Drawing the rack outline on your table

In regards to outlining the INSIDE of the rack ... you wrote,

sausage said:
this is smart! after all, we just need the general area where the balls will be placed to determine if a ball is in the rack playing straight pool.
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So let me understand the logic here. Lets say the 15th ball lies an 1/8th inch outside of your drawn line, please explain how in the world you are going to rack the next rack without physically picking up the 15th ball, moving it out of the way, racking the balls, and then guessing where to put it back? :shrug: The term mickey mouse comes to mind ... :nono::nono:
 
3andstop said:
In regards to outlining the INSIDE of the rack ... you wrote,



So let me understand the logic here. Lets say the 15th ball lies an 1/8th inch outside of your drawn line, please explain how in the world you are going to rack the next rack without physically picking up the 15th ball, moving it out of the way, racking the balls, and then guessing where to put it back? :shrug: The term mickey mouse comes to mind ... :nono::nono:
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if there is any doubt you get the rack and hover it over the balls. the outline is only there to give you a general idea of where the balls are in relation to the rack for convenience. if you make a mistake and leave a ball in the rack, then allah smites you.

i don't outline my rack. in fact i don't even like using a "spot" on the foot-spot. after a few breaks, you will see faint light marks on the cloth where the balls sit in the rack. if the 15th ball is close, then get the rack out and double check. if you determine that it's out and the person racking says otherwise, then it's pistolas at 15 paces. that's an little known straight pool rule. :wink:
 
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Lol.........

Holding the rack above the 15th ball does not work..... You are just asking for trouble (like ending your run). I am amazed of the thinking of some people on these posts. After all my years of professional work in Life. I know, I should know better but I still get amazed. You can not be a serious Straight Pool Player if a pool table does not have a outline of a rack on it.
 
oh for crying out loud......

look, if it's the fricking world championships then you have the ref take a look. if the ball is so damned close that it's impossible to tell without reracking the balls, then maybe you should think about an alternative break ball or you take your chances on that ball. an outline will NEVER tell you exactly if a close ball is in the rack anyway. so get off your 14.1, better than-fricking-thou, high-horse dude....
 
Lol..........

sausage said:
oh for crying out loud......

look, if it's the fricking world championships then you have the ref take a look. if the ball is so damned close that it's impossible to tell without reracking the balls, then maybe you should think about an alternative break ball or you take your chances on that ball. an outline will NEVER tell you exactly if a close ball is in the rack anyway. so get off your 14.1, better than-fricking-thou, high-horse dude....
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Yea Right......
 
sausage said:
oh for crying out loud......

an outline will NEVER tell you exactly if a close ball is in the rack anyway.
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Errrr.....it ALWAYS tells you (that is how the determination is made in tournament play and in league play and in friendly casual play; not by trying to rack the balls).....I guess I should cry out loud....
 
he he he... This is a funny argument!

I just saw "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" the other day and we can all learn something from Abe Lincoln's little speech at the end...

"Be Excellent to one another and Party on Dudes!":cool:
 
Williebetmore said:
Errrr.....it ALWAYS tells you (that is how the determination is made in tournament play and in league play and in friendly casual play; not by trying to rack the balls).....I guess I should cry out loud....
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no, it can't because EVEN if the fricking ball is a tad out of the rack, if the racker can't rack the balls without touching it, THEN IT'S IN THE FRICKING RACK. besides, the line doesn't tell you EXACTLY where the edge of your cueball lies. on really close balls, it's sometimes not clear at all. and again, you have to take into consideration "racking slop" even on balls that appear to be out of the rack as per your $#!#$%$@!!! rack outline.

a rack outline is not a necessity but a nicety that only suggests that a ball may be too close to the rack. i've seen many serious 14.1 players play without it.
 
sausage said:
no, it can't because EVEN if the fricking ball is a tad out of the rack, if the racker can't rack the balls without touching it, THEN IT'S IN THE FRICKING RACK. besides, the line doesn't tell you EXACTLY where the edge of your cueball lies. on really close balls, it's sometimes not clear at all. and again, you have to take into consideration "racking slop" even on balls that appear to be out of the rack as per your $#!#$%$@!!! rack outline.

