Ghost WITHOUT BIH... work up drill

dirtypool40

dirtypool40

I love this freakin' game
Silver Member
I've been getting in a rut, so I took a page from other hobby / training and started really easy and simple and doing a "work up".

I played the ghost, WITHOUT BIH, beginning with three balls in rotation. People were sneering at me, as though I was practicing 3-ball the game.

Once I was stopping my ball well and getting out smoothly, I racked a little four ball diamond, and worked them in rotation.

Then to the five ball ghost. I racked a little four ball diamond with a tail. as in the diagram.

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This drill got me to slow down, see the simplicity of a short rack out, those "pieces" each of us is guilty of screwing up now and then, and above all how important it is to squat your rock on the snap.

You also have to "just do it" when you end up staring at a bank as your first shot.

You also get the sense of just smoothly "stringing racks" where you quit getting the "OMG here comes the 9, this would be a 3-pack" rush, and just work through the patterns.

Yes, I am well aware I am not a monster for stringing 2-3 racks of 5-ball,:grinning-moose: I just think there's some value to the drill, hopefully to help me break through this current "B" plateau I have been stuck in.

I ran out of time before I got to the six ball ghost, but I wondered if anyone else had used a similar drill before.
 
I think what you're describing is a good way to approach playing the ghost. While some on here can beat the 9 ball ghost, most of us can't.

Working up from a small number of balls gives you the opportunity to be successful and gain confidence. As you get better, you can move up to another ball. You could either do this every rack, where a win moves you up and a loss moves you back, or do it by sets. The techniques and shots are the same as with a full rack, but the congestion is lower, and you only have to make x shots in a row instead of 9.

Confidence is highly important, so anything that builds it is good in my book. Another benefit to the x-ball ghost approach is knowing how many balls you can get out on. For example, if you know that you usually beat the 5 ball ghost, when you come to the table with 5 balls on it and a shot on the low ball, you'll not only have confidence, but you'll know it isn't false confidence.

I think you hit squarely on the critical difference between BIH ghost and non-BIH ghost play. It's all about the break. But I would suggest that the break isn't that important unless you're beating at least the 7 or probably the 8 ball BIH ghost, because other parts of your game could benefit more, and deliver a more valuable payback from the work.
 
Thanks John, good post. You're close enough I should buy you a beer sometime. :thumbup:

I'm struggling at I'm guessing an "upper B" kinda plateau. I can fight it out pretty good against the 9-ball ghost on a softer table, but on a tight 9' that's breaking tough, it's tough action.

You're spot on about the break. I have a pretty solid break (for my level) and with the x-ball ghost NO BIH I can concentrate on a GOOD break instead of just a HARD one.

Sure, "clusters happen" and even a perfect breaker can't get out every time against the 8,9 or 10-ball ghost without BIH. The BIH Ghost has it's own merits as a teaching aid and planning the run out vs. being dropped in a spot and having to shoot your way out with some desparation shot on the 1.

But the fact remains, with the BIH ghost the temptation is there to just throw the ball at the rack in hopes of dropping a couple.

Who me? I'd never do that. :grinning-moose:
 
I play the 6-Ball ghost all the time when practicing for 9-ball. I think it's great because it helps you, like you say, manage smaller patterns and get comfortable running balls and not psyching yourself out when you're actually playing for real.

What I also like is that when there are fewer balls on the table, it's easier to plan a pattern out from the start, and this is a useful building block to a better 9 - 10 ball game.

I'm with you, I like these drills.:thumbup:
 
When i'm practicing, what I mostly do consists of things similar to this.

I usually do two, sometimes 3 drills, to get warmed up and get the consistent stroke feeling in.

Then I start racking random 9 ball racks ( any ball ), break, then run out.

On average days i'll usually miss once or twice every other rack. Sometimes more sometimes less.
 
Anyone have an idea of how a "C", "B", "A" player should do against 9-ball ghost w/o BIH, like in a race to 7? Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
Anyone have an idea of how a "C", "B", "A" player should do against 9-ball ghost w/o BIH, like in a race to 7? Johnnyt
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I don't think any of the above would beat it. Most shortstops would not bet this game on a big table. 3 or 4 games for an A would be good. That would be 3/10 or 4/11 break and run percentage if you are playing a race to 7. I think it is useless for a C or a B to play that game other than to just try and have some fun.
 
