Top 10 BEST SAFETIES of All Time … And How to Shoot Them

[@DrDaveBilliards]

*Shots Included and Source Video Links:* - Intro [0:00] 1. Mario He - jump safe, against Bashar Hussain [0:35]: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bp2VY4OMgrGWmtU 2. Albin Ouschan - 3-rail bank hide, against China team [1:30]: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpqVfKekfdCjbs0 3. Justin Hall - kick and stick with stun forward, against Nikos Ekonomopoulos [2:30]: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZ60ZGiFlLOSmdE 4. Darren Appleton - hide behind small ball with distance, with Mark Gray [3:27]: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWmnd2eiprNpf7M 5. Niels Feijen - tough bank hide with distance, against Albin Ouschan [5:09]: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqXQoop8eLpgfKM 6. Skyler Woodward - thin hit kick freeze hide, with Shane van Boening [7:12]: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJeweYWhmNh2nLc 7. Francisco Bustamante - carom off three rails to hide, against Thorsten Hohmann [8:00]: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3uQmquniN6qesU 8. Alex Pagulayan - full-hit follow-the-rail hide, against Skyler Woodward [8:51]: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d33cZ4mqdpxrq9k 9. Justin Bergman - carom off three rails for hide and distance, against Niels Feijen [10:43]: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3-9e4iIqaaZoqc 10. Shane VanBoening - long CB hide off two cushions with distance, against Warren Kiamco [11:40]: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIqof6aMfZmjsNk BONUS: Efren Reyes - two rail kick with carom off three rails, against Shane VanBoening [13:00]: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3zHc5uGnJVkjKOo=47m18s - Wrap Up [15:14] ---- shot montage [15:42] *Supporting Resources:* - Top 10 Safeties You Must Master: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJrCm3l7a7aJo7M - Top 10 Greatest Safeties of All Time by Efren Reyes: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6XRd2R6r7lggpo - jump shot technique advice: billiards.colostate.edu/faq/jump/technique/ - 30˚ rule peace sign: billiards.colostate.edu/faq/30-90-rules/peace-sign/ - 1/3-more-than-twice banking system: billiards.colostate.edu/faq/bank-kick/fast-system/ - more safety examples: billiards.colostate.edu/faq/safety/examples/ - many more pro match safety shot examples: billiards.colostate.edu/faq/safety/examples/pros/

[@licoricesaffron]

good work sir, as ever. i love how you keep the shots and run outs going, showing us what might have been and what could have also happened.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thanks. I'm glad you liked it.

[@trailerwookie]

Another fantastic video Dave. I am really enjoying these recent re-creation videos. It really puts the difficulty of some of these shots into perspective.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thank you. I'm glad you liked the series. I think I'm done with it for now, but I have another series planned for the near future that will have a similar format: "Why Did He/She Do That?"

[@kasperikrohns6955]

Good vid, although in the end when you said "when youre the goat, you dont have to rely on luck", I expected the efren reyes "I got lucky" clip

[@DrDaveBilliards]

My bad. :)

[@_dizzysky]

I really love the montages you put at the end of many of your videos. The music is sublime.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Not everybody likes my music choice, but I am glad you do. I do too!

[@alexandpool]

I can only imagine how much hard work you put into making this amazing video. Thank you so much Dr. Dave as always.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Videos like this do take a lot of time and effort, but I enjoy it. FYI, a lot more videos like this one can be found here: billiards.colostate.edu/videos/pool-shots/

[@alexandpool]

@@DrDaveBilliards Thank you. I will check them out 🙏

[@caseydahl1952]

Excellent video Dr. Dave! Safety play is the most interesting aspect of the game to me. I love that you show many different possible outcomes to each shot as well as show different options that could have been played.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thank you. I'm glad you liked it.

[@ianmastrangelo2427]

Awesome Vid Dr. Dave! I have two of your shot making DVD's and I'm still working my way through the second one, there's a ton of information. Needless to say it's really helped me improve my game. I'm going to treat myself to some more next year on my birthday. Thank you for all of your hard work and passion for the game.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thank you, and you’re welcome. I am glad you are enjoying and benefiting from my stuff.

[@LucasGautero]

I loves your videos, adding probabilities, another scenarios, they're the best of the best

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thanks. I'm glad you like my stuff.

