Ten Silliest Mistakes You Can Make in Nine Ball

JennBarretta

JennBarretta

Pro Player
Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to share something that my mentor shared with me when we first began working together. He titled it "The Ten Silliest Mistakes You Can Make in Nine Ball", and I originally planned to put all ten in this post, but some of them are long so I will post them one at a time. At one time or another I think we have all made these silly mistakes. Hope you enjoy it!

Silly Mistake Number 1:

"When there is a carom or combo available on the nine, and you know it is right to play for it, do not go for the runout for either of the following reasons:

a)You think it is better practice to run out. This is nonsense. If you do not play for all the caroms and combos on the nine that you should, your combo and carom skills will not develop and may slip

b) You want to look good, and you think it is more impressive to run out and demonstrate to onlookers that you are a run out player. Compare the chance on the nine to your runout prospects, not to the chances of Earl Strickland, Johnny Archer, Buddy Hall, Allison Fisher or Jeanette Lee. The percentages for them are different. Play your game!
 
I agree.
They call the game 9-Ball for a reason.
Make the 9-Ball, as soon as you can.
I have never seen any of the pro players, you mentioned, pass up an early 9-Ball, when it was the best choice. :D
 
Silly mistake number 2

Most of these mistakes are ones that are made by beginner or intermediate players, but I have seen some of these mistakes made at the pro level. Which leads me to silly mistake number 2:

"Do not add speed to the cue ball to play tight shape onto a pocket hanger. Examples:

a) You are shooting the 8 and the 9 ball is hanging over a pocket. Good position on the nine, in this case, would be anywhere on the table. Hence, it would be especially foolish to add speed to the cue ball when you shoot the 8 just to try to get near the 9. That is very low percentage 9 ball.

b) You are shooting the 3. The 4 is hanging over a pocket and the 5 is near the 4. If position is easily achieved on the 5 regardless of where you shoot the 4 from, it would be a bad idea to add speed to the 3 in an attempt to play tight onto the 4.

The exception to this rule is when you have to play long position off the hanger. In that situation getting close to the hanging object ball is advantageous as it allows you a better chance at judging both the speed and the angle precisely when you shoot it."
 
Silly Mistake 3

Do not chance snookering yourself to get tight shape on a hanger. You must settle for the sure thing in this case. There are times when it is chancy to try to get near a ball that is hanging over a pocket because other balls are either in or nearly in your position path. As in mistake #2 the exception will be when long position is needed off the hanger. Still, you must weigh the increased risk of snookering yourself against the reward that tight position offers before making your choice on how to play the shot.
 
actually i think this is a better thread

Ok, it would go something like this

10 worst things that could happen to u at the pool table

10- running into a pool shark using a house cue

9- playing someone who barely knows how to play yet seems to get a ball in everytime.

8- playing King Cheese, the guy who always trys the cheese shot everytime, even if theres no chance on the shot.

7- Running into the one person who always seems to beat you no matter what you do.

6- grabbing the wrong cue and using it to break

5- missing the 9 ball after running the first 8 lol

4- having someone flash a camera as you goto shoot a ball

3- having someones cell phone ring right before your about to shoot a ball

2- seeing your G/f run off with your competition

1- Having a hot girl come upto the table and ask you to play, and then having her flaunt what she's got in front of you, and then turning to your friends for help, to over come her flaunts, and all they are saying is " GET OUTA THE WAY I CANT SEE HER "
 
Silly mistake number 4

With ball in hand, do not play a position line that involves an obstructing ball if one that does not is available. Otherwise, you unnecessarily chance snookering yourself. Snookering yourself when you have ball in hand is one of the worst pool crimes you can perpetrate. Minimize the chance of it happening.
 
JennBarretta said:
With ball in hand, do not play a position line that involves an obstructing ball if one that does not is available. Otherwise, you unnecessarily chance snookering yourself. Snookering yourself when you have ball in hand is one of the worst pool crimes you can perpetrate. Minimize the chance of it happening.
Click to expand...

DEAR JEN CAN WE PLAY SOME STRAIGHT POOL ? I HAVE SEEN YOU HAVE BEEN VERY BIZZY PLAYING AND DOING WELL. SO I FEEL YOU SHOULD BE READY TO PLAY NOW ,ARE YOU STILL PLAYING IN THE CITY?
I'LL BE UP THERE IN JUNE ...JUST PM ME AND WE CAN SET UP A TIME AND A PLACE..

