triangles

[CueAndMe]

Dan, that is a nice key ball and I think it fits nicely into the way I look for key balls. All you have to do is see the 1-ball, see a pocket for it, decide on what line you'd want the cueball to be, and on that line is the 11-ball. Or reverse it for the 5-ball break shot.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... Read some of the Johnny Holiday "Position play for straight pool", I believe he talks about this very thing.

While Holiday does discuss finding position-planning triangles for the last three or last four balls before the break shot, the discussion here has already gone beyond what he gives. See the 18 pages following page 175 in "Encyclopedia of Pocket Billiards," 1977. A position-planning triangle is also shown in his "Continuous Hi-Runs" book (1984, p. 51 and after) but it is not explained there.

It is "three or four" balls because sometimes the key ball is after the last ball of the triangle, so the pattern is used for the last five balls on the table.

 

[john schmidt]

hi

exactly bob.thats a better way of saying what i was thinking.i did not explain it clearly enough in my dvd.

 

[mullyman]

Mully, I see what you mean about back up. I'm curious though. At some point you have to decide to pick off the back ups. In this case are you just keeping all 5 balls until last and deciding then?

I don't think you would be alone in that thought, because I don't think most of the pros think that far ahead. And chances are, if the balls are spaced nicely and grouped together and out of the way like they are here, you'll probably be fine to land on the break ball properly.

Oh yeah, and what about the 15-ball. Are you concerned about it being in the midst of your triangles?

I would probably try to leave them all there until later in the rack unless I needed to use one to get out of trouble. My ultimate goal would be to use that 9 as my key ball.

When I first looked at this layout I was only looking for the triangle pattern so I guess I had blinders on as far as that 15 was concerned. After taking a look at the entire table though it seems as if all the balls are open *BUT* there is going to need to be some work done to open those pockets up. As it stands right now you'd be insane not to start off with the 6. But you're going to need to play some position for your next ball because that 10 doesn't pass into either corner. I know it doesn't take a whole lot to float over for that 4 ball but even after that you're going to need to work something out because nothing goes anywhere. hehe!! Now, the great players are probably going to say play 6-4-2 and that opens up those pockets but coming from that 6 to the 4 is dangerous. You could clip that 10 and leave yourself a difficult angle on the 4 or you could over shoot it trying to avoid hitting the 10 and end up with a steeper angle going the other way. This is not an easy layout.

Now, I've heard many great players say that once the balls are open there is no set pattern because there are so many ways to go through the balls. With that said, there are going to be less desirable courses and I'd probably end up using one of those. hehehehe!!
MULLY
MULLY

 

[CueAndMe]

Now, I've heard many great players say that once the balls are open there is no set pattern because there are so many ways to go through the balls. With that said, there are going to be less desirable courses and I'd probably end up using one of those.
MULLY

I agree with you Mully. There seems to be a correct shot in most situations. Just listen to the pro commentary in a lot of the Accustats videos. They predict what the player is about to attempt most of the time. Usually the best players are taking an insurance-minded approach.