How many of you can beat the 9-ball ghost?

Can you beat the 9 ball ghost race to 9? (be honest)

  • Yes, most of the time

    Votes: 38 20.3%

  • Yes, 50% of the time

    Votes: 30 16.0%

  • Occasionally, maybe 20% to 30%

    Votes: 49 26.2%

  • Once in a blue moon

    Votes: 47 25.1%

  • Never

    Votes: 23 12.3%
  • Total voters
    187
Salamander

Salamander

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't know if this has been asked before, but how many of you can beat the 9-ball ghost, say race to 9? Can you do it on a regular basis? Only when the stars align? Let's make this on a 9 foot table, as opposed to a bar box.

I hoping that his gives us a measure of the level of talent on this board. Please be honest in your assessment.


Regards,

Doug
 
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its been awhile since ive gotten to do that, seems like everytime i walk into the poolroom here lately im immediately swept up into some kind of partners match or ring game. A couple of months ago i got a race to 5 with the ghost and won 3 which i was pretty happy with. First slow night at the poolroom i get im gonna try a couple races to 10 and see how i average out.
 
Salamander said:
I don't know if this has been asked before, but how many of you can beat the 9-ball ghost, say race to 9? Can you do it on a regular basis? Only when the stars align? Let's make this on a 9 foot table, as opposed to a bar box.

I hoping that his gives us a measure of the level of talent on this board. Please be honest in your assessment.


Regards,

Doug
Click to expand...

I don't know. I'm guessing I can't beat the ghost on a 9' table, maybe on a 7' bar box. I'll try it tonight. I agree that would be a good way to guage someone's ability.

Alex
 
Well not only can I not shoot pool for a lick, but I can't even vote on a poll correctly.. LOL

I tried to click "Once in a blue moon" and ended up clicking the 20 - 30% of the time button..

I have beaten the ghost in short sets (races to 3) and I've gone Hill in a race to 5 (big pocket table) but those were days I felt I was playing pretty good..

For those that claim they can do it though, I'd sure like to watch a video of that if your ever inclined to setup a video camera. :)

DJ
 
A Blue Moon occurs, on average, once every two and a half years. That is about as often as I could win in a race to nine.

Playing 6 ball, I can win maybe half the time at best. About the same in 7 ball. Did I mention I suck at these games?
 
I'm gonna be practicing for a few hours tonight, and I'm going to include a few ghost races to 9. As a B+, I know that I am certainly not a favorite. Perhaps it's because I do not have a strong break, but some racks are almost impossible for me to run. I make a ball less than 50% of the time, and clusters form frequently. It is much harder than I imagined it would be. Still, I'll post my race to 9 results tonight, but I believe you need to be an least an A player to be favorite.
 
hobokenapa said:
I'm gonna be practicing for a few hours tonight, and I'm going to include a few ghost races to 9. As a B+, I know that I am certainly not a favorite. Perhaps it's because I do not have a strong break, but some racks are almost impossible for me to run. I make a ball less than 50% of the time, and clusters form frequently. It is much harder than I imagined it would be. Still, I'll post my race to 9 results tonight, but I believe you need to be an least an A player to be favorite.
Click to expand...


I agree. I think that you have to hit the A player level. Perhaps even more important is to get the break down so that the balls separate nicely. I've played the ghost on several occasions, one time I recall I could not get the balls separated very well on my break shot. Needless to say, playing the ghost was an excercise in futility when this happens.

Regards,
Doug
 
with or without BIH after the break?

FWIW, i think ten ball would be a better standard to measure.

-s
 
I would bet that not more than 2% of AZ members can beat the ghost on a fair 9 ft tbl..
 
I beat the ghost<race to five>on my 9'Anny with the 5" pockets with regularity but on my friends Diamond Pro Cut I have yet to win against the ghost......frustrating...LOL
 
Mikeg6, playing the ghost is breaking the balls, then you have ball in hand and either have to run out or make the 9 on a good hit(combo or otherwise) and if you miss you lose the game and the ghost wins the game. good practice game for your break and to see how well you are pocketing balls and well your patterns are for getting out.
 
well

I would consider myself a high C player. I play the ghost a lot of times to get my practice in. I find myself beating the ghost about 10% of all the racks I play. So I usually can beat the ghost 1 out of every 10 racks. I have beat the ghost one time in a small race to 5 set on an 8 footer with huge buckets. I consider myself a 6 ball ghost player. if i rack up 6 balls and then try to get out I can do that about 50% of the time. I hope to be able to beat the ghost in a year or two. That is a goal I am working to achieve.
 
Koop said:
Rules would be helpful. I wouldn't mind giving it a shot.
Click to expand...

I propose break with ball in hand anywhere on the table, regardless of break outcome. After that, usual rules including combos on the 9.

Any miss ends it and the ghost wins. Tight tables make the game a LOT more difficult.

Chris
 
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ribdoner said:
I would bet that not more than 2% of AZ members can beat the ghost on a fair 9 ft tbl..
Click to expand...

I think 2% is too low. When I was in practice, I think I could have beat the ghost with ball in hand after the break. I definitely could have given a spot where I get bih after the break, and the other person wins if they make a ball.

Personally, I think anyone with moderate cue ball skills, and good pocketing skills can beat the ghost with bih after the break. It does not take a world beater at all.

When I had time to play, i had total confidence in winning every game I got a clear shot in. Then again, I built my game much more around precise position than I did on making the long difficult shot, a la Buddy Hall. Buddy is able to do both.

Anyone who wants to beat the ghost consistently, I recommend getting 80-90's Buddy Hall and Jim Rempe Accu Stats videos, and practice your patterns the way you see them run them. Get where you are consistently beating the ghost that way, then incorporate some of the "juicy" stuff the Filipinos incorporate into their game.

Just remember, tho. The ghost is NOT the end-all be-all of being a good player. A human player can and will punish you more than the ghost will. That's why the top pros have to spot the ghost a few games.

Russ
 
I don't know if there is "standard" rules for playing the 9-ball ghost, but this is how I play it:

-break the balls anywhere from behind headstring
-Any balls made on the break stay down. If the 9-ball is made it counts as a win.
-There is no penalty if you scratch on the break
-You may take ball in hand after the break anywhere on the table.
-You shoot the balls in sequencial order until you either make the 9-ball or miss. Combos, caroms, and banks are allowed
-You win if you make the 9 ball, you lose if you fail to run out.

This is definately a difficult game on tight pockets. If this game is too easy you can progress to 10 ball, etc...

If the game is too hard, you can play 8 ball ghost, 7 ball ghost, etc...

It is strickly offensive and a keen test of your nerves.

Regards,
Doug
 
TATE said:
I propose break with ball in hand anywhere on the table, regardless of break outcome. After that, usual rules including combos on the 9.

Any miss ends it and the ghost wins.

Chris
Click to expand...

Sounds good to me.

Looks like my next lunch hour spent at the pool hall will be to see how badly I can be beaten by this ghost fellow.
 
Russ Chewning said:
Just remember, tho. The ghost is NOT the end-all be-all of being a good player. A human player can and will punish you more than the ghost will. That's why the top pros have to spot the ghost a few games.

Russ
Click to expand...

I watched Gabe Owen play the 12 ball ghost for $250 a rack and stay relatively even over an extended period of time. I agree that it is not the ultimate test of talent, since safety play is not incorporated, nor can you eliminate the "bad luck" factor of lousy breaks and clustered balls. It does however, teach you aggressive...."I have to run out" 9-ball.
 
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