How would you adjust this spot?

Flex

Flex

Banger
Silver Member
A friend of mine and I have played 9 ball cheap for several months, with me getting the breaks and the wild 4 and 7 (4 or 7 going in on the break isn't a win, but spots up after my turn). This fellow is good. If he gets a shot on the lowest numbered ball and the balls are open, he's out probably something like 75% of the time.

Well, he needs to get ready for a tournament and wants to practice his breaks and wants to adjust the spot. At the moment, we go back and forth (on super tight pocketed GCs) and basically break even. With him getting the break, he busts them big, and I mean big, often pocketing 3 or 4 balls, and then he's out.

A very bad game for me. If he gets the breaks, I can't win, no way.

So, I'd be interested to hear what sort of spot you all think might work out. We are friends, and don't want to rob each other.

One idea I have is to play loser breaks, no matter the outcome I get BIH, and say the 7 ball. Another twist would be for me to say get the 7 or 8 or both, plus BIH after the break, and a handspan on each shot. Or perhaps two innings to his one.

Lots of ideas!

What do you think I should ask for in a spot?

Flex
 
two money balls spot directly behind the head ball most of the time... if you are getting four money balls it would be two behind the head ball and two behind the wing ball
 
yeah it sounds like if yall are playing even now.....and when he breaks he is out, and he wants to practice his break......how can you adjust the spot to get him breaking and it still be even. Yall should probably keep it like it is, then maybe make it part of the bet, if he wins you play rackboy for 5 or 10 minutes while he practices the break.
 
He gets the break, you get 5, 7, & last three and play 3 to 1 on the money. That way he practices his break and you really have a hard time getting hurt in the game. my $.02
 
Eagleshot said:
He gets the break, you get 5, 7, & last three and play 3 to 1 on the money. That way he practices his break and you really have a hard time getting hurt in the game. my $.02
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Yeah, what he said. And make him buy you a Coke every other hour.
 
Eagleshot said:
He gets the break, you get 5, 7, & last three and play 3 to 1 on the money. That way he practices his break and you really have a hard time getting hurt in the game. my $.02
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3 to 1 on the money? good grief! the kid would only have to win 1 game out of every four to break even... the other guy has to win 5 games in a row just to make any progress. i think a pretty fair game would be the 4, 6, and the last 4 if he's gettin the breaks.
 
Awesome ideas. I especially like Scottycoyote's and Eaglshot's.

I'm going to lay those on him tonight, and just to make it a bit juicier, ask him to give me two hand-spans per game too. :D

Betcha he takes the bait...

Flex
 
Maybe you guys should play some medium-length sets with you getting a couple of balls and a few games on the wire. Playing sets would put him in a situation more like tournament play, and with enough games on the wire, he would have to string racks regularly in order to outrun the spot.

Good luck!
 
Aaron_S said:
Maybe you guys should play some medium-length sets with you getting a couple of balls and a few games on the wire. Playing sets would put him in a situation more like tournament play, and with enough games on the wire, he would have to string racks regularly in order to outrun the spot.

Good luck!
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We were playing races to 7 for 10 jellybeans, scaled it back a bit to races to 5 for 5. Either way, we more or less break even. Usually play 4 to 6 sets that way.

Flex
 
Flex said:
We were playing races to 7 for 10 jellybeans, scaled it back a bit to races to 5 for 5. Either way, we more or less break even. Usually play 4 to 6 sets that way.

Flex
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I'd just ask for some on the wire, then. The problem I've found with really "creative" spots is that they're hard to adjust effectively sometimes; you may not always be sure if the change you just made is going to make the game easier or harder. With games on the wire, you just add or subtract.

Good luck!
 
Flex said:
I'm going to lay those on him tonight, and just to make it a bit juicier, ask him to give me two hand-spans per game too. :D

Betcha he takes the bait...
Flex
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I'm not trying to be sarcastic, but did you mean hand stands? That's not a bad idea. Also make him take one shoe off.
 
LOL Hal! But seriously, WTF is a "hand-span"?

Ya know, I hope you're not trying to adjust so that you could conceivable win, cause that ain't gonna happen. I mean, if someone is givieng you the WILD 4 in 9-ball, you 2 can never really play serious pool. There's just too much of a skill level difference.

But if you really wanna help a friend work on his 9-Ball break, how about this:

You put on a skirt, rack for him all night while he breaks the balls. Just BREAK-RACK-BREAK-RACK - no shooting balls at all. Afterwards, he pays you something for being his RACK-DOLLY!! :D :D :p :) :)

Hal said:
I'm not trying to be sarcastic, but did you mean hand stands? That's not a bad idea. Also make him take one shoe off.
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Flex said:
We were playing races to 7 for 10 jellybeans, scaled it back a bit to races to 5 for 5. Either way, we more or less break even. Usually play 4 to 6 sets that way.

Flex
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If you are already breaking even how much better do you want it? To me it seems like he is spotting you too much as it is.

Be happy with what you get and practice more and play harder.

It sounds like he is giving you a cheap lesson.

Jake
 
jjinfla said:
If you are already breaking even how much better do you want it? To me it seems like he is spotting you too much as it is.

Be happy with what you get and practice more and play harder.

It sounds like he is giving you a cheap lesson.

Jake
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He's a friend, a real friend. There've been times when I've been up, others when he's up. He likes the challenge, as do I.

Nobody wants to get hurt. I don't want his money; he doesn't want mine. But he said he needs to play for something. We never just shoot around. So there are consequences for both of us if we don't play a good game. As it is, either one of us can definitely pull ahead of the other depending on rolls, and so on.

By the way, we switched how we're playing.

Here's the deal: I get the wild 4 and 7, including on the break. If the 4 or 7 pots when he breaks, after his turn, if he didn't run out, the 4 or 7 spots up. If he doesn't make a ball on his break, I get BIH. I also get BIH after my break, even if I don't make a ball, unless I scratch. The loser always breaks.

Somewhat complicated. The first 3 sets these details were in my head and it was swimming, and I played very poorly. I washed my face, simplified my shotmaking selection, and started to play reasonably again.

It's incredible how mental 9 ball can be. Ditto for other games, but get tired when shooting 9 ball and get ready for problems. Oh well, that's life.

Thanks so much for all the suggestions and ideas.

Flex
 
Deadon said:
Tell him to buy a Breakrak.............
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The issue isn't just breaking, it's breaking and running out, stringing racks together. I suggested the breaking idea as part of the prize but he wants to do it in the heat of battle, so to speak. Just breaking is insufficient. It's break and run, with something on the line. I like the way he thinks...

Flex
 
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