What? Me play safe?

By Frank Almanza

I’m going to tell you a story from as well as I can recollect. This goes back to maybe the late sixties or the early seventies. I remember reading this in one of the billiard publications of the time. Don’t remember which one or any specific details, but you may find it interesting because it leads us into this month’s topic. If I get some details incorrect, it doesn’t matter because the point should still come across.

At or near the end of a straight pool tournament that was being held in the East Coast of the U.S., some interviews were being conducted. One of the tournament entries was a gentleman from Japan that had ventured over to participate. If my memory serves me right I think his name was Fujima. If I’m wrong with that I apologize to him or whoever it was. In no way am I trying to be disrespectful to anyone. Sorry!

Anyway, this gentleman didn’t fair very well in the tournament, and during his interview he was asked for his reaction on the style of play in America. His comment was that the American way had far too many safeties. In Japan, the game was mainly played for sport and enjoyment. He stated that to play defense was not the Japanese way. To me, I took it that their heritage and pride viewed defense as a way of showing a bit of cowardice. He mentioned that the Japanese way was to be more aggressive with offense. I can see that because I think of their culture in that fashion. Something or other about saving face.

Shortly after that interview, an American cuiest was interviewed. I seem to think it was The Miz but I’m not sure. He was asked to comment on the response gotten from the gentleman from Japan. He in turn asked the interviewer, do they gamble on the game in Japan? When the interviewer answered that they didn’t. His reply was “Well when they start gambling, they’ll start playing safe”.

Now, many years later all the top players, world wide, have incorporated defensive play into their game. The Asian countries, Japan included, have also developed some defensive plays into creative masterpieces.

My idea with this story is not promote gambling in any way, but just as a way to stress the importance of a tool that is available to everyone, but not used by all. Defensive play! If your intention in playing this game is to win, then read on.

Going into battle in a game of pool you need to arm your weapons belt with everything that is available to you. An important item that needs to be strapped on is safety play. Check out your opponent’s belt, is it bigger than yours? If so, then chances are you’ll probably lose in the long run. To some, this little weapon may not look significant enough to bother with, but oh how wrong they are. Let’s talk about this little guy. So now the Barber speaks…

Playing defensive shots and forcing your opponent to commit errors can result in winning opportunities for you by either getting better position, a different layout, or better yet, a ball in hand. Better players not only expect, but rely on these forced errors.

The two most popular pool games that are being played in our part of the world today have evolved into a ball in hand situation after any foul is committed. Of course, we know them as eight ball and nine ball. The introduction of one foul ball in hand into these two games has put them into a different dimension. We now have graduated from checkers to chess. Like chess we need to learn how to move our pieces sideways and backwards as well as forward. Boxers do bob and weave for a purpose, and its not just to look good.

This one single rule of “one foul ball in hand” has dramatically changed the complexion of these games in the way they are now being played, as opposed to years gone by. Unless you’re an individual that can completely overpower your opponents with exceptional physical skills, then you’re like most of us and need to learn how to employ your wits.

Straight pool and one pocket have always had defined penalties for any infractions of the rules that resulted in a foul. In straight pool, you lose one ball for every foul and up to eighteen balls if three consecutive fouls are committed, plus you earn the honors of reopening the game again with a full rack. This is not a good thing.

In one pocket, you lose one ball for each foul. This is a huge penalty for a game where the opponents have each other calibrated down to half a ball. This also is not good. The rules in these two games have always had solid structure because they were always involved in organized competition. Eight ball and nine ball have now grown up to join in on the respect their brothers command.

In this day and age, playing defensive shots is not considered dishonorable; it’s a necessity. These days if someone tells me that they don’t play safeties it may be because they haven’t realized the strength in them, haven’t developed the skills to use them correctly, unsure as to when, or they just may be embarrassed to try. We all crawled before we walked you know. Planning and executing a good safety is just as satisfying as anything else that we do well.

Using your wits can certainly even the odds in a match with an opponent that clearly has superior skills that yours. Take it from me, the thing that I dread most is to be in a critical game with a lesser opponent and the only option is to kick at my ball and basically rely on luck. This also is not good. On the other side of the coin, imagine yourself in a match and you have the superior skills and are adept at defensive play. Undoubtedly it’s very possible that you can keep your opponent completely handcuffed throughout the whole match.

I remember a tournament I once played in, in my very first match I used a couple of well-placed safeties to send my opponent to the loser’s side. I then continued to win myself into the finals of that tournament. With the finals about to commence, I noticed this individual seated at the front row as a spectator. I heard him state to his buddy seated next to him in a sarcastic tone that was clearly meant for me to hear, that I was the one that beat him, but I had to play safe to do it. I thought to myself, knock! knock! Anybody home? That’s why you’re sitting there and I’m here in the finals. But it’s not my style to rub it in, so I just held my cool and ignored him. Hopefully, for his sake, some day he’ll understand.

In summary, if you use your wits, it’s very possible to whittle a better skilled opponent down closer to your level or lower. If he wins anyway, you should be satisfied that he had to earn it and it wasn’t just given to him. If you’re the superior player, show them why you are. Exhibit a well-rounded game using everything in your weapons belt. Defensive play is as much a part of the game as any other facet. In this day and age if you want to be competitive then you must consider safety play as part of your game. Play safe and I’ll see you in the finals instead of the in the gallery along with all the other spectators.

 

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