This is an excerpt from my book, "Handbook of the Billiard Gods, Safety Toolbox". This subject covers why Safeties are a required skill set of table billiards.
The Purpose of Safeties
A Safety tool is used when there is no direct pattern to a win, at least within your current skills and capabilities. The situation forces you to allow your opponent to come to the table. Do you want to offer him an easy win? Or, would you rather give him nothing?
Here is the big why you play with Safeties.
The Purpose of any Safety tool is to KEEP CONTROL OF THE TABLE.
Let me repeat that so that it goes deep into your brain.
The Purpose of any Safety tool is to KEEP CONTROL OF THE TABLE.
That means you assume responsibility for the entire table. Every ball in every position, every cluster, every bad lay, all the easy balls, all the interference balls, his balls, your balls - everything is your responsibility. And it is up to you to control the table.
If you don't have control of the table, by default, you have handed it over to your opponent as a gift. And you have increased your chances of losing the game. You can hope that he will screw it up and hand the table back to you. You can hope he really doesn't understand what a wonderful opportunity you have given him. You had better hope he is not an Intelligent Shooter.
Learning Safety tools will gain you that control. The more you learn, the easier it is to implement careful and clever Safeties, all to your opponent's woe. Practicing various cue ball and object ball control exercises will make the job easier. But never, ever forget. It is your continuous responsibility to be the master of the table.
Thanks for your feedback.
The Purpose of Safeties
A Safety tool is used when there is no direct pattern to a win, at least within your current skills and capabilities. The situation forces you to allow your opponent to come to the table. Do you want to offer him an easy win? Or, would you rather give him nothing?
Here is the big why you play with Safeties.
The Purpose of any Safety tool is to KEEP CONTROL OF THE TABLE.
Let me repeat that so that it goes deep into your brain.
The Purpose of any Safety tool is to KEEP CONTROL OF THE TABLE.
That means you assume responsibility for the entire table. Every ball in every position, every cluster, every bad lay, all the easy balls, all the interference balls, his balls, your balls - everything is your responsibility. And it is up to you to control the table.
If you don't have control of the table, by default, you have handed it over to your opponent as a gift. And you have increased your chances of losing the game. You can hope that he will screw it up and hand the table back to you. You can hope he really doesn't understand what a wonderful opportunity you have given him. You had better hope he is not an Intelligent Shooter.
Learning Safety tools will gain you that control. The more you learn, the easier it is to implement careful and clever Safeties, all to your opponent's woe. Practicing various cue ball and object ball control exercises will make the job easier. But never, ever forget. It is your continuous responsibility to be the master of the table.
Thanks for your feedback.
