Checking the rack

[Gregg]

After viewing the widely discussed Joe Tucker's DVD "Racking Secrets" I have now become a rack checker, myself.

As Joe covers, this can be an issue for some players, even if I have NEVER asked for a re rack in my life, and am only glancing over the rack for no longer than a few seconds.

Anybody have any ideas or funny anecdotes when it comes to rack reading?

Anybody been physically assaulted?

 

[Tom In Cincy]

On more than one occasion... I have had opponents tell me that there are gaps between the one ball and balls in the second row.

The strange thing is on most of these occasions... the opponents not wearing any glasses, need to wear reading glasses to read the newspaper... How can they see these little gaps?

1. The Older gamblers and the kids that they've trained, will give you bad racks on purpose just to 'shark' 'get into your head'. They know how to give good racks. They just don't think it is to their advantage to do so.

2. Some players just don't know how to rack correctly. I recently told a player that the reason he always comes up dry on his break (he is a very strong player and powerful breaker) is that he keeps giving himself a bad rack. Take more time to make sure all the balls are as tight as possible... those bottom 3 balls being 'slugged' is a common problem.

3. Can't see to rack... players that need glasses to see close up don't take the time to put them on to make sure there is a good tight rack.

4. Plastic vrs wood racks. Both can become deformed and only ONE of the points of the triange will become the better of the 3 for racking.

5. Balls.. the older ball sets are most troublesome. Even some of the newer balls will have inconsistancies that will cause gaps. The worst ball should go into the rear of the rack. MOVE the balls around to see if you can get a tighter rack.

Years of experience... 40+ years of losing and having to rack for my opponent. Reading racks... just a few years experience... and tons of help from Mr. Joe Tuckers video.

 

[arsenius]

There was this obnoxious guy I played in a couple tournaments. He wouldn't shut up while I was shooting. Whenever I would check the rack (I never asked for a re-rack either) he'd tell me to rack it. He'd get totally pissed off. Over the top, like I insulted his mother or something.

Those are great videos though. They've really damaged my opponents breaks!!!! Because now I know not to leave any spaces or I'll give them an advantage!

 

[Beware_of_Dawg]

tell ur opponent that your a boob guy and cant help staring at a nice rack.

 

[hang-the-9]

In the final few matches of a league playoffs, the guy racks, and the 1 ball rolls off before he even leaves the table area. He must have seen it. So I stand there for a few seconds looking at him, he's looking at me.. like it's a stand-off he's planning. I then point the 1/2 inch gap and ask him to re-do, he acts like I just asked him to drop his pants and run around the pool-hall. He actually got upset that I did not take that crap from him. Some people...

 

[Vinnie]

Me too

I too just recently became a rack checker after watching Racking Secrets. The funny thing is that I never used to check racks. Now all of the locals are puzzled by the fact that I look at them. I was just honest and said that I learned about checking racks and that I was not criticizing them, but just trying to figure out where I wanted to break from. Most people understood. However, I did notice that since I began checking more racks and making good breaks, the racks are getting tighter.

 

[Cuebacca]

Those are great videos though. They've really damaged my opponents breaks!!!! Because now I know not to leave any spaces or I'll give them an advantage!

I have to comment on this because of peoples fears of "rack mechanics" in rack-your-own.

I would really like to know Joe's thoughts on this because I've read a lot of people saying it like this, but I have a different interpretation. IMO, the way I look at it, it's not that gaps help the breaker to make the wing ball. It's that certain gaps don't have to hurt you if you know where to put the cue ball.

The best thing for the breaker if he wants to make the wing ball is to have all of the balls frozen in the rack (some being more important than others). If all of the balls are frozen, assuming there's no break box, the wing ball is practically automatic if you put the cue ball near the rail. You can't get much more of an advantage than that. JMHO.

TV Table 1 at the 2007 WPC was a perfect example of what I mean... all balls frozen, automatic wing ball.

Regarding checking the rack, I've practically given up where I usually play. For a cheap weekly tournament where many players don't seem to know how to rack well, it's not really worth the headaches for me, unfortunately.

It would be nice if every tournament was rack-your-own and if the 9-ball didn't count on the break. I'd probably never check a single rack under that format.