PS I'M SOMEONE U DO KNOW . BYE 4 NOW
DON'T FORGET YOUR BIGGEST FAN . GLAD YOU DID WHAT YOU SET OUT TO DO. GIVE THEM HELL...ART FROM 21 BROADWAY... :) :)
 
Actually, I think what's worse than snookering yourself when you have ball-in-hand is missing the object ball. As crazy as this sounds, it happens to just about everyone once in a while. :eek:


JennBarretta said:
With ball in hand, do not play a position line that involves an obstructing ball if one that does not is available. Otherwise, you unnecessarily chance snookering yourself. Snookering yourself when you have ball in hand is one of the worst pool crimes you can perpetrate. Minimize the chance of it happening.
Click to expand...
 
Silly mistake number 5

Hey Deadstroke 32...I know who you are! Looking forward to seeing you in NY!

Here is sm#5:

Do not play shots that have a scratch written all over them. The most obvious of these is when a ball lies just beyond the side pocket. In many such situations, if you try to cut it into the corner pocket you are taking a great risk of sending the cue ball directly into the side pocket. In this situation, find another pocket or play safe. There is often a bank shot available in this situation.

Jenn
 
Rickw said:
Actually, I think what's worse than snookering yourself when you have ball-in-hand is missing the object ball. As crazy as this sounds, it happens to just about everyone once in a while. :eek:
Click to expand...

I saw Efren miss ball in hand at the world championships 2 years ago. It's nice to know that he does it too.
 
JennBarretta said:
I saw Efren miss ball in hand at the world championships 2 years ago. It's nice to know that he does it too.
Click to expand...

If there no misses in the game no one can ever win over the next..I have been there and watch top players run 4 racks and miss a ball hanging in the pocket..that the game of good ol 9 ball ..
Jenn i'll see ya soon ..hope we can get to play.. ;)
 
silly mistake number 6

Do not play kicks that have a scratch written all over them. When the object ball at which you kick is near a pocket, you must be very mindful of the chance of having the cue ball carom into the pocket for a scratch. Sometimes, you can hit the "safe side" of the object ball to avoid the scratch, and when that is the case, you must do just that. Other times, the "safe side" may be unhittable. When this is the case, look for a different way to kick at the ball. If you do not see one, consider tying something up.
 
silly mistake number 7

Do not duck (defense without snookering) near loose balls or clusters. Too often you leave a simple safe.
 
Silly Mistake #8

Do not leave yourself shots that require long position play using the bridge. Achieving accurate long position with the bridge is very difficult. Sometimes you need to plan on leaving a slightly longer shot to make sure you can reach it. There is a long learning curve in play here, but you need to account for what shots you can and cannot reach in your postion play.
 
Silly Mistake #9

Unless you have already mastered the use of the bridge, don't shoot with your opposite hand, otherwise you will never get around to mastering the use of the bridge and your game will be lacking a critical feature. It is amazing how often miscues, bad misses and major position errors occur when nonadvanced players shoot with the opposite hand. Expert players may urge you to add opposite hand shooting to your game, but be smart enough to resist their well-meant advice until you are ready.
 
Silly mistake #10

Early in the rack, do not attempt a tough kick (30% or worse) when a failure to make the hit may sell out the nine ball when you can play an intentional foul and break up the chance on the nine. Late in the rack you usually have to go for the kick as you cannot afford to give up ball in hand with only a few balls left.
 
JennBarretta said:
Do not leave yourself shots that require long position play using the bridge. Achieving accurate long position with the bridge is very difficult. Sometimes you need to plan on leaving a slightly longer shot to make sure you can reach it. There is a long learning curve in play here, but you need to account for what shots you can and cannot reach in your postion play.
Click to expand...

Jenn
These are all good points. This one seems to be a problem I have. I get all involved with the route I have planned for the next 3 or 4 balls and @#$%@#$ all of a sudden I'm saying to myself, 'how am I going to get the position I was planning on while using a bridge?'

On a funnier note. Sometimes I think this has happened to my opponent. while they are walking to the next shot - then I realise they are not in trouble at all because they are right handed. LOL (I'm a lefty and was looking at the shot as if I had to make it.)

Thanks again Jenn

JR
 
Reaching for it?

Yes, position play with the bridge can be difficult at best, but I see more people trying to over reach themselves getting to a shot and then either missing the shot altogether or making the object ball, but losing postion in the process. I am guilty of this also, because I am tall and have long arms I think that I don't need a bridge and that I can reach just about anything, but this has bitten me in the rear before and I am sure it will again. I have seen too many games lost watching somebody trying to get to that cue ball at the other end of the table. It is a hard habit to break. Now if I could use the bridge as well as Allison does it would be a little easier to break that habit. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top