If you really want to beat the ghost in 9ball....

realkingcobra

Well-known member
Silver Member
The trouble with no BIH after the break, Glen....is you don’t get to work on the break.

I have shot this prop bet...you cream puff the break, play for the 1-ball in the side.

Anybody who breaks them hard on this bet is going broke....
...Ever had a day when you always seem to be pushing after a good break?
....those are the days the ghost devours you.

BIH after the break is a lot more skill.


pt....doesn’t use a Magic Rack

Ahhhh....but what if, this was the test to pass to determine the top 128 10ball world class players to play in a REAL world 10ball championship, and not excluding ANYONE in the world of having a chance to see if they're good enough to compete, 10 months, that's how long the world of pool olayers would have to come up with the 128 best olayers on the planet. 10 racks in a row, 10ball ghost, each rack is worth 10 points if you run out, miss the run out, you only count the balls made, and to answer your question about the soft break, you'll miss out on the bonus ball points, one point extra for all balls pocketed on the break....or past the side pockets up to 4 points bonus per rack for a perfect score of 140 at the end of 10 racks....soft breaks won't get you in the winners bracket!
 

KMRUNOUT

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Then i think the only handicap you should be allowed to play with is the break. If you break and get the first shot after the break, even if you don't make a ball on the break, but not bih, you have to accept the table as is, if you can beat the ghost then, i think that is a better test of your skills than starting with bih. If you can't beat the ghost, it won't be because you gave up your turn at the table because of a dry break, if you always get the first shot after the break. How many of you feel you can still beat the ghost without bih to start? This test is no different than playing another person, only difference is you have the guarantee of continuing to shoot after the break even if you didn't make a ball on the break, only difference is if you miss you lose, because the ghost or the other player is guaranteed a run out if you miss.

I refer to this as the "pro ghost". Normally I take ball in hand no matter what. Playing the pro ghost, it is exactly the same except no ball in hand after the break. I beat the regular ghost regularly, but have never tried the pro ghost. Pretty sure I have no chance.

KMRUNOUT
 

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I refer to this as the "pro ghost". Normally I take ball in hand no matter what. Playing the pro ghost, it is exactly the same except no ball in hand after the break. I beat the regular ghost regularly, but have never tried the pro ghost. Pretty sure I have no chance.

KMRUNOUT

Don't feel so bad. Most people wouldn't.

Not even the pros.
 

realkingcobra

Well-known member
Silver Member
I've never heard anyone here claiming they can play at a pro level just because they can beat the ghost. Playing the ghost is one way to practice when you don't have anyone else to play - that's all it is. You can always adjust the rules for playing the ghost, making it easier or harder for you to have a chance, depending on your skill level.

So then, would it still mean something to beat the ghost if a lesser skilled player took bih after the break, then took any 4 of the remaing balls off the table, then continued to run out the rack? Then without explaining their way of beating the ghost, come on AZB and said, yeah, I've beat the ghost several times, in fact, i beat the ghost 21 games in a row!!
 

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So then, would it still mean something to beat the ghost if a lesser skilled player took bih after the break, then took any 4 of the remaing balls off the table, then continued to run out the rack? Then without explaining their way of beating the ghost, come on AZB and said, yeah, I've beat the ghost several times, in fact, i beat the ghost 21 games in a row!!



That would be a great practice game if you aren't yet a run out player.

But it would be a bit disingenuous to brag about beating the ghost if that's how it was done.

Has someone done this?
 

sonny_burnett

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I was in Charlotte North Carolina in the early 90s and all of the rail birds we're giving a guy break and ball in hand to beat the ghost. He had the entire room bedding wads and strung it out all day long to make a decent score. The name of the player was Denny Searcy. And of course I did not queer his action. I enjoyed the show tremendously while I was practicing. The birds put him on a 9-foot diamond with tight pockets and thought they had the nut.
 

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So, if throughout the world if 128 players could prove beyond a shadow of doubt, they beat the ghost....wouldn't you consider those players to be the best in the world?

If you can find 128 players in the world that can

A. Beat the 9ball ghost
B. On a 9' table
C. With a standard wooden triangle rack
D. Race to 11

AND without ever taking ball in hand.

Let me know.
 

jrctherake

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So, if throughout the world if 128 players could prove beyond a shadow of doubt, they beat the ghost....wouldn't you consider those players to be the best in the world?

Best player? No. Why? The ghost situation only brings offensive points and we all know that is but a small part of the game.

Example.......i beat the ghost at least half the time but loose to player that can never beat the ghost.
 

Nine ... corner

BANNED
Silver Member
If you really want to beat the ghost without a handicap, you should start from the coin flip. If you don't win the toss and break and run out the set, you lose.

