Grilled Cheese, don't get me wrong. If I make a ball on the break and looking at a open table I am not thinking about playing safe. I am thinking about running out. Same can be said at any point during a game where I can see the patern to get out.
Now, when I get out of line I usually first think what can I do to ***k over my opponent before I look at the offensive option. Also, especially in 8ball, you are going to have clusters and not always will you have an oppertunity to break them up. A good safe can force your opponent to do the dirty work for you.
As for the situation I had last night, I know I am not a world class pool ass kicker. The shot was tough and I was looking at a 2-3 rail leave along the long rail. So the chances were low. I'm not sure I would have played it differently against anyone but I absolutely respect your opinion.
Not at all re: getting you wrong. If the 'out' is tough, and as much risk as whatever luck your opponent might get on their kick after your safe, then it is reasonable to go for the safe.
You said your opponent was also an SL6. Ok, no high level kicking. Not easy BIH either though. Middle of the road. Safeties tend to work better at this level of play.
That ties into my defense of jump cues. Jump cues help to combat the lame roll safeties. That is, the easy rolling of the CB behind an easy obstacle and expecting good odds and results from it. I call those the "APA safes" ...against a good player with a jump cue, that's no safe at all. At best, just a lower percentage shot for them. A high percentage hit.
But that's another topic entirely. I only brought it up to illustrate how things change as the level goes up. I've watched and played in a lot of leagues. It's often easier to execute a safe than it is an out. Doesn't mean it's the right choice always, but that's why it happens. When I would play in a weekly open tournament, which had 3 (sometimes more) pros in it - I would play all out offense. Sink or swim, I was all in on offense. And it would pay off well for me. I tried the safeties against them prior. They kick too damn good. Usually leaving me long and tough. Or, worse, hooked. At which point my inferior kicking just coughs up the table to them. 'APA safes' (basic obstruction) lead to successful jump shots. It's just brutal. That said, if I have a shot - I'm going for it. Because I can win from here/there. I can't win from a return safety where I have to kick. Every inning is absolutely precious. Your time at the table may very well be your last.
The choice is simple, get out or lose. If I am good enough to stick the CB to an obstacle ball or close to sticking it, with a high degree of certainty - I might get the table back. But if it's not a lock up safe like that, forget it. Go for the out. It might be low percentage, but low percentage is better than NO percentage.
But that's against top level players. Which is why I said it's different against different levels.
How about this, if you're thinking the safety was due to weakness or you should have been more aggressive....try your best to remember the pattern. Later in practice, set up the balls and try and get out on them. Try it a few times. See what your percentage was. But downgrade the percentage a little, since subsequent attempts are better due to the practice and trial and error of doing it more than once. In a match, you get one try only.
As an SL6, you're getting close to the point where as your game improves, you're asking these questions of whether to play safe or get out. As that improvement comes, you will want to take on and play higher level players that put more pressure on you to be offensive and get out, or lose. No, safeties are not a crutch. They are part of the game, and no one can be a good or complete player without a good safety game. However, if you find yourself utilizing safeties as an easy way to win BECAUSE the opponents (in the APA) are too weak to kick them successfully, then you ought to start playing better players.
Don't get me wrong, the safety is a tool for victory even for the pros. They can win the game with a good safe. But it's always a risk. I played in the APA, most of the time, a good safe had little risk involved, and would cough up BIH for me. At which point, a good safety was damn near a sure win. That's NOT because of MY strength, but because of my opponents weakness. That's why I brought up the pros earlier in this post. That said, if it's my opponents that completely F-up because they can't kick, the safety becomes an easy way out for me, and that's not good for my game. My game, in order to improve, needs constant pressure.
