Calling all 9-ball racking experts

[Bob Jewett]

if you are in room where the balls are not able to freeze completely in the rack. Where would you prefer your gaps be in racking for an opponent? Knowing the gap between the 9 and last two seems to set up 9 ball in the corners and if the 9 counts in all pocket scenario?thanks

So the back has to be solid to avoid that but the one ball needs to be frozen to both neighbors. That doesn't leave much room.

But I just try to get them as tight as I can -- especially the front balls -- as quickly as I can. On the other hand, I don't play much nine ball any more.

 

[KMRUNOUT]

My racks always seem to be tight. I place the rack by the ball return and put the balls in, slide the rack with balls rolling onto the spot and stop fast. I usually do this around 3 times and my racks are always very tight.

No real trick to it, just repeating the same process until you get the desired result. If a table is so bad that the rack just won't stay tight then eventually I have to settle for a happy medium.

This method sounds highly doubtful to me. My experiences say that for all the times I've heard someone say "I always rack tight", they are correct about 10% of the time at best. No offense, but your method really only works on optimal equipment. Sorry its 2:20am and I'm tired and lazy, but there are plenty of actual "methods" for getting a tight rack. If this thread is on the first page tomorrow I will post some.

KMRUNOUT

 

[Tony_in_MD]

Depending on the conditions I will either set the rack a little high, or low of the spot depending on how the balls roll off.

Sometimes you have to switch balls around because one may be larger or smaller than the rest. I put that odd-ball at the back of the rack.

Try a different point of the rack especially if it is a wooden rack, sometimes they can be a bit off.

Brushing off the rack area with your hand can help some.

 

[bdorman]

A tight rack begins with a solid position for the one-ball. If the one-ball moves when you lift the triangle, leave it where it moves to, then move the rest of the balls to it.

It's like the old adage in dog training when working with a new dog: Find out what the dog wants to do...then train him to do that.

Find out where the one-ball wants to sit, then rack around that.

It drives me nuts when a player keeps re-racking and re-racking, all-the-while saying "I can't get the one-ball to keep from rolling off!"

Let it roll to where it wants to be, then rack to that spot.

 

[Icon of Sin]

Use a racking template. There is really no good excuse not to, except that your rack will be too perfect.

Well that is a really good reason... a too perfect rack. I use one at home for practice, but in action/competition I dont like it.

 

[Aaron_S]

I'm not a fan of using templates in 9-ball, simply because of the tendency for them to wire up the wing ball. It probably isn't that big of an issue at the amateur level, but we've seen what it can do to the game when the pros are playing. I do think you need to run an alternating break format if you are going to use them, however.

Getting 9 balls frozen can be very difficult, even impossible, on some equipment, and the more time you spend hovering over the rack and manipulating balls the more likely you are to be labeled a rack mechanic. I usually just try to get the top few balls frozen so nothing flies off the table and kills a spectator, and I also make sure the two behind the 9 are tight to guard against the 9 shooting straight into the corner - beyond that I usually call it good. You may have difficulty making a wing ball racking this way, but it's good to learn how to break for the 1 in the side as well.

A couple of tips I have for getting them frozen:

* If the rack is sticking to the head ball, spin it or have it cleaned
* If a ball won't freeze in its spot, move it to another spot in the rack
* If everything is tight except the 1-ball, you can feather it back with your finger, but be prepared for someone to raise hell about it
* Rubbing the rack area firmly with your hand will sometimes resolve rack issues
* Use the entire spot when racking - sometimes the sweet spot is high or low on the spot
* If the 1-ball won't settle anywhere, ask the room owner to replace the spot sticker
* When pushing on the back of the rack, try to only push on the back ball - if the rack is jacked up or flimsy, this may allow you to get them tight
* If you see chalk or powder smudges on any balls, rub them on your pants or the top of the cushion to clean them off

Aaron

 

[pickngrin]

Clean the rack!

You rack the balls. When you move the rack, the head ball rolls forward. Frustrating, isn't it? Look at the inside of the rack. Are there black spots? The balls will stick to them. I like to gently scrape them off with a knife blade, being careful the remove the gunk and nothing else. A clean rack won't solve all of your racking problems, but at least you will only have to deal with the table. Cleaning the racks is something that the house should do on a regular basis, especially on tables used for tournaments, leagues, gambling, etc.

 

[Skippy27]

Don't turn this into a racking template debate please.

Why would this be a debate? What he stated is 100% correct.

 

[ktrepal85]

Why would this be a debate? What he stated is 100% correct.

Considering I (and several others) have a different view on this, it will turn into a debate.

Well here we go...

Racking templates sound like a good idea on paper because the balls are racked perfect. But it actuality they are racked so perfect that you can simply hit the rack very softly and the wing ball will go in the pocket every time. So basically the break is no longer a challenge or random. This really creates a problem when it comes to pros and semi pros because breaking and running becomes much much easier.

