How does your rack look???

shadow sharking or sharking shadows?

chefjeff said:
"Shadow sharking?" I've never heard that term. Is this what you're talking about:

Sometimes when I rack in a tournament or league, I'll put, on the head spot, the solid ball whose color matches the cloth on the table. Usually, the 6 ball on green cloth. I then put the 14 next to it, with the striped portion facing the breaker. On the other side goes the blue 2 (close to green) with the 10 next. I try to keep all the brighest colored balls within the rack.

Is that cheating? I guess I never figured it was, I just assumed that the rules don't cover the colors when racking so I was taking advantage where I could...but...?

Btw, I always try to set the rack tight, square, and directly on the spot...and that HAS cost me a few games, but that, to me, is the rule that must be followed or it is cheating.

Jeff Livingston

Hehe, sorry about that. I just made up that term as I typed. However, I meant it as the shadow itself is doing the sharking, not the player, so I didn't mean to imply cheating or poor sportsmanship.

I don't consider what you're doing cheating, and I wouldn't have any hard feelings for it. Although, if I noticed you were giving me a rack like that on purpose, I'd probably stop putting the 1 in the front when I rack. LOL. :)

Yeah, I think dark balls may be harder to shoot because they blend in more with the shadows.

For example, not only is there more pressure when shooting the 8-ball, but its also black, like its own shadow, which could make it harder to distinguish the edge of the ball on a poorly lit table.

I always thought this was a reason to put the 1 in the front as a courtesy, since its the brightest. Although, it probably doesn't make any difference on the break, particularly if they aim to hit it full.

Actually, I think that its part of the rules in straight pool, although I don't play it often enough so I could be wrong. I believe the 1 goes in one corner and the 5 in the other corner. So no matter which side you choose to break from, you will get to cut into a relatively bright edge of a ball.
 
We've been down this road before, but ...

I used to be very particular about how I racked, then when I thought about it it doesn't matter too much.
Now all I do is make sure the 8 is where it belongs, the middle 2 balls in the 4th row are not the same group, and the 2 back corner balls are not the same group.
 
Well ....

I might have to kill ya if I tell ya this:

_____9_____
____O O____
___10 8 12___
__O 14 O 15__
_11 O 13 O O_

This will probably blow your mind! .... lol

1) I pay attention to stripes only.
2) 9 in front because it is lucky.
3) 13 in back because it us unlucky.
4) 14 where it is because it is my least favorite stripe.
5) 10-11 on left in ascending order.
6) 12-15 on right together in ascending order.

This might seem hard, but I have done it so much, that I don't even have to think about it now. And it satisfies the requirement for a solid and a stripe on the bottom corners.
 
LMAO! I can't believe I read this entire post. CHEERS! This is a good thread after all. Thoughts, humor, superstitions, drama...Let's make it a movie! :D

I have feelings about how 9 ball should be racked, but in 8 ball...
I like the 1 in front and different ones in the back corners. The only time I pay any attention to the other balls is if I see it is all one sided , then I just swap 2 from each side. But that doesn't happen very often.
 
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