[@pbhurley19]

Fantastic shots. Love watching anything by the legend. His control and ability to make any shot he wants 98% is just... legendary lol. Great video Dr. B

[@DrDaveBilliards]

I think Efren's BONUS shot at the end might be one of his best shots ever! It is definitely up there with the Z-shot and other famous shots in the Efren videos here: kzbin.info/aero/PLH9d4KFY28XscHllvlP_rVC1jQjDXZmYD

[@alanvo4037]

Another awesome vid Dr Dave!

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thanks! I'm glad you liked it.

[@accidentalyhuman6326]

great vid! learn a lot from your channel.. i guess one of the reason why pro sometimes probably not taking the best option a shot is because they only have limited time to make a decision.. so the just went for whatever they thought the best given those limited time..

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Good point. And sometimes one shot option just feels better with more confidence to pull it off.

[@conox22]

Great video,i'm watching from México!!!

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thanks! Regards and Happy Holidays from across the border.

[@joeyq1497]

Another great video from the Doctor of Pool! I agree with your personal analyses, specifically on Mario's safety shot where he should've kick-and-stick....

[@joeyq1497]

Also, I think Mario's shot is a two-way shot.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thanks. I'm glad you liked it and agree with some of my analysis.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

What do you think was "two-way" about the way Mario played the jump safe?

[@joeyq1497]

@@DrDaveBilliards sir, i think Mario also intended to pocket the object ball in the corner.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

@@joeyq1497 Do you mean the upper corner off two rails? Maybe. He definitely wasn't thinking about the lower corner. He is a very accurate jumper, and he was going for the safe all the way.

[@mescellaneous]

one of the better compilations on youtube

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thank you. In case you didn't see my other similar recent videos, I have all of them in a playlist here: kzbin.info/aero/PLH9d4KFY28XscHllvlP_rVC1jQjDXZmYD

[@BeanstotheBones]

nice dr.dave, i wish you and your family merry christmas !

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thank you. Ditto!

[@arashkhanegol]

Aside from your great content, I love your pool table. It's a beauty.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thanks. It is an Olhausen (previously owned by the late, great Robert Byrne) with "tournament blue" Simonis 860HR.

[@tylerbarnard5428]

Other than Efren's, my favorite shot was Busty's. It was so smart and practical.

[@rationalist8805]

@3:48 Darren's hide behind the 9 got the 5 ball away from the 9. Going the other way may have left a 5-9 combo if the cue failed to hide.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Good point.

[@alexgomez4291]

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[@DrDaveBilliards]

You're welcome. I'm glad to hear it.

[@brianbell3028]

Great video! Your videos are all super high quality. I always wonder how you still have time for your "day job". P.s. if you're looking for more great safeties to recreate, you should try the shot Filler made against SVB in the Mosconi cup 2019. Filler sent the cueball all around the table and froze the white to the back of a ball. I can try and find a clip, if you want.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

I'm familiar with the shot. I think it was 11 or 12 on my list before I trimmed it down to 10. FYI, I retired from my "day job" last year. That's why I have so much time available to create all my recent videos, which do take a lot of time and effort to produce.

[@tsolinac]

I think I remember reading on one of your charts about the actual definitions of a B+ vs an AA vs a Pro etc. Something like, a B player will end their turn with a good safety or a miss. C player - miss, Pro - lock-up safety. How about a video that delves into the reasons why that is? I mean, I know the answer I think but I think it would help people see the other options on the table and learn how to actually make better shot selections in the first place, thus elevating their game. You have great videos on shots and more fabulous videos on safeties. How do we know exactly the best time and calculate the odds to utilize and incorporate all of this info in a flawless game at that perfect time? :) You do cover this of course here and there but not in one dedicated video... yet...

[@DrDaveBilliards]

The definitions of the tradition A-D ratings are qualitative and historical. More info is available here: billiards.colostate.edu/faq/rating/abcd/ A video discussing these and other rating systems can be found with additional info here: billiards.colostate.edu/faq/rating/ Concerning how a player develops the skills, knowledge, and experience to move from one level to another, it depends a lot on the individual, but lots of useful advice can be found here: billiards.colostate.edu/faq/advice/improving/ And lots of videos and advice dealing with game strategy (in different categories) can be found here: billiards.colostate.edu/faq/strategy/ Enjoy!

[@thewalkingthrones9165]

Love this channel ♥️🎱

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thank you. Please help spread the word.

