Help: When to pot? When to play safe?

[mythman69]

Just wondering if TSF can give me some advice on when it is better to pot versus play safe?

I know there are many situations where it is better to say leave a colour on the cushion for safety so they can't clean up the lot.

I love a good snooker, but often wonder if it is better to 'go for it' or 'run away' and wait for a better chance. Trouble is that you often don't get another good chance especially against a better player. Still, leaving a good player in amongst the balls is no fun either.

I like pushing a red or two down the table to stop my opponent from always running away and leaving me nothing.

Any other help/examples would be great.

"More games are lost through want of thought than are lost through lack of skill." Billiards Player 1911.

Thanks!

[nrage]

This is a tough question for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, it depends on whether you are trying to play the ideal/correct style of snooker without concern for your own ability/percentages or the state of the match. Or, are you playing to win at all costs.

Next, it depends on your opponents strengths and weaknesses, which of course change from opponent to opponent. For example, if you know your opponent likes to take on dangerous long pots, you might attempt to leave them a low percentage one as a slightly risky tactic to get a good opener yourself. On the other hand, if you know your safety play is better than theirs, then you might back yourself to get them in a really good snooker, in order to get yourself a easier opening.

From your comment it about pushing a red or two down the table it sounds like you don't have a lot of confidence in your safety? Or that you believe your opponents are typically better in that department? Would that be a fair statement?

If that is the case, you have 2 options. 1) practice your safety or 2) focus on being that attacking player that takes on the long pots and forces the opponent to do the same. Of course, having both toolsets would be the ideal situation and thinking/adjusting based on the opponent and state of the match etc.

What I think you should do is start to get used to thinking about pots in terms of percentages, and if possible learning your ideal percentage for any given pot. In addition you need to be able to judge the amount of pressure you're feeling and adjust your percentage accordingly.

Once you know how likely the pot is, you then asses the risk you're taking, what is the chance you will leave an almost guaranteed pot, can you play it so this percentage becomes much lower?

What is the chance, that if you leave that pot, they will clear up or make a frame winning break - if there are several balls "safe" this chance decreases - but remember that you have to come in after they clean up the easy ones and attempt to pot these safe balls, so you had better have good safety to enable you to force an error from them to get you started.

So, once you have the numbers you weigh them up in terms of the frame/match. If you only need 1 frame to take the match you might favour a riskier situation, knowing that if you get it, it's all over, and if you miss they may be under more pressure and will make an unforced error in return - how often do we see that on the TV

So.. sorry I can't give a more definitive answer, but this should hopefully be some food for thought?

[Jetmech]

What I think you should do is start to get used to thinking about pots in terms of percentages, and if possible learning your ideal percentage for any given pot.

Indeed, that's the first thing that came to mind when I read the title of this thread.

No one else can make that decision for you. It's always going to be an assessment of potential success (of you potting that ball and possibly winning the frame) versus potential risk (of you missing that ball and leaving your opponent in), and various factors have to be taken into consideration:
- what's the chance of you actually potting the ball
- will you be able to continue the break, or will you be forced to play safe anyway after potting the ball
- will you leave your opponent an easy starter when you miss? (you sometimes see professionals take on a very difficult pot, but only if the only ball they could leave is the one they are playing, for example a difficult red, with all the other reds tight in the pack)
- also important (as mentioned before): what are your opponent's strengths and/or weaknesses

Best regards,
GR.

[j6uk]

Depends who your playing.

[damienlch]

Depends who your playing.

Good one. That sums it up for me too.

[ace man]

I always try to play as if I'm playing against world beaters. It makes no sense for me to take on silly shots, even if playing mugs. And no, I will not attempt 78.9 degree cut on the black with extended rest just because I'm playing someone who can't punish me for that.

Many if not most guys from my club take on silly shots very often. In fact, they play as if THEY are miles ahead of the pro players on tv, NOT the other way around. I was like that once, but no more Sir.

[mythman69]

This is a tough question for a couple of reasons.

I know this is a tough question, but I was trying to get some thoughts on strategy (rather than just potting / position / technique. It seems to me that better players know what shot to play to improve their chances of winning a frame or putting the other player in a difficult situation. Lesser players seem to just focus on trying to pot balls rather than strategy. This post was an attempt to try and get a better idea of the ‘thinking’ that improves playing snooker.

Firstly, it depends on whether you are trying to play the ideal/correct style of snooker without concern for your own ability/percentages or the state of the match. Or, are you playing to win at all costs.

I wanted to improve my ability to read a match and know how to think out the best option (pot or safety for example).

Next, it depends on your opponents strengths and weaknesses, which of course change from opponent to opponent. For example, if you know your opponent likes to take on dangerous long pots, you might attempt to leave them a low percentage one as a slightly risky tactic to get a good opener yourself. On the other hand, if you know your safety play is better than theirs, then you might back yourself to get them in a really good snooker, in order to get yourself a easier opening.

