In a 9 or 10-ball Ring Game for $ with 4 or more players, is it permitted to play a safety?

C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I say it is never cool, but I’ve seen it happen, most often in a 3-4 player ring game when the players have conspired against one player, often trying to disguise their safeties as legitimate attempts.

Obviously a safety should never be allowed in a 3 player ring game, but in a 4+ player ring game, is there an accepted no safety allowed policy? I’ve always thought that should be the case, even if it’s not clearly stated at the outset, even though playing a safety might increase your chances to get back to your turn at the table.

I’ve seen some ring games address this potential problem by giving the next shooter the option to allow the current shooter to shoot again, not only after a foul but after any missed shot.

I remember a number of years ago we had an all night 4 player ring game in our poolroom. Even though we switched the order up ever 4-5 games, every time this one player shooting in front of me had a tough shot, he disguised his defensive shot as an honest attempt, and this became quite obvious to me.

It took all night but this guy finally quit after losing a considerable $ sum, with me coming out on top. His table time $ bill was rather large, and I guess he assumed I wouldn’t be charging him. He was quite upset when I did charge him the full $ amount, and I made a point to tell him exactly why.
 
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NO. I've never played where that was allowed.
I like the idea of being able to pass a miss back to the previous shooter.
That would make for less suspicion among players.
I think I'll use that one.
 
We never played safe. I'm not sure it was an actual rule. We had a rule that allowed the shooter to push out if everyone agreed that there was no way to hit the ball. There was also a rule that on a failure to hit, the shot could be passed back only if everyone else passed on the shot.
 
Only the advanced ones where it's never obvious. If you do, you probably won't be asked to join in again. Better yet I'd bar em, if it's consistent behavior. If it's a lamb and they never win, just redraw order every hr or????
 
Island Drive said:
Only the advanced ones where it's never obvious. If you do, you probably won't be asked to join in again. Better yet I'd bar em, if it's consistent behavior. If it's a lamb and they never win, just redraw order every hr or????
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Any experienced player can easily tell the difference between a disguised safety versus a legitimate shot attempt.

In any ring game, I’ve always played that when you don’t have much of a shot you hit it hard and try to get as many balls rolling as you can, especially the $ balls!
 
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No safe, and a scratch is behind the line. I believe most ring games also have a pass the shot back option under some situations like you are totally hooked from the ball.
 
too much options for business in a ring game. and besides unless they all are close to equal the better players take off all the money from the suckers that have to play and think they have a chance.
 
I never ran into ring game ''business'' during my years of playing, 60's-90's.
Usually it was four men, like myself, Harriman, Scotty Townsend and Tommy Spencer or the alike.
We wouldn't let Sigel or those guys in, too good.
We all knew each other, friendly banter/good bs back and forth, and usually the better player won, not always tho.
We'd usually ''ring in up'' when we got bored or had free time at a Tournament.
 
Cornerman said:
Honest effort is the norm.
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Yes, but only way to eliminate skullduggery: shooter plays until next in line is satisfied. Large games (with strangers): draw peas for order after every rack.
The lure of the 5&9 ring game: every novice/mediocre player imagines he’ll be left a moneyball hanger, and dreams of scoring multiple moneyball combos.
 
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