Efren Reyes vs. Nick Varner 1999 D.C.C.

[Cowboy Dennis]

This is the 1st game of their match. Efren has the lower right-hand pocket, as you view the screen. What would you do?

 

[timdog24]

This is the 1st game of their match. Efren has the lower right-hand pocket, as you view the screen. What would you do?

View attachment 1595

I kinda like the light 2 rail kick at the four near my opponent's hole or just taking a scratch in the same direction. Placing the cue ball near my opponents hole is the goal of the shot.

 

[strokerace]

I kinda like the light 2 rail kick at the four near my opponent's hole or just taking a scratch in the same direction. Placing the cue ball near my opponents hole is the goal of the shot.

The way Efren kicks could be a nice way to go..however..i would probably
shoot the 6 ball in and roll the QB to the head rail cusion..its a pretty
straight shot with the blocker in the center of the table..SA

 

[dontscratch]

scratch

scratch

I would roll the cue to the head rail, and leave the long straight in shot, making position for the next shot as hard as possible.

 

[androd]

Here's my shot.
Rod.
PS, Unfortunately I'm not able to do this every time.

 

[timdog24]

Here's my shot.
Rod.

That's exactly what I meant. One of these days I'll learn how to diagram.

 

[jtompilot]

The way Efren kicks could be a nice way to go..however..i would probably
shoot the 6 ball in and roll the QB to the head rail cusion..its a pretty
straight shot with the blocker in the center of the table..SA

Thats close. How about banking the 6 wide and play the 6 off the 2 ball. Leaving the Q ball at the first diamond on the short rail.

 

[vapros]

Rod, having hit your shot too hard and scratched, please explain your other comment about it.

 

[androd]

Rod, having hit your shot too hard and scratched, please explain your other comment about it.

Vapros, If I was sure I could scratch every time, then I could probably avoid it every time.
Rod.----------> George Blanda and the Ghost are my Hero kickers.

 

[sappo]

Intentional Foul

Intentional Foul

I like Rods shot EXCEPT i wouldnt play the tiki, id play below that ball by the side rail down to the bottom rail and take an intentional. Execpt for the long straight back bank nick is in a bit of trouble. Efrens so good he may be able to hit the ball on the bottom rail and not even take the foul but i dont think it is worth the risk, Id take the intentional. Sappo

 

[fred bentivegna]

Much safer.

Much safer.

I like Rods shot EXCEPT i wouldnt play the tiki, id play below that ball by the side rail down to the bottom rail and take an intentional. Execpt for the long straight back bank nick is in a bit of trouble. Efrens so good he may be able to hit the ball on the bottom rail and not even take the foul but i dont think it is worth the risk, Id take the intentional. Sappo

With the intended target ball that far off of the long rail, the scratch looms too big. Control the speed, take the scratch instead, and if you leave him behind the balls he is in a bit of trouble. Costs you one not the game.

Beard

 

[sappo]

No Question about it

No Question about it

Fred i agree, as i said I woyld without a doubt play for the intentional. What i did say was that Efren with all his talent might play to the ball on the bottom rail, but for the rest of us mortals the intentional is the correct shot. Sappo

 

[Cowboy Dennis]

Efren pushed into the 10 ball & took the foul. Co-commentator Billy I. liked shooting the 6 in and leaving the rock on the endrail IF the 3 didn't pass the 4, Efren never once looked at it so I guess it passed easily.

 

[Artie Bodendorfer]

Fred i agree, as i said I woyld without a doubt play for the intentional. What i did say was that Efren with all his talent might play to the ball on the bottom rail, but for the rest of us mortals the intentional is the correct shot. Sappo

