Billiard Coach Answer:
Try to come up with your own ideas on the rack below and turn the page for further analysis.
Exercise your brain and put some of the principles from January’s column into practice. That column emphasized having a plan before taking your first shot. Take a good look at the table below. Your opponent has failed to make a ball on the break and spread them out nicely for you. One important fact that you need to know is the 3-ball does not pass the 13-ball, but the 13 can be made cleanly if proper position can be achieved.
The table seems to present very few difficulties. Only the 3-ball doesn’t pass cleanly into a pocket. It is the only significant cluster on the table. In your analysis of the table, you may believe that either stripes or solids could be run. True. Stripes may be the better choice due to Key 8-Ball Concept #2: Do not bump into balls unless you have to. Selecting solids will require you to nudge open the 3-ball which leads to some uncertainty and loss of control. The opening shot would have to be the 4-ball in the side drawing back to clear the difficult 2-ball off the head rail. This plan is a good start, but it turns the 3-ball problem into a ticking time bomb. Key 8-Ball Concept #3: Get to your trouble balls ASAP!
Shooting the 10-ball first is an aggressive shot to begin a run out of the stripes. Playing the cue ball to the middle of the table with a firm stun stroke positions the cue ball with a shot on the tricky 13-ball. Slow rolling the 13-ball takes care of the first bit of trouble and obtains an angle on the 9-ball. It seems like most of the work this rack is done, but beware—trouble still lurks with every shot.
The 11-ball is the trickiest ball on the table now, so try to follow one cushion to position ‘B’. This shot is extremely speed sensitive, but you’ll have options if your touch is off. Landing short of ‘B’ will yield a shot on one of the other three stripes. The 14-ball would be a wise shot playing the cue ball two rails to shoot the 11-ball in the same pocket. The 14 would also be the bail out shot if the cue ball went too far past ‘B’. If the cue ball hit the mark precisely, one might think “Game Over.†That is dangerous thinking. Playing the 11-ball as shown is deceptively touchy. Short controlled draw requires a well controlled stroke. Too much and you’ll be hooked by the 4-ball. Too little and you’ll have to deal with little to no angle on the 14-ball.
With the cue ball at ‘C’, one rail position to ‘D’ is natural as with the remaining two shots. Just make the ball and let the cue ball roll naturally to the next shot.
This successful run out appears simple, but it is not easy. It is successful because it adheres to three maxims:
1. Have a plan before you shoot, but keep options open and re-evaluate the plan regularly.
2. Don’t bump into balls unless you have to.
3. Get to your trouble ball(s) ASAP.
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