What to do with this lay-out?

[Roy Steffensen]

I had ball in hand after the break with this lay-out today.

I opened up the cluster and ran out the rack, but before I will tell you how I did it and on which ball, I would like your opinion on what to do and how to do it, and why.

If you want to play a safety, feel free to do so. Remember you have ball in hand, so your opponent has already fouled once.

CueTable Help

 

[poolplayer2093]

with ball in hand leave yourself an angle on the 1 to break out the 5/7 and after that it's kind of routine

 

[Koopa]

I'd probably break it with the 3 seeing as how the 4, being where it is, gives you a ton of different ways to get shape on the 5 depending on where it lands.

 

[alstl]

I would put the cue ball slightly below the headspot and draw it into the 5/7 with low outside. The position of the two and three leaves you with a chance to run out if you break open the 5/7 and you can still use the three to run into it again if you have to.

The other option is to shoot the one into the 5/7 and play safe, but that leaves you without a plan after the opponent kicks because you don't know what the layout will be.

 

[sjm]

I'd break them out immediately, setting up the correct angle on the one, and drawing softly into the center of the cluster. A good shot on the two is virtually guaranteed. Using the three for the breakout is very nearly as good, but if you end up straight on the four after the breakout, a possibility, the layout gets a little tougher. And, of course, you could conceivably end up with the wrong angle on the three after playing the one and the two. Though that mistake is unlikely, why chance it when you can set up an ideal angle immediately?

Nice thread.