2025 AZB Ghost Challenge - Official Thread

[iusedtoberich]

2025 AZB Ghost Challenge - Official Thread

It’s a new year, and everyone is on a clean slate. Let's see who can back up their written posts with game play for bragging rightsVideos are welcome, but not required. 1st post will be kept up to date with best score. See 2nd post for “suggested” rules. Rack'em

Prior Year Threads:
2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015

9-Ball Ghost (BIH after break, luck counts)

SCORE	MEMBER	TABLE	FargoRate
7-1	Oikawa	9' Diamond
7-3 Video	peppersauce	9' Diamond

9-Ball Pro Ghost (No BIH after break, luck counts)

SCORE	MEMBER	TABLE	FargoRate

10-Ball Ghost (BIH after break, luck counts)

SCORE	MEMBER	TABLE	FargoRate
6-7	mjantti	9' Predator

10-Ball Pro Ghost (No BIH after break, luck counts)

SCORE	MEMBER	TABLE	FargoRate

Random Ghost (8-ball, 6-ball, 15 ball rotation, 1 Pocket, snooker, etc..)

SCORE	MEMBER	TABLE	FargoRate

Straight Pool
Straight pool has its own 20 year running challenge. Go to this thread to join! 2025 Straight Pool Challange

 

[iusedtoberich]

“SUGGESTED” GHOST CHALLENGE RULES.
Feel free to modify as you see fit.

All games:
-Race to 7
-Break, take ball in hand and try to run out
-Runout is a win for you
-Miss or foul is a win for the ghost
-Cue ball fouls only
-Break scratch - no penalty, take ball in hand and continue
-No restrictions on racking or breaking (magic rack, pattern racking, soft break, are ok)
-Money ball on the break spots up if it goes in the two foot pockets. If it goes in any other pocket, its a win.
-Jump cues ok.

6/9/10-ball specific rules:
-Flukes count
-Early money ball (combo/carom) is a win for you (including BIH shot)
-10 ball is played by 9 ball rules, not WPA called shot 10 ball rules

8-ball specific rules:
-BIH anywhere on table after the break, and can shoot inside or outside of the kitchen.
-8 on the break spots up (not a win)

Pro version for 6/8/9/10
-No BIH after break
-Break scratch is a loss of game
-Optional, GOD version means you must pocket a ball on the break (in addition to the above two), or you lose.

Races to 7 (or higher) will be ordered by W-L first, and date of play 2nd. Races lower than 7 will be ranked lower in the list. Table size does not factor into the ranking order.

If you'd like your FargoRate on the chart, add it to your post. If not established, put a P for preliminary after it.

Table size and brand will be on the chart. Each player's best score only on the chart. If you play on multiple table sizes, your best entry for each size will be kept in the chart. No pocket size recorded, but feel free to add it to your post if you like.

 

[mjantti]

Today classic 10-ball ghost. Lost 6-7. Table tight and bouncy 9’ Predator Apex.

 

[iusedtoberich]

Good shooting all, first post updated. @Oikawa I added your score from the 2024 thread here.

 

[iusedtoberich]

Would one (or several) of you guys about 650 or higher be willing to post all of your regular 9 ball ghost scores for a period of time, on a 9’? Even if the ghost blanked you? I want to see if we can figure out the ghost’s FargoRate with actual data instead of guessing. But we’d need the bad scores along with the good ones.

I did this for myself last year for the entire year. The ghost is miles ahead of 572! Ha ha.

Edit: if you have an incomplete set, please post the incomplete score. It will still work out.

 

[peppersauce]

9- ball ghost, 7-3 win. Starting off the year right!

 

[peppersauce]

Would one (or several) of you guys about 650 or higher be willing to post all of your regular 9 ball ghost scores for a period of time, on a 9’? Even if the ghost blanked you? I want to see if we can figure out the ghost’s FargoRate with actual data instead of guessing. But we’d need the bad scores along with the good ones.

I did this for myself last year for the entire year. The ghost is miles ahead of 572! Ha ha.

Just saw this. I’ll do it! This should be interesting. Prepare to be underwhelmed.

 

[peppersauce]

Got in a few early morning 9- ball sets.

5-7
7-5
6-7

The last set was crazy. I was down 0-4, then 1-6. Nothing was working. At this point in the set, there had been three times after the break I didn’t have a workable shot on the lowest ball with ball in hand. I changed the way I was hitting the break and had a good string of nice layouts. Then the hill-hill layout after the break was just unworkable. The 1 and 2 were at opposite ends of the table and not only was the 2 covered, the 5 was so close to the 1 that it blocked every reasonable position route to the tiny window I had on the 2. I played a masse shot off the one and made it, but hooked myself. I just smashed the kick hoping for some luck, but didn’t get any.

 

[peppersauce]

More early morning sets:

4-7
5-7
6-7
5-7

I was going to quit after three sets, but I was SO close! Nothing came easy today. Tied up balls, combinations, tricky layouts, and I wasn’t playing my best. I didn’t play bad, but I don’t play good enough to outrun the ghost when things are tough like that and I’m not playing above my average.

I will say, I actually feel more pressure posting all of my sets than I do recording a video! It puts me more into competition mode, knowing everyone gets to see ALL of my results. It really makes me want to fight for every game. I’ll admit, I have a bad tendency to go into give up mode when I’m recording a lopsided ghost set, because I know I’m not going to post it even if I manage to come back and win.