THe intetional scratch is the worst shot you can shoot. And by doing that he puts himself in a worse spot. And if you play 3 scratches in a row you loose the game. Taking a intentional scratch is the worst sot you can shoot. And his opponent can keep him locked up or but him right back to were he took the scratch from. He dids nothing with the shot too change his position but make it worse. Thier are other shots he could shoot that forces his opponent to were he has to do somethingdofferent. HEr is the key when you are in a trap you have to change your position so your opponent cant put you wright back in the same trap.And he is not in a serious trap were he is. But one pocket comes down too thinking. But if your whole game is offense amd all you dpo is shoot. Well then it will be ard for those people to think. When they dont no what to do. And figure out wat they should do and why. BUt Like today. All I see is shooters. All offense. Te only player that I have seen that tries to think and out move his opponent. is te man that Billy played at DCC last year. And I also noticed that parica has changed his style and is going for moveing more. But a great one pocket player that canshoot almost as good as these top players. Would beat all these players. Because if someone hhoots thier speed and gers the first shot how can they win? All pool games are shooting and almost all offense. But one pocket. Controling the cue ball is the most important thing playing one pocket. And thats if you no what you are doing. And when two great players play each other and tey play 3 out off 5 games anyone can win. Even if one player is a littile weaker. And just ont good role or bad role can cost you the match. To find out who the better player is. They havr to pla at least 8 or 10 times. And play a certain length off time. And then the best player dhould win. But 3 out off 5 any good player can beat a great player. Especialy if te weaker player gets te first breack. And if one player bracks the balls real good. And the great player breacks the balls bad. Te great player should loose. But tats enough for now. Because I didnt want to comment on the scratch. But its so redicoulous I couldnt help it.

 

[lll]

Artie, you told us why you dont like the intentional scratch.
what do you think is the correct shot here and why?

 

[vapros]

I'm in agreement with Artie's advice to always look after the cue ball, but I don't care for his response in this case. Sorry 'bout that. He mentions other shots, but as Larry asks, 'what other shots'? He says the intentional scratch is the worst shot because your opponent will put you right back in the same trap, but looky here:

If you execute your intentional scratch halfway well, the 2 ball will make it difficult to put you back where you came from, unless you get in the small window where he can do that. And the 2 ball also guarantees that you will not scratch.

If he does reply with an intentional, your move won't look so bad because you have each given up one ball. And besides, it's not likely that you will be in the exact same spot, and you can evaluate the table again for better options. You will be able to see things you can't see now. CD's original question was 'what would you do'? Please advise.

Looks to me like Efren is in trouble if he does not take the intentional, and I don't understand the shot he chose, either. I guess all this leaves me out in left field. Again. Sometimes the grass is greener out in left field and I never miss with Greenshot.

 

[androd]

THe intetional scratch is the worst shot you can shoot.

I completely agree with Artie about intentional fouls. They usually accomplish little. An example is the silly one Efren took here.

Two weeks ago in San Antonio I took an intentional foul on the shot after my opponents break. This was the first time in 50 yrs. of one pocket. I've fouled kicking at balls, like in this thread but never intentionally. I had to take another in the same game when corner hooked. Generally when I take one, it's after my opponent has taken the first one.
Rod.
PS, I probably haven't taken 50 fouls in 50 years. This is probably because I'm usually being spotted. When giving big spots for friendly games, I don't do it because I think it's Chickenspit.

 

[sappo]

Agree and Disagree

Agree and Disagree

There is a correct time to take an intentional foul and you cant make a blanket statement that intentionals are wrong. I dont thinke Artie was saying ALL INTENTIONALS are wrong. I think he was speaking about the type of intentional Efren took in this case where his opponent could simply roll he cue ball back to its original position and Efrin has the same problem but now has 1 foul to worry about. I stick to my solution in post #10 where Efrin would take a foul but the table position has how changed completely. Here after Nick shoots E#frin may be in a much better position. I would ask some of our expert members to comment on this shot and this subject. Especially Artie. thanks Sappo

 

[wincardona]

I agree with Artie that Reyes intentional was a wasted shot, but I disagree with Rod when he says that intentional fouls usually accomplish little, sorry Rod. But I do like your kick shot into the 4 ball, but like Fred says that the scratch looms big, so if you aren't comfortable with the kick into the 4 ball then kick softly around it. I personally like kicking into the 4 ball, eliminating it from the position that it's in, sorta like makes the subsequent shots play a little bit easier for you. The 4 ball is a big target, and as a for a good kicker it's clearly the right shot, a good kicker will very seldom scratch, with the angle offered. Bottom line, practice your kick shots, you never know when you're going to need one, especially if it will get you out of a death trap.

Billy I.

 

[wincardona]

This is the 1st game of their match. Efren has the lower right-hand pocket, as you view the screen. What would you do?

View attachment 1595

I like kicking at the 4 ball, which I had mentioned in the above post, but I also like, if possible moving the 3 ball and repositioning the cue ball on the center dia. on the head rail. From that position your opponent can't gamble on shooting the 4 ball, and also he doesn't have a simple return safety. If you choose this shot you must be careful not to leave the angle where your opponent can roll off the 5 ball and put you in more trouble, that's why I like repositioning the cue ball on the center dia.

Billy I.