What's Your Best Shot From Here?

[Neil]

To me, the best shot means the one that keeps my opponent in the chair. Second best shot is the one that let's him to the table with nothing to shoot at.

So, the best shot is to shoot the 2 in the corner and come almost straight down so you nudge the 4 to the bottom rail. Shoot the 3 in the corner, 4 in other corner, and then run out.

Second best would be to make the two, come down table to shoot the 3 into the bottom rail and out a little (you want the 8 as a blocker for the two rail kick) and stick the cb on the 4. No way for him to hit the 3.

 

[victorl]

My first thought would be to bank the 2 ball four rails. It lays pretty natural and the 5/7 play big as blockers, so playing a stop shot will take away the whole upper left region of the table.
If I were feeling agreesive or if the 5/7 blockers were not there, I'd make the 2 and go for the breakout. Lots to go wrong, but there should be a safety available if the breakout doesn't go as planned.

 

[measureman]

A lot of options have been given.Some very daring and creative.
I still think Measuremans is the best.

 

[playdoubles]

safety, a good first choice

This is a little bit more of a toughy than it looks
Potting the 2 is high risk.

1ST:
The 3- to 4-rail route is not on, I think from this kind of view. If you can avoid the 7, the cueball will lose too much energy on the 3rd or 4th rail, leaving a snooker behind the 8.
To get higher on the 3rd rail to avoid the 8, you'll have to hit the 2 a little harder with more draw to shorten the angle. This will probably take you into the 7.

2ND:
The straight up and down from short rail to the 3 and 4 is very risky! Too much can go wrong.

3RD:
The other side is also too risky. Playing just right english, to get the cueball just by the right center pocket, the 5 will cause another obstacle!

FINALLY: safe is a perfect option!
The stop or stun safety is not perfectly on. It looks like the 2 will take a path very close to the 5 and the corner pocket. To shorten the angle just a little bit, the cueball has to contact the 2 more to the right side.
Nevertheless the safety is the best so far! I would try to hit the 2 just a hair on the left side, sending it the 2 rails around, and draw the cueball behind the 9!! This is a pretty big ball, if you can get closer to it.
AND the kicking options are more tough...

 

[tpoppa]

2 in the corner,
3-8 combo with high center (also have the option to bury the CB behind the 4),
then play the 3 in the same pocket as the 2.

 

[VIProfessor]

Send the two balll 3 or four rails uptable and try to freeze the cue to the rail behind the nine. Why play less than 80% position for a safety, or play position for a less than 80 % bank, when I've got a 100% safety right in front of me?

 

[jay helfert]

I pocket the two, and take the short rail straight up the table for the 3. I put the 3 behind the 8 or 4 and send the CB back towards the other short rail. Should be safe there.

I like this shot. It's all about speed control. If you can get behind the three you will have an excellent safety, maybe stick the cue ball right on the four.

 

[scsuxci]

make the 2 and try and come below the 3 for the open shot.If all else fails getting under the 3 ball, play a safety.

 

[alphadog]

I agree pocket 2 and head straight up table to deal with 3.
Playing safe behind the 9 is way trickier then most believe.
If I was to play safe, I 4 rail the 2, with low/right and draw 2
rails into the 7. Just as hard to hide whitey but I like position
of the 2 better.

 

[Hits 'em Hard]

I'm playing shape for the three ball long rail bank, with a safe behind the 4 ball. Playing two rail shape to the 3 ball is very simple. If I make/bank the 3 ball I'm probably in a good position to get from the 4 to the five and out. But getting the ''free shot/bank'' on the 3 ball keeps me in control of the table even if I miss.

It's like people are blind and don't know how to properly play a safe. Bottom right, pull the cue ball back to the center of the table. Bank the 3 with a little top to put the cue ball frozen behind the 4. No risky shots or chances taken. 3 ball should be somewhere near the side pocket. Three of the four kicking routes are blocked, which leads to a high chance of ball in hand. Some people just don't know how to play this game .

 

[Old Nine Baller]

I'm playing shape for the three ball long rail bank, with a safe behind the 4 ball. Playing two rail shape to the 3 ball is very simple. If I make/bank the 3 ball I'm probably in a good position to get from the 4 to the five and out. But getting the ''free shot/bank'' on the 3 ball keeps me in control of the table even if I miss.

It's like people are blind and don't know how to properly play a safe. Bottom right, pull the cue ball back to the center of the table. Bank the 3 with a little top to put the cue ball frozen behind the 4. No risky shots or chances taken. 3 ball should be somewhere near the side pocket. Three of the four kicking routes are blocked, which leads to a high chance of ball in hand. Some people just don't know how to play this game .

Island Drive (Bill) knows how to play this game, make no mistake about it.

ONB

 

[Hits 'em Hard]

Island Drive (Bill) knows how to play this game, make no mistake about it.

