What would you do here?

Playing 9 Ball: In which pocket would you try to shoot the seven ball?

  • A

    Votes: 22 14.4%
  • B

    Votes: 15 9.8%
  • C

    Votes: 63 41.2%
  • D

    Votes: 5 3.3%
  • E

    Votes: 65 42.5%

  • Total voters
    153

ThinSlice

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Nothing but champions in the thread.

Right! I might not be the greatest shooter on the planet but, after 40 years of playing I know a thing or two about pool and playing. Going for that seven in the lower corner is a mistake. Of course you can get on it but you certainly limited on options if you don’t. You only take shots like that if you have no other option.


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Korsakoff

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Right! I might not be the greatest shooter on the planet but, after 40 years of playing I know a thing or two about pool and playing. Going for that seven in the lower corner is a mistake. Of course you can get on it but you certainly limited on options if you don’t. You only take shots like that if you have no other option.


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I think the differentiation factor is how you see the table for your stroke and abilities. I shot the out to “C” a few times with no issue. That’s how I play. You may be able to get out more times than me in that situation, but we each need to get out once to win.

It‘s 50/50 “C” or “E’. If you get out, you win. Play for your stroke.
 

ThinSlice

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think the differentiation factor is how you see the table for your stroke and abilities. I shot the out to “C” a few times with no issue. That’s how I play. You may be able to get out more times than me in that situation, but we each need to get out once to win.

It‘s 50/50 “C” or “E’. If you get out, you win. Play for your stroke.

It’s not a stroke thing for me. I have a big stroke. If the angle is there (and sometimes when it’s not there) I can get around the table pretty damn good. I wish I had the will to draw it out and represent it. I think my thought is that you HAVE to come around the 9. That cuts off over 3/4 of the table. You don’t want to touch that 9. I hear people say you can draw off the 9. Yea of course you can. No brainer. However that introduces many variables. You can draw off the 9 thin. Or to thick. 9 ball goes where????? If you watch pros they avoid hitting balls at all costs unless it’s 100% necessary.

If you are a poke shooter like most are today then I can understand why you want that close shot. Poking a shot 8’ is not a good thing. I don’t mind long shots unless I am trying to draw a full table length. But, when I make that shot I sure like it. 🤙


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The_JV

'AZB_Combat Certified'
Nothing but champions in the thread.
Well 'pots', this kettle isn't a champion of anything, but like everyone else on this forum I have an opinion. Mine happens to differ from yours. Like I said earlier in this thread, I think there's value to including the level at which one plays to their opinion.

There's only two senarios.

1: You have the ability to use natural paths and control the CB with follow
E = confident play
C = scared play
2: You don't have the ability to navigate with natural paths and struggle with CB follow
E = scared play
C = safe play

Note 'confident' only shows up once in the above. If you want to play scared, that's your right.

I thought of this thread yesterday morning while playing the 9b ghost. I was shooting the 8 to reach the nine, and the two balls were pretty close to the same locations to the 6 and 7 in the OP's pattern. Never guess what I did... ...I played the same two rails and came out great on the nine to the E pocket... No big whoop really. No different than the vast majority would play the last two balls on the table. I just got a chuckle of how some here are so terrified of that 9 ball snooker.
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
When someone posts a "what would you do here?" shot, we each have our own preferences based on our habits and strengths. Trying what others suggest can often lead to learning something about your specific preferences. So I always shoot these shots several times for each option, just to see if my initial option actually does work best for me, or if there's a better option I could start using.

With this shot, I went for pocket E 10 times, and then pocket C 10 times. Then I did each option again 10 more times. I got out 19 out of 20 times with pocket E, despite a couple of times getting straight in or on the wrong side of the 7.

With pocket C my results were poor, 12 out of 20. If the position wasn't just right, I'd find myself having to force the cb to get a shot on the 8, and this caused me to rattle the 7 a few times. I never missed the 7 going to E. The margin for error is just so much bigger for pocket E.

I suppose on a valley barbox, or a table with 5" buckets, playing for C would be a lot more forgiving. But on a diamond table if you're off 1° you're rattling that 7 in pocket C. With perfect shape on the 7 it works fine, but the window for perfect shape is too tight. I probably got perfect shape for that shot less than 5 times out of 20. With E, I didn't need perfect shape because the path to the 8 was more natural and didn't need to be forced, except when I landed straight in or on the wrong side of the 7 and had to draw the cb.
 

The_JV

'AZB_Combat Certified'
When someone posts a "what would you do here?" shot, we each have our own preferences based on our habits and strengths. Trying what others suggest can often lead to learning something about your specific preferences. So I always shoot these shots several times for each option, just to see if my initial option actually does work best for me, or if there's a better option I could start using.
Totally agree.... and although they usually end in some type of divide and snide comments, these threads imo are the best conversations on the forum.

I used to be a 'C pocket' player so I know full well the potential issues in going that route. It wasn't until I realized my short comings with natural paths and follow, that I switched up my game/pattern play. I know full well, that I could play it with either method and more often than not complete the pattern. I just know the subtle pitfalls to below the 7 play that easily force a bad shot trying to get up table.
I suppose on a valley barbox, or a table with 5" buckets, playing for C would be a lot more forgiving.
Ya, I can't say for certain if I'd go to E if I were playing on a Valley table.
 