[@EliJolleyBridge]

The Francisco Bustamante shot is a pretty standard 3-cushion billiards shot. I think learning 3 cushion is definitely a good supplement to an aspiring pool player. The strokes you use are different but there is much to be learned about cue ball control

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Agreed. 3-cushion billiards play is a great education for pool players.

[@rickyhall8868]

I’m playing in a big tournament in my area I’m 14 and I’m a 5 in apa I want to improve my game before the first of January what videos would you recommend for me to watch to improve

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Fundamentals are the most important to improving one's game, so I recommend all the videos and info here: billiards.colostate.edu/tutorial/fundamentals/ You can also explore other topics of interest here: billiards.colostate.edu/tutorial/ You might also find the info here helpful: billiards.colostate.edu/faq/advice/improving/ and here: billiards.colostate.edu/faq/practice/advice/ Enjoy, and good luck in the tournament!

[@rickyhall8868]

Thank you so much

[@DrDaveBilliards]

@@rickyhall8868 You're welcome. I know it is a lot, but you can pick and choose the stuff you think might be the most helpful. You know yourself better than anybody.

[@litreland764]

Have you/will you ever join an open tournament? I would be interested to know how "good" you are in relation to other players. I don't mean that in an insulting way or anything. I have been listening to Strickland commentary, and have just begun to grasp the thought process involved in some of this stuff. Then I realized that knowing is just half the battle - you still have to figure out how to manifest that plan. And you are one of the most mechanically/physically/etc. interested players on youtube that I've seen

[@DrDaveBilliards]

I am a professional instructor and author, not a pro player. I don’t put in the practice time required to play at a top level. Knowledge is not enough. See: billiards.colostate.edu/faq/advice/pro/ billiards.colostate.edu/faq/mental/knowledge/

[@lance8410]

Nice work

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thanks.

[@ericpoolguy29]

Well done sir! Not sure why Darin Appleton played that saftey. Your option much better! Won my match last night displaying a shirt. Order will be place Friday!

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thank you! Enjoy the shirts!

[@neuvocastezero1838]

Darren's choice is more difficult but leaves more distance.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

@@neuvocastezero1838 Agreed.

[@NathanintheVista]

Maybe we could see a top ten safety replies in the future? Keep up the great stuff doc.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

I will consider it, but many (if not most) of the shots in my recent series are safety replies: kzbin.info/aero/PLH9d4KFY28XscHllvlP_rVC1jQjDXZmYD

[@neuvocastezero1838]

Darren's choice on the 5 left a safe more distance, but your selection is excellent as well.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Agreed. Both choices have their merits.

[@kennysharp9230]

As much as I hated to witness it, the safety Josh Filler played on SVB in the 2019 Mosconi cup was really nasty. 3 rails behind the 6 ball near the top right corner. Perfect speed and cue ball placement.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Please share a link if it is available.

[@kennysharp9230]

@@DrDaveBilliards Go to the 2:30 mark. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKW2dGxuqMiDrrc

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thank you for posting the link. That was a great shot. I remember it well due to Filler's "theatrics." FYI, I've added it to my list of great-shot links here: billiards.colostate.edu/videos/pool-shots/

[@poolhustlersinc]

Another great vid Doc. Are you going to play in Bang Time Pool's virtual tourney? That's what the word in the streets whisper.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

I'm glad you liked it. I've been far too busy with my KZbin videos to have time to play in any of the current online tournaments. I look forward to leagues and in-person tournaments starting up again when we finally get this COVID thing under control, hopefully by late Spring.

[@FurryDumbo]

Is there a better option for shot 5? The thin 2 ball safety?

[@DrDaveBilliards]

If you are Efren, you can go off two rails and thin the 2, leaving it close to the end rail behind the 9, sending the CB up table behind blockers, but Niels' shot is easier (although still very difficult). I couldn't think of anything else when filming after studying it for a bit. Anybody else have any ideas?

[@drosos_strength_coaching]

What's the difference between hooked and snookered? Are there more terms of the likes?

[@DrDaveBilliards]

They have the same meaning, just like "in jail" or "stitched." FYI, my online glossary defines most pool and billiards terms and phrases: billiards.colostate.edu/glossary/

[@drosos_strength_coaching]

@@DrDaveBilliards Thanks a lot!

[@EliJolleyBridge]

I think Efren's "fist pump" was him trying to get tension out of his right arm. I've seen him do this a good bit early in matches.

[@EliJolleyBridge]

btw, amazing video. :)

[@DrDaveBilliards]

... it did look a bit jerky and less fist-pump like.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thanks.

