What would you do here?

[The_JV]

FWIW, it looks like the OP has already made a video regarding the pattern in question:

 

[HawaiianEye]

Depends upon how I am playing, who I am playing, and for how much.

I see several options that I would be fairly comfortable with.

 

[Lawnboy77]

This is exactly why I opted to go with E...lol. Natural shots, easy angles, tons of room for error, and all the shots lead to a natural angle for the next ball.

I don't mean to bunch myself in with "better players", but I do try to emulate what they do. Efren is an outlier and using his play as a "best approach" might not be the best idea. I also wouldn't model my choices in golf to Tiger, or offensive decisions in basketball after Jordan.

I went home for lunch, and roughly set up this pattern. Played the 6 with rolling english two rails, and actually came up a hair short (was my first shot of the day), but still well on the 7. Ended up playing it fractionally harder and nearly hit a 3rd rail back and forth for the 8, and still had a natural angle to funnel down to the 9.

I can see why some may feel the 'E' pattern was more difficult, or maybe better said as more hazardous. I happen to think that the hazards with playing below the 7 are more so subtle, and easily overlooked. It these types of hazards that lead to sticking your neck out by trying to recover.

Exactly! I did the same as you, I set them up and tried with both options and to me the E pattern was by far the better choice. Heck even when I slightly went long on the 6 and got the 7 straight in it was a fairly easy draw to get back to the 8. Tons more room and natural angles to deal with. The other option was just a bear to get on the 7 for the follow up the table to get on the 8. It might seem easy, but the CB control needs to be damn near perfect. It might be easier on a little bar box though. I can see where a good background in 14.1 would make a difference in that option.

 

[Fatboy]

Good call. Take what the table gives you. Less movement on the cue ball, and if you stay under the seven you will have a good angle to get up table for the eight. KISS!

Exactly C is the plan, anything else can/will get funny.

 

[bbb]

if you noticed he played the 9 ball with spin

 

[Fatboy]

I have to admit, I’m surprised by all the votes for E.

To me that has absolutely the narrowest window of opportunity to get good on the seven. Short, and the nine blocks the shot, cross the line at all, and the nine interferes with shape on the eight.

Maybe I’m just not as precise as most of y’all.

They are too flat on the ball and don’t have a clue. E is the end of the world. I see that, I’m asking to bet more $ next set.

 

[boogieman]

Hello guys,

I am doing some research for a possible future video. Could you give me your vote on the pocket of your choice for the seven ball? I allowed to choose multiple pockets, in case you are trying to have multiple options depending on your accuracy in cue ball control.

This is the 9 Ball situation you're facing:

View attachment 603295

C would be my first choice, but this come from really loving to shoot holdup shots.

 

[boogieman]

I'm another one for less cue movement. After stopping the cue shooting the 6, then back to C for the 7, with follow on the cue to leave it on the C-side of the 8.

I'm all for less cue ball movement, the problem is the people I play with usually use at minimum 2 rail position for 90% of their shots and they beat the pants off of me.

 

[Jimmorrison]

I just got caught up on this thread, have not watched video yet. Tried all the different suggestions, and my own initial choice. With P J's option, out every time.

 

[Jimmorrison]

Just watched vid, Sharivari's recommendation was my initial choice. 8 of 10 on that. 10 of 10 on PJ's. That's pool, tomorrow's results, will be different.

 

[Straightpool_99]

Far from the best player in the world, but I'm playing 7 in pocket E. I KNOW that if I get a shot on the 7, I'm going to get out. I have a big pocket and a relatively short shot, it's hard to think of a way of not getting out with a clear shot at it. Generally, I am all for short cueball movement, but sometimes you have to trust to your execution. This is a natural shot that every decent player has shot 10000 times. The short positions for C or B don't appeal to me. Something is going to go wrong and you'll get just the wrong angle where you come close to the side, or have to travel extra long because your cueball lines up in a way that takes you directly on top of the 8 or a million other things like that. I can rather easily envision many positions that are very tricky, with a clear shot at this ball from below. These laser accurate, short side position have a nasty habit of going wrong and are usually a lot harder to pull off than they look. If you get close to the rail or for some reason have to pound the shot, you CAN miss it too, you know. Maybe not you 700 Fargos, but us plebeians in the 600's have certainly missed a shot or two like that.

I'd like to expand upon this shot by saying that one of the biggest things I learned in how to run out, was to always play for the angle. When the ball has to travel, a certain degree of cut will give you a specific amount of travel with your normal, medium stroke. That stops you from forcing anything. I want to travel, I play for a bigger angle. If I don't want to travel, I play for straighter shots. When you force shots, you eventually miss. That's why shots like pocket E are superior, that and the fact that you're shooting diagonally into the pocket, making it play at its absolute largest and taking the facings and points of the pocket out of the equation. If you do have to force something, this is the kind of shot you can do it with.

 

[middleofnowhere]

FWIW, it looks like the OP has already made a video regarding the pattern in question:

With all due respect, the shot you have on the table is not the same as the illustration

 

[tim913]

I do not like coming at shape lines, would much rather roll along them so I would not be going for either A or E. I would just shoot it in C, roll up for 8 for easy shape on 9 and collect my money

 

[alphadog]

They are too flat on the ball and don’t have a clue. E is the end of the world. I see that, I’m asking to bet more $ next set.

That all it takes to get your nose open?

 

[hurricane145]

C is the simplest way to go. If for some reason you blow the shape on C, you could easily end up with a good shot at D, B, or A.

 

[ChrisinNC]

With all due respect, the shot you have on the table is not the same as the illustration

Looks identical to me.

 

[Get_A_Grip]

I also picked C. Stop the cue ball when shooting the 6 and simply roll the cue ball down to the 8-ball when shooting the 7.

Ahhh, it looks like the 6 ball isn't a stop shot. But I think I still leave the cue ball for 7 in pocket C.

 

[straightline]

this is so true of better players

There is some play on this. The further away the pocket, the closer the ball. The further away the ball, the closer the pocket.

 

[HawaiianEye]

I guess he never studied TOI.

He said he usually recommended against using inside English.

I prefer inside.

 

[straightline]

I guess he never studied TOI.

He said he usually recommended against using inside English.

I prefer inside.

Might be an intermediate educational thing. They seem to treat inside as a disaster waiting to happen. Nonsense.