Escape
from a tight spot
by
nick varner
eigth
time world champion and billiard hall of
fame member
 |
In
diagram 1, notice the 1-ball is frozen to the rail and the
2-ball is frozen to the 1-ball. It is your shot and you have
pocket B. It is possible to pocket the 2-ball into pocket B.
You can force it into pocket B. To make the 2-ball contact
the cue ball with low draw English. Next you have to know where
to contact the 2-ball. Contact the 2-ball slightly left of
center, and I do mean slightly. As you can tell in diagram
1, the 2-ball has to go slightly to the right of the 1-ball
to go into pocket B. If the 2-ball goes into rail A instead
of the corner pocket, you have contacted the 2-ball too much
to the left. And if the 2-ball contacts rail B, you have contacted
the 2-ball too full or to the right.
The force shot on the 2-ball is a crowd pleaser and could come
up in 8-ball or 9-ball too. Another way to play this shot is
shown in diagram 2. You roll slightly into the 2-ball and drive
the 1-ball to the point on rail A by the pocket (see diagram
2). The cue ball freezes on the 2-ball. If you need two balls
instead of one, this might be the better option. Because if
you make the force shot the 1-ball goes up table and you probably
have to make a bank shot on the 1-ball to win. It may not be
an easy bank shot either. As you can tell on diagram 2, your
opponent is in a tough spot after this safety. In fast, you
might ask what is the best shot for your opponent to play?
If the cue ball and 2-ball are frozen, he might try and elevate
his cue about 30 degrees and shoot hard trying to get both
balls away from your pocket. Hopefully they will both go up
table. Also he must contact the cue ball with low draw and
keep it as close to pocket B as possible. Be sure to shoot
straight into the 2-bal
For your opponent a bigger problem exists if the cue ball and
2-ball are not frozen. Now it is almost impossible to shoot
straight ahead into the 2-ball with out making a foul. This
still might be the best option, but another one is to take
an intentional foul. At least it will get your opponent back
to the table one more time. He is still not in a great position
because you still have a big threat going.
But you can have some fun with both options and choose the
one you prefer. The crowd pleaser or the more conservative
option depending on the option you like the best. |
Diagram 1 
Diagram
2
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