Calling all 9-ball racking experts

K

ktrepal85

Banned
This may seem like a dumb question to some but racking is a skill that many people lack. Can any of you rack mechanics share some unique tricks and tips you use to get the balls to freeze when racking in 9-ball to ensure the wing ball is dead?

Before you say it: I've already seen Joe Tucker's racking secrets and I understand which balls need to be frozen and how to adjust the cue ball position for small gaps.

But I've been around some high level players and they just seem to be able to rack tighter for themselves than anyone else can. It's an art of it's own I guess. I'm sure we've all seen the many different racking methods:

-tapping the head ball with your cue
-pushing all the balls down on the table
-rolling the balls into position and stopping quickly
-getting the balls positioned and then rolling them in place to tighten them up
-rolling the head ball back gently

What's your secret? What do you do when you're on a table where one of the balls constantly rolls off? Let's hear it...
 
M

Masayoshi

Fusenshou no Masa
Silver Member
Use a racking template. There is really no good excuse not to, except that your rack will be too perfect.
 
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There is no single method you can use since tables and racks will act differently. It's like anything else in pool, soon as you move to a different table, everything you know to do needs to adjust.

You may have to move ball location around the rack if they are worn, or flip the rack around a bit to get a good side that it gets the balls tighter, or move the rack high or low to get a spot where the head ball does not roll off each time.

Usually if I can't rack well in a few tries, I get out the magic rack or the Renfo one, which I actually like a bit better as it is more forgiving of different ball sizes and does not wire the corner ball as much.
 
K

ktrepal85

Banned
I don't understand why racking templates keep being mentioned. You can't simply switch to a racking template in a tournament where they aren't being used.
 
M

minnesota_slim

Registered
Using traditional racks, as Hang has mentioned, leads to a great deal of variability ad lack of consistency. There are methods, like you have described that can help, but for the most part, when I used to play, I would inspect racks for where the gaps were rather than to try to eliminate them (eliminating all gaps with a traditional rack is pretty near impossible- even on new cloth).

Tapping the head ball, or spinning balls in place are my preferred methods to freeze certain balls in place, but, again, I just accept the fact that the rack will not be perfect, and try to break according to what the imperfect rack provides (after I get it to the point where it provides something reasonable).
 
sammylane12

sammylane12

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ktrepal85 said:
This may seem like a dumb question to some but racking is a skill that many people lack. Can any of you rack mechanics share some unique tricks and tips you use to get the balls to freeze when racking in 9-ball to ensure the wing ball is dead?

Before you say it: I've already seen Joe Tucker's racking secrets and I understand which balls need to be frozen and how to adjust the cue ball position for small gaps.

But I've been around some high level players and they just seem to be able to rack tighter for themselves than anyone else can. It's an art of it's own I guess. I'm sure we've all seen the many different racking methods:

-tapping the head ball with your cue
-pushing all the balls down on the table
-rolling the balls into position and stopping quickly
-getting the balls positioned and then rolling them in place to tighten them up
-rolling the head ball back gently

What's your secret? What do you do when you're on a table where one of the balls constantly rolls off? Let's hear it...
Click to expand...

I find that massaging the cloth where the balls are racked can be very helpful.
 
S

SureShot21

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It seems to me if the balls are rolling off constantly that the racking area is a little worn. I typically rack a little high until the balls rack cleanly.
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
Rack at the other end of the table.

But I think imperfect racks are a feature of pool, not a bug. The break is supposed to be more or less random.

pj
chgo
 
Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
The best way is to use a template or tap the table which is the equivalent.

If that's not possible, make sure you have a good rack. Lots of racks cannot make a tight rack. Some of them are bent or warped and some of them are just plain designed wrong. Get a Delta-13 http://www.delta-13.com/ or whatever is as accurate. Make sure the balls are right. If the 9 ball is too small, and some of them are, it's impossible to get the balls tight around it.

Some good additional points have already been mentioned above.
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
Me:
I think imperfect racks are a feature of pool, not a bug. The break is supposed to be more or less random.
Click to expand...
Bob:
And how about rack-your-own? Should racking a dead ball be an important skill to learn?
Click to expand...
That wouldn't be random, but I get your point: "perfect" racking devices can help prevent some shenanigans.

pj
chgo
 
Zphix

Zphix

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
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.
 
Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Patrick Johnson said:
That wouldn't be random, ...
Click to expand...
Well, technically, the only randomness specified by the rules is the order of the balls (other than the 1 and 9 at nine ball). The arrangement of gaps (if any) is covered by "as tightly as possible".
 
Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Zphix said:
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.
Click to expand...
If the table is worn and has craters, I think this technique is unlikely to work well. I assume you use this method for 8 ball and not 9 ball.
 
D

DallasHopps

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
When I press all the balls together in the rack, aside from what's been mentioned, I make sure to lift the back of the rack first, and slide it forward and off. It helps keep the front 3 balls from sticking to the rack (if it's a wood rack, the tightening sometimes pushes the balls into the finish or dirt).
 
Dan White

Dan White

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Bob Jewett said:
The best way is to use a template or tap the table which is the equivalent.

If that's not possible, make sure you have a good rack. Lots of racks cannot make a tight rack. Some of them are bent or warped and some of them are just plain designed wrong. Get a Delta-13 http://www.delta-13.com/ or whatever is as accurate. Make sure the balls are right. If the 9 ball is too small, and some of them are, it's impossible to get the balls tight around it.

Some good additional points have already been mentioned above.
Click to expand...

Bob- I have that Delta-13 rack but am not currently using it. The guy who put my table in said he prefers a cheaper black plastic rack, which he gave me, because he says it gives a better rack. His contention is that when balls are slightly different in size, the slightly flexible plastic rack allows the balls to fit together more snugly than when using a stiff I-beam type rack with no give.

I am not using the Delta because it has a kind of strange profile with the corners of the rack sticking way out. For 14.1 where I draw an outline with a marker I thought drawing a more traditional rack would be better.

I have a new set of Centennials, so I imagine it doesn't matter either way, but what do you know on this subject? This makes me think I should start using the Delta again and see if the racks appear any different.
 
Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Dan White said:
Bob- I have that Delta-13 rack but am not currently using it. The guy who put my table in said he prefers a cheaper black plastic rack, which he gave me, because he says it gives a better rack. His contention is that when balls are slightly different in size, the slightly flexible plastic rack allows the balls to fit together more snugly than when using a stiff I-beam type rack with no give.

I am not using the Delta because it has a kind of strange profile with the corners of the rack sticking way out. For 14.1 where I draw an outline with a marker I thought drawing a more traditional rack would be better.

I have a new set of Centennials, so I imagine it doesn't matter either way, but what do you know on this subject? This makes me think I should start using the Delta again and see if the racks appear any different.
Click to expand...
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.
 
Q

qfans

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Question for Bob

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
 
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