Tip Of The Week

 

Number: 28 Jim Tellier November 2011

 

TOPIC: Eight-Ball Strategy- Revisited

 

CATEGORY: All Skill Levels

 

INTRODUCTION:

A while back, I presented these suggestions, taken from Play Your Best Pool by Phil Capelle. But Ive added a Summary section, which deals with momentum. Its a complicated game, really. Much more so than 9-ball. Which means that the concept of taking the initiative becomes crucial to winning.

 

TECHNIQUE:

1)    Use an easy shot to play the position for a ball that is difficult to get shape on. When you have a ball that gives you options for moving the cue ball around, take advantage of the opportunity.

2)    Consider ALL of the pockets, not just the obvious one, for your next shot. Even when you may have to set yourself up for a more difficult next shot, the rewards could be that the rest of the runout is easy! Look at the table carefully every time you get up to shoot.

3)    Break up clusters as soon as possible, as a general rule. However, proper timing is key! Make sure that you have a shot waiting that is NOT part of the cluster! This is an insurance ball. Ideally, it should be close to a pocket, or something that you will get a shot on when you break the cluster no matter what happens.

4)    Breaking up clusters should usually be done with as soft a stroke as necessary, so that you know where all the balls (including the cue ball) are going to end up before you shoot the shot. Many players just blast away, and hope (assume) they will have something to shoot at. Luck usually fails in this case!

5)    If youre faced with a poorly-broken rack, be careful. Blasting into it, trying to break things up, is usually an iffy strategy. It should usually be employed when a) you are playing a weak player who cant run out, b) there is little danger of making the 8-ball and c) you really believe this is a good idea, strategy-wise.

6)    When the going gets tough, the tough play safeties!!!!!!!! J

 

SUMMARY:

 

Taking all of the above principles into account as you play will absolutely, undoubtedly improve your game! But theres another aspect of the 8-ball game that could still result in your demise! --- LUCK! (or lack of it!). No matter who you are, or what skill level you are, there will be times when one or more of the following things happen:

         You have the more difficult suit (stripes/solids) after the break,

         You have one or more clusters to deal with than your opponent does,

         Your opponent is a better shot maker, and if you leave him/her a shot, its curtains for you

So, whats a player to do? Throw your hands up and say, well, its ok, Ill get the next game for sure! No! Look at each of those 3 situations, and apply the following to turn the tables in your favor!

         Even if you cant play a safety, look for an opportunity to cause your opponents situation to become worse than it currently is: shoot one of your balls into his, sending it into another of his to create a cluster that he has to deal with later. This changes the initiative of the game towards being in your favor, and buys you time. Not every game has to be won with a clean run-out! Take all the innings you need to mold the table into the shape you need to be able to run out!

         Look for opportunities to break up your clusters early, but only when they are only clusters involving your own balls; if its a MIXED cluster, you need to carefully evaluate the table to see how the initiative may shift back and forth. If clusters involve BOTH suits of balls, generally it makes most sense to save them until the endgame. If you can create only one additional cluster for your opponent to have to deal with before the mixed cluster, YOU have the initiative, and can use it to your advantage! This is a fairly advanced topic, which you probably dont want to worry about too much, at the expense of fundamentals and basic shot-making skills. But, knowing how the concept works can, at the very least, help you understand how a higher-skilled opponent thinks and will work the table against you.

         Out-gunned? Playing against The Rifleman can be frustrating. Turn the tables by first, looking for safeties, then considering whether or not its a good time to pocket a ball or two. Theres plenty of time! Theres no penalty or shame in having a game or a match with lots of innings! You want to win, right? Minimize the risk-taking, maximize the difficulty of the shots you leave your opponent. Wear em down!

 

Good Shooting!