 

[hilla_hilla]

It depends on the situation and how serious the match is. If it's a big tournament or gambling I would be more likely to check it than if I was playing league or for recreation.

Last week I played APA against another 5 and the girl I played was extremely anal about every rack, it made me nuts! She shot slower than Mike Defino and my face was getting red every time I was waiting for her to shoot . I'm a rhythm player and whenever I shoot against someone slow it makes me crazy!

I was up 2-0 in a race to 4 and the next rack I was checking my text messages and just put my cell phone down on the table not even marking the correct pocket. None of my teammates were nearby, but EVERYONE on the opposing team knew which pocket I was shooting at and knew I forgot to mark my pocket, but NOBODY said anything. I lost the game which I thought was a cheap way to win.

My teammates and I discussed it afterwards and we all agree that we would of just given the opponent the game, especially since everyone knew which pocket the 8 was being shot in. The next game I ended up scratching on the 8 and the game afterwards I completely missed the 8. I let the first mistake on the 8 get into my head . I ended up getting out the final game on the hill but would of been livid with my self if I had lost. It would of been my own fault for letting that first 8 affect me so much.

I had 2 new members join my team that day. After they saw my opponent checking the racks they started doing it to their opponents to make fun of her .

At least I learned a lesson out of everything, NEVER use your cell phone to mark the pocket. Heck, I think I'll leave my cell phone in the car during matches from now on .

 

[kcpoolfan]

when playing karen corr which rack are you really checking out ? haha

 

[Joe T]

After viewing the widely discussed Joe Tucker's DVD "Racking Secrets" I have now become a rack checker, myself.

As Joe covers, this can be an issue for some players, even if I have NEVER asked for a re rack in my life, and am only glancing over the rack for no longer than a few seconds.

Anybody have any ideas or funny anecdotes when it comes to rack reading?

Anybody been physically assaulted?

This was in a previous thread and I can't recommend it but I do like it;
Quote:
Originally Posted by cubc
I just say "no not saying rerack.. just your bad racks tell me how to break"

Seriously just tell'em you're learning or deciding where to break from and keep it nonchalant.

another good one I think by HU was, "nope, just looking for something to exploit"

 

[Gregg]

Regarding checking the rack, I've practically given up where I usually play. For a cheap weekly tournament where many players don't seem to know how to rack well, it's not really worth the headaches for me, unfortunately.

See, all I play in are "cheap weekly tournaments" where I'm likely to get a bad rack every time on a bar table, almost definitely due to a poor triangle, poor cloth, poor balls, and overall general carelessness.

These are also the most likely to come with the comments, most of what are highly comical.

 

[Joe T]

I have to comment on this because of peoples fears of "rack mechanics" in rack-your-own.

I would really like to know Joe's thoughts on this because I've read a lot of people saying it like this, but I have a different interpretation. IMO, the way I look at it, it's not that gaps help the breaker to make the wing ball. It's that certain gaps don't have to hurt you if you know where to put the cue ball.

The best thing for the breaker if he wants to make the wing ball is to have all of the balls frozen in the rack (some being more important than others). If all of the balls are frozen, assuming there's no break box, the wing ball is practically automatic if you put the cue ball near the rail. You can't get much more of an advantage than that. JMHO.

TV Table 1 at the 2007 WPC was a perfect example of what I mean... all balls frozen, automatic wing ball.

Regarding checking the rack, I've practically given up where I usually play. For a cheap weekly tournament where many players don't seem to know how to rack well, it's not really worth the headaches for me, unfortunately.

It would be nice if every tournament was rack-your-own and if the 9-ball didn't count on the break. I'd probably never check a single rack under that format.

Well there are some spaces that make it easier for you make the corner ball but its real tough for a player to first get them tight and then leave a helping space. Most of the rack your own "mechanics" are really just trying to give themselves a rack that doesn't break the 4 ball track and when they do that their percentage of corner balls goes way up. Its the people that don't know about the 4 ball track or even if they do know but can't rack anyways that would have a problem with rack your own.

 

[Cuebacca]

See, all I play in are "cheap weekly tournaments" where I'm likely to get a bad rack every time on a bar table, almost definitely due to a poor triangle, poor cloth, poor balls, and overall general carelessness.

