A clarification on racking

[jonnyyyl]

Although I am a massive pool fan, I have been hearing too many different versions about how to rack balls that even now I am still not entirely sure.

What are the official/correct ways to rack 8 ball, 9 ball and 14.1?

Can someone clear this up for me? I am way too confused. Some say the top should be the middle dot, and some say the 8/9 balls should be at the dot.

Some advocate a particular method to set up the the balls too...

Can someone help?

Thanks!

 

[justnum]

I am copying from the BCA World Standized Rules handbook.

The top of an eight ball rack is a solid, the row with two balls is (from left to right) stripe then solid, the third row is solid, stripe, solid, the fourth row is stripe solid stripe solid, the fifth row is solid, stripe, stripe, solid solid.

The nine-ball rack is the 1 ball at the spot and 9 ball in the center the remaining balls are to be placed without purpose or intention.

The dot should be under the top ball in the triangle if it were 9 ball the dot should be under the one before the break.

The lead ball in the rack is referred to as the apex and it belongs directly on top of the dot and centered.

If you know how to read I suggest buying yourself a rulebook because they are updated frequently. (That was not meant as an insult. Some people just don't like to exercise their reading abilities as much as their spending abilities.)

 

[Tom In Cincy]

World Standardized Rules


http://www.wpa-pool.com/index.asp?content=rules_8ball
3.2 Eight Ball Rack
The fifteen object balls are racked as tightly as possible in a triangle, with the apex ball on the foot spot and the eight ball as the first ball that is directly below the apex ball. One from each group of seven will be on the two lower corners of the triangle. The other balls are placed in the triangle without purposeful or intentional pattern.


http://www.wpa-pool.com/index.asp?content=rules_9ball
2.2 Nine Ball Rack
The object balls are racked as tightly as possible in a diamond shape, with the one ball at the apex of the diamond and on the foot spot and the nine ball in the middle of the diamond. The other balls will be placed in the diamond without purposeful or intentional pattern. (See Regulation 4, Racking / Tapping of Balls.)


http://www.wpa-pool.com/index.asp?content=rules_141
4.2 The 14.1 Rack
For an opening break shot, the fifteen balls are racked in a triangle with the apex ball on the foot spot. When the balls are re-racked, the apex ball is omitted if only fourteen balls are being racked. The marked outline of the triangle will be used to determine whether an intended break ball is in the rack area.


I've always used the one ball and the five ball as the two wing balls. It was an old tradition amonst 14.1 players. The 1 and 5 give the highest contrast for the shooter to use when aiming for the break shot.

It was just a gesture of respect of the game, somehow it has been omitted from the rules.

 

[Saturated Fats]

here's the place to look:

http://www.wpa-pool.com/index.asp?content=rules

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

If you are just talking about the racks orientation on the table, then the answer is the front ball (apex ball) goes on the foot spot. If you are talking about everything else, here are thew official WPA (World Standardized Rules):

8 Ball:

3.2 Eight Ball Rack
The fifteen object balls are racked as tightly as possible in a triangle, with the apex ball on the foot spot and the eight ball as the first ball that is directly below the apex ball. One from each group of seven will be on the two lower corners of the triangle. The other balls are placed in the triangle without purposeful or intentional pattern.

9 Ball:

2.2 Nine Ball Rack
The object balls are racked as tightly as possible in a diamond shape, with the one ball at the apex of the diamond and on the foot spot and the nine ball in the middle of the diamond. The other balls will be placed in the diamond without purposeful or intentional pattern.

Straight Pool:

4.2 The 14.1 Rack
For an opening break shot, the fifteen balls are racked in a triangle with the apex ball on the foot spot. When the balls are re-racked, the apex ball is omitted if only fourteen balls are being racked. The marked outline of the triangle will be used to determine whether an intended break ball is in the rack area.

Some league rules may vary from this but these are the recognized rules.

As far as any confusion you have with the apex ball being on the foot spot it is probably because you will see some professional tournaments rack with the middle ball on the foot spot (the 8 or 9 balls for instance). On the occasions you do see this, it is mainly in 9 Ball and it is done primarily to keep the wing ball in the corner from being automatic.

