This thread reminded me of something, along with leaving one the other night in league, and that is the solid 8 leave. The reason I'm bringing it up in this thread is because of what happens to cause the solid 8 (or 9), and like the link I'm about to give you says, it's not what you think.

http://www.teamstatpro.com/solid8pin.htm

Read the description, look at the pictures, and also watch the videos that are linked on the page. If the videos don't work, which they didn't for me at my work computer, they do have 1 video up on youtube. Here is the link for that video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APaxT5KMwhc

I was surprised the first time I saw what really happens. I'm wondering what others would consider this to be, a really bad break on a good pocket hit that should strike, or it really wasn't a perfect hit in terms of angle and revs that causes the head pin to kick off the right side of the 2 pin and then end up hitting the 5 pin instead of the ball. Was it a fraction higher than a flush pocket hit? Plus, could you even distinguish from the approach how the ball hit differently to leave a solid 8 as opposed to being a strike? You pretty much have a good feeling when you are going to leave a solid or weak 10. Or should we even be worried due to the fact that the solid 8 is a leave that does not occur nearly as often as the corner pins?

Mark