These are also the most likely to come with the comments, most of what are highly comical.

I feel your pain. Against the better players who should know better, I sometimes do check the rack in these tournaments, but I'm still too lenient on the racks that I accept.

Against the ones who I think I'll beat anyway, I get lazy or just feel guilty nit-picking. What usually ends up happening then is that I break too hard trying to compensate for their bad rack, jump the cue ball off the table, and leave them a 1-9 combo with ball in hand. LOL.

 

[Cuebacca]

Well there are some spaces that make it easier for you make the corner ball but its real tough for a player to first get them tight and then leave a helping space. Most of the rack your own "mechanics" are really just trying to give themselves a rack that doesn't break the 4 ball track and when they do that their percentage of corner balls goes way up. Its the people that don't know about the 4 ball track or even if they do know but can't rack anyways that would have a problem with rack your own.

Thanks for your reply, Joe. So when you say "easier", I take it you mean easier compared to having absolutely no gaps in the rack. So I stand corrected and understand that I have more rack testing to do. Thanks again.

 

[supergreenman]

I always check the rack, I rarely ask my opponent to rerack.

They way I see it is, if they leave the headball out (8ball)they're giving me an advantage. I usually hit the 2nd ball in anyways, this gives me a more direct hit on the rack.

On the other hand if I suspect someone is asking me to rerack in order to shark me I'll just tell him to rack it himself. I always try give the tightest rack possible..... why give away an advantage.

 

[Fatboy]

over the years I have played loser racks and the winner just checks the rack, I havent ever had a problem asking for a re-rack, but perhaps thats just the way it was where I played-which was alot of spots. I'm talking abut gambling not league play, IO dont know much about the ediquett in league or how to spell it either.

 

[Derek]

I'm not a fan of people checking racks. That being said, I've hardly ever been asked to re-rack as I like to think I'm racking as good as the rack will allow me. Also, I don't think you should really have the audacity to ask someone to re-rack unless you're a high-skill level player. That's just my biased opinion and one of my pool quirks.

For me breaking, I don't check racks unless I see some glaring gap or watch a ball roll off. I figure the break is random enough and feel confident enough to sink a ball on the break (although I sure as heck don't sink a ball as often as I would like).

Maybe I need to watch Racking Secrets . . .

 

[rayjay]

The BCA Nationals this year are going to be rack your own. I want a tight rack and that's all I ever look for if someone's racking for me. But now, checking my opponent's rack with him breaking, I need to know what to look for just to know if he's trying to rig the rack or not...if there's gaps, it's a rerack. If there's consistently the same gaps, I know to check every rack. I just ordered Joe Tucker's DVD set...glad to see you posting here, Joe!

 

[Joe T]

Thanks for your reply, Joe. So when you say "easier", I take it you mean easier compared to having absolutely no gaps in the rack. So I stand corrected and understand that I have more rack testing to do. Thanks again.

I would say a tiny space up front (somewhere??/ ), 4 ball track in tact, breaking from corner of the box is the easiest to make corner ball and stop cb. Easiest probably because of the speed and control you can have but you are pretty much putting all your eggs in one basket with that one.
I once had them tapped in like this and an older player (Tallman) racking them for me with his hands and I broke and got out 35x out of 100. I had that ball dead, 1 going straight back to the corner and at the time I was playing a lot. I can't remember how many times I made a ball on the break out of the 100 but it was a lot and I remember being barley hooked on the 1 quite few times also.

But you are totally correct with a tight rack breaking from the side being very effective and shape on the 1 isn't that tough there either but I end up with the 1 on the end rail with that a lot of the time.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

After viewing the widely discussed Joe Tucker's DVD "Racking Secrets" I have now become a rack checker, myself.

As Joe covers, this can be an issue for some players, even if I have NEVER asked for a re rack in my life, and am only glancing over the rack for no longer than a few seconds.

Anybody have any ideas or funny anecdotes when it comes to rack reading?

Anybody been physically assaulted?

I check every Rack I break in Tournament Play, and have NO RESERVATIONS about pointing out what is wrong with a Rack, and asking for a Re Rack until it is RIGHT.