Bank Pool strategy
Shot selection in bank pool and one pocket is all about percentages and the score. Now, the tricky part is that shot percentage is also a relative thing. The score must be factored in to determine the correct percentage. With a lead you look to shoot at higher percentage shots. If you need one ball and you have an even money shot to shoot at, but if you miss you will sell out three easy shots to your opponent who needs those three to win, even money becomes a bad percentage, especially if you have the option of shooting another shot that probably won’t cost you the game. If you are forced to shoot at a low percentage shot, you try to shoot it and play safe off of it.
Low percentage shots take on an added cache’ when you are behind. You may even want to play position off of them if the game situation is dire enough
A straight back is usually the worst “sell-out,” if for no other reason but that the object ball has to travel the farthest and the pocket opening is the smallest at that angle.

MORE STRATEGY

To counter safety play designed to slow the game up and meant to discourage aggressive shooting, you need to place at least two balls at the head of the table.

In the beginning of the game, look to put your opponent underneath a ball or balls at the foot of the table (where you rack the balls). By that I mean you should try to freeze him behind the main body of balls at the foot of the table. You want to keep the opposition from returning the Cue Ball to the back rail (head of the table).

When an opponent leaves you at the foot of the table your main job is to ignore any marginal shots you may have and instead shoot at least one ball to the head or end rail, and snooker your opponent to keep him from seeing, and then being able to move that ball back to the foot of the table.

If opponents are snookered they will not play a safety to the head rail because that would allow you to either have a shot at the ball that you previously put there, or you could shoot it away and leave him frozen on the back rail and far away from the body of balls.

Since you are going to be left at the foot of the table again, you ignore any marginal shots — your main objective is to get two balls up table by shooting a second ball up to the head of the table — completing your mission.

If that is not possible, play again to snooker your foe from seeing the balls on the head rail and force your opponent to leave you among the balls at the foot of the table again.

Once two balls are at the back end (head) of the table, refrain from shooting a marginal straight-back with any one of them. Because once you miss your opponent will remove the remaining ball there by either playing safe or playing a shot with it. In either case you will be back where you started. Better to find another ball to shoot to the head rail (as a move) to bring the count to three. The more balls at the head of the table the merrier.

Conversely, if you are the one trying to slow the game down, then you would naturally look to remove any single ball from the head of the table to keep two balls from collecting there.

END GAME STRATEGY

At the end of game, if you are behind and want to put balls into play your initial objective is to get two balls on the foot spot and to leave your opponent on the head rail. Your opponent will seldom choose to play safe off spotted balls, because it is usually difficult to get the Cue Ball back to the head rail due to balls at the foot of the table that may be in the way. This allows you to shoot in more balls that will also be spotted, and pretty soon all or many of the balls will be in play.

On the other hand, when you are protecting a lead and a ball lands on the foot spot it is your job to remove it at once to keep others from collecting.

When you need one ball, your strategy should be to take at least one and possibly two balls out of play — hang a ball in one of the corner pockets at the foot of the table. This is much better than hanging balls in the corners at the head of the table as they can be readily shot in, re-spotted and put back into play. The balls hanging in the front corner pockets at the foot of the table are usually difficult to make without leaving a shot after they are spotted.

Clik for bank shot clip from my DVDStraight Back clip from Banking With the Beard — the Movie

KEY POINT

Do not take all the balls out of play — a fatal mistake that I myself made for years — my rationale was, “If one ball out of play is good, then three or four is better still.” A flawed conclusion it turns out.

If you and your opponent are both playing one ball at a time, you remove much of the pressure from your opponent. All the opposition has to do is play safe on one ball.

If there are several balls in play, even though they might present an opportunity for your opponent to make them in one inning, it also makes it many times more difficult for the opposition to play safe when you only need one ball. One ball could be made from anywhere. Your foe will be under extreme pressure trying to keep you from shooting at 2-rail or 3-rail banks that will win the game. Paranoia will have your competition seeing banks going in from everywhere.

Your opponent knows that any ball you are left close to, regardless of the angle, is a possible make. With one ball in play on the table, if the other player keeps leaving you long with the Cue Ball near the cushion, the pressure between the two of you would be about the same. Maybe less for him because he is behind and has nothing to lose. But when he looks at the table and negatively visualizes that he cannot leave you without a shot, and that he has to leave you something to shoot at, the pressure becomes greater on him than you.