Figuring out your pattern in a game of Eight Ball presents a few more challenges
than in Nine Ball, in which you know which ball you must shoot to hit. On the other
hand, in Eight Ball you’ll have options for shots that you won’t have in Nine Ball,
giving you a bit more latitude in your pattern selection. As a result, a great deal more
strategy is involved in Eight Ball. You might have a choice of six or seven balls of
your group (stripes or solids) to shoot at, but there’s always the one right shot that
will lead to the most productive run-out, breakout, or eventual safety attempt.
Pattern play in Eight Ball is also a matter of timing—of knowing when to run out.
This is where thinking backward plays heavily. You’ll more readily know when you
have a pattern to work with, or if you will need to play safe, break out a cluster, or
create trouble balls for your opponent before continuing your run.
Begin your Eight Ball rack by figuring out where you want to play the 8-ball. Is
it in a good spot or tied up? In the center of the table or on a rail? Then pick your
key ball that will get you to this ball. If there are trouble balls, try to get to those
as soon as possible, but exercise caution in this area. You’re not trying to hit the
clustered balls too hard. If you head into them with too much force, you’ll likely
end up creating a cluster somewhere else on the table. Instead, your plan will be
to open them up to have a shot at each of the balls in the cluster.