You need 1, opponent needs 2

Hey all,

I was just curious to see what some of you do when this shot comes up. It comes up a lot for me in my online games as well as when I get to play in real life.

There's one ball left on the table the score is tied 7-7 and you shoot at your pocket and the ball hangs in the jaws but doesn't drop. You have pocket "C" and your opponent has pocket "D".

Your opponent shoots the ball in your hole and follows the CB behind it spotting the ball up plus one of his own for the foul giving you ball in hand behind the line with 2 balls on the spot, it's your shot, how do you play it?




What I always do, is move the CB a little towards my opponents side behind the headstring and I shoot at the headball, with medium high top spin to push through it and get the CB close to the bottom rail. This pushes the head ball near the side rail on my side and the 2nd ball hits the bottom rail and comes back out not quite to the side pocket, also on my side.



Since the 1 ball is on my side, it prevents my opponent from trying to bank the 2 ball 1 time long or else he risks selling out the 1 ball or even scratching in the side. Usually their next shot is to bank the 1 ball over to their side and try to keep the CB near my hole so they don't sell out a bank.

I have seen a lot of different approaches but the 3 most common ones besides the one I do are:

1) Position the CB to the left and try to bank the 2 ball one rail near my hole with a little low left and bring the CB 2 or 3 rails around ending up back up near the pocket labeled "F" in the diagram

2) Position the CB about where I do and shoot the headball almost head on with some low left spin at a medium speed. This pushes the 1 towards my hole and then banks the 2 ball 2 rails long near my hole

3) Position the CB to the left (instead of the right where I do) and just cross over the 1 ball making the CB hit the right side rail by his pocket and ending up down on the bottom rail

Does anyone else do anything differently?

If you do any of the above, what is the best shot typically when you need 1 and your opponent needs 2?

cincy_kid said:

Does anyone else do anything differently?

If you do any of the above, what is the best shot typically when you need 1 and your opponent needs 2?

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You always need one in this scenario. I shoot basically the same as you except. I try to put the CB one diamond towards his pocket from your choice and strike the balls a little harder sending the rear ball more towards my half of the table and beyond the side. This will sometimes get a free long rail bank to my pocket.

Billy I. and others here always shoot the [sic] Okay Dokay which is to make the head ball or maybe the rear ball.

androd said:

You always need one in this scenario. I shoot basically the same as you except. I try to put the CB one diamond towards his pocket from your choice and strike the balls a little harder sending the rear ball more towards my half of the table and beyond the side. This will sometimes get a free long rail bank to my pocket.

Billy I. and others here always shoot the [sic] Okay Dokay which is to make the head ball or maybe the rear ball.

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Nice, yea maybe I hit mine a little harder too sometimes now that you mention it. I have tried the okay dokay shot but I feel its too risky when I only need 1. I may leave my opponent a bank where he could get both balls and get out or heck sometimes I have scratched by not controlling the CB very well.

I shoot the one in my hole...of course this shot takes a lot of practice and you must draw the cue back to the end rail... If you miss you will sell out a cross over bank to his pocket, but I shoot it anyway...probably a mental deficiency or something...

B

wgcp said:

I shoot the one in my hole...of course this shot takes a lot of practice and you must draw the cue back to the end rail... If you miss you will sell out a cross over bank to his pocket, but I shoot it anyway...probably a mental deficiency or something...

B

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me too. without thought or hesitation.


(spent a lot of time perfecting this shot and the "joyner")
(i don't think hit well its a sell out)

I usually think of it as a chance to win this inning... Ryan B. a pretty good nine baller from new Orleans was watching me play Benny Conway one pocket. He commented that that was the first time in a gambling match he ever saw anyone attempt and make the shot... Benny was fuming...lol

B

Miller said:

me too. without thought or hesitation.


(spent a lot of time perfecting this shot and the "joyner")
(i don't think hit well its a sell out)

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I also shoot the Joiner occasionally if more balls are out of the way on the table, or when playing cheap, which is often.

You guys are talking about #2 in my initial post correct?

1 ball pushes towards your hole and the 2 ball goes 2 rails long?

one ball goes in your hole...think positive thoughts...lol

B

This is the joiner, it takes a little practice to learn to miss the CB/1ball kiss.

Needing one, this is what I like to do. Put all three balls on the same line as represented by the white line. From here it's a bit difficult to defend against.

Frank Almanza said:

Needing one, this is what I like to do. Put all three balls on the same line as represented by the white line. From here it's a bit difficult to defend against.

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Frank and I are on the same page on this shot. If my opponent needs 2 I'm not giving him anything to shoot at.

androd said:

This is the joiner, it takes a little practice to learn to miss the CB/1ball kiss.

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Oh, hmm, I've never seen that shot before. So even though you are starting your CB to the right and hitting the headball on the left side, the natural throw of the balls would seem to go to the right, yet the 2nd ball can go 2 rails to the left?

I will have to try that one out!

Frank Almanza said:

Needing one, this is what I like to do. Put all three balls on the same line as represented by the white line. From here it's a bit difficult to defend against.

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Yep, pretty much what I shoot..but getting them in a straight line depends on how good my speed is for that particular shot, but same concept and I agree is the safest / best shot..

androd said:

This is the joiner, it takes a little practice to learn to miss the CB/1ball kiss.

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Cool, going to have to practice that one! I have a hard time making the more traditional shot from there -- seems like the 2-railer goes more often for me than the straight throw shot.

Cory in dc said:

Cool, going to have to practice that one! I have a hard time making the more traditional shot from there -- seems like the 2-railer goes more often for me than the straight throw shot.

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Directly out from the diamond, a small amount less than a 1/2 ball hit, mostly high English. Good luck.

How do you shoot this one, same pocket for you (C) needing one?

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Skin said:

cincy, how do you shoot this one, same pocket for you (C) needing one?

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i named that shot "the grady #2"

(there a lot of "grady's" )

if you get to spot the balls or adjust them the one in and two rail shot and draw back the cue is the shot.

hard to sell out if you have practiced this like you of course have practiced spots shots till they are second nature.

both of those things are game changers in the game so you have to be excellent at them.

Miller said:

i named that shot "the grady #2"

(there a lot of "grady's" )

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Hey, I was about to watch that this evening and then my kid came in and took the DVD player from me. How's it turn out?