HOW TO RACK Pool Balls as Tightly as Possible

dr_dave

dr_dave

Instructional Author
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FYI, I just posted a new video that discusses and demonstrates many techniques that can help you rack the balls as tightly as possible to improve your break effectiveness and consistency. Check it out:


Contents:
0:00 - Intro
0:12 - VENT Excerpt on Racking
---- 0:26 - remove the top ball
---- 0:56 - find where the top ball wants to settle
---- 1:33 - eliminating ball gaps
---- 2:08 - racking template
3:01 - Other Useful Techniques
---- 3:08 - move small balls to back row
---- 4:01 - dealing with sticky rack
---- 4:39 - brushing the cloth
5:03 - More Info

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!
 
dr_dave said:
FYI, I just posted a new video that discusses and demonstrates many techniques that can help you rack the balls as tightly as possible to improve your break effectiveness and consistency. Check it out:


Contents:
0:00 - Intro
0:12 - VENT Excerpt on Racking
---- 0:26 - remove the top ball
---- 0:56 - find where the top ball wants to settle
---- 1:33 - eliminating ball gaps
---- 2:08 - racking template
3:01 - Other Useful Techniques
---- 3:08 - move small balls to back row
---- 4:01 - dealing with sticky rack
---- 4:39 - brushing the cloth
5:03 - More Info

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!
Click to expand...

Does anybody have any other good ideas not covered in the video to help get a tight rack?
 
dr_dave said:
I have always been interested, and I enjoy watching world-class 3C play, but I would need another lifetime to learn all the techniques and systems and give it the attention it deserves with instruction.
Click to expand...
Oh, c'mon!

It'll be fun!
Screenshot_20250625-123519.jpg
 
The bar I play pool at can only achieve a tight rack when 4 specific balls at at the front of the triangle (8-ball).

In your opinion how does this interact with the rule where all the the game-ball are supposed to be random ??
{{That is which rule takes precedence ?}}
 
MitchAlsup said:
The bar I play pool at can only achieve a tight rack when 4 specific balls at at the front of the triangle (8-ball).

In your opinion how does this interact with the rule where all the the game-ball are supposed to be random ??
{{That is which rule takes precedence ?}}
Click to expand...

Officially, that could be considered “pattern racking.” But since the pattern is used only to help create a tight rack (and not for game strategy or “cheat code” reasons), I personally don’t see any harm in it unless your opponent notices and objects. Your opponent could alternatively just copy your trick to also get a tight rack.
 
Sometimes if I'm having trouble keeping the rack tight, I'll tap the back lightly with my fingers. It can help slightly settle the balls and if you tap forward it can sometimes keep balls from sticking to the rack in front. Ideally you would clean the rack but it's not always possible on poorly maintained or poorly designed racks.

Think about the motion where someone taps their head/temples as in a "think" gesture. It's about the same mechanics and hardness.
 
How much smaller do pool balls become over time, presuming of course the balls were originally 2 1/4” diameter?

I know that the weight of any ball is legally allowed under BCA standards for equipment to vary as much as 1/2 oz.
So as a ball gets smaller, its mass weight obviously changes a little as well. Has anyone ever tried to estimate the
amount of physical change occurring & correlating that to usage which otherwise is associated with time or how long?

I know that different brand cue balls can play a little differently which I’ve attributed to having a lighter weight. One of
the quickest way of finding out is drawing the cue ball. With some cue balls, it can be a lot stronger, albeit unintended.
 
Bavafongoul said:
How much smaller do pool balls become over time, presuming of course the balls were originally 2 1/4” diameter? ... Has anyone ever tried to estimate the
amount of physical change occurring & correlating that to usage which otherwise is associated with time or how long?
Click to expand...

Yes. Here's a pertinent quote from my "Ball Weight and Size Difference Effects" BD article (February, 2012):

To see how much ball weight can vary in typical conditions, I took an accurate digital scale to my local pool hall (“Match Ups” in Fort Collins, Colorado). I weighed the CB and randomly selected OBs (and the 1-ball specifically) in each of eight Valley bar boxes with the assistance and permission of the owners. (Thanks Mike and Nicole!) The CB weights were fairly consistent with an average of 5.89 oz (167 g), a minimum of 5.78 oz (164 g), and a maximum of 5.93 oz (168 g). The OB weights were lighter (2-3 percent on average) and less consistent with an average of 5.75 oz (163 g), a minimum of 5.47 oz (155 g) and a maximum of 5.89 oz (167 g). The lightest OB was a 1-ball, which makes sense based on the extra abuse it takes (but this could also just be coincidence). If the heaviest CB were paired up with the lightest OB, the percentage difference would be about 8%. Luckily, this is still much less than the 25% difference demonstrated with the pool and carom balls in HSV B.49. However, the weight-difference effects in this article would definitely be noticeable with this particular CB-OB combination, especially to a good and observant player.


Bavafongoul said:
I know that different brand cue balls can play a little differently which I’ve attributed to having a lighter weight. One of
the quickest way of finding out is drawing the cue ball. With some cue balls, it can be a lot stronger, albeit unintended.
Click to expand...

FYI, all the ways ball weight and size differences affect pool shots are described and demonstrated here:

 
dr_dave said:
Does anybody have any other good ideas not covered in the video to help get a tight rack?
Click to expand...
Yes, the priority of gaps. They aren’t all created equally. You should take the most care to avoid slugs. However if there are gaps elsewhere you can instead use them to your advantage by changing your breaking position. Mostly for 9 or 10 ball.

Sometimes you can also train a table through a template by tapping each position so that the balls sit better in a wooden rack.
 
Good video overall.

I would have emphasized to switch to template racks. Triangle racks are about impossible to get completely tight in almost all typical conditions, even with very experienced players.

Not covered was the divot worn into the spot. Sometimes it needs replacing (even with template racks).

One more thing would have been worth mentioning, some TD's and players say it's cheating to touch the balls on a template rack. They must have never racked with one is all I can say. They routinely need massaging to get them frozen. It's super quick and easy, and definitely is not cheating. You touched on moving the balls inward, but didn't actual show it or the massaging.
 
You mentioned twice during the video about rubbing with your hand the area under the rack or just the ball that will not get tight. Another effective technique would be to rub the entire area under the rack with a high quality microfiber cloth. This roughs-up the area and greatly increases the likelihood of getting a good rack. You probably will need to do this several times during the session, particularly if the cloth is older and dirty. It surprises me that in tournaments when the racker just can't get a tight rack that they don't employ this technique.
 
Templates are by far the best way to get a good rack, but they require balls in good condition. Most of the sets in local pool halls are hilariously inconsistent or out of size and leave gaps. Gives you the same issue with regular racks though.

Then you have random players trying to train the table in all kinds of different spots. I absolutely prefer people don't tap the balls at all and just move the rack slightly fore/aft of the foot spot.
 
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