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Darren Appleton


Instruction Articles:
• March 2024
More for the Road


• February 2024
Four for the Road


• January 2024
Corner the Market


• December 2023
Look Ma, No Cushions


• November 2023
We’re in the Money


• October 2023
Four-level Drill


• September 2023
More Money Ball


• August 2023
No rails, part II


• July 2023
Look Ma, No Rails!


• June 2023
Triangle To Triangle


• May 2023
Zone Blitz


• April 2023
Money Ball Drill II


• March 2023
Money Ball Drill


• January 2023
The Dreaded Shootout


• December 2022
Alternate Universe


• November 2022
Close Quarters


• October 2022
Corner to Corner


• September 2022
Diamond in the Rough


• August 2022
Draw Bridge


• June 2022
I Detect A Pattern


• June 2022
Stay Close to Work


• May 2022
Amateur Approved


• April 2022
Two for One


• March 2022
The Straight Secret


• February 2022
The Correct Shot


• January 2022
End Game, Part II


• December 2021
Buying Off The Shelf


• November 2021
Look, Ma! No Rails!


• October 2021
The Oval Drill


• September 2021
Getting In Shape


• August 2021
Corner-To-Corner


• July 2021
V For Victory


• June 2021
More Pattern Drills


• May 2021
Patterns and speed


• April 2021
See a pattern?


• March 2021
Blind Man


• February 2021
Five Up, Five Down


• January 2021
Don’t Lag Behind


• December 2020
Head games


• November 2020
Life on the Edge


• October 2020
The Family Tree


• September 2020
A Dip of the Tip


• August 2020
The Big Diamond


• July 2020
Nine-Ball One-Hole


• June 2020
You’ll Kick Yourself


• May 2020
Tight Quarters


• April 2020
Cue Ball Control


• March 2020
Straight Cueing


• February 2020
Saddle up!


• January 2020
9-ball Crossover


• December 2019
Ride Those Rails


• November 2019
Up and Down


• October 2019
Money Balls


• September 2019
Captain Zig-zag


• August 2019
15-Ball, No Rails


• July 2019
One Extra Ball


• June 2019
Two-Pocket Drill


• May 2019
Up and Down


• April 2019
Ultimate Rotation


• March 2019
In A Good Spot


• February 2019
Center Cut


• January 2019
Breaking Bad Habits


• December 2018
Monster!


• November 2018
X marks the spot


• October 2018
Striking It Rich


• September 2018
So Many Options


• August 2018
Put Hangers On Rail


• July 2018
Mirror, Mirror II


• June 2018
Mirror, Mirror


• May 2018
“V” for Victory


• April 2018
Up and Down


• March 2018
Kick Into High Gear


• February 2018
Up and Down


• January 2018
Up To The Challenge


• November 2017
Taking A Break


• October 2017
End Game Safeties


• September 2017
Get Comfortable


• July 2017
Shape Up For Summer!


• June 2017
The Selection Process


• May 2017
Two For One


• April 2017
A Ghost of a Chance


• March 2017
Banker’s Holiday


• January 2017
Getting Into Shape


• December 2016
Hocus, Focus


• November 2016
Kicking Into High Gear


• October 2016
More Drill Bits


• September 2016
Hand Model


• August 2016
Breaking Tradition


• July 2016
Drawing On Experience


• May 2016
Proper Practice


• April 2016
Drilling For Improvement


• March 2016
Mind Games


 
Great Eight
February 2017

Eight-ball is a challenge when the rules and conditions are right.

Coming from an English 8-ball background, I’ve always thought 8-ball was a great, difficult game…when played with the proper rules. I think the recent World Pool Series 8-ball event in New York was an eye-opener for a lot of players. Not many players practice 8-ball because they think it is an easy game. But when rules (like breaking outside the box and having to accept your suit on the break) and conditions (like tight pockets on a big table) make the game more difficult, it’s a great challenge. It forces you to be creative, to think ahead and to play proper patterns.

For starters, breaking outside the box makes it difficult to make a ball on the break. And using a traditional triangle means it is tough to get a really tight rack, so you end up with a lot of clusters and balls along the rails, which makes for tougher layouts. It also promotes the big, power break, which is always great in pool.

The keys to 8-ball — and this goes for all levels of play and all formats — are smart safety shots, a good cue ball and solid patterns. I managed to reach the semifinals in New York, despite not having practiced much and never really feeling comfortable with the break. And I didn’t feel like I was strong with my cue ball. I succeeded, however, because of my pattern play. I simply didn’t have to make a lot of tough shots, which is what proper pattern play allows.

What are the keys to proper pattern play? The key in 8-ball is working backwards from the 8. The most important thing is to find your key ball for the 8 ball. You have to start with a solid plan or more than half of the time you’re going to be dead. Next, you need to recognize the problem areas and attack those immediately. I saw a lot of players pocketing two or three balls before attacking a cluster. Big mistake. If you leave problem balls for later in your run-out, you’re asking for trouble. You have to have an insurance ball when you play into a cluster, otherwise you’re in big trouble if you don’t land perfectly on the ball you broke out of the cluster. I saw a lot of players get lost halfway through the rack. At the higher levels, once you’ve pocketed half of your suit, you’d better be able to finish the run-out.

That is also why it is important that you aren’t afraid of a Plan B. The truth is, 50 percent of the time, you’re not going to play the exact pattern you initially intended. It is always important to play the cue ball into areas that give you a couple of options. I always try to play into an area where if I don’t get on one ball, I have a shot at another.

Here is an example: Look at the post-break layout in the diagram. The table is open. Pick out the problem areas when determining which suit you intend to shoot. Stripes: The 10 and 9 are both in problem areas. The 11-12-15 lays funny and the 13 is tricky, too. You’d need to play seven perfect shots to get out. Solids: The 7 is tricky, but the rest of the balls connect well, especially with where the 8 is positioned.

Once I’ve selected solids, I look at the 8, which really only goes in the open side pocket. What key ball will get me on the 8? The 2 is the obvious key ball, and the 5 should offer good shape for the 2. The 3 and 4 also offer options to get on the 2 if I have to go to Plan B. Now, to break out the 7 ball. Many players would play the 1 and come up underneath the 9, but you could easily get stuck with no shot after hitting the 9. The proper pattern is to start with the 4. Stop the cue ball, then play off the 6 in the side to open up the 7. Speed is crucial here. You don’t want to cover the corner pocket with the 9. Even if you don’t have an open shot at the 7 right away, you are guaranteed a shot at the 1, 5 or 3. That is what I mean by playing the cue ball into an area. It leaves you options instead of playing for one particular ball. Now you can shoot the 1 and play shape for the 3, 4 or 7. Again, options. From there you work your way to a shot on the 5. Just don’t get stuck on the rail, leaving a straight in shot on the 2. Pocket the 2 in the corner and punch up for the 8 in the side.

Eight-ball isn’t fun to practice because you’re not swinging the cue ball around two and three rails, but it is a challenging game if you approach it properly.

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