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sparkle84

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
With this shot, I went for pocket E 10 times, and then pocket C 10 times. Then I did each option again 10 more times. I got out 19 out of 20 times with pocket E, despite a couple of times getting straight in or on the wrong side of the 7.

With pocket C my results were poor, 12 out of 20. If the position wasn't just right, I'd find myself having to force the cb to get a shot on the 8, and this caused me to rattle the 7 a few times. I never missed the 7 going to E. The margin for error is just so much bigger for pocket E.
There are a ton of statements made by various people on this thread that I could have commented on.
I decided on this one because it seems to most accurately portray the distinctions between the 2 camps--C&E.
Just an aside but as I typed C&E, while I'm in the E camp, the thought popped into my head that C would not
be my 2nd choice but rather B.
Anyhow, the relevant factors in deciding what to do would be what? This is where Fargorate starts coming into play.
While not perfect, Fargo is the best we have. So what do we do in this situation?
It's kind of ironic but the higher someones rating, even though they're capable of executing either option, they'll
choose the highest % play almost to a man.
Whereas players in the 5-600+ range will vary in their choices and have many reasons for their decisions. I'll
list some even though they've all been voiced in posts on this thread.

1) Speed difficulty
2) Crossing the position zone
3) Minimizing CB travel
4) Old/new School
5) Follow/Draw/Stun
6) Comfort or lack thereof
7) Playing to one's ability
8) And my all time favorite....Personal preference.

I could write a book on each of these 8 points but let's just take #8. Do you think
that "personal preference" should enter into a pool players decision making process? If you do, that's fine, I'm not
about to argue with you. What I will say though, is that you'll probably have to resign yourself to the fact that
whatever your Fargo is now, it's likely to be very similar 5 or 10 years from now.
On the other hand, if you reject #8 and pay very little attention to #'s 4-7, your Fargo will magically start to rise.

Of course we need to pay attention to #'s 1-3 but only in the context of how they may have a bearing on what's really
important. The quoted post above illustrates what's really important not just in this instance but also in almost all
situations encountered on the table. Real good players make decisions by focusing almost exclusively on maximizing Margin
Of Error and something that goes hand in hand with that is Avoidance Of Forcing The CB.
Whether they use stun/draw/follow is largely irrelevant but the inbetween strokes they avoid like the plague. They wreak
havoc with both direction and speed.
This is what The JV is referring to by "subtle pitfalls of playing for pocket C". CB control when playing for C is way
harder and has a much smaller MOE than playing for E.
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Not really. When you lay it out on a real table like I did you do not have enough angle to drive the cue ball off the end rail and straight up table with high english without really pounding it. Move it one ball closer to the end rail where it would have to be in order for the line to point to below the 2nd diamond and it's just a smooth natural stroke like Sharivari does in his video.

So we are here debating the shot like the ten blind men and the elephant. All the while Sharivari started the thread never to be seen again.
User detected!
 

JC

Coos Cues
Well 'pots', this kettle isn't a champion of anything, but like everyone else on this forum I have an opinion. Mine happens to differ from yours. Like I said earlier in this thread, I think there's value to including the level at which one plays to their opinion.

There's only two senarios.

1: You have the ability to use natural paths and control the CB with follow
E = confident play
C = scared play
2: You don't have the ability to navigate with natural paths and struggle with CB follow
E = scared play
C = safe play

Note 'confident' only shows up once in the above. If you want to play scared, that's your right.

I thought of this thread yesterday morning while playing the 9b ghost. I was shooting the 8 to reach the nine, and the two balls were pretty close to the same locations to the 6 and 7 in the OP's pattern. Never guess what I did... ...I played the same two rails and came out great on the nine to the E pocket... No big whoop really. No different than the vast majority would play the last two balls on the table. I just got a chuckle of how some here are so terrified of that 9 ball snooker.
I've seen some of your videos and you aint the JV

You da varsity!!
 

L.S. Dennis

Well-known member
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
I like pocket E drawing off the side rail and out, pockets A and B are fraught with peril unless stroked with precise draw off the six
 

ThinSlice

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Lot of players like to draw. I get it! It’s fun and you “think” you have good control. Let’s just say you are straight in on the 7 to E. You probably going to have to juice it with right low. Then you don’t want to under hit it right? So what do you do you over draw. Possibly scratch in the corner. Oh and how much right did you put on it? I love listening to the justification for this shot. I would LOVE to draw that shot. Just not the smart move. This could go on forever.


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mfinkelstein3

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Two ball position is an old time straight pool idea that applies here. If you play for C or D, the cue ball target zone is really big without moving the cue ball much. This gives you a choice of pockets and cue ball routes. Buddy Hall once said, “don’t play position when you already have position.” And finally, if up table shots scare you, go to the practice table until they don’t! (Another old time idea using up table pockets to minimize cue ball movement.)
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
Well the original depiction had no angle on the shot at all and a dead straight line, other depictions HAD an angle which of course would have made a follow shot the preferred choice.

The original depiction was not a straight in shot, not even close.
 
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