Back cut spot shot?

schitzngigglz

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I was watching this match between John Schmidt and Louis Ulrich.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKLgiwentSY[/ame]

At 00:54:00 Schmidt has a spot shot with ball in hand for the win. He opts to back cut the shot rather than a conventional spot shot. Does anyone have any idea what he was thinking?

Thanks!
Rick
 

Tom Wirth

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Here's the shot situation. I haven't a clue as to what he was thinking.


View attachment 7870

The only thing I can think of that may be going through his mind is that he wants the cue ball back up table should he miss the shot. By back cutting the object ball he can hit with enough speed to accomplish this and still slow roll the OB in the direction of his pocket. A little odd all the same.

Tom
 

androd

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The only thing I can think of that may be going through his mind is that he wants the cue ball back up table should he miss the shot. By back cutting the object ball he can hit with enough speed to accomplish this and still slow roll the OB in the direction of his pocket. A little odd all the same.

Tom

I have shot it like this. Your CB misses the other ball and the chance of a scratch. You don't leave a cross bank or have the ball on the spot come across the table if you miss.
Rod.
P.S. When you miss a lot you learn these things. :)
 

bernie p

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I was watching this match between John Schmidt and Louis Ulrich.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKLgiwentSY

At 00:54:00 Schmidt has a spot shot with ball in hand for the win. He opts to back cut the shot rather than a conventional spot shot. Does anyone have any idea what he was thinking?

Thanks!
Rick

I now play this shot the same myself if I need only one ball. If you play it the conventional way and you don't make it , you generally leave a shot for your opponent to take control of the table.

The way that Schmidt shoots it, the object ball is moving at pocket speed while the cue ball typically ends up on close to the end rail. This way, if you don't make the ball, you are still forcing your opponent to deal with that ball, in turn, keeping them on the defensive.

Bernie.
 

Tom Wirth

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The spot shot can always be played the old conventional way of shooting spot shots in 9 ball. Draw the cue ball to the side rail. I think this shot has been lost in the shuffle since the invent of Texas Express. We all used to shoot spot shots on the nine by drawing the cue ball to the side rail. Do those of you who are over 50 remember those days? Just for fun, suppose John needed two from there.

Tom
 

tylerdurden

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Whatever the case, I am very surprised since a spot shot is a virtual hanger for him. That really really surprises me to no end. Maybe those are really tight pockets? If so I guess I could understand.
 

One pocket Smitty

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I remember those days, Tom. Used to do that all the time when you had to spot a ball before the money ball. However, I do understand he reasoning behind shooting the shot his way.--Smitty
 

Cowboy Dennis

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Back-cutting the spotted ball was also a standard shot when you had the rare BIH playing One-Pocket on a snooker table. No point leaving an easy cross-corner when you're not likely to pocket the ball anyway.

Dennis
 

NH Steve

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I have shot it like this. Your CB misses the other ball and the chance of a scratch. You don't leave a cross bank or have the ball on the spot come across the table if you miss.
Rod.
P.S. When you miss a lot you learn these things. :)

Very well explained right here
 

Frank Almanza

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I can understand the thinking in why John shot it like that. However I would not have shot it that way because of the location of that stripe ball. I would have slowed rolled it because the stripe ball would be a huge shield for the seven if it didn't go and the seven would be a blocker for the bank on the stripe.

The balls are sitting fine for this to happen. He just needed to move the cue ball a bit to his left, just enough so as to miss hitting the stripe ball.
 

SJDinPHX

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Here's the shot situation. I haven't a clue as to what he was thinking.<--He was thinking right Doorknob !

View attachment 7870


With BIH, behind the string, I have been playing that shot that way, all my one pocket life, in that situation. I don't place the cue ball, for quite as thin a cut, as John has, but almost !...To me, IMO that is the correct way to play the shot, when needing only one, and there are no balls impeding my route to go 2 rails to get back up to the end rail with the cue ball.

It works in a variety of similar situations too !..Unless you really butcher the shot, it works as planned, I'd say about 95% of the time. (the 'make' percentage is almost as good, for me, as shooting it from the side rail) Would anyone bet (these days) that they could make 9 or 10, out of 10 spot shots ?

SuperDuck ---> Ain't givin up NO game, on a stinkin' "fire in the hole" spot shot..:cool:

PS..I see your logic Frank, but theres still a lot more that can go wrong, (in that exact layout) slow rolling it..than by shooting it the way John, (or me) would choose to shoot it !.. Let me explain my thinking..Assuming you miss..(unless you jaw it) your oppo is almost sure to have a way out, and the game goes on..or, get a little unlucky he may even have a shot to win the game..I'm going to make it, way more than I'll miss it, just as you will..But, I could miss it by a lot, and my oppo, is still going to be in a world of hurt..from about 9 ft. away ! :)
 
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Cowboy Dennis

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With BIH, behind the string, I have been playing that shot that way, all my one pocket life, in that situationThat's because you are an idiot. I don't place the cue ball, for quite as thin a cut, as John has, but almost !...To me, IMO that is the correct way to play the shot, when needing only one, and there are no balls impeding my route to go 2 rails to get back up to the end rail with the cue ball.

It works in a variety of similar situations too !..Unless you really butcher the shot, it works as planned, I'd say about 95% of the time. (the 'make' percentage is almost as good, for me, as shooting it from the side rail) Would anyone bet (these days) that they could make 9 or 10, out of 10 spot shots ?