ONB

I know he does. It's why I quoted the only response that is correct. Maybe you should look at all the other replies that talk about a breakout and look at them instead. You take things the wrong way.

 

[Old Nine Baller]

Island Drive (Bill) knows how to play this game, make no mistake about it.

ONB

I know he does. It's why I quoted the only response that is correct. Maybe you should look at all the other replies that talk about a breakout and look at them instead. You take things the wrong way.

There is not an "only response that is correct", that is my point. I took nothing the wrong way.

In every thread I post there is always someone who thinks his way is the only way. Every now & then that may be true but in most cases it is dependent upon the player's skills, hence different responses from different level players.

P.S. I've read every post in this thread.

ONB

 

[Hits 'em Hard]

There is not an "only response that is correct", that is my point. I took nothing the wrong way.

In every thread I post there is always someone who thinks his way is the only way. Every now & then that may be true but in most cases it is dependent upon the player's skills, hence different responses from different level players.

P.S. I've read every post in this thread.

ONB

There's only one guaranteed way to win the rack. Play the route Bill and I said. Every other option requires a great deal of luck in order to even see the 3. You can pick the brains of lesser skilled players all you want, but there is only one option for this layout that leads to a guaranteed win. Sure you can play other routes to show off, but if you want to win. Only one choice.

 

[owll]

I play one rail at the 4 ball, with the intention of getting about a foot of cue travel with a half ball hit on the 4.....half ball hit on one side, cue ball is by 8 ball and ive got an easy shot on the 3...half ball hit the other side, cue ball is hitting 3 in direction of pocket, and im probably liking that also.....

yes, there is some risk to my choice here, but i play fast and loose.

 

[Old Nine Baller]

Keith McCready went 1 rail at the 3 and just barely missed hitting it and leaving a shot at the 3.

 

[SmoothStroke]

There's only one guaranteed way to win the rack. Play the route Bill and I said. Every other option requires a great deal of luck in order to even see the 3. You can pick the brains of lesser skilled players all you want, but there is only one option for this layout that leads to a guaranteed win. Sure you can play other routes to show off, but if you want to win. Only one choice.

Lessser skilled players? Guaranteed win?
Who are you...GOD

I guess Keith does not measure up since he elected the 1 rail.
Maybe earl would have played it 2 rails out with Draw.
Maybe Efren playes it forward left follow.
Maybe Miz plays a 4 rail safe
Maybe all of them could have screwed up and left themselves safe.
Maybe all of them executed their attempt perfectly.

What type of high horse are you sitting on,,,A Statue?

 

[Island Drive]

There's only one guaranteed way to win the rack. Play the route Bill and I said. Every other option requires a great deal of luck in order to even see the 3. You can pick the brains of lesser skilled players all you want, but there is only one option for this layout that leads to a guaranteed win. Sure you can play other routes to show off, but if you want to win. Only one choice.

Playing into a lock down free shot with a safety is How 9 er is played at a high level. Seeing as this table is a Diamond, the inside spin transfer to the 3 ball when hitting the long bank would lay PERFECT coming two out of the corner off the two ball, it's near impossible to dbl hit whitey when ya stick em on the three ball bank. And when your banking from this angle with reverse English, the corner pocket becomes even bigger because of your inside spin. That's how I see this particular shot for the win. Helfert knows how easy of a bank this is. He's probably serving lemonade :wink:

 

[Old Nine Baller]

Playing into a lock down free shot with a safety is How 9 er is played at a high level. Seeing as this table is a Diamond, the inside spin transfer to the 3 ball when hitting the long bank would lay PERFECT coming two out of the corner off the two ball, it's near impossible to dbl hit whitey when ya stick em on the three ball bank. And when your banking from this angle with reverse English, the corner pocket becomes even bigger because of your inside spin. That's how I see this particular shot for the win. Helfert knows how easy of a bank this is. He's probably serving lemonade :wink:

9 er? What the heck is that?

All due respect Bill but you may be overthinking it. Kind of like how you were shooting at the wrong pocket on 1pocket.org..

ONB

 

[PaulieB]

Honestly, my gut feel was the 1 rail up for the breakout, with a bit extra follow hoping to hit the 8 and have a shot on the 3 as it looked like you could cut the 3 from the right angle. If you played it wrong and hit the 4 first you could still luck out.

In placing ring donuts on my table and playing this shot over 50 times I realized I would only get a favorable result about 2/3rds of the time. If I had to shoot the shot I would, as the odds are in my favor, but by far the better shot is the safe.

You can just drive the 2 ball into the rail and marry the cue to the 9 ball with a slight draw. It doesn't matter if the 2 gets hidden by the balls up table if you play it right as the CB will be up against the 9.

*edit* It is way easier to control the cue ball travelling 4 inches to marry to the 9 than worry about going full table length to get the break out.