Inspecting Racks

[bill190]

Recently I started inspecting *every* rack in my league games as I'm working on my break shots and have learned that poor racks can sometimes give you an advantage when breaking.

I watch my opponent rack from the head of the table to be sure they are not slanting the rack, then after they are done racking, I walk to the foot of the table, lean over the balls and look down on the rack at all the balls.

Well I have learned something interesting! Almost *every* single rack has something wrong with it! I would say only 5 or 10% of the racks I have looked at were perfect tight racks.

I don't ask for a re-rack unless the first ball is not touching either of the second two balls or the last ball is not touching either of the two balls in front of it (playing 9-ball). I have only needed to ask for one re-rack per evening as it turns out. If touching only one ball, I play the rack.

The way most other players have responded to my doing this is to say "Is there something wrong with the rack?" And I have not know quite what to tell them. I don't want to tell them that I'm looking for racking errors which will give me an advantage when breaking... So I just say "Good Rack" and smile (Even though the rack has gaps here and there - but good gaps for me that is).

Having learned that most racks are poor racks and that I can take advantage of racking errors, I also want to start inspecting all the racks in money tournaments as well. I don't know how this is going to fly? I suppose I can try my "Good Rack" and smile routine? Or maybe tell them the truth and say many racks are slightly different and I'm learning how different racks effect my break shots?

In any case, I don't see how I can *not* inspect every rack with what I have learned. I've been breaking 500% better since doing this. And I kind of wonder if there has been some "racking monkey business" going on in the past which my "rack inspecting" has put an end to?

 

[Hustler08]

interestin.....

 

[mjantti]

I've been definitely running more racks after I started inspecting the racks as well. And, I don't bother to inspect every rack. I have a medium hard break and I know how the balls should spread on each break. If they don't, I will definitely check the following racks from my opponent. The higher the stakes, more inspecting is to be done. So far playing against pros in Eurotour, they/I demand that the 1-ball should touch both balls in second row and the second row balls should touch both corner/wing balls. And, I noticed that top pros check almost every rack, even when there is a referee racking the balls.

Shouldn't take anything for granted if you make your living on a pool table... neither in tournaments nor in money matches...

 

[BazookaJoe]

YES, ALWAYS INSPECT THE RACK.
Whether it is for league standing, tournaments, or the cash.
If someone thinks it strange, or is somehow offended by my inspecting their rack, then they'll just have to deal with it.

 

[woody_968]

It is good to check the racks, especially if you know what to look for. You dont have to tell them you are looking for errors, but if you want to you can tell them you are trying to decide where to break from. That way they dont think you are looking for a "bad" rack.

 

[Kerry Impson]

It's very difficult to get a perfect rack, so many times the gaps you see are either because the player didn't try hard enough (but not necessarily deliberately giving you a bad rack) or didn't notice, especially in league play. Most casual players don't know that it matters; if they did, they would try harder -- at the very least to protect themselves!

As the breaker, you have a right to inspect the rack every time if you wish. Personally, I won't do it unless I have a reason to believe I need to (if I get a bad rack, then I start inspecting every one after that -- I know I'm giving my opponent one opportunity to slug me, but as you say, sometimes the gaps are advantageous to the breaker!). I don't like either the hassle, the time or the insult to the racker to inspect every one unless necessary, or, as mjantti pointed out, unless the stakes are very high (and therefore, in league, I'd probably let it slide).

In any case, you don't need to offer an explanation unless you require a re-rack; then it's courteous to let your opponent know what's wrong with the rack. It is your right to inspect the rack and the racker should accept this.

 

[mjantti]

YES, ALWAYS INSPECT THE RACK.
Whether it is for league standing, tournaments, or the cash.
If someone thinks it strange, or is somehow offended by my inspecting their rack, then they'll just have to deal with it.

Agreed.

Have to say, there are exceptions. Played against Ralf Souquet a couple of years ago in Eurotour. He had seen me play and rack balls. We started with a couple of inspected racks but soon agreed non-verbally to respect each other's "code of honour" and never inspected another rack. I never would have crossed my mind that Ralf would make a non-perfect rack and he knew that I was with the same mentality. So we didn't check the following racks and always had perfect ball spread (he beat me 9-4). There are only a handful of players with good sportmanship and I know when playing against them, they always make the best effort to make the rack as tight as possible.
But, as I said, there aren't many of them...

I gladly let my racks to be inspected, always try to make as tight rack as possible...

 

[mjantti]

Forgot to add... IMHO, there is no way demanding a re-rack after the break. Even if the spread of the balls is lousy and the rack was clearly bad, the responsibility lies on the breaker. He should have checked the rack. It's impossible to prove afterwards that the rack was bad, even if it seems to be the case. I never complain about a bad rack after the break because I know it was my responsibility to check it in the first place. Oh, I've seen very tight racks spread badly if the circumstances are bad. Sometimes the balls just don't seem to co-operate with each other...

 

[bill190]

It's very difficult to get a perfect rack, so many times the gaps you see are either because the player didn't try hard enough (but not necessarily deliberately giving you a bad rack) or didn't notice...

I might add that I recently bought a new set of Super Aramith Pro balls and a new rack for my home table...

So I rack my balls and expect a perfect rack. Not so! The rack I bought was not capable of giving a perfect rack due to poor manufacturing.

