My understanding is that there are two main accepted ways to "Play the Ghost". One, the "pro" version is to break and play from the break. This would mean that one would need a full, true break and run more than 50% of the games to win. Two, the more common "amateur" version, where one breaks and then takes ball in hand after the break, regardless of what happens on the break.
For me, I see the "amateur" version is being something that encourages laziness or apathy on the break, or to just "get a good spread" to beat the ghost and not necessarily make a ball. So I came up with what I call the "modified pro version".
In the modified pro version, one gets 2 points for a break and run, and the ghost gets 2 points for a scratch on the break. With a break that does not make a ball, then one takes ball in hand and runs out from there. With a break that does not make a ball, if one runs out after taking ball in hand its 1 point. If one misses at any time, the ghost gets 1 point. So - make a ball on the break, its on for a break and run and potentially 2 points, no ball in hand. Scratch on the break, the ghost gets 2 points. Any other miss, whether one made a ball on the break or not, the ghost gets one point.
This encourages practicing the break in a way that break and runs are sought after, and laziness or apathy on the break are discouraged. As most serious 9 ball players are aware, a scratch on the break is asking for a loss of game and loss of momentum, so the scratch on the break is heavily penalized.
In my earlier pool playing time, not too far back, I beat the ghost in the "modified pro" version twice, and I did so on a 9 footer. The 9 footer I used to beat the ghost in the "modified pro" version was not my home table, and I used a triangle rack. I generally play on 9 footers as a default, only playing on bar tables for occasional tournaments.
Of course, my "modified pro" version uses all 9 balls.
2 questions:
1. Has anyone ever heard of the "modified pro" version that I came up with being used?
2. What other variations of "playing the ghost" are you aware of?
So that offer got only scoffing and giggling after only one time.
