Pete Fusco vs. Nick Varner 1994 Roanoke #2

[jtompilot]

Hey Nostradamus....While you're at it, would you mind giving me some lotto numbers for todays game?....

Come on Ghost, this shot comes up regularly. After I posted this shot I set it up and made the 9 on the first attempt, took out the 15 and life is good

 

[jtompilot]

And by the way Ghost, that 2 rail kick at those 3 balls in that other thread is the second worst shot, next to the one Efren shot. I set that one up and banked the 10 ball into the 5 and ran out

 

[androd]

Well, I guess Rod hasn't seen this thread yet - because I know that like me, he would have also spotted that 7-8-15-12 combo into the 9, that looks very makeable and hard to resist, since don't forget, with this type of hanging ball combo, the 9 is a big target, about 5-1/2" - but I'd still have to be at the table to decide for sure if I was shooting it or not - although I'm sure Rod will know he's shooting it, just looking at it from his keyboard...

- Ghost

I think I like tsk7878's shot better.
Rod.
P.S. I'm definitely shooting it from my keyboard.

thin the 14 cue ball into the 8-6 sending the 11 into the hanger, 7 and out,piece of cake!

 

[wincardona]

lets get serious.

lets get serious.

Lets not forget what we have learned about playing the score, and playing a somewhat controlled game. Providing there aren't any wired balls in the stack, which is hard to determine from my computer screen, we need to get a better grasp on the situation that presents itself. If I see it right Nick should play the combination 7 into the 9 ball. But how he plays it is the question, allow me to give you a possible perspective on how he may be thinking. He leads in the score one to zero, so there is no urgency to try and force something that is risky. He sees that if he plays the combo and controls the 7 ball he will be leading three to zero and will have an opportunity to do something from there.It looks like if he rolls the 7 ball the cue ball will strike the 14 ball, or narrowly miss it. If he feels that the cue ball will strike the 14 ball he could possibly loosen the 5 ball for another ball that he may be able to pocket on a later shot. But still he must play a controlled game by rolling at the 7 ball combo, ensuring himself of controlling the 7 ball

Playing with this understanding you not only are playing the score, but you're applying pressure on your opponent, sending the message that you're not going to give anything away. All along building confidence in your ability to play a solid game.

As I have obviously stated, the important part of Nicks shot is controlling the 7 ball. Doing that will allow Nick to either further his run, or clear Fusco's pocket leading three to zero.


Dr. Bill

 

[jtompilot]

Lets not forget what we have learned about playing the score, and playing a somewhat controlled game. Providing there aren't any wired balls in the stack, which is hard to determine from my computer screen, we need to get a better grasp on the situation that presents itself. If I see it right Nick should play the combination 7 into the 9 ball. But how he plays it is the question, allow me to give you a possible perspective on how he may be thinking. He leads in the score one to zero, so there is no urgency to try and force something that is risky. He sees that if he plays the combo and controls the 7 ball he will be leading three to zero and will have an opportunity to do something from there.It looks like if he rolls the 7 ball the cue ball will either come close to striking the 14 ball, or narrowly miss it. If he feels that the cue ball will strike the 14 ball he could possibly loosen the 5 ball for another ball that he may be able to pocket on a later shot. But still he must play a controlled game by rolling at the 7 ball combo, ensuring himself of controlling the 7 ball


Playing with this understanding you not only are playing the score, but you're applying pressure on your opponent, sending the message that you're not going to give anything away. All along building confidence in your ability to play a solid game.

Dr. Bill

The 7-9 combo makes sense. The QB will open up those two balls below the 7 and put them in play for opponent.

 

[lll]

thin the 14 cue ball into the 8-6 sending the 11 into the hanger, 7 and out,piece of cake!

i dont think the combo is on

icbw

 

[lll]

how do you like my new critique companoin????

 

[wincardona]

The 7-9 combo makes sense. The QB will open up those two balls below the 7 and put them in play for opponent.

There's a chance of that happening, can't really tell for sure, but if not he could possibly roll softly into the 10 ball for some good soft action. Must be mindful of not scratching after contacting the 10 ball, which is a possibility.


Dr. Bill

 

[Frank Almanza]

There's a chance of that happening, can't really tell for sure, but if not he could possibly roll softly into the 10 ball for some good soft action. Must be mindful of not scratching after contacting the 10 ball, which is a possibility.


Dr. Bill

If you can soft roll into the ten after the seven nine combo then you'll have a twelve seven combo and the game. However it does not appear that you can hit the ten nor the 14 ball after striking the seven ball. Good to see you back and posting.

 

[wincardona]

If you can soft roll into the ten after the seven nine combo then you'll have a twelve seven combo and the game. However it does not appear that you can hit the ten nor the 14 ball after striking the seven ball. Good to see you back and posting.

It looks to be going in that direction, could possibly go in between the 10 and 15 balls If so Nick may have to elevate to avoid the possible scratch. By doing that he may lose control of the 7 ball, but then he could possibly make them both (7 and 9 balls) on the same shot, using draw on the cue ball.

Dr. Bill

 

[One Pocket Ghost]

Come on Ghost, this shot comes up regularly. After I posted this shot I set it up and made the 9 on the first attempt, took out the 15 and life is good

Jim...I wasn't joking about your shot - I was joking about how you knew exactly where the balls were going to end up after you shot it...

 

[jtompilot]

Jim...I wasn't joking about your shot - I was joking about how you knew exactly where the balls were going to end up after you shot it...

