apply to 9 ball IMO. Like Roy said, look for clusters and really assess whether YOU can get out and/or if you can play a safe along the way if you get out of line. If you don't like the layout, punt it inside their 5 yard line.
Don't keep chopping a bunch of wood just to butt your ahead against a cluster and sell out!
But that advice doesn't apply to 9 ball IMO. Like Roy said, look for clusters and really assess whether YOU can get out and/or if you can play a safe along the way if you get out of line. If you don't like the layout, punt it inside their 5 yard line.
Don't keep chopping a bunch of wood just to butt your ahead against a cluster and sell out!
Ya. I've alway heard that billiards is a game of three balls. Shoot ball #1 to get on the correct side of ball #2 so that you can easily get to ball #3. When ball #1 is pocketed .... repeat. Theoretically, this could go on forever. Beyond 9 and 10 ball .... think about 14.1 using this strategy. It works!
Correct.. 8 ball the pattern is done backwards.
9 ball, i'm sure you can, but I don't.
I agree with others. In 8-ball you should plan the out backwards. Sometimes you can't really see that far in the future, since clusters need dealing with first. If that's the case, get to the cluster as fast as you can, and then once it's open, plan the rest of the out backwards.
In 9-ball, there's really no reason to "plan the run" at all; the order of the shots is already dictated. The 3-balls-ahead rule is what you need. If you're on the one, figure out, based on the position of the 3, what angle you want on the 2. Get that angle, and then figure out, based on the 4, which angle you need on the 3. Rinse, repeat.
The exception to this is looking ahead to clusters, combos, or caroms. Figure out when you're going to deal with these from the start, and then work them into the plan. If you know you need to play a 4-8 carom (because the 4 doesn't have a pocket), then figure out what angle you're going to need on the 4 to get the carom and get position on the 4. Then when you're shooting the 3, that's the angle you're looking for. It's really not rocket science.
-Andrew
In 9-ball, there's really no reason to "plan the run" at all; the order of the shots is already dictated. The 3-balls-ahead rule is what you need. If you're on the one, figure out, based on the position of the 3, what angle you want on the 2. Get that angle, and then figure out, based on the 4, which angle you need on the 3. Rinse, repeat.
The exception to this is looking ahead to clusters, combos, or caroms. Figure out when you're going to deal with these from the start, and then work them into the plan. If you know you need to play a 4-8 carom (because the 4 doesn't have a pocket), then figure out what angle you're going to need on the 4 to get the carom and get position on the 4. Then when you're shooting the 3, that's the angle you're looking for. It's really not rocket science.
-Andrew
are you talking about 8 or 9 ball??
In 8 ball I start with figuring out where the 8 ball will go, then I find my "key" ball to get on the eight, and my "key" ball to get on my "key" ball. I'll leave those 2 balls alone and then work the rack from the beginning breaking out clusters as soon as possible.
In nine ball just 3 balls ahead to get the right angles.
In 8 ball I start with figuring out where the 8 ball will go, then I find my "key" ball to get on the eight, and my "key" ball to get on my "key" ball. I'll leave those 2 balls alone and then work the rack from the beginning breaking out clusters as soon as possible.
In nine ball just 3 balls ahead to get the right angles.