I was working with some students on straight pool and the discussion turned to breaking out small clusters while still assuring themselves of an easy next shot. I showed them a way that caught them off guard, but they realized the lesson very quickly.
Facing the layout shown in the diagrams, my student said his approach to breaking out the 12-14 would be to start with the 9 into pocket F, drawing back slightly for the 10 ball in pocket C (Diagram One). On the 10, the cue ball would follow slightly forward between the 11 and 13. This would allow him to use the 5 in pocket D as his way of getting the cue ball to the 12-14.
I marked the stops of the balls and let him try his plan. Sure enough, when he made the 5 and ran into the 12-14, he got stuck with the cue ball on the bottom rail. The only shot he had was a long shot on the 8, which he missed.
I told him the key to this pattern was creating an escape route if bumping the 12-14 didn’t open them up enough. I played the 9 in pocket F as a stop shot (Diagram Two), leaving an angle on the 10. Now, when I pocketed the 10 in pocket C, the cue ball bumped the 11 down to the bottom rail. The cue ball stopped after bumping the 11 and I still had the shot on the 5 that would present a path to the 12-14. The key is that after breaking up the 12-14, I had the safety net of the 11 on the bottom rail.
The idea is to open players eyes as to how to look at the table. They didn’t know how I saw this shot, but it comes with playing a lot and really studying the table before making a decision. Look for opportunities to safely bump object balls into a better position. This can be to manufacture a break shot, manufacture an insurance ball or manufacture a key ball. Having those rules in your head will help you see the table better.
