Where do you draw the line.

[ShootingArts]

not numbers but . . .

There is a saying in war that no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy.

Having said that, a general rule for me is if I have a shot I can make with a chance to run out I try to pocket the ball. The reason being if you play safe and give the table back to your opponent you might not get out of your seat or if you do you might be kicking at a ball having already passed up on a shot.

You are passing up a shot for the unknown. I'll take the shot if it is a shot I can make. Rarely are the shot and the safe equal difficulty so it is impossible to apply a percentage to when you will do this or that.

I don't try to figure numbers or percentages just my feeling for what are the likely results of each shot. If I have a moderately tough shot or I have to roll the cue ball six inches or less to steer it into a pocket formed by two or three balls and the rail to lock somebody into either trying to tie up some balls or a multi-rail kick with the first rail close to the cue ball I'll choose to lock up over 90% of the players I have ever seen. Obviously you don't do it when the object ball will be hanging in a pocket but often the safety is the aggressive shot.

I just want to be the one making the last shot and I want that one to be an easy shot.

Hu

 

[Lance Link]

tap, tap, tap...

Your first instinct is probably the one you should go with. Either way playing to win is not the same as playing not to lose.

Go with your gut. You're the one at the table. If you're confident about the way you're playing, then trust your instincts.

 

[SoniDJ]

-Easy! Look at it objectively, if you think you're at 50/50 on defensive or offensive, play the offensive.

 

[8Ball48043]

The safe is easier but you really don't want to give this guy another shot
at the table.
What is your comfort zone in shot making that tells you i better play safe?
When you can pocket the ball maybe 5 out of 10,8 out of 10 , what?

If the safe is easier ... take the safe.

For me, if the shot is like 75% or less, I'll go for the safety. Ball in hand on an open table is a VERY GOOD thing!

 

[duckie]

Thanks for all the good input.
I have seen players duck on some shots and it cost them.
But then again i seen more safes win games.
I have been battling the shot verse the safety When the game is on the line.I feel i am a aggressive type of
player and maybe its causing me to make the wrong decision.(On tough shots)

For me, it comes down to how well I've been playing in the game and how well the other person has been playing.

I've won some games where my shot making was not up to par but because of my safety play I managed to win the games. The reason for the safety play was due to the other player doing well.

But, if I'm shooting well, I'm very aggressive in shot making. This sends a message to the other person that I came to make balls. You pull off a really hard shot to get a win says alot.

But sometimes, I just play a safety just to screw with the other player if they have been bugging me during the game. Its good to practice safety play during a tourney if you get a chance.

FWIW

 

[SpinDoctor]

If the safe is easier ... take the safe.

For me, if the shot is like 75% or less, I'll go for the safety. Ball in hand on an open table is a VERY GOOD thing!

The problem with this theory is that sooner or later you'll play someone that punishes you for ducking that often. The worst thing about forcing a guy to show you something special is that sometimes they do but if you keep them in their chair the only thing they show you is a handshake at the end.

I'll shoot at a white flag if it means that my opponent has to keep his butt planted in the chair for at least one more shot.