What's the best way to get position on the 3?
The left hand side hole is open. 2 and 3 are frozen. Do we draw on the 2 or do we cannon into the 2? Both 1 and 2 "go".

Knock the 1 in with bottom left English and pull the white up table a bit to roughly three or four inches to the left of where the cue ball is now on the diagram. Depending on exact angle either hit the two in and come off one or two rails to play the 3 into the same pocket as the 1 and 2, or just roll the 2 in with some topspin/stun and leave a shot to either middle.

As long as you finish 'high' on the 2 (basically with any angle alowing you to send the white forward or towards the bottom rail on the right hand side of the diagram without hitting the 3) you have lots of options.

Can you elaborate? I can't see a way to hit the 2 so that it comes of a few rails, because the leftest you can go from the current cue ball position is a little bit more than dead straight (3 is in the way) is that enough? Also hitting the 2 almost always moves the 3.

As long as you are left of dead on the 2, then hitting the 2 means the 3 will not move. If the 3 moves, you fouled.

From the photo (which often lies) you look like you have more than enough space to clip the 3 in and scoot around the table if you finish high on it. If it is tight you have to play a subtle little stun/run through shot, and if there is really no way to hit the two in without hitting the three, you have to break into the balls now with a lot of top spin when sinking the 1.

Try and get straight in on the 2 and then roll through and play the 3 in the side is the most logical option, though of course not knowing the position of the 4 makes it hard to say for sure whether that's the best option. Even at a beginner level you should be looking to the third ball in your rotation before playing position on any ball (except the 9, obviously).

If you're a little more advanced you can try to nudge the 2 and the 3 apart to give yourself more options. If you just clip the 3 you should knock the 2 just a little closer to the pocket, but don't hit it too hard or the 3 and the 6 will tie up.

The reason I didn't even think about shooting to the middle is because the middle pockets have sharp edges making a shot to the middle with an angle difficult.

you can follow the one forward and bump the two forward shoot it in the same hole and then get easy position on the three for where ever you want.

or you can force the cue ball to the left to the vertical line. then the two goes with natural position on the three

This would be my plan, as well I think it is the only reasonable option for a beginner shot. Its much easier to control then trying to play a set amount of draw to get the shape you want for your next couple shots.

learning how to shoot a simple draw-shot is a lot lot lot better of an option than trying to run into balls.


edit: looking at the picture again i'm starting to feel like they aren't setup the way i thought they were.

It's best not to over complicate a simple run out

1: Stun screw left hand side over for the 2
2: Stun and run with right hand side
3: Pot 3 with left hand side.

Seemples.



Black is where you shoud hit, blue is where cue-ball should end up.