a rack outline is not a necessity but a nicety that only suggests that a ball may be too close to the rack. i've seen many serious 14.1 players play without it.
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S-man,
I guess we will have to disagree on every point above. It seems obvious that I've been doing it the wrong way for a long time. I will alert Danny DiLiberto, Grady Mathews, sjm, Jeanette Lee, and Ray Martin who have all been doing this wrong for what seems forever (dolts; don't they know anything). I will notify the rules makers as well. I would also notify Steve Mizerak, Willie Mosconi, and Irving Crane but they died without knowing any better.

P.S. - I'm pretty sure that "racking slop" and inability to use a line to determine a ball's place are concepts that are revolutionary; and sure to find their way into the updated rules the next time out. I will also notify the woefully ignorant organizers of the Maryland 14.1 Championship (a qualifier for the World tournament - I had the good fortune to play in it this year) - they were unaware as well. Many thanks. I'm out of this thread; it's WAY over my head.
 
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Wait a second, it just dawns on me that should there be some validity in this line drawing thing, that perhaps we should consider drawing the headstring line back up the table a quarter inch toward the headrail as well. :thud:
 
How did that silly face get into my last post? I never use those things. I meant to hit the semi-colon; like that.

Dave Nelson
 
I will also notify the woefully ignorant organizers of the Maryland 14.1 Championship
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it never fails. folks jump right over the point to make a different point, thinking that this validates their position.

we are talking about a dude at home preparing to ink up his nice cloth who MIGHT regret it later for a myriad of reasons, some of which were mentioned here in this thread. at CHAMPIONSHIP tournaments, it's important to take as many precautions as possible to avoid misunderstandings. after a major tourney is over, THEY DON'T REUSE THE DONATED CLOTH. if after reading your post, a 14.1 player thinks that he must have a rack outline on his table for fear of being branded, non-serious, i would caution against it.

when practicing at home, it is rare indeed when i have a ball that is sooooo close, i can't tell if it's in or out of the rack. very very rarely the break-ball is out of the rack but i can't rack the balls without touching it. hence my point above about "rack slop".

if you watch a "serious" player, rarely do they quibble about a few centimeters of break-ball placement. it happens, sure but again, rarely, and not often enough to justify permanently marking up a home table. if one decides to outline their rack, i suggest doing it in pencil not ink.
 
You are Wrong

You are totally wrong. The rack outline (which should be done on the outside of a person's rack that they use at home) is there to show the player that there is no doubt that the 15th ball is not in the rack. You say that the player should look for another break ball if they are not sure if the ball is in the rack. That is easy to say but it does not always turn out like that. The line is there to help the player and should be done in ink. It is done in ink b/c then you do not have to go over it for the life of the cloth. I change my cloth every three years. I do the outline once and do not have to to again in the three years.
Now, if you only play 14-1 once in a while and maybe your a 9-ball player. I suggest that you do not mark your table. It is up to the person but I bet if you take a survey among 14-1 players. They would all want a rack outline. try not to come back with words: dude, fricking ....etc It does not help your wrong points of view.
 
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um, dude..... do what you fricking want but know that there are serious players out there who DO NOT outline their rack. i'm one of them. i play with a modified, warped, walmart cue too. :eek:
 
No hard feelings....

Ok, listen. It is Ok to have disagreements once in awhile. I might of been a little too hard on you. Everyone has the right to have their opinion. After all that is what these posts are all about. So, for the record. No hard feelings and keep playing pool, what ever game that you like.
 
wow, I leave for the weekend and my thread blows up! i personally like the rack outline that I have seen on tables at other pool halls. I will do it in pencil first and if I like it i will do it in sharpie. Does the D on a snooker table make it look any worse than one with out it??? Besides its meant to enhance play not be an eye sore.
 
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