[@leonhizon607]

Arthritis lol

[@poolhustlersinc]

The Doctor is back!

[@DrDaveBilliards]

You make it sound like I was gone for a while. I wasn't. If you missed any of my recent stuff, you can find it here: kzbin.infovideos Enjoy!

[@MeganOHowe]

I might get a used 6' pool table in my small apartment lol soon I will find out for sure if I get it I will have a corner with barely any room to shoot, I figure anything is better than nothing considering my area is prob going into lockdown again and since tuesday no more pool, other bars got fines and stuff for people not social distancing so they arent risking it :( I got just enough room and the one side of the table ill have 1' from the couch against the wall lol should be interesting hopefully in the next few years I can move into a bigger place and get a bigger table. At the bar people often complain I don't leave them a shot when I do miss haha thats the idea! Some ppl think its "prick pool" but its part of the game. People who did it to me helped me get better by forcing me to get better at kick shots.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Have fun with the table! I can't think of a better Christmas present for yourself.

[@MeganOHowe]

@@DrDaveBilliards Thanks, it was advertised as a used 6' table but was only about 4.5'-5' lol I did get it but the balls it came with are smaller, better than nothing though. At least I won't be out of stroke by the time the lockdown ends, I can practice pattern play, safeties and more, I want to get a normal size cue and practice my masse more.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

@@MeganOHowe FYI, there are some things you can do to work on your game even without a table: billiards.colostate.edu/faq/advice/practicing-with-no-table/ But practicing on a pool table, regardless of how small, is always a good thing.

[@scottymatthews6821]

great video dr dave, how come you dont play professionally?

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thanks. Honestly, I don't play professionally because I'm not good enough, I'm too old, and I don't have the time or interest to attempt to play at the professional level. I am a professional instructor, not a professional player. Being a pro player takes a lot more than some people might think. See: billiards.colostate.edu/faq/advice/pro/

[@michaeltrumph121]

Nice video. But some of the shots/options you presented only work on your slow cloth, not on the the tables they played on.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

That's possible, but my table has Simonis 860HR and it is dry where I live (Colorado), so my cloth is fairly fast.

[@anthonydk5]

Must ask what's ur bca rating?

[@DrDaveBilliards]

I haven't played in any CSI/BCA events, so I don't have a FargoRating, but I am probably in the 630-660 range.

[@anthonydk5]

@@DrDaveBilliards I would imagine somewhere in the 600s as well, I play apa but I plan on joining bca soon, I'm a 6 in apa but that only translates to about a 450 in bca maybe 500 at best.

[@anthonydk5]

Anyways I love ur videos and have been watching them since last year when I got my dads old table and I have went up 3 ranks in my leauge since. Thanks for all ur tutorials dave!

[@DrDaveBilliards]

@@anthonydk5 I'm glad to hear it. You're welcome. I aim to swerve. :)

[@shanemccarthy7282]

I'm assuming Darren chose to hide behind the 9 because he didn't want to leave the 5 close to the 9 incase he miss position behind the other balls so he chose to push the 5 away from the 9 instead of towards it

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Good point. His shot also creates more distance between the CB and OB. But I am still not sure he made the best choice based on everything that could have happened with all alternatives.

[@filipaleksic9912]

Can i play pool with a snooker cue?

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Sure. Some of the pro snooker players who switched over to pool (e.g., Mark Gray) use their snooker cue.

[@coffeeenglish4051]

Cool one. Efren does not rely on luck but he gets lucky.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

The better you are, the luckier you get.

[@laurenceleadman4779]

Try it with pessure

[@acp7954]

if ur in an actual match the first thing that will come in ur mind will be ur first option. bcoz u have a time limit while playing. so please dont question their decision.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

... but we can learn from exploring other options and by asking which option might be best based on a person's skill-set.

[@CharlesB147]

"When you're the greatest of all time, you don't need to rely on luck." 🤣🤣 I would reply: "The more skilled you get, the luckier you get."

[@eluppol]

"on one of the shot I pocketed the 2 and had a shot on the 3, so there was a 2-way element" (safety #3) Except there was no 3-ball actually!!!

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Oops! I don’t know how that 3-ball got there, but I did get shape on it.

[@lucianorosso3375]

Do you know that efren reyes does not like to jump the cue? He said it takes away the exciting puzzle which what billiards is for him.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

When you kick as well as he does, you don't need to jump.

