Another Ghost question for the strong players.

[Pete]

Hi Guys,

I would like to know how you would rate players. Let's say a race to nine. Start with ball in hand, as soon as you miss, you lost the rack, and start over. If you drop the money ball you win, and if you scratch on the break keep going with BIH.

3 Ball = D C B A Short stop Open?
4 Ball = D C B A Short stop Open?
5 Ball= D C B A Short stop Open?
6 Ball= D C B A Short stop Open?
7 Ball= D C B A Short stop Open?
8 Ball= D C B A Short stop Open?
9 Ball= D C B A Short stop Open?
10 Ball= D C B A Short stop Open?
11 Ball= D C B A Short stop Open?
12 Ball= D C B A Short stop Open?
13 Ball= D C B A Short stop Open?
14 Ball= D C B A Short stop Open?
15 Ball= D C B A Short stop Open?

Please let me know what you think, you are all from diffrent places so it would be nice to get the diffrent opinions.

Pete

 

[RobertR]

Um, could you explain this a little more? 15ball rotation? 9ball? Huh?

 

[I rack balls]

I think he means pay all the numbers of balls like nine ball up until 15. I am not sure, depends a lot on the equiptment. I would say beating the 12 ball ghost is pretty dern stout. On another note how do you rack the balls as you pass 10 ball???

Eric.A.

 

[seymore15074]

I think he means pay all the numbers of balls like nine ball up until 15. I am not sure, depends a lot on the equiptment. I would say beating the 12 ball ghost is pretty dern stout. On another note how do you rack the balls as you pass 10 ball???

Eric.A.

Beating the 12 ball ghost a race to nine, stout? Tough bunch in here, I guess.

 

[mosconiac]

I don't understand the original question...but a pro I once knew used to play a practice game where he would rack balls, break them open, take BIH, and try to run out in rotation. If he ran out, he would add another ball and go again. If he missed, he would subtract a ball and go again.

I found this excercise to be a real eye-opener. It's mighty embarassing when you miss in a 5-ball rack and have to go back to a 4-ball rack.

I would start with a rack of 4 or 5 and typically fluctuate around 8 or 9...but I haven't tried this in years. My best was a rack of 12...I quickly missed in the rack of 13 and slid all the way back to 6 or 7 before breaking down the cue in disgust.

For comparisons sake, the pro would usually start with 9 or 10 and typically fluctuate around 13 IIRC.

 

[seymore15074]

That sounds like a good idea. I like the plus or minus 1 each rack concept... If I play the ghost 9-ball, I can get up in a short race, but the ghost seems to come back fast from there.

 

[jsp]

Well, I'm not nearly a "strong player" but I'll give you my personal ranking system regardless...

3 Ball = D
4 Ball = C-
5 Ball = C
6 Ball = C+
7 Ball = B
8 Ball = B+
9 Ball = A
10 Ball = A+
11 Ball = Shortstop
12 Ball = Pro
13 Ball = "Upper Echelon" Pro
14 Ball = Efren-esque
15 Ball = God

Again, this is consistently beating the ghost in a race to 9 set. Has anyone ever proposed on beating the 15 ball ghost in a race to 9?

jsp <~~ stuck on C- setting

 

[iusedtoberich]

I think there is no way that a D player can consistently run to the 3 ball, especially with all the traffic on the table. I would say the following:

3 Ball = C
4 Ball = C+
5 Ball = B-
6 Ball = B
7 Ball = B
8 Ball = B+
9 Ball = A
10 Ball = Open
11 Ball = Top Pro
12 Ball = Top Pro
13 Ball = God
14 Ball = God
15 Ball = God

 

[socks]

i used to shoot with a guy that when he practiced, he would throw 2 sets of balls on the table, so he would have 30 balls spread out and then shoot em out in rotations, 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, etc. and he'd run all 30 out without missing.

but on topis, i would agree with jsp

 

[jsp]

I think there is no way that a D player can consistently run to the 3 ball, especially with all the traffic on the table.

