Choosing The Best Shot

Imagine this; You are the captain or coach of an 8-ball league, and your lower skilled player is shooting solids.

Choosing The Best Shot - Billiard Shot Planning For The Novice

It is likely that 99% of the beginner billiard players out there are going to shoot at the orange five ball in the situation pictured above, simply because it is an easier shot. Most beginner players tend to automatically look for the easiest shot, without considering what their next shot will look like. Unfortunately, at least 80% of novice coaches will allow them shoot for the five ball in the corner pocket.
The advanced player can see clearly that the more appropriate shot in this illustration is the two ball in the side pocket. It is a slightly tougher shot, but if they can make it, then the game is essentially over. The odds against getting snookered from the five ball are relatively slim. If this is taken in to consideration, and plays out as expected, they pocket the two, then either slow-roll the five or shoot a stop-shot at it, and then finish the game by putting the eight in the corner pocket.
Unfortunately, this is almost never what happens when the novice player is allowed to shoot at the five ball. What usually happens is this:

• Player makes the five in the corner.
• Player makes the two in the side.
• Player is completely lost on the eight and uses their timeout to get help with a shot that they will likely never make.
• Player loses the game when the opponent pockets their two remaining balls, followed by the eight via an easy down table shot to the corner pocket.

Too many times, coaches are instructing the wrong thing. Beginning players can not be told how to make a shot in the middle of a game. Shot making is something that should be worked on when they are practicing. Beginning players can, however, be shown a little bit of common sense and strategy. It's up to their coaches to show them, but too often I've seen coaches sitting on the sidelines during situations like this.

With the collaboration of Dave Siltz.