Recently I was talking to a friend as he was recovering a nine foot Diamond table and he was telling me about a bet he was offered. A guy wanted to bet him that he could break a rack of 9 ball on a table without rails installed and all balls would be knocked off the table. My friend accepted the bet and the challenger thought about it and cancelled the bet. Obviously, after the break all balls must move enough to contact a rail if it they were to be able to fall off and I can't remember ever seeing that happen. With enough cue ball speed I think it could be done but how much speed must be generated? I figure there are enough mathematicians on the forum to provide the answer.
How much speed?
- Thread starter Doug
- Start date
I would accept that bet every time and give odds!
Also, if you have a perfectly tight rack ( as in a sardo, for example) the nine will never move out of the rack area unless it is kicked by another ball which pretty much won't happen if there are no cushions for a ball to rebound off of!
I would take this bet from anyone any day!
Maybe he meant with no rails AND no cloth! That may be more likely!
Jw
Also, if you have a perfectly tight rack ( as in a sardo, for example) the nine will never move out of the rack area unless it is kicked by another ball which pretty much won't happen if there are no cushions for a ball to rebound off of!
I would take this bet from anyone any day!
Maybe he meant with no rails AND no cloth! That may be more likely!
Jw
I would have to bet that any good player or better can do this no problem.
Clip the one ball, hitting the 2nd ball farely full.
I guarentee the nine ball will move and with some speed enough to get to the rail.
No rails = ALL the balls are on the floor.
Cue ball too......
Clip the one ball, hitting the 2nd ball farely full.
I guarentee the nine ball will move and with some speed enough to get to the rail.
No rails = ALL the balls are on the floor.
Cue ball too......
I agree with the other poster that this can be done, but with a non traditional typical 9 ball break. With a traditional break, ideally if the rack is tight, the 9 won't move unless kicked. The nine can't be kicked unless there are rails to kick from. Problem number two, a full center ball hit on the CB would generate the most power, but would run the risk of stopping the CB. I'm assuming the bet includes getting the CB off the table too? So yes, I would agree that a very thin hit on the one ball allowing for pretty good contact with one of the balls on the 2nd row. Normally you wouldn't want to do this because you're not only turning the CB loose, but you also run the risk of a scratch in one of the corner pockets. No rails=no pockets=no scratch. A fairly solid hit on one of the 2nd row balls would then move the 9, and with luck, enough to move it off the table.
As far as how much speed, as with any typical break, as long as you get a good chunk of the 2nd row ball, you probably wouldn't need much speed.
dave
As far as how much speed, as with any typical break, as long as you get a good chunk of the 2nd row ball, you probably wouldn't need much speed.
dave
Illegal break
You got to drive 4 balls to a rail.
My 2 best breaks ever at 9-ball.
..made 7
...made 5 and hung 3
Both times the cue-ball and the 9 never hit a rail.
I think cutting the 1 would result in fewer balls leaving the table.
...even Shane could get my watch on this one
You got to drive 4 balls to a rail.
My 2 best breaks ever at 9-ball.
..made 7
...made 5 and hung 3
Both times the cue-ball and the 9 never hit a rail.
I think cutting the 1 would result in fewer balls leaving the table.
...even Shane could get my watch on this one
well, I am not kidding. I would love to take this bet. The logistics are prob a bit too much for this to come off. We would have to both be in the same area and find a table with the rails off.
I am not going to sit and bark over a bet that almost surely won't happen, but if this very unlikely situation ever comes up, I will be first in line with my $$. My only stipulation is that it must be a legal break with a hit on the one ball. That is it!
Jw
You don't need a table with the rails off. Roll up towels and put them along the cushions. Helpers pick up any ball that touches the towels as quickly as they can.
This bet is easy to do with the rails on. Just video the break and bet that the breaker cannot make all the balls hit a rail on the break. It can be done I think but not on purpose and not consistently.
After you beat him on a pool table let him try it on a carom table with fast cloth.
I once bet a guy that he couldn't make the nine hit a rail on a bartable. Of course I gaffe racked him - he bet he could do it no matter how I racked. I left the last three loose.
I didn't take his money but I made a believer out of him.
After you beat him on a pool table let him try it on a carom table with fast cloth.
I once bet a guy that he couldn't make the nine hit a rail on a bartable. Of course I gaffe racked him - he bet he could do it no matter how I racked. I left the last three loose.
I didn't take his money but I made a believer out of him.
This is an interesting debate....
I think if I had to bet this 50 times...I'd bet against and come up winner 45 or better.
But it really is easy to imagine CRACK! And they all find an edge to ball off.
Id guess the table holds more the two or three balls each time though...maybe more with no rebound balls to hit the sleepers.
I think if I had to bet this 50 times...I'd bet against and come up winner 45 or better.
But it really is easy to imagine CRACK! And they all find an edge to ball off.
Id guess the table holds more the two or three balls each time though...maybe more with no rebound balls to hit the sleepers.
What you would lose in this scenario is a ball coming from the rack, coming off rails and hitting other balls (9 ball) into a rail, once a ball touches a rail, it is off the table and can not carom into any others. This would be an interesting bet.
I'd agree that a one pocket stlye break would be the best route to try to beat the gaffe....if you can seperate the pack somewhat and then go back into it you would get rebounds off balls to replace the lost rebounds off cushions...
tuff to beat i'd imagine tho...
tuff to beat i'd imagine tho...