[@MrJdsenior]

"So I guess I'm not a decent shooter" Yeah, you are, judging by the number of attempts it takes you to execute some of these rather touchy shots. Exactly, Alex took that shot because it is bad ass! And he's Alex, so he can. The cue ball path was awesome to watch on that one. :-) I remember one of the top pros, in an interview, saying he sometimes got new shots watching horrible pool players do something by accident he would never have thought to do in the situation, then he would go work the shot until he had it down. Kinda makes me wonder if a LOT of pool has been worked out that way. If you look at the major discoveries of materials/processes/etc. you find that in an inordinate amount of cases they came from some happy accident, and were not what the chemist (or whatever) was working on at the time. And I mean a LOT.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Thank you again for you kind feedback and good comments.

[@ericpoolguy29]

Alex is Canadian 🇨🇦 so points right away. However the shot Alex made was something i would have not thought of as a saftey play!

[@DrDaveBilliards]

@@ericpoolguy29 I agree that Alex's shot choice was a bit odd. I think he was just showing off. That is very un-Canadian of him, isn't it. :)

[@ericpoolguy29]

@@DrDaveBilliards he loves to entertain. Great shot all in all!

[@robertmeadows1657]

Skyler said, “don’t ever call me Tyler.”

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Good catch. I also misspelled his name on one of the shot title screens (Skylar).

[@robertmeadows1657]

Is there no hope?

[@DrDaveBilliards]

@@robertmeadows1657 ... not in 2020, but 2021 looks better.

[@5153flash]

I have been filming my run outs all wrong ,,in one continuous shot. I will start resetting camera before each shot,,I will never mis this way,,I just know it. Lol just playing with ya.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

I know you are "just playing," but you also seem to be suggesting possible subterfuge, so I'll reply: Whenever I show a run-out in videos like this, in the interest of time I often edit out the boring parts between shots (sometimes even parts of CB motion), but the run-outs are legit. It should be obvious because none of the other balls in the scene are moving. If you still doubt it, I have full unedited examples of run-outs in the "Example Videos of Dr. Dave Playing Pool" section near the bottom of the page here: billiards.colostate.edu/dr-dave/

[@5153flash]

@@DrDaveBilliards No I believe you. I was joking

[@DrDaveBilliards]

@@5153flash I thought so but I thought I would explain anyway in case anybody else had doubts after reading your post.

[@moonliqht1]

"But as Mario is such a good jumper..."

[@DrDaveBilliards]

So true. :)

[@sheilamclaughlin963]

Those guys r shooting 1 pocket so those shots shots get used more often, Danny d I think the guy is getting lucky until he does it time after time

[@DrDaveBilliards]

The better you are, and the more you practice, the "luckier" you get.

[@tecnotutos7727]

Obviously I'm kidding 😂

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Yep. For those interested, 14:40.

[@jasong9502]

But is Reyes the best? What about Earls 11 9ball tables in a row?

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Earl is definitely one of the greats of all time, but he is definitely second to Efren under practically all metrics, and applied to all billiard games.

[@DrDevon23]

You would probably like to see Efren and Earl in their "Color of Money Match". If memory serves it was 9 ball race to 100. Should be on KZbin somewhere.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

@@DrDevon23 Agreed. That is excellent viewing. For those interested, I have all the parts linked under "1997 The Color of Money match - Efren Reyes vs Earl Strickland" here: billiards.colostate.edu/videos/pool-matches/

[@jasong9502]

Ladies, you both cute! Anyone can find a match where there favourite wins don’t ya think.... Just watch the 2005 us open 9-ball championship!😁

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Check out this AZB GOAT poll: forums.azbilliards.com/threads/consensus-greatest-of-all-time-goat-list.495243/

[@hawaiikevo]

9:01 and 9:36 aren't even the same shot. Lol

[@DrDaveBilliards]

I did my best to position the balls as carefully as possible, using all the camera views available, but I think you are right that Skylar's cut looks a little steeper than what I had (although, I did cut mine fairly thin with lots of outside spin).

[@Angel-zp9ks]

really don't need to see you run out on hypotheticals.

[@DrDaveBilliards]

... then maybe you should skip those parts. :)

[@bryanbpersaud5833]

Earl is better 🤷‍♂️

[@DrDaveBilliards]

Many people disagree with you. For example, see: forums.azbilliards.com/threads/consensus-greatest-of-all-time-goat-list.495243/#post-6416108