Question. There's one team in my local 8 ball league that uses the Black TV ball set.

[tomatoshooter]

I like shooting with a measle ball. It helps me to see what if any english I'm putting on the cue ball. I don't find many opponents who agree to playing with it though. So its just a practice ball for the most part.

If the league won't do anything about the ball set issue then you should just change the narrative. They are all 8 balls. lol

I've gotten used to the measle ball, it's actually been a while since I shot much without one. It's the standard now. I just really like that extra confirmation of when the backspin wears off. The Black balls are not, especially for 8 ball. I haven't shot them, but I can see why people don't like them, I do like the black 9 for nine and 10 ball, though.

 

[Jimmorrison]

Right in the rules... Must use the equipment provided by the room.

Deviations from that rule are only allowed if both opponents agree. I've tried several times to use templates but it's always denied by the other side. Those that don't know think there's some type of wool being pulled over their eyes. Generally the masters players have a better desire to play the game in the best circumstances.

I personally wouldn't use the gaff sets of black balls. CB sure, but not the balls. Wrong colour scheme.

I'm proud to be nit

You play the game well, but you are such a delusional, arrogant, prick!. "Those that don't know" eh? I don't use a template in league, tournaments, or matches. I don't use them at home. WTF would I let anyone use one against me?

 

[tomatoshooter]

You play the game well, but you are such a delusional, arrogant, prick!. "Those that don't know" eh? I don't use a template in league, tournaments, or matches. I don't use them at home. WTF would I let anyone use one against me?

I prefer the traditional rack, but I think the template is part of the game today. I don't know if any small tournaments that I might play in require them, but I should get one so I don't have that gap in my skills.

 

[The_JV]

You play the game well, but you are such a delusional, arrogant, prick!. "Those that don't know" eh? I don't use a template in league, tournaments, or matches. I don't use them at home. WTF would I let anyone use one against me?

Thanks for the initial complement. "Arrogant" and "prick" have been used in the passed, but not "delusional"...lol.

I should say that I'm not against hand racking and templates shouldn't be necessary at all. However, I'm not fortunate enough to play on equipment that's in condition to facilitate quick and repeated racks of decent quality. Templates make such easy work of getting a quality rack in short order, that I simply don't understand the push back. If the equipment allows then use a triangle or nothing but your hands, but you're still taking way more time then it needs to.

Why not use a template...? Do you believe you're handing over some level of advantage to them..? The point in even the triangle is to quickly produce a rack of the appropriate shape and aid in getting the balls touching. A template is just a better way to produce what should be the end goal, regardless of the method/equipment used.

The only reason I can come up with as to why a player would not want the best rack possible. Is because they believe they have an advantage in breaking a bad rack. That subsequently leads me to believe that they want subpar racks to exercise that supposed advantage. I believe (not judging) that the game should be contested on the most level playing field possible. That means, my opponent should be hitting the same quality rack as I would.

Call me delusional, but templates are the better way to rack the balls.

 

[justadub]

Just call your LO. We know what the rules say, but obviously this team is still doing it. Perhaps it's a Bylaw in your LOs territory. They will be the one to provide the final answer.

 

[hang-the-9]

You play the game well, but you are such a delusional, arrogant, prick!. "Those that don't know" eh? I don't use a template in league, tournaments, or matches. I don't use them at home. WTF would I let anyone use one against me?

Almost every single league is opponent rack, so you are getting one used for you not against you. Ever see your average league player rack? I would like my games not to start with a 15 ball cluster at one end of the table due to the thing having gaps between half the balls. One time I had a guy rack a 9 ball rack where the one was 1/4 inch from the rest of the rack. Template racks make anyone a master racker. I play in a league where the 9 ball counts on the break, and there are few stubborn players that refuse to use the template racks that are at every table, those players get the 9 going in against them a lot more than anyone else. But stubbornness is hard to get out of a person even if you show the benefits of doing something else. I just wish some of those players were not on my team LOL

 

[tomatoshooter]

Thanks for the initial complement. "Arrogant" and "prick" have been used in the passed, but not "delusional"...lol.

I should say that I'm not against hand racking and templates shouldn't be necessary at all. However, I'm not fortunate enough to play on equipment that's in condition to facilitate quick and repeated racks of decent quality. Templates make such easy work of getting a quality rack in short order, that I simply don't understand the push back. If the equipment allows then use a triangle or nothing but your hands, but you're still taking way more time then it needs to.

Why not use a template...? Do you believe you're handing over some level of advantage to them..? The point in even the triangle is to quickly produce a rack of the appropriate shape and aid in getting the balls touching. A template is just a better way to produce what should be the end goal, regardless of the method/equipment used.

The only reason I can come up with as to why a player would not want the best rack possible. Is because they believe they have an advantage in breaking a bad rack. That subsequently leads me to believe that they want subpar racks to exercise that supposed advantage. I believe (not judging) that the game should be contested on the most level playing field possible. That means, my opponent should be hitting the same quality rack as I would.

Call me delusional, but templates are the better way to rack the balls.

I just don't like picking the template off the table after I break. If you are familiar with the equipment it's usually not hard to get an acceptable rack, but sometimes a template is necessary. I'm typically faster with the rack, but I don't use a template that often. I don't think it's easy to give someone a slug rack with the template, but people can doctor them. Yes, in many conditions a template is the better choice.

 

[muku]

Thank you all for the help. I contacted my league's LO. He said we are in BCAPL and that there isn't a rule regarding this.
He added...." maybe we can make a league rule to ban them. Bring it up at the next captain's meeting for a vote. "

 

[hang-the-9]

Thank you all for the help. I contacted my league's LO. He said we are in BCAPL and that there isn't a rule regarding this.
He added...." maybe we can make a league rule to ban them. Bring it up at the next captain's meeting for a vote. "

Well, not knowing what league you are in would cause an issue with finding the rules LOL

But I have never heard of on team being able to dictate the equipment even if not specifically stated in the rules, as other have said, it's just common sense and logic. I played in the USAPL league, basically same as the BCA league, and any equipment changes not what the pool had was using had to be agreed upon by both teams or players. In our league the only exception was use of a template rack. We used rack your own, and if you wanted to use a template rack, the other team or player could not prevent you, but you had to allow the other player to use it also if they did not have one of their own if they wanted to use it. The template rack was out "default" rack as far as equipment went, even if not provided by the pool hall or bar.

 

[Sheldon]

Templates make it easier to get a tight rack, but it's far from guaranteed. I have come across plenty of people that are too lazy or ignorant to use them properly. They also get worn out, and house balls can vary in size, making it trickier to get them tight.
I prefer them for 9 or 10 ball, anything else and the triangle is fine. I always offer to play rack your own 9 ball with the 9 on the break spotting back up. That way nobody can complain about breaking my rack and I can assure myself of a good rack every time.

 

[David in FL]

Thank you all for the help. I contacted my league's LO. He said we are in BCAPL and that there isn't a rule regarding this.
He added...." maybe we can make a league rule to ban them. Bring it up at the next captain's meeting for a vote. "

The BCA rules do define "provided equipment". Basically it's anything that's provided by the venue and that players do not bring for themselves.

That would obviously include the table and balls... Non-provided items would be personal cues, personal chalk, gloves, template racks if not already provided, etc...

Every BCA/USAPL league I've ever been associated with has only allowed changes to those provided items with the agreement of both sides.

A different cue ball may be substituted, but it must be agreed to by both sides because it obviously cannot be used by one side but not the other. The entire set of balls would clearly fall under that type of restriction.

Something like a template rack is a bit different in that it could be used by one side but not the other. In that case it may be allowed, but it would have to be made available to both sides.