What is a "telling safety shot"

[Exnihilo]

Could somebody explain to me exactly what a telling safety shot is. What differentiates a safety shot from a telling one and what is it telling me?

[DeanH]

My thinking is that a telling safety is where you play a safety where the opponent has one shot that you left them, where when they play it it gives you a simple pot on

[Art Vandalaay]

It's basically a really good safety shot that is likely to gain a big advantage to the player who laid it.

Like when 3 snookers are required for example. Top players can get out of basic snookers all day. It usually takes something special to win from this position.

A 'telling' safety shot, might leave the cue ball touching a colour at an awkward angle and the object ball in the middle of the table. Much more likely to leave a pot on even if they get out of the snooker.

[Exnihilo]

Thank you both for your explanations. I do understand what you're getting at but I think the term is used misleadingly. The shot is not "telling" anybody anything. As you say, it's just a good safety shot. I would say that selecting a safety shot over an attacking pot might be "telling" of a player's confidence level or current form but the way the term is used iby commentaters is nonsensical and isleading.

[DeanH]

More than just a good safety shot but one that leaves the opponent what you want then to go for that will give you a chance of a pot.

[vmax]

Thank you both for your explanations. I do understand what you're getting at but I think the term is used misleadingly. The shot is not "telling" anybody anything. As you say, it's just a good safety shot. I would say that selecting a safety shot over an attacking pot might be "telling" of a player's confidence level or current form but the way the term is used iby commentaters is nonsensical and isleading.

A 'telling safety shot' is one that leaves very few options and all those options are very difficult, so I'm telling him he's in trouble and needs to get the next shot right or I'm in and the commentater is telling the viewers the same thing, so not nonsensical or misleading unless you have little understanding of metaphor or similie and take the english language literally in every sense.
Poetic license is the essence of descriptive commentary and separates the good ones from the bad ones which is the difference between Darren Morgan and Alan McManus.

[Cue crafty]

Thank you both for your explanations. I do understand what you're getting at but I think the term is used misleadingly. The shot is not "telling" anybody anything. As you say, it's just a good safety shot. I would say that selecting a safety shot over an attacking pot might be "telling" of a player's confidence level or current form but the way the term is used iby commentaters is nonsensical and isleading.

I think you've definitely managed to make something "Out of nothing" there.....

[Exnihilo]

I understand the explanations given. All you needed to say vmax, was that it was a metaphoric expression and I would have also understood that. There was no need to allude to lack of intelligence on my part. It's personal and just rude. Metaphoric expressions by their very nature are not always self evident.