Tom, glad you mentioned the old tradition of racking the 1 and 5 balls in the back corners for straight pool.

EDIT: Wow, the four of us all replying at the same time. LOL.

 

[ShootersChad]

Although I am a massive pool fan, I have been hearing too many different versions about how to rack balls that even now I am still not entirely sure.

What are the official/correct ways to rack 8 ball, 9 ball and 14.1?

Can someone clear this up for me? I am way too confused. Some say the top should be the middle dot, and some say the 8/9 balls should be at the dot.

Some advocate a particular method to set up the the balls too...

Can someone help?

Thanks!

3.2 Eight Ball Rack
The fifteen object balls are racked as tightly as possible in a triangle, with the apex ball on the foot spot and the eight ball as the first ball that is directly below the apex ball. One from each group of seven will be on the two lower corners of the triangle. The other balls are placed in the triangle without purposeful or intentional pattern.

The eight ball is not on the spot it is the head ball that is rack on the spot

2.2 Nine Ball Rack
The object balls are racked as tightly as possible in a diamond shape, with the one ball at the apex of the diamond and on the foot spot and the nine ball in the middle of the diamond. The other balls will be placed in the diamond without purposeful or intentional pattern.

Once again with this the head ball is racked on the spot not the nine.

4.2 The 14.1 Rack
For an opening break shot, the fifteen balls are racked in a triangle with the apex ball on the foot spot. When the balls are re-racked, the apex ball is omitted if only fourteen balls are being racked. The marked outline of the triangle will be used to determine whether an intended break ball is in the rack area.

Hope all this helps! :thumbup:

All information is from
http://www.wpa-pool.com/index.asp?content=main

 

[Tom In Cincy]

The current rules are available for download from the World Pool Association's web site and are dated Jan 1st 2008. As far as I know, there hasn't been an update (rule changes) since then.

http://www.wpa-pool.com/index.asp?content=rules_summary

If you know how to read I suggest buying yourself a rulebook because they are updated frequently. (That was not meant as an insult. Some people just don't like to exercise their reading abilities as much as their spending abilities.)

 

[jrt30004]

I am copying from the BCA World Standized Rules handbook.

The top of an eight ball rack..........the third row is solid, stripe, solid....../QUOTE]

sorry but ain't no way that's correct. the 3rd row is where the 8 ball goes. and last time i checked that's not a striped ball. either you copied wrong or they screwed the pooch when they were typing. the 3rd row should be the opposite, stripe solid stripe.

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

I am copying from the BCA World Standized Rules handbook.

The top of an eight ball rack..........the third row is solid, stripe, solid....../QUOTE]

sorry but ain't no way that's correct. the 3rd row is where the 8 ball goes. and last time i checked that's not a striped ball. either you copied wrong or they screwed the pooch when they were typing. the 3rd row should be the opposite, stripe solid stripe.

Not only that, but I'm not even sure where that quote comes from. If it is from the BCA it must be way out of date. It sure isn't in the current rules of either the BCA or the BCAPL (if by chance he was referring to the pool league rather than the actual BCA).

Here is the quote directly from the current BCA rules:

3.2 Eight Ball Rack
The fifteen object balls are racked as tightly as possible in a triangle, with the apex ball on the foot spot and the eight ball as the first ball that is directly below the apex ball. One from each group of seven will be on the two lower corners of the triangle. The other balls are placed in the triangle without purposeful or intentional pattern.

Here is the quote directly from the BCAPL rules:

2.2 8-Ball Rack
The balls are racked as follows (see Figure 2-1):
a. in a triangle with the apex ball on the foot spot;
b. the rows behind the apex are parallel to the foot string;
c. the 8-ball is in the middle of the row of three balls;
d. the remaining balls are placed at random, except that the ball at each rear corner of the rack must be of a different group from the other rear corner. The left/right orientation of the groups for those two balls does not matter.

These both are essentially the same as the WPA World rules. In fact, the rules posted on the BCA website are on WPA letterhead so I doubt they differ at all.

Here are the links to the websites if you wish to see for yourself:

Billiard Congress of America

BCA Pool League