I meant a D player can probably beat the 3 ball ghost (racking only 3 balls to start with), not that a D player can run out to the 3 ball when racking all 15 balls. I think we understood the original question differently.

 

[PlynSets]

i used to shoot with a guy that when he practiced, he would throw 2 sets of balls on the table, so he would have 30 balls spread out and then shoot em out in rotations, 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, etc. and he'd run all 30 out without missing.

but on topis, i would agree with jsp

How would there even be room to manuever the cue ball around? He'd be caroming off of everything for shape.

DJ

 

[Sensation]

How would there even be room to manuever the cue ball around? He'd be caroming off of everything for shape.

DJ

What a great player? Can we have a name??

Even if he does it once in 5 tries... WOW!

 

[sjm]

I think there is no way that a D player can consistently run to the 3 ball, especially with all the traffic on the table. I would say the following:

3 Ball = C
4 Ball = C+
5 Ball = B-
6 Ball = B
7 Ball = B
8 Ball = B+
9 Ball = A
10 Ball = Open
11 Ball = Top Pro
12 Ball = Top Pro
13 Ball = God
14 Ball = God
15 Ball = God

Almost exactly how I see it.

 

[zeeder]

What a great player? Can we have a name??

Even if he does it once in 5 tries... WOW!

I could be mistaken but I think I've read/heard that Efren sometimes practices rotation with two sets of balls like this.

 

[zeeder]

Almost exactly how I see it.

sjm,

If someone is playing the ghost to judge their speed do you think they should rack all 9 balls and have the ghost spot them x ball or do you think you should just rack those balls? Thanks for your help!

 

[sjm]

sjm,

If someone is playing the ghost to judge their speed do you think they should rack all 9 balls and have the ghost spot them x ball or do you think you should just rack those balls? Thanks for your help!

If the game you are trying to improve at is nine ball, I suggest that you play against the nine ball ghost. Make a fair game, taking games on the wire if you need them, and giving games on the wire to the ghost if you play well enough to do so.

For example, a B player probably needs 2 games on the wire racing to 7 for even action against the nine ball ghost. After improving enough to win more often than not, they can swtich to taking just one game on the wire, etc.

 

[stolz2]

I like this alot....i'm trying it.

Mack

I don't understand the original question...but a pro I once knew used to play a practice game where he would rack balls, break them open, take BIH, and try to run out in rotation. If he ran out, he would add another ball and go again. If he missed, he would subtract a ball and go again.

I found this excercise to be a real eye-opener. It's mighty embarassing when you miss in a 5-ball rack and have to go back to a 4-ball rack.

I would start with a rack of 4 or 5 and typically fluctuate around 8 or 9...but I haven't tried this in years. My best was a rack of 12...I quickly missed in the rack of 13 and slid all the way back to 6 or 7 before breaking down the cue in disgust.

For comparisons sake, the pro would usually start with 9 or 10 and typically fluctuate around 13 IIRC.

 

[seymore15074]

I meant a D player can probably beat the 3 ball ghost (racking only 3 balls to start with), not that a D player can run out to the 3 ball when racking all 15 balls. I think we understood the original question differently.

I'd have to disagree... Have you tried playing the ghost? I've got news for you, it isn't easy. I'd bet a D player would hang for a few racks but get beat down in a race to 9...even with only 3 balls.

 

[socks]

What a great player? Can we have a name??

Even if he does it once in 5 tries... WOW!

his name was bobby mcdonald and played in the atlanta area in the early 90s and man could he shoot. i used to watch him do this all the time and it would simply amaze me. i always asked him why he never went pro or played in any major tournaments and he'd always say, "because theres no money in it."

 

[PROG8R]

his name was bobby mcdonald and played in the atlanta area in the early 90s and man could he shoot. i used to watch him do this all the time and it would simply amaze me. i always asked him why he never went pro or played in any major tournaments and he'd always say, "because theres no money in it."

I agree for the most part, but even 5$ is more than nothing. With a game that good, he would surely get paid more often than not.