That's what I do. I always make the ghost call the flip and as an example, if it lands on heads I say, "You called tails, right?" Sometimes I even say and you said I have the eight ... right? Nobody is there except me and the ghost ... he's not going to tell on me!
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So, it's better to fool oneself into believing..."damn I'm a good pool player, BECAUSE i can beat the ghost playing 9ball" who cares about all the handicaps i played with to win!!! I may NEVER win a big pool tournament, but at least i can claim I've beat the ghost, and that i should be a Pro....but i don't want to give up my day job!!

I don't think any of us that have won sets against the ghost are thinking we shold quit our day jobs.

Svb is safe, for now.
 

Get_A_Grip

Truth Will Set You Free
Silver Member
Everyone should start playing the ghost with BIH. Only those that can beat the ghost most of the time with BIH, should then play without BIH to increase the challenge.

If a top pro only runs out after a successful break 50-65% of the time, it seems silly for a non-pro to play without BIH....IMO. The 9-ball ghost is about running the balls. Without BIH it makes the majority of the focus on the break.
 

nobcitypool

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It seems the more traditional way of "playing the ghost" is to break and take ball in hand. It certainly makes sense that a truer test or representation of a real life game is to break and go from there instead of taking BIH. What does it really matter? The purpose is to provide practice and entertainment to the person playing, they should choose whichever suits their purpose best and they enjoy the most. Since most seem to enjoy running balls, I would guess they'll continue to take BIH. I can't disagree playing from the break with BIH would likely benefit most people more in real life game situations.
 

jasonlaus

Rep for Smorg
Silver Member
If you can find 128 players in the world that can

A. Beat the 9ball ghost
B. On a 9' table
C. With a standard wooden triangle rack
D. Race to 11

AND without ever taking ball in hand.

Let me know.

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Great post!
Jason
 

9andout

Gunnin' for a 3 pack!!
Silver Member
I refer to this as the "pro ghost". Normally I take ball in hand no matter what. Playing the pro ghost, it is exactly the same except no ball in hand after the break. I beat the regular ghost regularly, but have never tried the pro ghost. Pretty sure I have no chance.

KMRUNOUT
I think in the Ghost Challenge sticky thread they call that the Pro Version too.
 

realkingcobra

Well-known member
Silver Member
Thanks.

I'm sure he'll just gloss right over it, or say I don't understand what he's talking about.

I'm even more sure we've all had this exact discussion before.

No, I'm not ignoring what you said, but it stands to reason why there's NO PRO'S only world events, and that reason is because there are a lot more player's who THINK they're Pro's and therefore entitled to play in any so called world championship tournament, rather than fail having to pass a skill level test in which ONLY the TOP 128 in the world are qualified to play in....to represtnt this sport at it's highest level of competition! And yes, of course this kind of test don't show how the player plays defense....but it would at lease show who does by offensive playing skills and therefore separate those who just pay an entry fee to belong in the tournament!!
 

realkingcobra

Well-known member
Silver Member
It seems the more traditional way of "playing the ghost" is to break and take ball in hand. It certainly makes sense that a truer test or representation of a real life game is to break and go from there instead of taking BIH. What does it really matter? The purpose is to provide practice and entertainment to the person playing, they should choose whichever suits their purpose best and they enjoy the most. Since most seem to enjoy running balls, I would guess they'll continue to take BIH. I can't disagree playing from the break with BIH would likely benefit most people more in real life game situations.

I can't even begin to add up the number of customers homes I've been to, to work on their pool tables because most all of them claimed to be players, a lot of them have even told me they play well enough to beat the ghost in 9ball....over the last 35 years. I can tell you however, out of everyone's tables I've ever worked on, less than a hand full could play well enough to be able to beat the ghost....with bih. Depending on my mood once I'm done with the job, i might stick around and playna game or 2 as the customers always want to know if i was a player and that's why i work on pool tables. I never play a customer for money as I'm a professional at my work, but sometimes, depending on the customer....i beat them bad enough that they're glad we DIDN'T play for money, other times i let the customer win to make them feel like they invested good money in their pool table and paid me well. But most times i don't play, so we say our thank you's and i leave. I guess what I'm saying is that it seems like most everyone playing pool today has a higher rating of their skills than what they actullly possess skill level wise in real life....why is that??
 

realkingcobra

Well-known member
Silver Member
There's time's when someone new comes on AZ and asks how long does it take to become a Pro, and what does the person have to do to become a Pro??? Believe me, there's no shortage of answers or advice the AZB members are willing to pich in to give that person the answers they're looking for....only problem, not ONE of the AZB members speaking up....is a Pro themselves!!! yet they all talk like they are....why is that???
 

realkingcobra

Well-known member
Silver Member
I guarantee you that if a person played well enough to beat the 9ball ghost 21 games in a row, you'd see their name at the top of the list winning tournaments....but you don't, and not only that, no one seen it happen, and you don't even know the persons real name....why is that?
 
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