Side pocket break shot wwyd

[AtLarge]

This, unless I was on a high run, then I might go for something more aggressive.

Edit: On second thought, that shot looks like you would be stretching or at least standing uncomfortably as a right handed player. It might be tough to control the hit/speed. This shot takes good execution, or you'll almost certainly leave a shot on either the 13, the 11 or the 7. This is probably a situation where you would be better off taking a foul. A left handed player could consider the first option.

I tried it a bunch of times -- standing behind the head rail, shooting right handed, with no bridge or extension, 13-ball on the foot rail about 2/3 of a diamond off the side rail, CB a little more than a ball off the side rail and a little more than 3 diamonds from the short rail.

Yes, it required a bit of a stretch (longer bridge than normal). But it is just a center-ball, slow-roller and quite an easy shot. I think the margin for error is large. I never came close to leaving a shot on the 13 (except a bank) or the 11 (you have to be way past the side pocket for that). I think the only real concern is the 7-ball, if it goes. The OP said there is no clean shot on the 7 from where the CB is now, so concentrate on leaving the CB no farther from the foot rail than it is now.

I'd be happy to have my opponent shooting any of the combos or caroms mentioned above or trading safes with me to the right of the rack.

If I take an intentional foul, and if my opponent is competent, I shouldn't expect my next shot to be any better than what I have now.

 

[Straightpool_99]

I tried it a bunch of times -- standing behind the head rail, shooting right handed, with no bridge or extension, 13-ball on the foot rail about 2/3 of a diamond off the side rail, CB a little more than a ball off the side rail and a little more than 3 diamonds from the short rail.

Yes, it required a bit of a stretch (longer bridge than normal). But it is just a center-ball, slow-roller and quite an easy shot. I think the margin for error is large. I never came close to leaving a shot on the 13 (except a bank) or the 11 (you have to be way past the side pocket for that). I think the only real concern is the 7-ball, if it goes. The OP said there is no clean shot on the 7 from where the CB is now, so concentrate on leaving the CB no farther from the foot rail than it is now.

I'd be happy to have my opponent shooting any of the combos or caroms mentioned above or trading safes with me to the right of the rack.

If I take an intentional foul, and if my opponent is competent, I shouldn't expect my next shot to be any better than what I have now.

I don't have a table at home, and I can't go to the poolhall because my feet were badly burned and I can't walk much for the next couple of weeks(lost a pot of boiling water on them), so I'm going by memory of reach etc. I know that if I'm stretching, my feel and aim suffer slightly, especially on delicate cuts like this.

The level of player I'm currently matching up with would easily cut in any shot on the 13 that is makeable, even a severe cut, should I mishit it, and I'm far from sure they wouldn't make a combination from there, either. The 15 looks like it could easily be makeable if you play the shot only a tiny bit too softly or hit the ball a fraction too thickly.

I'm not so sure I'd win a safety battle from a safe like that against an equally skilled opponent. In straightpool, IMO, you have to LOCK people up. Leaving the ball "free" will give people options. You don't want your opponent to have options, you want them to play a certain shot, that you feel is low percentage or risky. Against a lesser player, is a different story. I don't consider taking 3-fouls a catastrophe, compared to losing a safety battle with essentially an open table. I'm not going to lose just 18 points from that..That being said, if I was at the table and felt good about the shoot, not being overstretched etc, then I may shoot it after all. The thing is, it's not a really aggressive safety. It's not a slam dunk, even if I pull it off perfectly. Essentially it's a passive, get out of the inning kind of shot. You may actually leave him pretty much the same kind of return shot, or he may see something you didn't.

I don't think this is a very clear cut sitiuation at all. It's mostly a personal choice, that not only takes into account the relative skill of the players, but also the psychology of the game. If you never leave anything, then you might demoralize the opponent, even if you take 3 fouls.

 

[AtLarge]

I don't have a table at home, and I can't go to the poolhall because my feet were badly burned and I can't walk much for the next couple of weeks(lost a pot of boiling water on them), so I'm going by memory of reach etc. I know that if I'm stretching, my feel and aim suffer slightly, especially on delicate cuts like this.

The level of player I'm currently matching up with would easily cut in any shot on the 13 that is makeable, even a severe cut, should I mishit it, and I'm far from sure they wouldn't make a combination from there, either. The 15 looks like it could easily be makeable if you play the shot only a tiny bit too softly or hit the ball a fraction too thickly.

I'm not so sure I'd win a safety battle from a safe like that against an equally skilled opponent. In straightpool, IMO, you have to LOCK people up. Leaving the ball "free" will give people options. You don't want your opponent to have options, you want them to play a certain shot, that you feel is low percentage or risky. Against a lesser player, is a different story. I don't consider taking 3-fouls a catastrophe, compared to losing a safety battle with essentially an open table. I'm not going to lose just 18 points from that..That being said, if I was at the table and felt good about the shoot, not being overstretched etc, then I may shoot it after all. The thing is, it's not a really aggressive safety. It's not a slam dunk, even if I pull it off perfectly. Essentially it's a passive, get out of the inning kind of shot. You may actually leave him pretty much the same kind of return shot, or he may see something you didn't.

I don't think this is a very clear cut sitiuation at all. It's mostly a personal choice, that not only takes into account the relative skill of the players, but also the psychology of the game. If you never leave anything, then you might demoralize the opponent, even if you take 3 fouls.

Man, too bad about the boiling water on your feet; I wish you a speedy recovery from that!

You make some good points here. With my safety on the 13-ball, the 15-ball is a risk. I neglected to place it on the table when I was doing my trials, but I think I might have left a shot on it a couple times.

And, yes, the safety is rather passive. I find myself taking passive safeties pretty often (probably too often), to survive the inning, hoping that my opponent will mess up before I do.