Help me get out from here.

[MikeM]

This came up the other night in my 8-ball league. I'm playing one of the top players in the league, who's also a friend that I've never beat. I break, make a solid but no shot. Run 6 stripes down to this.

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The twelve's easy to make, but how do I get shape on the 8? I'm afraid to get stuck behind the three blockers so I concentrate on getting enough speed with a little left to move whitey around the blockers and into the left rail and down to the 8. I left it about four inches from the eight in a straight line to the corner pocket! Problem is I didn't get very close to making the twelve. The only time I got back to the table was to try and jump out of a lock-up safety on which I fouled and eventually lost the game. I practiced this shot about twenty times after the match and could never make the twelve and get shape on the eight.

Any suggestions?

MM

[breaknrun1]

Mike,

I would use center high english or high english and little right for this shot. With high you should be o.k. because the cue ball will hit the side rail closer to the corner pocket and be in good shape for the eight. You will only get screwed if you hit it too hard!! With a little right hand english, you will ensure that the cue ball will get around the blockers and be in good shape for the eight. This shot is much harder to do than using just center ball high english.

Kelly

[Rod]

Mike, These angles are a little deceiving on the wei. It looks like a common top center shot with decent speed control as diagramed. If it travels into the one just use less top and a little firmer stroke. You've got to make the ball before you can evaluate the c/b travel.

[Eric.]

Mike,

I hope I'm seeing the correct angle on the 12 into the corner. If so, IMO, I would play the shot with no Side English at all. Side combined with follow will throw the 12 ball off line. Depending on the angle of the shot, I would try either this:

Center Follow with enough speed to come off the side raqil for Po

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or:

Center Follow with just enough speed to nudge the 2 ball 4-6" and hope for some kind of shot on the 8

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On long cut shots, I prefer not to use any English and try to rely on ball speed, even at the risk of getting "not-the-best" position (despite another Poster's insistance on using English on her shots). You have to make the ball.

Of course, this is just one opinion, hope it works out for ya!

Eric

[Fred Agnir]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote MikeM:</font><hr>
The twelve's easy to make, but how do I get shape on the 8? I'm afraid to get stuck behind the three blockers so I concentrate on getting enough speed with a little left to move whitey around the blockers and into the left rail and down to the 8. I left it about four inches from the eight in a straight line to the corner pocket! Problem is I didn't get very close to making the twelve. The only time I got back to the table was to try and jump out of a lock-up safety on which I fouled and eventually lost the game. I practiced this shot about twenty times after the match and could never make the twelve and get shape on the eight.

Any suggestions?

MM
<hr /></blockquote>
Yup. My suggestion is to not use left. I'm wondering why you used it in the first place.

Fred

[Chris Cass]

Hi Mike,

I have to agree with Eric on this one. You don't need any english and getting on the 8 ball is a natural. I think Rod and someone else is also correct in thinking. Just make the ball and the cb will do it naturally if, I'm getting the wei table dia. right. It's a speed shot for sure. JMHO

After looking over the dia. good I'm wondering how you got there to begin with? Maybe, your pattern play might have been the culprit? Sometimes, the balls lay in a way the pattern isn't all thet great but as I see it. I still think your out. If it did happen to hit one of the blockers? Well, maybe play the hit and as long as your on the right side you'll still come out ok with speed.

Regards,

C.C.

[CarolNYC]

YEP,YEP,YEP,
Just make the ball and go ahead and kick that 2? out of the way-this is where straight pool is a value-never be afraid to move a ball out of the way(I know easier said then done, but speed,and all those other factors are important)!
[img]/ccboard/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
Carol

[MikeM]

CC and all,
First off thanks for he responses. I have to make a correction to my narrative in light of CC's post. I did play a safe in the middle of my run and he tried to give it back. He left me just an edge of the 13 for a table length almost 90 degree cut and I made it! That's how I was left with this shot. (But I do need lots of help with pattern play.)

I tried this again last night just using top and most of the time I hit one of the blockers and had no shot or a very tough shot. A few times I went right through and got on the eight. I was able to make it one time with left and got perfect position. But most of the time I left it short.

I guess the answer is to play a stronger safe to get ball in hand or practice, practice, practice speed control.

Thanks again.

MM

[caedos]

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1/4 tip of top, 1 tips left, and enough speed to get anywhere between the arrows and the ABCD zone.

Just an alternative

Oz

[smfsrca]

It looks to me like if you play a soft thin cut to the side pocket with a half tip of follow your out.
Steve