Magic Rack

Neil...You are missing the point. I am talking about the end of Nine and Ten-Ball. The MR could, over time, evolve these games right into a coffin.

At any rate, these two games are elitest games that a majority of the pool community won't play and won't watch. Maybe they should not be saved.
 
At any rate, these two games are elitest games that a majority of the pool community won't play and won't watch.

So tell me Mr. Schofield, what game IS the majority of the pool community watching ;)???

As for PLAYING, yes, the majority of the pool community plays 8-ball. It is the best game for the lower skilled players by virtue of its simple rules coupled with choices of which ball to attempt to pocket (as in contrast to rotation games where the lowest numbered ball on the table MUST be struck first).

9-ball/ten-ball = shotmakers game
8-ball = strategy game

With the idea that almost any person with any maturity whatsoever can plot a strategy inside of their head while on the other hand not everybody can pocket balls with regularity (or successfully kick at a snookered lowest numbered ball on the table), it's no wonder 8-ball is the game of choice for the average Joe Blow.

Maniac (knows that they won't watch 8-ball either)
 
Maniac...I just don't know how you reach anybody with Nine or Ten-Ball. They are cult games without universal appeal. I own a room and I have yet to figure out how to advance pool through these two games.

For what its worth, Danny DiLiberto described Nine-Ball to me 40 years ago: "Nine-Ball is brainless. Remember PAINT-BY-NUMBER? Nine-Ball is pool-by-number. Few decisions and little creativity." Personally, I love the game but being in the business forces me to see the game through the eyes of Joe Public.

To answer your question: People watch Eight-Ball. They just don't watch the pros.
 
Maniac...I just don't know how you reach anybody with Nine or Ten-Ball. They are cult games without universal appeal. I own a room and I have yet to figure out how to advance pool through these two games.

For what its worth, Danny DiLiberto described Nine-Ball to me 40 years ago: "Nine-Ball is brainless. Remember PAINT-BY-NUMBER? Nine-Ball is pool-by-number. Few decisions and little creativity." Personally, I love the game but being in the business forces me to see the game through the eyes of Joe Public.

To answer your question: People watch Eight-Ball. They just don't watch the pros.

Hey, I ain't pushin' 9 or 10-ball. One pocket or full-rack rotation is what I'd rather play. I don't particularly like watching pool for any length of time. It puts me to sleep (I have a LOT of YouTube matches on my computers favorites list for nap-time :thumbup:) People can pick and choose what they want to play or watch. It's a free country. Each to their own, so the saying goes!!!

Maniac
 
Neil...You are missing the point. I am talking about the end of Nine and Ten-Ball. The MR could, over time, evolve these games right into a coffin.

At any rate, these two games are elitest games that a majority of the pool community won't play and won't watch. Maybe they should not be saved.

Let me get this straight, you don't want tight racks, right? You want loose racks that take a long time to do? I don't think I have ever seen on AZ arguments more off base than yours. I'm not even sure what to say about your other points.

You are saying tight racks will take 10ball right into a coffin. I mean what can I say to counter that other than just to let it stand there on its own.
 
Let me get this straight, you don't want tight racks, right? You want loose racks that take a long time to do? I don't think I have ever seen on AZ arguments more off base than yours. I'm not even sure what to say about your other points.

You are saying tight racks will take 10ball right into a coffin. I mean what can I say to counter that other than just to let it stand there on its own.


Just watch this match where Corey Dueul's consistent break kills Mika 11:0 and lays out nearly identical ball placement after the break time and time again, it explains his view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YarbIPFTYLk

I think it's how the game should be, a perfect rack should break the same every time if you hit it right, but it's not hard to see why many feel it takes it to "too predictable a game" and could very well be too repititious for tv audiences.

They changed the rules on most televised 9 ball tournaments because of how well Corey mastered this uber consistent soft break.

How many matches like this would you want to watch over and over? I don't mind it and admire this much control but I see peoples point, you don't get to see them make a lot of different choices or shots when the layout is basically the same over and over every single time.
 
Last edited:
Let me get this straight, you don't want tight racks, right? You want loose racks that take a long time to do? I don't think I have ever seen on AZ arguments more off base than yours. I'm not even sure what to say about your other points.

You are saying tight racks will take 10ball right into a coffin. I mean what can I say to counter that other than just to let it stand there on its own.

