Racking question. Can you request the balls be shuffled?

arsenius

arsenius

Nothing ever registers...
Silver Member
I was just wondering (and this has never come up with me) if you are allowed to ask the person racking to change the order of the balls around when they rack. I'm thinking mainly of if the 8 ball was the ball you intended to hit after making the break shot. When I am practicing, I always try to put the 8 on the opposite side from where I am breaking. I don't know that it really bothers me, but the very idea has made me a bit superstitious. If someone asked me to move the 8, I would. I'm just wondering if you are allowed to ask that. It's a bit different from asking for a re-rack.
 
selftaut

selftaut

straight pool nut
Silver Member
there is no rule thats says you can't ask your opponent , but there is also no rule that says your opponent has to do it, if you want to get technical about it the rule is random order after the first rack.
 
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BillYards

BillYards

Playing Style: Wu Tang Fu
Silver Member
arsenius said:
I was just wondering (and this has never come up with me) if you are allowed to ask the person racking to change the order of the balls around when they rack. I'm thinking mainly of if the 8 ball was the ball you intended to hit after making the break shot. When I am practicing, I always try to put the 8 on the opposite side from where I am breaking. I don't know that it really bothers me, but the very idea has made me a bit superstitious. If someone asked me to move the 8, I would. I'm just wondering if you are allowed to ask that. It's a bit different from asking for a re-rack.
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No, don't ask anyone to do that. It shows weakness. You never want to show any weakness. Just make up your mind that you will not be denied your runout, bear-down, and shoot to win.

I used to always rack 8-ball (back when I played it) with the one in front and would get miffed if my opponent did not do the same, but quickly realized that it was a hole in my confidence. I patched it and took it to my oppenents regardless of what ball was there.

Instead of worrying about the ball positions, worry about where your cueball is going after contacting the one. Take some speed off of your break and go for control. I recently started working HARD on my break, since I was a "blast and pray" breaker. After I learned how to make a controlled break, I was proud to see the expressions in the faces of people that were watching me play. It is quite obvious when someone is blasting versus when someone has a deadly and controlled break. Your break should be a high quality SHOT, not a wild slam at the rack. Now I am a "shot and PREY" breaker. See the difference?
 
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seymore15074

seymore15074

So what are you saying?
Silver Member
BillYards said:
No, don't ask anyone to do that. It shows weakness. You never want to show any weakness. Just make up your mind that you will not be denied your runout, bear-down, and shoot to win.

I used to always rack 8-ball (back when I played it) with the one in front and would get miffed if my opponent did not do the same, but quickly realized that it was a hole in my confidence. I patched it and took it to my oppenents regardless of what ball was there.

Instead of worrying about the ball positions, worry about where your cueball is going after contacting the one. Take some speed off of your break and go for control. I recently started working HARD on my break, since I was a "blast and pray" breaker. After I learned how to make a controlled break, I was proud to see the expressions in the faces of people that were watching me play. It is quite obvious when someone is blasting versus when someone has a deadly and controlled break. Your break should be a high quality SHOT, not a wild slam at the rack. Now I am a "shot and PREY" breaker. See the difference?
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Exactly. If you want your opponent to laugh at you, ask him to move your lucky ball to a particular spot..that would about make my day if I ever got that request!
 
BillYards

BillYards

Playing Style: Wu Tang Fu
Silver Member
seymore15074 said:
Exactly. If you want your opponent to laugh at you, ask him to move your lucky ball to a particular spot..that would about make my day if I ever got that request!
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Haha! Right, Seymore! Don't want to get into the habit of catering to your opponents...

Do it one time for them and from then on they will be giving you a complete chart of the order in which the balls should be racked!

I love to debate racking rules in the bar with bar-bangers! You can win the game before anyone strikes a ball, 'cause they get so upset that the rack doesn't have a solid on each point...

Anger and fear: usually excellent game killers... right after superstitions! haha!
 
3andstop

3andstop

Focus
Silver Member
I believe there is a rule regarding which balls can be placed in the corners of a straight pool rack anyway. I'm too lazy to look it up :( but I think its the 5 and 1. Can't be the 8 anyway. :)
 
Barry Doc

Barry Doc

1p / 14.1 Hack / aka bdoc
Silver Member
my grandfather always said to use the one ball and the three ball?
anyone esle ever heard of this? none of the old timers i've mentioned
this to had ever heard of this.
 
jondrums

jondrums

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A guy I played once with mentioned to me that it is a nice courtesy to rack the 1 and 5 on the corners for every rack. I can't imagine it mattering all that much, and its easy enough, so I do it, it makes me feel like I actually know what I'm doing (hahahahaha)
Jon
 
selftaut

selftaut

straight pool nut
Silver Member
jondrums said:
A guy I played once with mentioned to me that it is a nice courtesy to rack the 1 and 5 on the corners for every rack. I can't imagine it mattering all that much, and its easy enough, so I do it, it makes me feel like I actually know what I'm doing (hahahahaha)
Jon
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The rule is the 1 and the 5 in the back corners on the 1st rack only , random after that , the 1 and the 5 are the easiest colors to see and slice thin for the opening break.
 
arsenius

arsenius

Nothing ever registers...
Silver Member
Thanks guys. I was mostly curious if it was allowed because having the 8 in front is a common one pocket complaint.
 
CreeDo

CreeDo

Fargo Rating 597
Silver Member
I'd read somewhere a long time ago that it was supposed to be the 14 and 1 in the corners, which made sense to me, but I saw the official rules do show the 5 and the 1. What's the origin of that? 1-5 for 15 balls?
 
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