Most of the pro tournaments use a template because otherwise they would sit there forever trying to get all of the balls frozen and ***** if they can't. The template basically speeds up the tournament. But since they are using the template they now have to alternate breaks because running out a set in winner break format much more likely with the template and it doesn't give the other player a chance to catch up in these short races.

The templates work great for 8-ball and 10-ball but they aren't great for 9-ball.

So now this is going to turn into a stupid template debate...great....unsubscribe.

 

[noMoreSchon]

I roll the balls into the center, and my racks are great. I remember one time a friend was drawn for the nine ball break pot and asked me to rack some for him. The nine did not move. He asked me what I was doing and I was happy to show him. I have even taken bets on people breaking and not moving the nine out of the rack area.

 

[gunzby]

I set the 1 on the spot, let it settle and then place the rack over it. When I get balls that don't rack well I'll rearrange balls or shift balls so the left wing of the rack is dead nuts frozen. I tend to break closer to the kitchen than the rail so I not only make the wing ball, but I also get a good spread and move the 1 near the corner opposite of where I broke.

*edit* This takes practice. I spent quite a bit of time practicing this before a tournament because it was #1 rack your own and #2 I was playing a little off. Practicing that put me much further into the tournament than I could've gone otherwise.

Another point I'll make is that when I practice with someone I'll rack that way for them too. I'll check what side they're using and give them the best rack for that position

 

[Dan White]

I see flexibility of a plastic rack as a big problem, not a benefit. If the balls are so mismatched that you somehow need that flexibility, it's time to get new balls. If you are at a poolroom where changing the balls is not possible, I'd say to try moving balls if you see gaps.

As far as the outline for 14.1, there is nothing to stop you from using the outline you like and the rack you like. If a ball that is OK according to the outline interferes with the rack you use, mark the ball, rack, and put the ball back. That's what you would have to do with a Sardo rack. If you have tapped the table (or installed donuts) you need an outline even though you won't use a rack.

I just tried out the Delta rack. It actually fits exactly on the lines I had drawn for the other rack. The corners stick out quite a bit further than the other rack did, but that will rarely be a problem. Either way they rack pretty well, but I'm gonna continue with the Delta for awhile anyways. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[chefjeff]

A tight rack begins with a solid position for the one-ball. If the one-ball moves when you lift the triangle, leave it where it moves to, then move the rest of the balls to it.

It's like the old adage in dog training when working with a new dog: Find out what the dog wants to do...then train him to do that.

Find out where the one-ball wants to sit, then rack around that.

It drives me nuts when a player keeps re-racking and re-racking, all-the-while saying "I can't get the one-ball to keep from rolling off!"

Let it roll to where it wants to be, then rack to that spot.

BINGO.

Let the one ball find its place first, then square the triangle to that, then schmoosh the rest of the balls to that. I've seen minutes wasted (and cloth ruined by hammering) with a racker trying to make the one ball conform to the rest of the pack.

Jeff Livingston

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I see flexibility of a plastic rack as a big problem, not a benefit.

I just turn them upside down - this makes them stiffer on the top edge, where the horizontal "flange" is and where the balls make contact with the rack.

The flange also makes a convenient place to grab the rack to remove it.

Love the rack you're with.

pj
chgo

 

[easy-e]

Considering I (and several others) have a different view on this, it will turn into a debate.

Well here we go...

Racking templates sound like a good idea on paper because the balls are racked perfect. But it actuality they are racked so perfect that you can simply hit the rack very softly and the wing ball will go in the pocket every time. So basically the break is no longer a challenge or random. This really creates a problem when it comes to pros and semi pros because breaking and running becomes much much easier.

Most of the pro tournaments use a template because otherwise they would sit there forever trying to get all of the balls frozen and ***** if they can't. The template basically speeds up the tournament. But since they are using the template they now have to alternate breaks because running out a set in winner break format much more likely with the template and it doesn't give the other player a chance to catch up in these short races.

The templates work great for 8-ball and 10-ball but they aren't great for 9-ball.

So now this is going to turn into a stupid template debate...great....unsubscribe.

You turned it into a debate in your head. What a cry baby.

 

[JoeyA]

Sticking head ball

I like the idea of cleaning the inside of the top of the rack when the one ball is sticking to the rack, but I usually just rub the inside of the rack at the top of the triangle until some of the gunk balls all and falls on the floor. Then I go wash my hands. Lol

Another thing that I occasionally do is after I rack the balls, I push the rack from inside-out to break that seal of where the one ball is stuck to the inside of the rack. You just put a little pressure on the inside of the rack like you are trying to stretch it.

JoeyA

You rack the balls. When you move the rack, the head ball rolls forward. Frustrating, isn't it? Look at the inside of the rack. Are there black spots? The balls will stick to them. I like to gently scrape them off with a knife blade, being careful the remove the gunk and nothing else. A clean rack won't solve all of your racking problems, but at least you will only have to deal with the table. Cleaning the racks is something that the house should do on a regular basis, especially on tables used for tournaments, leagues, gambling, etc.