How do you carry your magic rack with you?

[hang-the-9]

When I see people bringing in these things i just roll my eyes.

Spoken like a man that is OK with bad racks.
We bring our own $20-30 chalk, a $30 chalk holder for said chalk, multiple pool cues, gloves, towels, a cue ball, sometimes a full set of balls, bags of powder, sandpaper, shaft conditioner, tip tools, but the .1 oz piece of material that works amazingly is the silly one.
Outside of your own cue, a template rack is the #1 thing that will improve the game if the other equipment is normal. The only other thing I would swap out at a random pool hall over the rack is the ball set if it's beat up. Past that, nothing we can bring or use will improve the game more than a template rack.

 

[Texas3cushion]

@Zerksies @The_JV

I've always been a fan of both using the MR and not using it.

Mostly because there are problems to solve with both options.

If i'm preparing for a tournament that will be using the MR, i'll use one and see if i can learn something from it.

Both racks with or without the MG always have some kind of consistency regardless if it's racked tight or not.

For example, if i'm getting loose racks from a guy in 9b, as long as the 1 is frozen to the other two balls. I won't stress the tightness of the whole rack. and focus more on trying to make the 1 in the side.

I don't want to be a victim of lack of knowledge because i think either option is silly.

 

[The_JV]

If i know a player is doing shitty racks, I'm checking the racking

I get it... boils down to equipment really. Zero chance of getting a decent (forget about perfect) racks in my home room. Tables and spots are terrible.

 

[Gatz]

Magic/template racks are amazing. I bet I've saved a lot of wasted hours and back pain just from using magic/template racks alone since I've started using them. I just bring them in with the package it came with, same as The_JV

 

[King T]

Some halls almost never replace their spots making racking a pita and very time consuming.
I'd rather spend my time playing/practicing than breaking my back trying to get a tight rack for minutes at a time.
Templates are not needed in most places.
Many amateur tournaments are played with templates (mandatory), so some may feel inclined to practice how they compete.

Templates are needed in most places because most places dont cater to Pool players, so out of round balls, old racks and spots that haven't been replaced with divots make the template valuable.

 

[The_JV]

@Zerksies @The_JV

I've always been a fan of both using the MR and not using it.

Mostly because there are problems to solve with both options.

If i'm preparing for a tournament that will be using the MR, i'll use one and see if i can learn something from it.

Both racks with or without the MG always have some kind of consistency regardless if it's racked tight or not.

For example, if i'm getting loose racks from a guy in 9b, as long as the 1 is frozen to the other two balls. I won't stress the tightness of the whole rack. and focus more on trying to make the 1 in the side.

I don't want to be a victim of lack of knowledge because i think either option is silly.

Not all templates are equal. The plastic types (magic rack, etc) actually change the breaking dynamics of the rack. The OBs tend to hop out of them. Thicker the rack, the worse it gets. The Accurack templates are made of a material and don't effect the balls nearly as much. ...and although the Accurack will effect a ball rolling very slowly against it. Far more often than not, it has no effect at all.

I agree it's always a sound to get a feel for breaking either rack. I will argue the likely hood of getting even remotely consistent racks throughout a tourney when you're jumping from table to table. Keep in mind we're not just speaking of a uniform and tight rack, but the location of that rack as well. The typical spot gives you a +/- of 1/2" from center. That 1" variance changes how the balls will disperse.

As far as chasing a tight hand rack of 9 ball. I agree with you and employ the same criteria of only wanting the top few balls tight. Of course it's to the breaker's advantage to have the back end loose. As it allows the 9 to drop directly into the bottom corners.

Here's my take on Hand vs Template...: I can chase a hand rack for several minutes and still not get anything satisfactory. Even if it seems ok, the odds are there are flaws unnoticed. That flawed rack is going to determine whether or not I'm going to stay at the table. A ball rolling back into the template during the break is not one that's going to matter to if I'm getting another shot. Templates can be removed immediately after the break. If there are balls on it, they can be removed and replaced. It's way easier then people make it seem. In the case of both 9 and 10 ball... it's rare the template can't be removed without drama.

I also believe that each player has the right to the best rack possible. I think it an unfair advantage if either player gains the advantage if their opponent suffers a sub-par rack.

A template is the quickest and most bullet proof method we have at our disposal to produce solid and consistent racks for both players. Since they have become mainstream, the only players that I have ran into that refuse to use a template believe they have some breaking advantage otherwise. Which is fine, and may be true.

 

[kingwang]

I put mine in a book.

 

[King T]

I play two guys that wont play with the template so I bring my Delta rack and it really does rack better than plastic or wood..., but the noise!!

 

[The_JV]

I play two guys that wont play with the template so I bring my Delta rack and it really does rack better than plastic or wood..., but the noise!!

I had a "who's really better" match of pride a while back with another strong local shooter. The negotiations for how the match would be played went back and forth for a while. I conceded everything he wanted other than hand racking. Flat out told him that if we weren't using a template it wouldn't happen. We both knew he had an advantage with hand racking as he is capable of generating more power than I. He clearly wanted that advantage, and I don't blame him. However I don't believe competitive pool is meant to be a breaking contest, and in the end all the template means is we both get to hit properly placed and consistent racks. You still need to hit it right.

I should add that this player isn't against templates at all, and I see him use them all the time. Templates are only a thing of contention when he matches up with someone that can out play him but not out smack hand racks.

