Suppose you're playing nine ball and your opponent has left himself a particularly tough shot on the nine. So you reach over to the end rail, grab the doubling cube and offer to double the bet. Essentially, you've told the guy you don't think he can make the shot. Now, the way the doubling cube works the guy either has to accept the cube, thereby doubling the wager, or refuse the cube and pay you the initial wager. He either takes the cube or he loses.
Suppose he takes the offer, accepts the cube. Now your ten dollar bet just became twenty (and now he has control of the cube). Then, being a crafty sort, he plays a strong safety leaving you a long thin cut shot. He turns around and offers you the doubling cube right back. Not wanting to part with your twenty dollar bill, you feel a bit foolish as you accept the cube thereby doubling the bet forty. You accept the cube partly because at least now the cube is in your control. Now you are the only one who can raise the bet again.
After telling yourself a few times that you really can make the thin cut shot, you get down shoot the ball, over cut it, and leave him the same shot, only tougher. You briefly consider offering him the doubling cube, but decide against it. He tries the thin cut, misses, leaving the nine ball a foot and a half away from the corner pocket with the cue ball at the far end of the table. It's a semi-tough shot.
Now you offer him the cube. He looks the shot over, declines the cube and hands you forty dollars.
The cube made a single game of nine ball a bit of a roller coaster ride.
It would probably be a practical tool in one pocket, especially if you've established a commanding six to one lead and don't want to go through the tedious safety battle that will ensue until you finally get those last two balls.
The cube enables you to nail down victory in a game that you should win, but might lose. The doubling cube rewards good judgment, while punishing foolhardiness and excessive conservatism. If you always accept the doubling cube, even while in a bad position, you will pay for it. If you never accept the doubling cube, then you are giving up on games that you probably would've won and that will also prove costly.
Commonly used in backgammon, the doubling cube is a six sided cube with a geometric progression. A ten dollar bet becomes twenty, twenty becomes forty, with the wager going to sixty-four times initial bet as a maximum. Initially the cube is available to either player, but once the cube has been offered and accepted, the player that accepted the cube is the only one who can reoffer to double the bet. The usage of the cube in backgammon helps to minimize the impact of random chance, or sheer luck, and reward skillful assessment of player's situation.
It would do the same thing in pool. Suppose playing eight ball you just broke and you have a fairly easy table to run out. You offer the doubling cube. Your opponent looks at the table and declines the cube, thereby losing the game. Suppose you break the next game and once again you have a fairly easy run out. Your opponent looks at the table and offers YOU the cube, perhaps in an attempt to rattle you. Now you have to make a decision: Will you run out or not? And if not, will you be able to play a really strong safety, lock him up, and then be able to offer him the cube back, thereby possibly winning four times the initial wager?
As you can see the doubling cube could have real potential in pool. Properly done, it might even find its way into tournament use. It could make for an interesting, dramatic addition to the sport.
Suppose he takes the offer, accepts the cube. Now your ten dollar bet just became twenty (and now he has control of the cube). Then, being a crafty sort, he plays a strong safety leaving you a long thin cut shot. He turns around and offers you the doubling cube right back. Not wanting to part with your twenty dollar bill, you feel a bit foolish as you accept the cube thereby doubling the bet forty. You accept the cube partly because at least now the cube is in your control. Now you are the only one who can raise the bet again.
After telling yourself a few times that you really can make the thin cut shot, you get down shoot the ball, over cut it, and leave him the same shot, only tougher. You briefly consider offering him the doubling cube, but decide against it. He tries the thin cut, misses, leaving the nine ball a foot and a half away from the corner pocket with the cue ball at the far end of the table. It's a semi-tough shot.
Now you offer him the cube. He looks the shot over, declines the cube and hands you forty dollars.
The cube made a single game of nine ball a bit of a roller coaster ride.
It would probably be a practical tool in one pocket, especially if you've established a commanding six to one lead and don't want to go through the tedious safety battle that will ensue until you finally get those last two balls.
The cube enables you to nail down victory in a game that you should win, but might lose. The doubling cube rewards good judgment, while punishing foolhardiness and excessive conservatism. If you always accept the doubling cube, even while in a bad position, you will pay for it. If you never accept the doubling cube, then you are giving up on games that you probably would've won and that will also prove costly.
Commonly used in backgammon, the doubling cube is a six sided cube with a geometric progression. A ten dollar bet becomes twenty, twenty becomes forty, with the wager going to sixty-four times initial bet as a maximum. Initially the cube is available to either player, but once the cube has been offered and accepted, the player that accepted the cube is the only one who can reoffer to double the bet. The usage of the cube in backgammon helps to minimize the impact of random chance, or sheer luck, and reward skillful assessment of player's situation.
It would do the same thing in pool. Suppose playing eight ball you just broke and you have a fairly easy table to run out. You offer the doubling cube. Your opponent looks at the table and declines the cube, thereby losing the game. Suppose you break the next game and once again you have a fairly easy run out. Your opponent looks at the table and offers YOU the cube, perhaps in an attempt to rattle you. Now you have to make a decision: Will you run out or not? And if not, will you be able to play a really strong safety, lock him up, and then be able to offer him the cube back, thereby possibly winning four times the initial wager?
As you can see the doubling cube could have real potential in pool. Properly done, it might even find its way into tournament use. It could make for an interesting, dramatic addition to the sport.
Last edited:
