What Do You Do In This 9-ball Situation?

LastTwo

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
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The 7 is frozen to the rail. What would you do in this situation?
 
Just trying to be helpful:
 

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You could try to bank the 7, but getting out from here isn't high percentage.
I'd play a high percentage simple thin safe and avoid hitting the 7-ball beyond the 8-ball, because then my opponent could lay a snooker behind the 8-ball.

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I'd say this a is shot which leaves nothing to your opponent and is a mere attempt to develop the situation so that in your next shot you might have something reasonable to play, a safety or a no-risk shot at the 9-ball, because in the original diagram you don't have anything reasonable.

Umm, now looking at the shot again I know that some world class one pocket player could try to make the 9 with a skillfull double-kiss shot and leave the 7 in the other end of the table, but I wouldn't recommend that shot to weak-hearted players... ;)
 
Well, LAstTwo, I'm banking the seven in the corner every time here, but I'll give myself two extra chances. First, I'll send the cue faily square into the eight, so the eight may run diagonally into the nine, and also, I'll use a speed that gives me a chance to leave the position below if I miss short. Yeah, I'd be the underdog from that position, but I'm still in with a chance with the nine so deep in the pocket.
 

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Well, sjm... seems like you're not ducking shots that I would pass to my opponent :) Without the 8, I might also try the bank.. with the safety option. Hardly ever I play banks with an angle without any safety option... usually a sell out because I stink in bank shots :D
 
I am going to try and thin the 7 on the right hand side and leave him with the same choice, except, obviously, the 7 won't be frozen....

However, I like SJM's shot.... but it would depend a lot on the score if I take that shot...
 
Thinning that 7 isn't going to be easy especially on the rail. I smell trouble there but it could work. The bank on the 7 ain't bad as SJM mentions. I look at like, if the safety is as difficult as the shot, I'm going for it. I would consider it a loss if I missed. Leaving the 7 in a safe place isn't likely so I'd not give that any consideration. The full focus has to be on banking the 7.

Rod
 
I think all of you guys gave excellent answers, and this is what I love about pool, is that on any shot, there are so many variations on how it can be played. It is this that makes me feel that pool can be played as a form of art.

Here is my answer to the shot, which is my favorite shot right now. It's a double kiss carom to make the 9, and the 7 winds up safe on the end rail.

Aim at 3 quarters of the 7 ball on it's left side, with low right (inside), and hit it with a soft stroke. If you miss the carom, the cueball ends up down table near the rail, and the 7 winds up on the top rail safe. This is a great shot to practice, and the key to this shot is all speed. Even though you are aiming low right, you are not trying to draw the ball, so don't hit it too hard, not even a medium stroke. Just imagine a double kiss where you hit it just soft enough for the cueball to float down table and pocket the 9. Try it! It's a great shot.
 
Also, to make the carom, the 8 ball plays no part in it. I just put it there in the diagram to rule out the option of going thin off the 7 with the cueball and caroming the 9.
 
LastTwo said:
Aim at 3 quarters of the 7 ball on it's left side, with low right (inside), and hit it with a soft stroke. If you miss the carom, the cueball ends up down table near the rail, and the 7 winds up on the top rail safe. This is a great shot to practice, and the key to this shot is all speed. Even though you are aiming low right, you are not trying to draw the ball, so don't hit it too hard, not even a medium stroke. Just imagine a double kiss where you hit it just soft enough for the cueball to float down table and pocket the 9. Try it! It's a great shot.

Doublekiss shots can be very effective, but you really must have some sort of confidence on shooting them. I haven't really tried to learn them, so I wouldn't have any idea where to aim and how hard to shoot. I think you just brought up a shot I need to practise for my shot arsenal :)

Btw, any aiming systems for the doublekiss shots ?

LastTwo, you have been playing a lot of onepocket, haven't you ? :D
 
Actually I don't play much one pocket, and I just realized that my shot diagram is wrong. If you set it up in real life, move the cueball over about 4 inches. The carom can't be made if the cueball and 7 ball are facing each other straight on. Oops
 
My guess is to play soft high left english. Hit rail first to the right of the 7 ball then hitting the 7 thin on return. Cue ball returns to the rail side you began on. 7 ball is either on the rail again or tied up on the 8.

or Bank the 7 with right english into the corner pocket, cue ball hits the 8 and the right english carries the ball 3 rails to the bottom of the table. If you don't make the 7 you might get lucky enough to leave it on the short rail.
 
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