 

[King T]

I had a "who's really better" match of pride a while back with another strong local shooter. The negotiations for how the match would be played went back and forth for a while. I conceded everything he wanted other than hand racking. Flat out told him that if we weren't using a template it wouldn't happen. We both knew he had an advantage with hand racking as he is capable of generating more power than I. He clearly wanted that advantage, and I don't blame him. However I don't believe competitive pool is meant to be a breaking contest, and in the end all the template means is we both get to hit properly placed and consistent racks. You still need to hit it right.

I should add that this player isn't against templates at all, and I see him use them all the time. Templates are only a thing of contention when he matches up with someone that can out play him but not out smack hand racks.

I understand that, its just standing around watching guys argue about the rack gets old. The temples do making pocketing the wing ball almost a given, but its still rare for amateur to run more than a few racks, even the pros don't seem to out together big runs.

I dont think the template turns the game into a breaking contest, but with the template the advantage does to the guy with the better technique for sure.

 

[Gatz]

I understand that, its just standing around watching guys argue about the rack gets old. The temples do making pocketing the wing ball almost a given, but its still rare for amateur to run more than a few racks, even the pros don't seem to out together big runs.

I dont think the template turns the game into a breaking contest, but with the template the advantage does to the guy with the better technique for sure.

Wing ball a given? You must be talking about 9ball 1 on the spot, who the hell plays that anymore? lol. With a template rack only 9ball 1 on the spot is a given wing ball. All the other variations require some practice/skill to get it consistently. 9ball on spot is a much better 9ball game. Nobody around here plays 1 on spot anymore, unless its CPGay (CPA/APA league).

9ball, 1 on spot, 7ft table, magic/template rack is by the far the worse game there is. Shouldn't even exist anymore it's so easy.

 

[xX-Wizard-Xx]

i like just racking the damn balls and if the opponent says something he can rack his own ... typcally the balls racked just fine uness your tables are bad then you should probably go somewhere else

 

[The_JV]

I understand that, its just standing around watching guys argue about the rack gets old. The temples do making pocketing the wing ball almost a given, but its still rare for amateur to run more than a few racks, even the pros don't seem to out together big runs.

See there's the thing. It's never an argument for me. If someone just wants to swing at balls, then I'm indifferent to the method used. If they want to actually compete, then it's a template or move on to the next fish.

I dont think the template turns the game into a breaking contest, but with the template the advantage does to the guy with the better technique for sure.

Sorry, you have my thoughts reversed. I meant that pool shouldn't be a breaking contest, and that a template is the best tool to even that playing field.

 

[The_JV]

i like just racking the damn balls and if the opponent says something he can rack his own ... typcally the balls racked just fine uness your tables are bad then you should probably go somewhere else

Man I wish I had an option.... Other than getting a loan for a few hundred thousand and opening up my own room...lol

 

[xX-Wizard-Xx]

Man I wish I had an option.... Other than getting a loan for a few hundred thousand and opening up my own room...lol

me too... a room with nothing but 9ft+ tables would be wonderful

 

[King T]

Wing ball a given? You must be talking about 9ball 1 on the spot, who the hell plays that anymore? lol. With a template rack only 9ball 1 on the spot is a given wing ball. All the other variations require some practice/skill to get it consistently. 9ball on spot is a much better 9ball game. Nobody around here plays 1 on spot anymore, unless its CPGay (CPA/APA league).

9ball, 1 on spot, 7ft table, magic/template rack is by the far the worse game there is. Shouldn't even exist anymore it's so easy.

Are you a gambler? Everybody in Texas plays 9ball on the spot and all the Action is played that way too. As far a it being a game that shouldn't exist anymore, I still haven't seen those big packages from any non-pro no matter what rack or how its racked.

 

[The_JV]

Are you a gambler? Everybody in Texas plays 9ball on the spot and all the Action is played that way too.

He was saying that no one plays 1 on the spot anymore. It's all 9 on spot for tourney play and typically a template

As far a it being a game that shouldn't exist anymore, I still haven't seen those big packages from any non-pro no matter what rack or how its racked.

9ball, 1 on spot, template, small table... ....shouldn't exist. Its so automatic it's like playing pool with cheat codes.

 

[King T]

He was saying that no one plays 1 on the spot anymore. It's all 9 on spot for tourney play and typically a template

9ball, 1 on spot, template, small table... ....shouldn't exist. Its so automatic it's like playing pool with cheat codes.

To automatic for who? Are you talking about Pro's? Because nothing in Pool is easy for amateurs, nothing!

 

[The_JV]

To automatic for who? Are you talking about Pro's? Because nothing in Pool is easy for amateurs, nothing!

I'm an amateur as well, but it takes moments of practice to figure out how to hit a template conditioned 9 ball rack (1 on the spot), as to make the wing ball in the corner.

It really is quite simple and the rack needs to be poorly done for it not to drop the wing ball.

I encourage you to spend 10-15mins to experiment with it.

 

[King T]

I'm an amateur as well, but it takes moments of practice to figure out how to hit a template conditioned 9 ball rack (1 on the spot), as to make the wing ball in the corner.

It really is quite simple and the rack needs to be poorly done for it not to drop the wing ball.

I encourage you to spend 10-15mins to experiment with it.

I was really talking about automatic runouts' not so much the wing ball. The wing ball is really a lock most of the time in 9Ball regardless of the rack type if the balls are frozen. I just dont agree with the argument that the magic rack makes the game easy or the layout of the balls automatic for the runouts.