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When in doubt, play safe

A good safety usually wins more racks than a low-percentage pot.

  • Safety
  • Intermediate
  • 10-second clip

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hard pot
1

A thin cut on the 1 ball. You might make it 3 times in 10.

Try it in the Pool Hall
Made on the Pool Hall table.

Why it matters

If you make a hard pot 3 times in 10, you miss it 7 times in 10. A miss usually leaves your opponent a shot. A good safety leaves them a hard shot. Often it gives you ball in hand or an easy shot on your next turn.

How to do it

  1. 1

    Before a hard shot, ask: how often do I make this?

  2. 2

    Then ask: what do I leave if I miss?

  3. 3

    If the answers are “less than half” and “a good shot for my opponent”, look for a safety.

  4. 4

    Pick a safety that leaves the cue ball far from the ball your opponent must hit next, or hidden behind another ball.

Common mistake

Going for it anyway

Players often go for a hard pot because a safety feels like giving up. It isn’t. A good safety is how you win the next turn.

Try it tonight

Exercise · Intermediate

Pot or play safe?

A hard, thin cut on the 1 ball, as shown. Tap Pot or Safe for the shot you are trying. A safe counts when the shot is legal and the cue ball ends at least 4 diamonds from the 1 ball, or hidden from it. Every attempt counts.

  • Pass: 4 of your last 5, for each
Try it in the Pool Hall