Strategic Differences

I had my second league night last night and it went much better - meaning I wasn't asked to dumb it down any.  Even so, I still only went 1-1.  Oh well, it was a good night.

I noticed something about my own strategic process last night.

I had this layout last night: (or very close to it, based on memory)



It was my shot and I had ball in hand.  As I was looking around the table, I thought I'd start with position A, sink the 3, then the 6, and either play safe with a breakout, or possibly breakout the 5/7 on the 6. But before I could even set the CB down, a senior member comes over and says to play position B - shoot the 4 off the 12, breaking out the 2, while drawing back for the 3 and starting my original plan there.

I understand that breaking out clusters is very important - I also understand that this was not a rack I was going to run-out on, so I didn't want to free up my opponent's ball - but I don't think I would've ever saw that shot.  I always try to break out clusters through caroming with the cue ball off a shot.  It's risky, I know - but I'd rather be at the table with a risky shot, than miss because I was trying to carom/break-out with the object ball.

I've spotted another big difference: playing a safety by sinking your opponent's ball.  I can't remember the exact situation, but the most suggested move was to carom off my ball to make the opponents, leaving him totally snookered with nothing to shoot at.  I would never intentionally make the opponent's ball.  "There has to be another way to get safe." is what my brain says.

Maybe it's a league thing? Maybe it's an 8-ball thing?  I don't know for sure, but it's interesting to learn the little tricks.