Scotch Doubles this past Saturday

Samiel

Sea Player
Silver Member
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Playing for 3rd in a small Scotch Doubles tournament this weekend, I left this shot for my partner. He needed to make the 14-ball and get me shape on the 8-ball. He's a 550+ FargoRate on a bar box.

We ended up 4th. I was kind of upset.
 

David in FL

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
View attachment 771383

Playing for 3rd in a small Scotch Doubles tournament this weekend, I left this shot for my partner. He needed to make the 14-ball and get me shape on the 8-ball. He's a 550+ FargoRate on a bar box.

We ended up 4th. I was kind of upset.

Yeah he should get that, but there are a couple of ways to screw it up if you don't give it just a bit of respect...

You can try to cheat that corner pocket just a bit to bring the cue ball up table to get perfect on the 8 and misjudge, either catching the point with the 14 or bumping into the 8 with the CB...

Or you can try to draw out of the pocket intending to come back off that long rail where the CB is now, but under-stroke it and leave it short.

Again, neither should be a problem for a 550, but shit happens.

What did he do?
 
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Samiel

Sea Player
Silver Member
Yeah he should get that, but there are a couple of ways to screw it up if you don't give it just a bit of respect...

You can try to cheat that corner pocket just a bit to bring the cue ball up table to get perfect on the 8 and misjudge, either catching the point with the 14 or bumping into the 8 with the CB...

Or you can try to draw out of the pocket intending to come back off that long rail where the CB is now, but under-stroke it and leave it short.

Again, neither should be a problem for a 550, but shit happens.

What did he do?
He played it with follow, bumping up the 8-ball where it had no pocket. I tried to cinch it past the 4-ball since it was a Valley with big pockets, but no dice. So it was my fault for missing the 8-ball I guess. I asked him why he didn't use draw. He thought he'd draw it into the 3-ball.
 

couldnthinkof01

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
He played it with follow, bumping up the 8-ball where it had no pocket. I tried to cinch it past the 4-ball since it was a Valley with big pockets, but no dice. So it was my fault for missing the 8-ball I guess. I asked him why he didn't use draw. He thought he'd draw it into the 3-ball.
When you play with others try not to criticize. You don't play perfect, they don't play perfect.
Coming here crying about it makes you look foolish.
 

Texas Carom Club

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
its not too hard of a draw stroke at that distance near straight
maybe the cloth and balls didnt make it super easy
 

gregcantrall

Just Don't Dog it. 🤷‍♂️
Silver Member
When you play with others try not to criticize. You don't play perfect, they don't play perfect.
Coming here crying about it makes you look foolish.
I was preparing to mention the chemistry in Scotch Doubles. I didn't bother looking at the picture, as I can miss any shot at any time.
I have experience in Scotch and do better than average. First I have to get my mind right. Projecting confidence and care free for my partner.
A-B-C draw for partners was a fun challenge that in theory flavored 2 B players against an A + C. My C partners quite often played over their head , well with an encouraging and carefree partner. Scotch Doubles is for fun and it's funny how the wins come when we just have fun. 🤷‍♂️
 

Samiel

Sea Player
Silver Member
I did learn a lot though. I think we gave each other solid advice, but in the end, I think we each should have trusted our instincts instead of blindly following each others' advice. We both took shots we thought the other person wanted us to and probably would have done better had we just shot what we were comfortable with.
 

gregcantrall

Just Don't Dog it. 🤷‍♂️
Silver Member
Almost forgot. My Scotch Doubles mantra was, "I made mine." Delivered with a 🤷‍♂️ "Take that" could be used after 2, I made mines'.
 

ChrisSjoblom

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just playing devil's advocate here: Why complain about his shot when you left him so straight on the 14? Put the cue ball 3 to 12 inches higher or 3 to 8 inches lower and making the 14 with a good leave on the 8 becomes way easier, nearly automatic. To paraphrase an old rule book, remove the log from your own eye before criticizing the speck in someone else's. The same book also says something about glass houses. ;)
 

Samiel

Sea Player
Silver Member
Just playing devil's advocate here: Why complain about his shot when you left him so straight on the 14? Put the cue ball 3 to 12 inches higher or 3 to 8 inches lower and making the 14 with a good leave on the 8 becomes way easier, nearly automatic. To paraphrase an old rule book, remove the log from your own eye before criticizing the speck in someone else's. The same book also says something about glass houses. ;)
We had a problem ball before this one and he left me a long but makeable shot on it. My main objective was to leave him off the rail with a makeable shot on the 14-ball. I could possibly have left him better, but my shot was objectively harder than his shot on this 14-ball. I felt we had a 90% chance of winning with this position I left him, so that's why I'm venting. In the end, it is what it is. Believe me, I've messed up my fair share of shots as well and don't claim to play perfectly.
 

fastone371

Certifiable
Silver Member
View attachment 771383

Playing for 3rd in a small Scotch Doubles tournament this weekend, I left this shot for my partner. He needed to make the 14-ball and get me shape on the 8-ball. He's a 550+ FargoRate on a bar box.

We ended up 4th. I was kind of upset.
From the looks of it the only option here is to draw out of that to get on the 8. Both sides are very tight windows to go into the cushion and come back next to or around the balls. All that your teammate had to do was draw the QB 1 1/2-2 diamonds and you are golden. I have had really good luck in scotch doubles tournaments. If my partner asks for advice I might make a suggestion but I always end up telling them to do what they are most comfortable with and we will work it out. On this one I would have suggested pretty strongly to just draw back, if he only ended up drawing a half diamond we still would have had a pretty good shot at the bank with the 6 as a helper.
 
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