Learning from Experience

8-BALL

21. As a corollary to Larry Schwartz' unbeatable concept, "Think of your stripes or solids as soldiers in the war; don't kill your own soldiers without purpose," don't underestimate the value of sinking an opponent's ball for him (Fig. 21). He now has one less soldier, he can't use it for position, and at the right speed your ball will now guard that same pocket.

22. No knowledgeable player I know of utilizes that break off the second ball (either ball immediately behind the head ball) that you see suggested now and then. In theory, it gives you a chance to send the 8 toward a side pocket. In reality, a whole slew of variables have to fall into place before you can even do that; your chance of making the 8 in the side is approximately googolplex-to-1; you have a splendid chance to scratch in the corner off the rack; you sacrifice all manner of control over the cue ball. How can any of that possibly be any good?

23. You'll never convince your league of this, but either Alabama 8-Ball (wherein the 1 and 15 must be pocketed in opposing sides) or Last-Pocket 8-Ball (make the 8 wherever you pocketed your final stripe or solid) make for a much more challenging game than the commonly played version. Adding either game to your repertoire will definitely improve your 8-ball play in any format.

24. The advice to those who, well, choke on the 8 (and maybe their last ball or two as well) is exactly as it was in 9-ball: Forget the numbers on the ball. Each one is only a ball, its IQ is nowhere near yours, and it will behave exactly as you expect it to if you'll only focus on what you can control. That'd be your body and your cue.

25. Far too many players choose the easiest shot available following the break. The correct choice is that ball which implements your plan for the remaining seven. And as Elaine said to Benjamin in "The Graduate," I don't want you to leave [that is, shoot] without a plan.

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