Which way?

[Blackjack]

Here is an interesting situation that comes up all of the time. You have a wide open layout with many options.

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In the first route, we use the pattern 8, 10, 5. With this option, we just have to get straight on the 5 ball, and basically just keep the cue ball in that area, below the parallel line.

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In the second option, we use the pattern 3, 5, 10. Although there is more cue ball movement, this is rather simple to accomplish, The key to this is getting the correct angle on the 10 ball to slide the cue ball up to the designated shaded area for the ensuing break shot.

Feel free to give your opinions on either of the two outlined routes, and why you prefer one over the other. There are other routes that I did not outline, and if you prefer one of those, please explain why.


There are no right or wrong answers, I am just curious about why players would prefer one way over the other.

 

[Winston846]

I like the first pattern for 2 reasons. 1) I am a right handed player, so there's less stretching involved. and 2) I like being below parallel where I can go into the stack with a high ball and be aggressive without any major fear of scratching or losing the cue ball.

And let me be the first to say kudos to a diagram that I can actually see without needing Shockwave player! :thumbup:

 

[Ron F]

8, 10, 5

Playing the 8, 10, 5 pattern would work best for me. Three easy shots; plus I'm right handed so this pattern would best give me a break shot that's comfortable for me. The most critical part of the pattern, to me at least, is going from the 10 to the 5 and getting position that affords a stop shot (or near stop shot) on the 5. To come up short would be a disaster while coming up long would result in a break shot with greater distance between the CB and BB. The position of the CB for pocketing the 10 and moving to the 5 is thus very important. I'd say it would be better to have the CB so that the 10 would be pocketed by cutting it in and having the CB touch off the head rail, side rail and then the opposite side rail so that when it's coming to rest it is rolling into the angle as opposed to across the angle.

Ron F

 

[donuteric]

It depends which break ball you want to use, 5 should be the ideal last ball to shoot before the break ball. I agree with the rest that pattern 1 is ideal.

Depending on the actual angle I have on the 10, I might even choose to shoot 10 first and play position for the 5. Having both break balls on each side of the rack might end up giving me more error of margin for the 5. Just an opinion.

Edit: Margin of error... It's 5.20pm and I'm still working...

 

[stevekur1]

8,10,5 is the right way since the 5 is on the right side of the side pocket. and the 10 is on that same side which will make it easier to fall right on the 5 to be in line for the breakshot !!!

-Steve

 

[14-1StraightMan]

Lay Out

I like the 8, 10, 5
Looking at the 8 ball there is some angle there from where the cue ball is at. I would shoot the 8 ball in the corner with high right English, coming off the bottom rail and getting closer to the 10 in the corner. It would be easier to control the cue setting up on the 5 ball, plus the 5 is on the high side of the table making it easier from the 10.

 

[wigglybridge]

woohoo! a chart i can see!

a n00b compared to y'all, but happy to be able to see what -- and how -- more experienced players think.

 

[mosconiac]

The 5B is such a good key ball to the 3B that I couldn't pass it up for the 8B break ball. Also, I like the lower break ball too, so it's 8/10/5 for me all day.

 

[Al-po]

I seem to be the only lonely person who would choose the 10, 5, 8 then 3. It seems the cue ball travels less amount of room after object ball impact (pretty much 3 stop shots) and if i get bad after the 5 i have two options for a break shot (8 or 3).

 

[14-1StraightMan]

Different Ways

Yes, there are different ways to run a pattern and if it gets the job done, Great. Here's the thing. When playing patterns, a player wants to think like a high percent of other players.
Here is a good way to help teach yourself when it comes to patterns. There are always a lot of 9-ball matches on TV. When I watch them. As soon as the rack gets broken, I tell myself what the pattern is. Also, with each ball I tell myself what type of hit I would use on each shot. Then I see if the Pro does what i am thinking and the commentators will talk about the patterns too. The player might get out of line and then start a new pattern, see if it matches. There are times that I will say shoot this, then this and the player will take something else but the commentators will say what i am saying.
This way you can test yourself to see if you are thinking like a Pro.
With your pattern. Your first shot is the longest one on the table (shooting the 10 ball). (The 8 ball is much closer).Then after you make the 10 & the 5 ball. You have a draw shot on the 3 ball. With draw, you have to be perfect to get to that right spot. Like I said, if it works, great but you want to make getting on that key ball with little effort as possible.
I hope this all helps.

 

[nickgeo]

8-10-5
Simple and efficient. Bonus-if something goes desperately wrong on position off the 10, the 5 could be used as a break ball. In the other sequence, the 10 would be a poor break ball.

