Think through Rule 4 in 7-Ball pool, as a miss could end the game for you promptly. Ball-in-hand on any miss demands solid, not half-hearted, safety play.
Avoid being the first player to use their only safety! Consider the layout in Figure 1.
If the pool game was 9-ball, you could have left the position shown with confidence. One of the best options for your opponent from this position is to give you back some fairly difficult bank shot after they miss the 5-ball. Your next play? A second safety if you are uncomfortable with the new bank angle on the 5-ball.
But in 7-ball, you must pocket the 5-ball (or another ball) or your opponent gets ball-in-hand. They will call safe after you do, and you don't get another safety... if you fail the bank they leave you, they grab the cue ball and win.
Try to save your safety call for the second safe of the game after theirs is gone. Call safe first only when you are sure they will miss their chance to finish the game on their upcoming try.
