Thelonious Monk
Registered
Apologies if this has been discussed before (and I'm VERY sure I'm not the first person to think of it). I haven't been using this forum for long, so maybe it's been 'done to death' already. Just interested in a discussion though.
Recently in league matches, I've been occasionally trying out the use of 9-ball-style push outs as deliberate fouls. Often as challenge shots. And as for "push out", I'm just using the word as a metaphor -- I mean I'm playing a deliberate foul, probably not contacting any other ball, and hopefully leaving my opponent with a dilemma.
When most straight pool players play deliberate fouls, they tend to be nudges, or very short-range shots at least. I'm talking, generally, about pushing the white a long way from all the other balls (which makes it really hard for my opponent to just roll me gently into the stack). These sort of POs, it seems to me, have several good uses.
For example: you've noticed your opponent is uncomfortable on long angled shots or power shots, say. You "push out", maybe leaving whitey near the head rail and a tough long ball on, or leaving a shot that will need a really good power shot for your opponent to score more than 1 ball. Or your opponent badly missed a shot just like the one you're leaving a rack or so ago. So you're playing this shot gambling (with good odds) that your opponent will take on the shot and miss. (Obviously you have to read your opponent a little on this -- but I've noticed that VERY FEW players will turn down an open shot, even if it's tougher than their level of play suggests they should be comfortable with).
This PO move also, it seems to me, is a HUGE help if you're playing handicap and you're spotting the other guy a lot of balls. You make a move like this and he's terrified to leave you anything, he takes the shot on himself, and he's shaking a bit as he does so. (Actually, now I think about it, a whole post on the tactics when you're giving away balls would interest me as well.)
As I say, maybe this topic's been done to death, but I play I really wide range of players at many levels in the healthy straight pool league at Amsterdam in New York, and I haven't really seen anyone else doing this.
Oh, and this tactic also has the value of confusion -- often I'll get a look from my opponent that says 'what the hell are you doing? That's not how we play deliberate fouls HERE'. And then he gets down to bang this tough ball in and teach me a lesson, and bingo, I'm back at the table.
Just trying to think out of the box. Now tell me why I'm wrong. (OK, it's probably not a move you're going to use at pro level, but how many of us are there, right?)
Recently in league matches, I've been occasionally trying out the use of 9-ball-style push outs as deliberate fouls. Often as challenge shots. And as for "push out", I'm just using the word as a metaphor -- I mean I'm playing a deliberate foul, probably not contacting any other ball, and hopefully leaving my opponent with a dilemma.
When most straight pool players play deliberate fouls, they tend to be nudges, or very short-range shots at least. I'm talking, generally, about pushing the white a long way from all the other balls (which makes it really hard for my opponent to just roll me gently into the stack). These sort of POs, it seems to me, have several good uses.
For example: you've noticed your opponent is uncomfortable on long angled shots or power shots, say. You "push out", maybe leaving whitey near the head rail and a tough long ball on, or leaving a shot that will need a really good power shot for your opponent to score more than 1 ball. Or your opponent badly missed a shot just like the one you're leaving a rack or so ago. So you're playing this shot gambling (with good odds) that your opponent will take on the shot and miss. (Obviously you have to read your opponent a little on this -- but I've noticed that VERY FEW players will turn down an open shot, even if it's tougher than their level of play suggests they should be comfortable with).
This PO move also, it seems to me, is a HUGE help if you're playing handicap and you're spotting the other guy a lot of balls. You make a move like this and he's terrified to leave you anything, he takes the shot on himself, and he's shaking a bit as he does so. (Actually, now I think about it, a whole post on the tactics when you're giving away balls would interest me as well.)
As I say, maybe this topic's been done to death, but I play I really wide range of players at many levels in the healthy straight pool league at Amsterdam in New York, and I haven't really seen anyone else doing this.
Oh, and this tactic also has the value of confusion -- often I'll get a look from my opponent that says 'what the hell are you doing? That's not how we play deliberate fouls HERE'. And then he gets down to bang this tough ball in and teach me a lesson, and bingo, I'm back at the table.
Just trying to think out of the box. Now tell me why I'm wrong. (OK, it's probably not a move you're going to use at pro level, but how many of us are there, right?)
