Yeah I stay close to home but I do venture out to a tournament every now and then or go to the local room to play with buddies about once a month.
How good do you have to be to beat the 9 ball ghost?
- Thread starter MiscueBlues
- Start date
Yeah I stay close to home but I do venture out to a tournament every now and then or go to the local room to play with buddies about once a month.
Personally, I think you have to be a solid player but not all that great. You just need to not make any huge mistakes, assuming you have a reasonable break.
I'm always a threat to run out with ball in hand. I'm not a great player, believe me, and that's not false modesty. I don't think I'd even qualify as a B player. I just don't usually make horrible mistakes. That first shot after the break is the key. Once you've had a chance to analyze the table and place the cue ball, a very large part of the challenge disappears, though it's still not easy? Getting in line from some random position is THE major problem in 9 ball.
I guess put me in the camp of "Playing the ghost is good practice, but of little relevance to your playing speed."
I'm always a threat to run out with ball in hand. I'm not a great player, believe me, and that's not false modesty. I don't think I'd even qualify as a B player. I just don't usually make horrible mistakes. That first shot after the break is the key. Once you've had a chance to analyze the table and place the cue ball, a very large part of the challenge disappears, though it's still not easy? Getting in line from some random position is THE major problem in 9 ball.
I guess put me in the camp of "Playing the ghost is good practice, but of little relevance to your playing speed."
I agree. If you can stay on line for the first 2-3 shots, and be exactly where you want on the 4 or 5, it should be easy and routine from there out. It is exactly as you -- the first shot is the key.
I can beat the ghost 7-0 in 9-ball with BIH 2-3 times a week. My best with no BIH and making the wing ball is a 7-3 win and I am nowhere near good enough to play professionally yet. A month ago I started practicing 6-10 hours a day and hope that in 11 more months I might be good enough to play professionally full time but until then I'll just play a pro tournament here and there to see where I'm at with my skills.
ghost
I think that playing the ghost is nowhere near an indication of how you will fare playing real opponent. It is good practice but not indicative of how you rank or what your rating is as a player, in my opinion.
I think that playing the ghost is nowhere near an indication of how you will fare playing real opponent. It is good practice but not indicative of how you rank or what your rating is as a player, in my opinion.
It depends on how much you are gambling per game playing the Ghost. If you are under pressure when playing the ghost it really is as good of practice as playing against another competitor. Granted, you aren' playing safe, kicking, or jumping….. but its still really great practice playing against someone (the ghost) that doesn't miss EVER. If you can run out under those conditions, you can run out anywhere.
Bossman225
Registered
I can attest to that. I'm friends with several of the top pro players in the world and I'm a pretty damn good player myself but I know I'm not on their level. By far. Sure I've played in several pro pro tournaments and even placed good in some, but the does not make me a pro player. What separates us from the top pros is consistency. IMO. I've tried to emulate my game after several of those players and that along with some advise has made my game a lot better along the years. As far as the ghost goes. I've never played the ghost on a big table. I have played the ghost on a bar box and I do find it a good way to practice. That's with playing safe against yourself and figuring your way out of it. Different players have different ways of practicing though. JMO
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Bossman225
Registered
I classify Shane as a great player but not on the level of say a archer or reyes. Yet
Great guy though
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If you can beat the 9 ball ghost 9 out of 10 times you are a fargo 719 or better.
If you can only beat him 5 out of 9 sets you're a 668
If he beats you like you insulted his mother, you're a 606 like me.
JC
This seems pretty accurate to me. I'm a 674 and I win against the 9 ball ghost 5 or 6 out of 9 tries. I try to give myself a random rack so pattern racking doesn't come into play, otherwise my odds would be better. There are always a couple games out of 7 where a couple balls get clustered together or there is a tough combo.
Playing the ghost is good practice for offense but you still need to practice kicking and jumping. Most good players will get to the trouble ball and just lock you up. If you can't kick, good players will eat you for dinner....
Exactly competition will make you play better day in and day out. That is what hurts my game the most, is because I just play at home and rarely play anyone. Thats ok though I just like to play.
If you can beat the 9 ball ghost 9 out of 10 times you are a fargo 719 or better.
If you can only beat him 5 out of 9 sets you're a 668
If he beats you like you insulted his mother, you're a 606 like me.
JC
Wow...that is remarkably accurate I'd say. I think I just went to 662 Fargorate. I think I am a slight favorite to beat the ghost a race to 9 on a reasonable 9' table. For what its worth I am ranked an "A" on the local tours, and play fairly solid for that ranking. Also, I have very little data in the fargo system so I don't know that that rating is very accurate.
But interesting how close your #'s are to me.
KMRUNOUT
Reading all your posts I believe you're one of the rare players that truly love the game for itself. To create your art for you, that's rare & refreshing.
I too enjoy the game for that aspect, to create something beautiful & unexpected. To truly reach your full potential, you have to get out more, to compare your art to others.