So if I my playing a better potter, should I focus more on my safety play and not go for riskier pots? If I am playing a lesser potter, I should maybe go for riskier pots?

From your comment it about pushing a red or two down the table it sounds like you don't have a lot of confidence in your safety? Or that you believe your opponents are typically better in that department? Would that be a fair statement?

I mentioned this as I find it stops players from just running away and leaving you nothing to pot which can be frustrating when you know you can pot better than they can.

If that is the case, you have 2 options. 1) practice your safety or 2) focus on being that attacking player that takes on the long pots and forces the opponent to do the same. Of course, having both toolsets would be the ideal situation and thinking/adjusting based on the opponent and state of the match etc.

I often do try for riskier long pots but when I miss I sometimes leave them in the balls and even though they may not be a strong potter they get some easy points and run away again.

What I think you should do is start to get used to thinking about pots in terms of percentages, and if possible learning your ideal percentage for any given pot. In addition you need to be able to judge the amount of pressure you're feeling and adjust your percentage accordingly.

Once you know how likely the pot is, you then asses the risk you're taking, what is the chance you will leave an almost guaranteed pot, can you play it so this percentage becomes much lower?

Can you please explain this a bit more? I like playing shots to nothing when available, but run into trouble when I know if I miss then I am in trouble (especially against better players).

What is the chance, that if you leave that pot, they will clear up or make a frame winning break - if there are several balls "safe" this chance decreases - but remember that you have to come in after they clean up the easy ones and attempt to pot these safe balls, so you had better have good safety to enable you to force an error from them to get you started.

So, once you have the numbers you weigh them up in terms of the frame/match. If you only need 1 frame to take the match you might favour a riskier situation, knowing that if you get it, it's all over, and if you miss they may be under more pressure and will make an unforced error in return - how often do we see that on the TV

At our club we play best of 3 frames. So it doesn’t take much to run into trouble from a poorly selected shot. I just wanted some advice on improving my tactics.

So.. sorry I can't give a more definitive answer, but this should hopefully be some food for thought?

Yes, great answer. Thanks again!

[mythman69]

Depends who your playing.

A bit more detail would be great. What would you suggest if you are playing a better player?

How do you get a tactical advantage when you are playing a similar level opponent?

Thanks!

[Sidd]

This is perhaps something you cant really ask TSF and even if everybody replies nothing might apply to your match situation.

It all depends depends depends ...

on your opponent's level and ability
on your own game ability or level
on your current score in a frame
on the total frame score
on your current level of form really

depends depends depends ... UPTO YOU TOTALLY !

[mythman69]

This is perhaps something you cant really ask TSF and even if everybody replies nothing might apply to your match situation.

It all depends depends depends ...

on your opponent's level and ability
on your own game ability or level
on your current score in a frame
on the total frame score
on your current level of form really

depends depends depends ... UPTO YOU TOTALLY !

Thanks for replying Sidd . . . I know it depends, depends, depends.

I was just trying to pick the snooker brains of TSF in an attempt to improve my ability to read a game and know when to pot and when to run away safe. Any advice is great. Some examples would be awesome. It might be second nature to better players but for others any advice would help! I don't want hard and fast rules rather things to think about when I first come to the table and look around at the options.

I would be very interested to hear others opinions / thoughts on this topic!

Thanks again!

[denja]

(How long is a piece of string) Just about sums up your question there are so many permutations during a game that when to play safe is a individual choice ! However size up the guy you are playing against. Is he a out and out potter who whacks balls in with great gusto and plays fast this type of player can get frustrated and make silly mistakes when you play safe and slow your game down. You have to balance the (If in doubt leave it out) against more aggressive play.

[nrage]

Some examples would be awesome. It might be second nature to better players but for others any advice would help!

Examples might be the way to go.. think of a situation you've been in where you've not been sure, or have gone on to lose and describe that - include match score, frame score, and table position plus anything you knew about your opponent.

[magicman]

Firstly - In an ideal world you shouldn't be going for a pot unless you know you're going to pot it.

Secondly - You only go for speculative pots if you can guarantee cue-ball position on a colour AND not leave a red for your opponent.

Thirdly - When playing safety try to be equally as aware of the finishing position of both ob and cue ball.

[mythman69]

Examples might be the way to go.. think of a situation you've been in where you've not been sure, or have gone on to lose and describe that - include match score, frame score, and table position plus anything you knew about your opponent.

Hmmmm . . . I suppose that when I miss a long pot and my opponent cleans up I think geez, I should have played safe. But when I get the long pot and clean up I think geez, I am glad I went for it. Some people are more than happy to point this out at the end of the frame especially when I miss.



Thanks for the replies!

It has given me something to think about when I first come to the table.

I was just hoping to know more about what good players think about when faced with a choice between potting and safety.

Any other ideas welcome!