Break Stats -- 2026 World 8-Ball Championship, April 2026

They were also some racks where the players got pinned on the head rail and had to play safe out of the gate - again IMO a product of what they had to do on the break.
The cueball winding up on the head rail has zero to do with the rack. The cueball is 1/15th of the weight of the rack and winds up there quite frequently regardless of how the balls are racked. Being "pinned" with few options is just random chance.

Another stupid thread from me: golf is harder than pool

I am not a golfer. I tried it many years ago and decided it wasn’t for me.

I am watching The Masters. I have previously thought that golf is inherently harder and crueler than pool. And pool can be pretty darned cruel: the rattle leaving the $ ball in the pocket; the roll that lands 1/4” too long or too short hooking yourself; the scratch after hitting a ball on the table you didn’t account for; the missed straight-in long shot where the CB is 4’ from the OB and OB in turn 4’ from the pocket. All these can be avoided or fixed by experience, and better focus.

But playing pool I’ve never missed a shot by fractions of an inch and had the OB run down a hill dozens of yards away. I’ve never had an OB land in sand or water because I misjudged a shot maybe 1% short of the power I needed, or behind a tree. I’ve never had to calculate how much the CB or OB will curve because the slate is uphill the first half of a shot and downhill the second half (well, maybe at some halls, lol.)

Pool is tough and frustrating enough for me. Golf seems much more so.
You also don't get 5 chances to make a shot.

Oops I did it again (Yapp's) foul in a final, a second time!

The conditions at different events vary, so it's hard to make it a requirement. I suppose the regulations could urge use of video, but I can think of several reasons why it might be a problem even if it was being recorded.

I was thinking something simple like “The referee will form his decision by all means that seem suitable to him [and may consult video if available].” The [] is the addition I would suggest to thr existing wording.

Oops I did it again (Yapp's) foul in a final, a second time!

For these kind of shots where the post-impact CB path could give a clear indication of a good or bad hit, do you think it would be a good idea if referees inform players of the criteria of a good/bad hit before the shot is taken? ...
I think it is a really bad idea for the referee to start any such conversation. The player might not realize that there is any problem and now the ref jumps up and says ...

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