Rack ‘em up!
Seattle Slim stared intently at the balls on the pool table. You know, the look some players get on their face when the afterbreak table layout looks like it is a real easy runout? Well, Slim, after grabbing the chalk, was concentrating on the table layout, enough so, that he was trying to chalk his beer bottle until our laughter brought him back to reality.
So, with cheeks turning pinkish, he went ahuntin’ for his cue stick. The intensity he has and
was then clearly showing is why I enjoy playing pool with him. Slim always looks to run the table, and that is a good thing. Most of us would like to run a table from the rack break to the 8-ball, but do we actually try to plan a runout every rack? Probably not, but we should.
Slim has a lot of experience playing pool, he knows that not every rack can be run from the break. He also knows that many of them can be if you do approach the after break layout with runout intentions. After the rack break, ask yourself, can this rack be run? If so, then ask what is my first play, my second, etc., until you have run the rack in your mind’s eye. Then go for it as long as there remains a viable runout, but if it goes downhill and cannot be run what then? Play safety and/or move balls to improve your table.
What if you decide that you cannot run the rack after the break? The experts say to pick the balls you want, make one, and then shoot safe. Why? Because if you can’t run them all you should not take your balls off the table and make it easier for the opponent to run the table. How many times have you done so, or watched someone else run all but one ball, and then lose the game?
It is called a failed runout, and often when you have a failed runout you end up losing the game. The reason, more often than not, is that by removing six or seven balls you have made the table less crowded, thus making it easier for an opponent to run their balls.
Many players, after the break, will look for the easiest shot, play that shot and then take whatever presents itself next. The game can certainly be played that way, but you won’t be running out many racks, and if you are playing against a player that is using a standard 8-ball strategy, you will likely lose more than you win.
What is a strategy when your opponent has made all of his balls but failed to make the 8-ball? Use your superior number of balls to get a ball in hand and then start with your problem balls to start your run if it is runnable; if not runnable then fix a problem ball or move a ball to a better position while still playing safe.
When you have multiple problem balls, fix one set, and then shoot a second, or even a third, or more safeties to get another ball in hand and fix the next problem. Remembering that your opponent only has the one ball that they must hit in order not to foul so don’t put your balls down just to take balls off the table — that will make their game easier and your safety play more difficult.
Make one or two balls and then again use your remaining balls to play safety. When you are ready, run them out. When you need to block your opponent’s ability to hit their ball, you should. You have a better chance for runouts if you have ball in hand.
Slim did try and run the rack, after making two balls, the rack became unrunnable; a kiss had changed the table. There was one of his balls sitting in front of a pocket, which he easily could have made, but it was impossible to get any shape for the next ball. Slim left that ball sitting in the pocket. Instead, he moved the ball that had gotten a kiss to a better position while playing safe and turned the table over.
His opponent did not runout. Slim returned to the table with an easy shape ball waiting near the pocket, he used that for shape on the repositioned ball and won the match. Patience along with his winning strategy won the game.
When you have a shot that leads nowhere, don’t play that ball now. Maybe improve your table by repositioning balls and/ or play a lock-up safety to get a ball in hand. Contact me at mcbohanon@gmail. com.