How does a ghost ball win compare to break and run in 9 ball?

[judochoke]

If a break and run in 9 ball is let’s say a 10 out of 10, is getting a ghost ball win ranked maybe a 8 out of 10?

Obviously a break and run is the grand prize in 9 ball. Nothing tops it. But to me a ghost ball win is pretty damm good also. Or is it?

Hope this is not a stupid question. But I’m still working on my break, and I don’t get many chances to get that first shot. So I go with a ghost ball game. Thanks for any input.

 

[Bob Jewett]

A ghost ball is something else entirely. I think you mean playing the ghost with ball in hand after the break.

 

[Z-Nole]

Think of it this way. A break and run out is like reaching a climax after banging that hot neighbor. A ghost ball run out is reaching a climax by yourself while thinking of that same hot neighbor. Same result but different trophy.

 

[jimmyco]

When you wake your family at 3 AM because you screamed like a little girl, they may eventually forgive you if it's a BnR.

 

[jimmyco]

Think of it this way. A break and run out is like reaching a climax after banging that hot neighbor. A ghost ball run out is reaching a climax by yourself while thinking of that same hot neighbor. Same result but different trophy.

Where do you live?

Oh, Tampa. Nevermind.

 

[Z-Nole]

Where do you live?

Oh, Tampa. Nevermind.

Yes, I’m Florida Man.

 

[hang-the-9]

If a break and run in 9 ball is let’s say a 10 out of 10, is getting a ghost ball win ranked maybe a 8 out of 10?

Obviously a break and run is the grand prize in 9 ball. Nothing tops it. But to me a ghost ball win is pretty damm good also. Or is it?

Hope this is not a stupid question. But I’m still working on my break, and I don’t get many chances to get that first shot. So I go with a ghost ball game. Thanks for any input.

If a steak and 12 oz of beer a 10 is lamb with red wine a 8?

A run out in 9 even with ball in hand is still pretty good.

I think beating the ghost to a race in 7 or 9 in 9 ball is harder than a single break and run. I've had way more BRNs than I've beaten the 9 ball ghost. Or do you just mean running a 9 ball rack with ball in hand and not actually beating the ghost in a set which is what that usually means? That is still a good B player / A player level.

 

[judochoke]

Yes. Ball in hand after the break. Great analogy Z. Yes your right. No comparison. I’m just talking about one game winning with ball in hand after the break. Yes, when I do get the very occasional break and run, nobody cares, not even the dog. He just lifts up his head for a moment, looks at me, and goes back to sleep.

Still a long way to a race to 7 beating the ghost. But I will get there. :smile::smile::smile:

 

[michael4]

ball in hand should give you good position on the first three balls, and even the choice to break up a bad cluster off the one ball, so I that makes break and run about 3-5 times harder.....IMHO

 

[Texas Carom Club]

Think of it this way. A break and run out is like reaching a climax after banging that hot neighbor. A ghost ball run out is reaching a climax by yourself while thinking of that same hot neighbor. Same result but different trophy.

the later for me, no complications :thumbup:

 

[ChrisinNC]

You simply can’t even begin to compare / equivocate what you do in solo practice as opposed to what you do in a tournament match or $$ match.

 

[Patrick53212]

Combo of the two

Yeah, a break n run is way better than playing the ghost a game. However, you can practice both at the same damn time...if you have a shot on the object ball after the break, you have to runout from the break to win OR if you don't have a shot on the object ball after the break, you take ball in hand to start. If you scratch on the break, you lose. That is how I have been practicing lately. You get lazy if you don't practice your break to make a ball AND get the cue ball in the center of table or where you have a higher percentage of seeing the object ball after the break. Just my two cents.

 

[iusedtoberich]

To put it in perspective, Darren just recently live streamed 19 9 ball ghost wins in a row. Dechaine just beat the 10 ball ghost something like 9-2 on live stream. And about 5 years ago, neils beat the 9 ball ghost on live stream something like 120-20.

So it’s like 5 times easier than a break and run during a match.

 

[sjm]

If a break and run in 9 ball is let’s say a 10 out of 10, is getting a ghost ball win ranked maybe a 8 out of 10?

Obviously a break and run is the grand prize in 9 ball. Nothing tops it. But to me a ghost ball win is pretty damm good also. Or is it?

Hope this is not a stupid question. But I’m still working on my break, and I don’t get many chances to get that first shot. So I go with a ghost ball game. Thanks for any input.

If a runout in actual play from the break is a 10, surely a runout against the ghost ball in hand is less, perhaps an 8.

A safety battle won followed by a runout would be 11.

A rack in which you had to kick and play defense to win control of the table would be a 12.

 

[u12armresl]

IF you are playing BIH ghost, you don't have to worry about the 1 ball and will probably break differently.

Depending on what rack and how you are breaking, I would say it's about a 10 vs a 7 or so, in terms of difficulty.

 

[iusedtoberich]

Here is another way to look at it. What is the average pro break and run in say 9 ball? Something like 25%-30% (for the top pros)?

That same group, if you had them play 100 racks of 9 ball ghost, they would win probably 80 plus racks.

So 25-30 out of 100
vs
80 out of 100.

Huge, huge, huge difference.

 

[alstl]

For level of skill required break and run is more difficult but in a match they are identical. Play a good safe and get bih or opponent scratches.

I see players play safe with a chance to make the object ball because they don't like the layout and want bih or want the opponent to break open the balls that are tied up.

 

[The_JV]

IF you are playing BIH ghost, you don't have to worry about the 1 ball and will probably break differently.

This^^^^

I don't want to say that playing BIH Ghost is easy, but it does take an insane amount of pressure off of the break. In fact the break changes enough that you don't concentrate on making a ball, or controlling the 1 at all. The focus is only to hit the balls hard enough to open them up, and hopefully prevent clusters.

I beat the BIH Ghost fairly regularly so I switched to Pro Ghost (no BIH). World of difference, very humbling, and a ton more similar to real match play.

 

[nick serdula]

The ghost is a gaff

If you can break and run asking the ghost ball in hand is robbering. Hand me your money a better name maybe? 25 in three run away.
Nick

 

[pt109]

If a break and run in 9 ball is let’s say a 10 out of 10, is getting a ghost ball win ranked maybe a 8 out of 10?

Obviously a break and run is the grand prize in 9 ball. Nothing tops it. But to me a ghost ball win is pretty damm good also. Or is it?

Hope this is not a stupid question. But I’m still working on my break, and I don’t get many chances to get that first shot. So I go with a ghost ball game. Thanks for any input.

The good thing about playing the ghost is you don’t have to get lucky to have a shot on the 1-ball.
So ghost practise is a much better way to improve your game...and where you place the
cue ball to start is 100% skill.

I would expect my run-out rate would be 10 times better with the ghost.
First...you get cue ball in hand...in match play, sometimes you can’t get a shot at the first ball.
Second...in match play there is an extra decision....should I play safe?
....with the ghost, it’s full steam ahead, you’ll make shots you’d never go for in a match.