Johnnyt said:
Anyone have an idea of how a "C", "B", "A" player should do against 9-ball ghost w/o BIH, like in a race to 7? Johnnyt
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It would be difficult to guess at this because alot of what makes an A player an A player is the ability to play safe and keep control of the game. When you are playing the ghost safe play doesn't exist.
 
I feel better

kryptonite9 said:
I don't think any of the above would beat it. Most shortstops would not bet this game on a big table. 3 or 4 games for an A would be good. That would be 3/10 or 4/11 break and run percentage if you are playing a race to 7. I think it is useless for a C or a B to play that game other than to just try and have some fun.
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Thanks, great question Johnny, the ghost on my table is one tough sob!!!:cool:
 
swrooster said:
Thanks, great question Johnny, the ghost on my table is one tough sob!!!:cool:
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Just to be clear Johnny asked about the ghost without ball in hand. Most play the ghost BIH. The comment about safes is so true. I think for A players and above it is not about break and run percentages but making fewer mistakes and controlling the game.
 
Literate Ghost

kryptonite9 said:
Just to be clear Johnny asked about the ghost without ball in hand. Most play the ghost BIH. The comment about safes is so true. I think for A players and above it is not about break and run percentages but making fewer mistakes and controlling the game.
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My ghost can read also...ergo; w/o=without
(That's what makes him so tough, he can read my mind also)
 
Johnnyt said:
Anyone have an idea of how a "C", "B", "A" player should do against 9-ball ghost w/o BIH, like in a race to 7? Johnnyt
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You figure you would have to have a Break and Run average of greater than 50% to beat the 9 ball ghost without BIH. The Percentage would have to be even higher if you wanted to win regularly.

If you arent playing on a familiar table and pattern-racking, I dont see anyone being able to beat this on a regular basis.... A, B, C, Pro, Whatever.
 
kryptonite9 said:
I don't think any of the above would beat it. Most shortstops would not bet this game on a big table. 3 or 4 games for an A would be good. That would be 3/10 or 4/11 break and run percentage if you are playing a race to 7. I think it is useless for a C or a B to play that game other than to just try and have some fun.
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Thanks, and I agree. It is really tough even on a BB for me. To beat it I have to have perfect QB control and have a shot on the first ball. With ball in hand I do better breaking hard from 1st diamond making wingball. W/O BIH I seem to do better with a slower break from the side, making the one-ball in side. Johnnyt
 
I do an almost identical drill, and find it very useful. I'm like a D to D+ 9 ball player, if such a thing exists, so I'm usually just playing the 3 ball, 4 ball, or 5 ball ghost. The only variation that I have from your system is that I break a regular 9 ball break then take the low balls off the table to get to the 3 ball, four ball or five ball ghost. That way I'm getting extra practice on my regular 9 ball break.

Here's one question for the group- should I wait until I'm beating the ghost in a longer race before moving up one level? That is, as soon as I beat the four ball ghost once, move up to 5 ball ghost, or wait until I beat it in a race to 5 or ten?

Finally, what are the advantages and disadvantages to practicing this drill with BIH? Other than, of course, doing it with BIH is easier. But doesn't no BIH more closely resemble a real game situation?
 
In the begining I would use BIH and go up one ball. When you can beat the ghost 60% or more of the time and you get to 9-balls, then start back at 3-ball w'o BIH. Knowing you can beat it with BIH helps you when you go to w/o BIH. You know that if you break well and get a shot on the 1st ball you have a good chance to runout.

I kept trying to move up one ball too fast when I first came back to the game. When I figured out that I needed to beat the 6 ball ghost more than 60% before moving up things went a lot better. Good luck to you and take your time on each shot, think 3 balls ahead, and play pinpoint position on evey shot. If you think it's a scratch-shot, it probably is. Look for another pocket or bank. Johnnyt
 
BryanBpool said:
You figure you would have to have a Break and Run average of greater than 50% to beat the 9 ball ghost without BIH. The Percentage would have to be even higher if you wanted to win regularly.

If you arent playing on a familiar table and pattern-racking, I dont see anyone being able to beat this on a regular basis.... A, B, C, Pro, Whatever.
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Yes it's my BB and I pattern rack. Johnnyt
 
Apocalypse2012 said:
so its ok to pattern rack when no one is looking?:eek:
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I need a little something to beat the ghost and get on the 1st ball. Get "Racking Secrets" DVD by Joe Tucker...it's amazing. Brought me up close to two balls against the ghost. I would never patern rack in a real game:eek:. Johnnyt
 
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