I know this topic has been discussed before but some of the old threads I read through only talk about playing the 9-ball ghost and if thats too hard then play the 8 or 7 ball ghost. When you play the different variations do you just rack for 9-ball and then take balls away after the break? Or do you rack with 8 or 7 balls and break from there? I always assumed if you're playing the 7-ball ghost you just break a 9-ball rack and then pull off either the 1 and 2 or 8 and 9. Which leads to another question on how do you play the 12-ball ghost? Add two balls after the break or do you have some sort of weird looking rack?
Ghost Variations
- Thread starter LHP5
- Start date
9 ball vs the ghost is waaayyyy to hard for me at this point. I started with 3 ball ghost and am trying to graduate to 6 ball ghost, but apparently I'm not ready for that yet. Anyhow, to answer your question I'm playing 3 and 6 ball because that forms perfect triangles without putting in and taking out any additional balls.
Exactly what I meant. How do you rack with the odd numbers, right? I figured you break 9-ball, you get good practice with the break, and then take away however many balls you need. Makes sense in my mind but I don't really know if thats the way lol.
I see. When playing 3 ball I put the 7, 8 & 9 ball anywhere at random in a triangle on the spot. When playing 6 ball I put 4 - 8 randomly in a triangle from the spot, but I always put the 9 ball in the center of the back row. Other than that, I would rack normally and take balls away after the break.
That's just me and I'm probably not the greatest reference though...
WTF?! no way!
Well, I guess I guess it could be, but only if you make 7+ balls on the 9b break, or the 3b breeak sees the 3 balls make a tower.
Isn't 7 ball racked 2-3-2?
yeppers...like the pic. And as those who know know...can be doe with regular triangle rack, tilting it to the side.
Yea I think it is but what about the 12 ball ghost? Or the 8 ball ghost?
12 ball ghost is racked like 10 ball with 2 more balls in the back. Think about an 8 ball rack with the last row missing the corner and middle balls. If you google I think you can find Corey Dueul playing the 12 ball ghost and it should have a good view of this type of rack.
8 ball rack is diamond without the last ball in the back I believe, but peope rarely rack an 8 ball ghost. If you want, just put a random ball in the back of the diamond just to get the rack to break like 9 ball and just remove that ball from the table after the break.
Cool. Thanks alot man.
I often don't break at all. I just spread the balls out and shoot if I am plying less than 9 balls. I want to run 7 if I am playing 7. I do break and play the 9 also sometimes so the spread is more realistic.
The rack is setup just like VA says... Here's a video of 12 ball ghost
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIBb6Tx1vZY
It's actually easier to beat than 10 ball on this table... You'll notice one or both wings balls are dead almost every single rack... Much harder to make a ball in 10 ball... Fun practice game to step up from 9-ball though...
BOL on your journey...
The rack is setup just like VA says... Here's a video of 12 ball ghost
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIBb6Tx1vZY
It's actually easier to beat than 10 ball on this table... You'll notice one or both wings balls are dead almost every single rack... Much harder to make a ball in 10 ball... Fun practice game to step up from 9-ball though...
BOL on your journey...
Oh sweet, that helps a lot. Thanks for the vid.
Another way to practice 9 ball if you aren't ready for the ghost is to break a regular rack of 9 ball and just keep track of how many times you miss before running out the rack. Run 10 racks and add up all the misses. Over time and with practice, your number should start dropping.
I like this ^^
I used to do something similar on my old 8 foot english table - with a rack of 15 but not potting in rotation order - take the easiest pot (potting practice) not so much CB position practice.
I'm deffo not ready for 10ball or 9 ball ghost (too inconsistent with my potting - especially when I'm trying to get CB position on next shot) - 3 ball ghost / 6 ball ghost sounds like something I should spend some time on for a while 1st methinks)
Here is my two cents. You should play the ghost in whatever your favorite game is regardless of your experience/skill level. Why make it easier? If nine ball is what you normally play ... then that is what you should play the ghost in. Keep playing it and guess the news ... (no, not you'll lose as Vincent said) you'll get better and better. There was a thread about how many racks of nine ball AZB forum members regularly run and I was embarressed just reading it. I would occassionally get one ... but by golly I once got two. My current personal best is now four with very lenient rules (if you scratch on the break you get BIH and if you sink the nine on the snap you win). I guess my point is that it is all about improving your skills so why make some Hybrid game ... just play the game you favor and if you're not up to it right now just keep racking!! :thumbup:
I guess I'm older than I thought. Lol
7 ball was actually a game played and put on TV with men playing. One of the few times we got men's pool on TV.
To rack 7 ball with a normal triangle just throw the balls in that 2-3-2 format with the head ball missing. Then just turn the rack until the "head ball/1 ball" is on the spot.
If your rack sucks you can use any striped ball in the front of the rack, turn the rack until the 1 ball is on the spot, and them remove that striped ball.
7 ball also breaks extremely well. Don't be too surprised to make 2-4 balls on the break.
I'm sure you can find some 7 ball matches online.
It's actually easier to rack with a normal triangle.
7 ball was actually a game played and put on TV with men playing. One of the few times we got men's pool on TV.
To rack 7 ball with a normal triangle just throw the balls in that 2-3-2 format with the head ball missing. Then just turn the rack until the "head ball/1 ball" is on the spot.
If your rack sucks you can use any striped ball in the front of the rack, turn the rack until the 1 ball is on the spot, and them remove that striped ball.
7 ball also breaks extremely well. Don't be too surprised to make 2-4 balls on the break.
I'm sure you can find some 7 ball matches online.
It's actually easier to rack with a normal triangle.
If your goal is to eventually beat people in tournaments or sets in 9 ball,
then that's what you should practice breaking. It's a very specific skill and there's a lot of
knowledge that goes into figuring out how to make the wing balls, head ball, 9 ball, etc.
If you break a smaller number of balls, you don't learn that very important breaking knowledge.
And you can get spoiled. 7 ball breaks very easily even with a loose rack.
In 6 ball the corner balls are pretty easy 4 rails. It's entirely possible to beat the 6 ball ghost
and you're actually running only 5 balls per rack.
It's more work but you should break the full rack and then pick up the first few balls.
then that's what you should practice breaking. It's a very specific skill and there's a lot of
knowledge that goes into figuring out how to make the wing balls, head ball, 9 ball, etc.
If you break a smaller number of balls, you don't learn that very important breaking knowledge.
And you can get spoiled. 7 ball breaks very easily even with a loose rack.
In 6 ball the corner balls are pretty easy 4 rails. It's entirely possible to beat the 6 ball ghost
and you're actually running only 5 balls per rack.
It's more work but you should break the full rack and then pick up the first few balls.