SuperDuck ---> Ain't givin up NO game, on a stinkin' "fire in the hole" spot shot..:cool:

PS..I see your logic Frank, but theres still a lot more that can go wrong, (in that exact layout) slow rolling it..than by shooting it the way John, (or me) would choose to shoot it !.. Let me explain my thinking..Assuming you miss..(unless you jaw it) your oppo is almost sure to have a way out, and the game goes on..or, get a little unlucky he may even have a shot to win the game..I'm going to make it, way more than I'll miss it, just as you will..But, I could miss it by a lot, and my oppo, is still going to be in a world of hurt..from about 9 ft. away ! :)

Dear Spot-Shot McDuck,

You are just askeered to shoot at your pocket, that's all:lol. As I recall, the last time you shot at a ball on the spot you drew the cueball into the corner pocket (playing Cliff in "98") Shall I show it, and your sweater? Just dare me sucker. LOLLMFAOROTFLMFAOLOLFBICIANCAANAACP

Cowboy "makes 'em with his eyes closed" Dennis
 

Billy Jackets

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If I were John my thinking for this shot is
#1. My opponent just made a huge mistake, one I should not let him survive.
If he wins this game he will feel like he stole something, I will feel like an idiot.
These feelings don't go away quickly in most cases and usually cause you to make more mistakes later.
As SJD said ,he can probably make the backcut spot shot from there about 90 to 95 % as well as he can from anywhere on the other side.
The difference is that from the other side there are many possibilities of him losing 1 or both those balls down table and the first move or maybe a bank on the third ball.
In a tournament you only get so many chances.
Same when your betting all your money.
No need to take a bad gamble just to hurry up the game .
In fact I would want this game to last a few shots more, so my opponent could stew in his juices and get tenderized.
{I don't feel this is unsportsmanlike}. Please correct me if I am wrong.
For any novices I will be happy to give examples of ways to sell out from there.
Just send me a PM
 
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Jimmy B

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No need to take a bad gamble just to hurry up the game .
In fact I would want this game to last a few shots more, so my opponent could stew in his juices and get tenderized.



'Stew in his juices and get tenderized' That's cool. I also agree with the shot. You easily control the speed and location of both balls this way.
 

Cowboy Dennis

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To me, IMO that is the correct way to play the shot, when needing only one, and there are no balls impeding my route to go 2 rails to get back up to the end rail with the cue ball.


But, I could miss it by a lot, and my oppo, is still going to be in a world of hurt..from about 9 ft. away ! :)

Dear Dippy Duck,

That's just where the balls go when you're shooting from your keyboard. Here's where they ended up for Schmidt. Now just go ahead and tell me he hit it bad, like you're going to do.

js.jpg
 

SJDinPHX

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Dear Dippy Duck,

That's just where the balls go when you're shooting from your keyboard. Here's where they ended up for Schmidt. Now just go ahead and tell me he hit it bad, like you're going to do.

View attachment 7886

You are such a doorknob...Almost everybody has been explaining the very sound reasoning, (including my hero's, Bernie and Rod, posts #4 and #5)...for shooting the shot the RIGHT way !...It has nothing to do with my ability, (or lack of) to make a spot shot..And, judging from where Schmidt's cue ball ended up, YES, he MUST have butchered, at least the SPEED portion of his shot.. :cool:...Probably because he set it up, for too thin of a cut !... I have shot that same shot, hundreds of times, (sometimes dead drunk)...and the cue ball NEVER got that far from the end rail !

Go ahead and post the shot I shot against Joyner...I will guarantee the situation involved, was radically different..But you'll still think you know whats best...To use an old gag line, as a metaphor...Sam, (in Cheers) tells Diane, "You're Drunk"..Diane's reply was, "Yes I'm drunk, but you are terminally STUPID...I'll be sober in the morning" ! :p

I always feel that way, in ANY discussion we have ! And don't be embarrassed to show the sweater again, just because you KNOW it cost more than your entire wardrobe ! (including your boots, and your pigeon sh*t hat).. :sorry:

SuperDippyDuck, <---But at least, for what its [sic] worth,...Teenager Tyler is still on YOUR team..LOAFRIAO..:D

PS..I forgot Billy Jackets excellent grasp of the subject. (post #14)..That tells me he could give you at least 10 to 6..:cool:
 
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Tom Wirth

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To use an old gag line, as a metaphor...Sam, (in Cheers) tells Diane, "You're Drunk"..Diane's reply was, "Yes I'm drunk, but you are terminally STUPID...I'll be sober in the morning" ! :p

This is a paraphrase of a Winston Churchil quote where at a party a woman accused him of being drunk. His reply to the woman was "Yes, miss I am drunk, but you are ugly. Furthermore, in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly."

Just want to give credit where credit is due.

Tom
 

lfigueroa

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On my computer screen those pockets look pretty tight. Soooo, somewhat obviously, he's concerned about selling out a bank if he misses. I can't honestly say I've played the shot that way myself, but I'm going to from now on :)

Lou Figueroa
 

SJDinPHX

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To use an old gag line, as a metaphor...Sam, (in Cheers) tells Diane, "You're Drunk"..Diane's reply was, "Yes I'm drunk, but you are terminally STUPID...I'll be sober in the morning" ! :p

This is a paraphrase of a Winston Churchil quote where at a party a woman accused him of being drunk. His reply to the woman was "Yes, miss I am drunk, but you are ugly. Furthermore, in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly."

Just want to give credit where credit is due.

Tom

Thats probably accurate Tom...But joke writers on sit-coms, don't really care who they steal their material from !...I was a huge Cheers fan, and I watched that live, and in dozens of re-runs..I still think Dennis should get a by-line for the joke...as it is HIM, personified ! :lol :lol :lol
 
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