Basically, how do you rack 'em? Most of us have seen people constantly shuffling balls around while putting together an 8Ball rack, and while watching this I find myself asking, "Is there any rhyme or reason to what this person is doing, other than making sure the 8Ball is in the center"? Then one day I tried something. What I did was, rack the balls so that I matched the colors together and in a (somewhat) numerical sequence.
That is, I start with 1Ball (which is solid yellow) in the head spot, then I put the 9Ball (which is the yellow striped ball) diagonally behind it. Then I put in the 2Ball (which is solid blue). Then behind the 2Ball I put the 11Ball (which is blue striped). Then I put the 8Ball against the 9Ball, 2Ball and the 10Ball. Then I put the 3Ball behind the 9Ball, and I follow the 3 (red solid ball) with the 11Ball (which is red striped). Then I put the 4Ball along side the 11Ball, and then I following the 4Ball (which is solid purple) with the 12Ball (which is purple striped). Then I put the 5Ball next to the 12Ball, and I follow the 5 (orange solid ball) with the 13 (orange striped ball). Then I put the 6Ball next to the 13Ball, and then I follow the 6 (green solid ball) with the 14 (green striped ball). Then I put the 15Ball next to the 14Ball, and then I finish off by placing the 7 (burgundy solid ball) in the corner, along side the 15 (burgundy striped ball).
Anyway, what I've found is that by doing this I always know how I'm going to rack 'em when I approach the table. I've found that I'm racking them faster, and my racks have somewhat of an evenly dispersed stripe ball/solid ball pattern. And at the corners of the rack, I always have a strip ball in one corner and a solid ball in the other. So now, not only do I spend less time racking, but I've found that the balls spread pretty evenly and nicely around the table.
So I'd like to know if anyone sees any flaws or benefits in this pattern I've being using. Also, I'd like to get some feedback from others to see what racking patterns or methods you are using, because sometimes I see folks just throwing balls around, and I wonder if they really have a method to their madness.
That is, I start with 1Ball (which is solid yellow) in the head spot, then I put the 9Ball (which is the yellow striped ball) diagonally behind it. Then I put in the 2Ball (which is solid blue). Then behind the 2Ball I put the 11Ball (which is blue striped). Then I put the 8Ball against the 9Ball, 2Ball and the 10Ball. Then I put the 3Ball behind the 9Ball, and I follow the 3 (red solid ball) with the 11Ball (which is red striped). Then I put the 4Ball along side the 11Ball, and then I following the 4Ball (which is solid purple) with the 12Ball (which is purple striped). Then I put the 5Ball next to the 12Ball, and I follow the 5 (orange solid ball) with the 13 (orange striped ball). Then I put the 6Ball next to the 13Ball, and then I follow the 6 (green solid ball) with the 14 (green striped ball). Then I put the 15Ball next to the 14Ball, and then I finish off by placing the 7 (burgundy solid ball) in the corner, along side the 15 (burgundy striped ball).

Anyway, what I've found is that by doing this I always know how I'm going to rack 'em when I approach the table. I've found that I'm racking them faster, and my racks have somewhat of an evenly dispersed stripe ball/solid ball pattern. And at the corners of the rack, I always have a strip ball in one corner and a solid ball in the other. So now, not only do I spend less time racking, but I've found that the balls spread pretty evenly and nicely around the table.
So I'd like to know if anyone sees any flaws or benefits in this pattern I've being using. Also, I'd like to get some feedback from others to see what racking patterns or methods you are using, because sometimes I see folks just throwing balls around, and I wonder if they really have a method to their madness.