Chinchilla:

That's not what Paul's saying. Admittedly, you haven't been here on AZB long enough to know what Paul's about, but Paul invented a tournament in his area using rules he calls "No Conflict Rules." That is, when you have the break, you break the rack, and you continue shooting no matter if you make a ball or not. There are other aspects to these rules to prevent pattern racking, but I'll leave it as an exercise to the reader (i.e. you) to use the Search feature (the Advanced Search, specifically), so that you can search for all posts by "Paul Scofield" that have the words "no conflict rules". (It might now allow the word "no" because it's less than 3 characters, so just search for "conflict rules" -- it's a workaround that will turn up the same results.)

Paul's stance is that the luck on the break (what other folks know as skill) is killing the sport. He feels that the Magic Rack makes it even worse, when it wires balls (at least on the diamond-shaped 9-ball rack) to pocket predictably on the break. He feels that the need to pocket a ball on the break for the privilege of staying at the table is killing the game. Of course, this is a polarizing issue (I personally don't agree with, but that's not the point here), so please do us a favor and check out Paul's past posts on "No Conflict Rules" to come up to speed, and then his posts will make sense to you.

-Sean
 
Uhhh, yeah, it keeps at least a little skill in the break. Unlike your method which any banger can do.;)

Come on Neil...I know you know better than this. Is there skill in controlling the cue ball? Is there skill in controlling the 1-ball? Does it take skill to hit the balls with significant force while controlling the cue and the one? Do you really think that any banger can do this?
 
Last edited:
Man-oh-man Neil...you wear me out. I can only say I wish you lived near us. You would probably play in our events and I am confident you would enjoy them.
 
magic rack

I attended most of the Ultimate 10 Ball in Dallas, which was a Magic Rack only tournament. Let me tell you, I was the ultimate skeptic, however, the thing seemed to work flawlessly and I never saw a single complaint about a rack. It also made play move along faster, as no one questioned racks.
Once it was dark, but I have seen the light.
 
Who here is using it and do others have a problem getting other players to use it. At the room I play, some are saying its cheating??? Why getting a perfect rack is cheating, I'm not sure. Why people want to deal with 9's off the break or slug racks, I don't understand.

This thing is giving me a perfect rack every time on tables that don't rack that good. I guess some are happy spending $150 on racks that still won't freeze the balls. Maybe $10 is just too cheap and what they mean is, its stealing.


Let me say two things: first, I have an open mind on this product (still) and second, I don't play mush 9ball or 10ball -- I'm mostly a 1pocket and (believe it or not :-) the occasional 14.1 enthusiast. But, when I was at the US 1Pocket Open in Vegas earlier this year, I was trolling the booths, as I am wont to do, and one of the exhibiters had these and was doing, or I should say, trying to do, a demo of the product. I stopped at the booth and watched for -- oh, for two or three minutes -- while this guy tried to rack a rack of 9ball. Couldn't get them to freeze -- so, after a while, I lost interest and kept on strolling.

I think the idea has promise, but I'm not convinced, especially for a 14-15 ball rack.

Lou Figueroa
 
Last edited:
magic rack

I attended much of the Ultimate 10 Ball in Dallas, which was a all Magic Rack event. I was a huge skeptic!! I must say that I never saw a rack dispute and play was much faster.
Consider me converted.
 
I attended most of the Ultimate 10 Ball in Dallas, which was a Magic Rack only tournament. Let me tell you, I was the ultimate skeptic, however, the thing seemed to work flawlessly and I never saw a single complaint about a rack. It also made play move along faster, as no one questioned racks.
Once it was dark, but I have seen the light.

10 ball its ok..no dead wing ball in 10 ball..
 
10 ball its ok..no dead wing ball in 10 ball..

nope...just the two balls in the second row head straight towards the side-pockets....break from the middle then it is just speed-control...as a matter of fact, some tournaments have already stated break-boxes...middle for 9-ball and on the cushion to first diamond (roughly) on either side for 10-ball
 
nope...just the two balls in the second row head straight towards the side-pockets....break from the middle then it is just speed-control...as a matter of fact, some tournaments have already stated break-boxes...middle for 9-ball and on the cushion to first diamond (roughly) on either side for 10-ball


and........

What is the problem? Lets say every player in the history of the world makes that ball forever. So what! The better player is still going to win. I am a big proponent of alternate breaks. As calm as I can say this, I just feel people make problems when there are really no problems present.
 
Back
Top