 

[stevekur1]

of course lets not forget the 8,3,10,5 in the side as the break !!!

some of you may of overlooked this so caught up the the 2 natural breakshots on the table !!!

-Steve

Here is an interesting situation that comes up all of the time. You have a wide open layout with many options.

.
.
.

In the first route, we use the pattern 8, 10, 5. With this option, we just have to get straight on the 5 ball, and basically just keep the cue ball in that area, below the parallel line.

.
.
.
In the second option, we use the pattern 3, 5, 10. Although there is more cue ball movement, this is rather simple to accomplish, The key to this is getting the correct angle on the 10 ball to slide the cue ball up to the designated shaded area for the ensuing break shot.

Feel free to give your opinions on either of the two outlined routes, and why you prefer one over the other. There are other routes that I did not outline, and if you prefer one of those, please explain why.


There are no right or wrong answers, I am just curious about why players would prefer one way over the other.

 

[alphadog]

of course lets not forget the 8,3,10,5 in the side as the break !!!

some of you may of overlooked this so caught up the the 2 natural breakshots on the table !!!

-Steve

Ponzi,wouldn't have overlooked the 8 in the side as a breakshot either!
10-5-3 rack 8 in the side.

 

[Dan Harriman]

I will play

8 , 10 , 5 , and if I were a lefty probably the same way. But some left handers might feel more comfortable going with the ten as the key ball and playing the 8 for the break shot.

 

[Blackjack]

8 , 10 , 5 , and if I were a lefty probably the same way. But some left handers might feel more comfortable going with the ten as the key ball and playing the 8 for the break shot.

I completely agree. Also, it was great talking with you yesterday, Danny.

FWIW, I am a right hander, and I took option 2 (3,5,10) only because I liked the position of the 8 ball, which I felt was perfect to go into the top two balls. Lately I have preferred that break ball position over balls that are on the side of the stack because I am getting better action and ball dispersement by going into the top of the stack. I am getting better layouts also with less congestion and less clusters.

Because of the way the 10 was laying downtable, it was easy to remain below the side pocket with the cue ball. I figure that if you position the cue ball correctly, right vs left doesn't matter. You just have to know where to go to eliminate that as a factor.

Anyway, thanks for all of the replies. It is always interesting to hear why and how players would choose which way to go.

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

I like the first option, using the 5 as the key ball. I think the 5 gives you the most margin for error to get good on the break shot and you don't have to go to a rail off the key ball to get that position on the break ball. I also prefer the 3 ball for the break as I shoot right handed.

BTW, what diagram program is that? I wish everyone would go to it. I hate Cuetable layouts (which we use a lot in this forum) because my arrow and page up/down keys don't function on any page that has one.

 

[Blackjack]

I like the first option, using the 5 as the key ball. I think the 5 gives you the most margin for error to get good on the break shot and you don't have to go to a rail off the key ball to get that position on the break ball. I also prefer the 3 ball for the break as I shoot right handed.

BTW, what diagram program is that? I wish everyone would go to it. I hate Cuetable layouts (which we use a lot in this forum) because my arrow and page up/down keys don't function on any page that has one.

The diagram is the a modified table from http://pool.bz/

I darken in the rails and toss some diamonds in there. I have several versions of the balls - and I usually add those in with Photoshop.

In the diagrams in this thread, I just transferred the table layout from a Cuetable diagram, and tossed these rails over the existing table to increase clarity. I remove the logo from the center of the table as I feel it interferes with seeing the layout in the best, clearest, way possible.

I usually put a logo on the head and foot rails, as you see in the diagram below.

If you would like, I could make a screen capture video to show you the entire process when I get some time.

 

[sjm]

Best pattern is 8-10-5 onto the 3, but the easiest pattern to execute is 8-3-10 for the 5 in the side, so I might advocate that pattern to a weaker player.

The 10 is a pretty poor key ball onto the 8 by my standards, but some players like the break ball to be high relative to the foot spot.

Finally, some of the old schoolers advocated selecting a break shot that will hit one of the four corner balls as often as possible, but I think this approach was more important back in the days when 14.1 was played on slow, nappy cloth. If one subscribes to this idea, the 8 is a better break shot than the 3.

Note: revised

 

[Marop]

but the easiest pattern to execute is 8-3-10 for ball in hand on the 5 in the side, so I might advocate that pattern to a weaker player.

Why would you have ball in hand after you make the 10?

 

[TX Poolnut]

nice learning thread. I'm with the majority here. it's nice to try to learn what's in everyone's heads.