Some how the balls dont end up in the same place every time:sorry

I tried it about 10 times

 

[One Pocket Ghost]

Some how the balls dont end up in the same place every time :sorry

Yeah, that's because of that damn chaos theory that's always messing with our lives - it messes with our One Pocket break too...:heh...


"Chaos theory is a field of study in mathematics, with applications in several disciplines including physics, engineering, earth sciences, economics, biology, and psychology. Chaos theory studies the behavior of dynamical systems that are highly sensitive to initial conditions, an effect which is popularly referred to as the butterfly effect. Small differences in initial conditions yield widely diverging outcomes for chaotic systems, rendering long-term prediction impossible in general."

 

[Cowboy Dennis]

From the files of "I don't know what the hell he was doing" comes Nick's shot. Maybe he was trying to hit the 15, I don't know. I do know that he hit so much of the 9 with draw & spin that the cueball went in slo-motion to the rail and then spun up and barely touched the 3 ball. He made the 12 next.

 

[wincardona]

From the files of "I don't know what the hell he was doing" comes Nick's shot. Maybe he was trying to hit the 15, I don't know. I do know that he hit so much of the 9 with draw & spin that the cueball went in slo-motion to the rail and then spun up and barely touched the 3 ball. He made the 12 next.


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Say what you want, but I think his shot was a well thought out shot with little risk, if any. He may have been trying to make the 15 ball, with hopes that he would possibly end up with a shot on the 12 ball. Pocket the 12 ball open up the balls some, and then bank the 10 ball and maybe run out. If you notice the path that the cue ball took, and visualize the good and bad things that could of happened, it's all good. Strong shot by Varner, give the man his dues.

Dr. Bill

 

[Frank Almanza]

Say what you want, but I think his shot was a well thought out shot with little risk, if any. He may have been trying to make the 15 ball, with hopes that he would possibly end up with a shot on the 12 ball. Pocket the 12 ball open up the balls some, and then bank the 10 ball and maybe run out. If you notice the path that the cue ball took, and visualize the good and bad things that could of happened, it's all good. Strong shot by Varner, give the man his dues.

Dr. Bill

Or maybe he was hoping to make the 15 ball to give himself some more operating room.

 

[Tennessee Joe6]

I would have played the 9 to get position on the 12 but certainly not taking a chance to make or move the 15. The position on the 12 gives a chance to make another ball and break out the stack. With a good breakout a chance for a run out. Without a good breakout, then removing the 15 is much more controlled.

 

[tylerdurden]

I look at that 7 9 combo and the way I see it is if you hit it soft and maybe slightly overcut it, the cb will go right into that 14 (to the left side anyway) -- which will be prefect. That's how I see the shot -- it is amazing to me how much angles change when you really take something off the speed of a shot (avaiable here because 9 ball position doesn't require pinpoint accuracy), and over or undercut slightly.

I think it is better to talk about what NOT to do here. The only really bad shots from spots like this is where you make the ball, dont get a shot, and hook yourself from hitting the ball in your opponents hole. The path that nick was coming with the cb provided him many opportunities for good. Not too many (if any) avenues could have resulted in a snooker as I look at it. For example, a shot that should NOT be taken here is shooting the 9 hard and going one rail into the pack.... that's how you loose from here.

 

[wincardona]

Or maybe he was hoping to make the 15 ball to give himself some more operating room.

That's what I think he had in mind, making the 15 ball would enable him to get a lot more done, in terms of leveling the position. Plus he could possibly end up with a shot on the 12 ball and then play more aggressively. It was a very good thought, now that I look at it.

I mentioned in another thread that too often players get blinded by choosing an option which impresses them, and then neglect to evaluate other options that may be better ones. Not that this option was that recognizable, which it wasn't, but hopefully you get my point.

I have in the past played this type of a shot, but there was no 15 ball hanging. I played the shot to either play position, or break up the stack, but never played it like I believe Varner did, by paving the path for a more lucrative future. Varner has always been one of the better thinkers while at the table, this is another example of why that is.

Dr. Bill

 

[wincardona]

I look at that 7 9 combo and the way I see it is if you hit it soft and maybe slightly overcut it, the cb will go right into that 14 (to the left side anyway) -- which will be prefect. That's how I see the shot -- it is amazing to me how much angles change when you really take something off the speed of a shot (avaiable here because 9 ball position doesn't require pinpoint accuracy), and over or undercut slightly.

I think it is better to talk about what NOT to do here. The only really bad shots from spots like this is where you make the ball, dont get a shot, and hook yourself from hitting the ball in your opponents hole. The path that nick was coming with the cb provided him many opportunities for good. Not too many (if any) avenues could have resulted in a snooker as I look at it. For example, a shot that should NOT be taken here is shooting the 9 hard and going one rail into the pack.... that's how you loose from here.

You're right about changing angles by adjusting the speed and hit with shots, but in this instance I don't believe that striking the 14 ball was possible, if so Varner would have chosen that route. That's the way i'm thinking, but maybe he believed the shot he chose was a better shot than glancing off the 14 ball, even if it was available. We'll never know that, but what we do know is the shot he chose was a very good shot for the situation. And yes I strongly agree with not doing anything haphazard that would jeopardize your opportunity to get what you needed to get done with your shot. This is based off the score, and the ball position that favored Fusco. It was imperative for Varner to not only score a few balls, but equally as important to eliminate the position of the 15 ball. And if you notice his shot choice gave him the potential to do everything.

Dr. Bill