Ok, here is the type of score sheet we use here in Japan. It may sound complicated at first but it's really extremely simple to use. See photo with explanation below it.
Ok, Jim breaks (B) and fouls so we write -2 in his bottom box. The bottom box is the total score and the top box is number of balls made. Both players have one top and one bottom box.
Dave shoots and makes 8 balls so we put 8 in his top block for how many balls he made, 8 in his bottom block for his total number of balls and then we write -8 underneath to show that there are 8 balls missing from the table.
Jim gets up and makes 5 balls so we write 5 in his top block to show that he made 5 balls and then 3 in his bottom block to show his total score (-2 + 5 = 3). Then underneath we write -13 to show that 13 balls are off the table. Also, you'll notice that it was -8 and then -13 which shows that 5 more balls had been taken off the table.
Dave gets up and makes the last ball so underneath we write +14 to show that 14 balls are being added to the table. Dave breaks and then runs 7 balls. Counting the 1 ball from the previous rack plus the 7 he just ran we write 8 in his top box to show the number of balls he ran and then 16 in his bottom box to show his total score.
Jim runs out the remaining 7 balls so we put +14 again to show that 14 balls are added to the table. Then, Jim breaks and misses the break ball so we put an X next to it to show that the run was stopped there. Jim gets 7 more balls in his top box, add that to the 3 from the previous frame and you have 10.
Dave hops up and misses so we put a line to show that he made nothing.
Jim gets up and runs 2 full racks and after each rack we write +14 to show that 14 balls were added to the table again. As you can see we have +14 twice, that shows that Jim ran 2 racks then there is an X to show that he missed the break ball and his run stopped there. Put 28 in his top box and add that to the bottom of the previous frame for a total of 38.
And so on and so forth. I know it sounds difficult but it's really pretty elementary and if you saw it done once you'd be like "Ahh, I gotcha!"
The important thing though is to keep track of those minus balls below the graph. That number plus the balls on the table will always add up to 15. So, if there are 3 balls on the table the number under the score table would be -12. The minus signifies that 12 balls are off the table.
I have this in MS Word format if anyone would like a copy drop me a PM with your e-mail addy and I can send it on to you.
MULLY