 

[iusedtoberich]

Thanks! If you do quit mid set, just record the incomplete score.

 

[iusedtoberich]

Good shooting all, first post updated.

 

[jeagle64]

Would one (or several) of you guys about 650 or higher be willing to post all of your regular 9 ball ghost scores for a period of time, on a 9’? Even if the ghost blanked you? I want to see if we can figure out the ghost’s FargoRate with actual data instead of guessing. But we’d need the bad scores along with the good ones.

I did this for myself last year for the entire year. The ghost is miles ahead of 572! Ha ha.

Edit: if you have an incomplete set, please post the incomplete score. It will still work out.

How do you figure out the ghosts Fargo with this data? Like what’s the math behind it?

I play league on a 7’ and that’s where I established my Fargo. I just got a 9’ at home a couple years ago and that’s where I play ghost. I can’t play nearly as well on the 9 as I do the 7. Can I figure out my 9’ Fargo against the ghost along with the ghost Fargo also?

I’m new to Fargo in general with a 385 robustness 687 Fargo.

So is the ghost Fargo different for everyone depending on their specific data?

What was the ghost Fargo against you last year as a 572? What was your W/L record?


Sent from my iPhone using AzBilliards Forums

 

[Oikawa]

How do you figure out the ghosts Fargo with
this data? Like what’s the math behind it?

By calculating the ratio between won and lost frames. For example, if you had a fargo of 700, played 200 sets with the 9-ball ghost, won 100 and lost 100, the 9-ball ghost's fargo on your table/conditions would be estimated to be 700.

Fargo's math works such that the better player is twice more likely to win a single frame for every 100 points between the players. So a 620 player winning 100 and losing 200 would put the ghost at 720 on their table, since they lost twice as much as they won.

 

[mjantti]

Another standard 10-ball ghost on tight 9' Predator Apex with worn cloth. Run 5 racks in a row in the middle of the set and won 7-3. Fargo cannot be revealed yet, need more robustness..

 

[Poolmanis]

How I practice is not suitable to record stats all games vs Ghost.
I try put race to 50 or race to 100 sometimes for stats.

Played first 9-Ball Ghost match recently and commentated it with new mic and camera.
I was gonna play until i miss but I missed so early i switched to race to 7 match. Won 7-2.
I already tried upload it couple times but it failed both times. I gonna edit link on this post after I get it up.

Edit: HD version is up. It seems to take a lot of time until 4k is up...

 

[Badpenguin]

Played first 9-Ball Ghost match recently and commentated it with new mic and camera.

Mic and camera working great. Nice even coverage with the mic. The table seems a bit elongated to me, which must be a common issue with cameras and pool tables.

 

[iusedtoberich]

...snip...

What was the ghost Fargo against you last year as a 572? What was your W/L record?

For "me", my 2024 aggregate scores resulted in my ghost being:

667 on a 7' Diamond with pro-cut pockets
762 on a 9' GC with factory 5" pockets

9' GC
Won 0 sets. Lost 53 sets.
Won 98 games. Lost 366 games.
Won 98 games of 464 total played.
Won 21.1% of total games played.

7' Diamond
Won 1 set. Lost 8 sets.
Won 30 games. Lost 58 games.
Won 30 games of 88 total played.
Won 34.1% of total games played.

See this post #27 for the math:

Match probability calculator, given Fargo ratings

I was trying to find a calculator for match probabilities yesterday, and failed. There are vague references to "tools" on the FargoRate web site but I couldn't find said tools. So, I made my own calculator...

forums.azbilliards.com

 

[jeagle64]

For "me", my 2024 aggregate scores resulted in my ghost being:

667 on a 7' Diamond with pro-cut pockets
762 on a 9' GC with factory 5" pockets

9' GC
Won 0 sets. Lost 53 sets.
Won 98 games. Lost 366 games.
Won 98 games of 464 total played.
Won 21.1% of total games played.

7' Diamond
Won 1 set. Lost 8 sets.
Won 30 games. Lost 58 games.
Won 30 games of 88 total played.
Won 34.1% of total games played.

See this post #27 for the math:

Match probability calculator, given Fargo ratings

I was trying to find a calculator for match probabilities yesterday, and failed. There are vague references to "tools" on the FargoRate web site but I couldn't find said tools. So, I made my own calculator...

forums.azbilliards.com

Ok. Thanks for sharing.

I have a wall and another table closer than is should due to limited space in my room. It causes me to miss shots/positions by having to use a short cue on one side and not being able to take a full stance on the other sometimes. So it’s hard to gather accurate data having those obstacles/excuses available that don’t affect the ghost who never misses and can walk through walls and shit.


Sent from my iPhone using AzBilliards Forums

 

[Cameron Smith]

Ok. Thanks for sharing.

I have a wall and another table closer than is should due to limited space in my room. It causes me to miss shots/positions by having to use a short cue on one side and not being able to take a full stance on the other sometimes. So it’s hard to gather accurate data having those obstacles/excuses available that don’t affect the ghost who never misses and can walk through walls and shit.


Sent from my iPhone using AzBilliards Forums

Just push the ball in and move the cue ball to where it totally should have finished.

Can we get the ghost rules amended?