So I checked my old plastic rack and it racked differently for each three corners! (Same results with old and new sets of balls BTW.)

So I've also learned that some equipment will give a non-perfect rack no matter who is racking!

 

[hustlefinger]

There was a book Racking Secretes by Joe Tucker (out of print now) that discusses some of the same things. Wish I could find a copy.

Rick

 

[Tom In Cincy]

When you are playing 'Rack your own' as the non-racking player, you still have the 'right' to inspect your opponent's rack.

I have always liked this "rack your own" rule. It does eliminate some of the obvious problems and heated discussions.

At tournaments at Hard Times in Sacramento, it's loser racks if agreed, but if one player perfers 'rack your own' that is the way it will be.

 

[catscradle]

There was a book Racking Secretes by Joe Tucker (out of print now) that discusses some of the same things. Wish I could find a copy.

Rick

Try calling Snooker's in Providence, RI. That is Joe's home room and the last time I was there (quite a while ago), a copy of "Racking Secrets" was sitting in the display case.

 

[Kerry Impson]

Yes, I agree that even with "rack your own" the opponent should inspect the rack because, as bill190 indicated in the beginning of this thread, some racks are extremely favorable to the breaker (not just loose wing balls, but the balls immediately behind the 9 ball!!). I would actually be more likely to check a rack my opponent racked for himself!!

 

[JDB]

I don't think there is anything wrong with checking racks. If your opponent doesn't like it, it is their problem. However, I must also say that I agree with you about not expecting a perfect rack. A lot of people check racks and expect to get a perfect rack, but the tables that most people play on are old and used (not pro tournament conditions); but they still expect a perfect rack. This can be annoying and actually be a sharking technique.

I don't generally check the rack unless a get a bad rack. I will then check all racks for that set after that.

A couple of times a ball has rolled resulting in a slug rack for my opponent. The two times it happened I offered to rerack, which they agreed to, and both times they broke and ran the next rack...lol.

 

[ramdadingdong]

I don't think there is anything wrong with checking racks. If your opponent doesn't like it, it is their problem. However, I must also say that I agree with you about not expecting a perfect rack. A lot of people check racks and expect to get a perfect rack, but the tables that most people play on are old and used (not pro tournament conditions); but they still expect a perfect rack. This can be annoying and actually be a sharking technique.

I don't generally check the rack unless a get a bad rack. I will then check all racks for that set after that.

A couple of times a ball has rolled resulting in a slug rack for my opponent. The two times it happened I offered to rerack, which they agreed to, and both times they broke and ran the next rack...lol.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

When he racks, I am standing down there watching him, then I lean over the rack and inspect, I would not trust my granny with a rack. I want all the balls froze, not just some of them. If he does not, he is slugging you or does not know how to rack.

Play me, winner racks his own. I don't use a wood rack, I rack by hand when I rack for my self, then every ball is touching another ball, every ball is froze.

Run a couple racks on somebody, the third rack is going to be the mother of all slugs, count on it.

Fast Larry Guninger

 

[Billiard Architect]

Gaps are good!!!

I inspect racks most of the time. I do it for two reasons... First I look for gaps. I have tested from multiple breaking angles and can bust the hell out of a rack if there are gaps in the right places. Depending on where a gap is will determine which way a rack will split. If it gives you an advantage to sinking the 9 ball on the break why the hell wouldn't you inspect the rack on all games. When shooting a combo on the 9 do you just blindly get down on a shot and just bust the crap out of it?

The second reason I do it is to rattle my opponent. It's a legal shark. If he has any holes in his mental game this will expose them. I have seen some guys games completely go in the crapper because I have inspected the rack. I guess it is the fear that their opponent may know something that they don't giving them a feeling of disadvantage. The great thing is they can bitch about it all they want but it is still an allowable act.

Johnny "V" <---- Always inspects a rack when he isn't playing for fun.

 

[ramdadingdong]

I inspect racks most of the time. I do it for two reasons... First I look for gaps. I have tested from multiple breaking angles and can bust the hell out of a rack if there are gaps in the right places. Depending on where a gap is will determine which way a rack will split. If it gives you an advantage to sinking the 9 ball on the break why the hell wouldn't you inspect the rack on all games. When shooting a combo on the 9 do you just blindly get down on a shot and just bust the crap out of it?

The second reason I do it is to rattle my opponent. It's a legal shark. If he has any holes in his mental game this will expose them. I have seen some guys games completely go in the crapper because I have inspected the rack. I guess it is the fear that their opponent may know something that they don't giving them a feeling of disadvantage. The great thing is they can bitch about it all they want but it is still an allowable act.

Johnny "V" <---- Always inspects a rack when he isn't playing for fun.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yes this is true, if there are gaps on the top 6 balls they lose the proporgations of transfered engery and the rack spreads poorly, it is like cutting a link in a chain. If you freeze the balls touching the 9, lock them on the 9 ball, it has trouble moving out of there and the 9 will not pot on the break very much.

Unfreeze one or two balls behind the 9 and I can break using right english at 3:00 and spin the 9 towards the bottom left corner a lot, leaving it as a duck to combo in or like on several occasions I have made the 9 off of the snap 4 times in a row. Rack correctly, I cannot do that.
This is why I put my face over the rack to look down on it, I am looking for these things when the other guy racks. Sometimes the dark balls look froze and they are not. I made 7 on the break at 8 ball a month ago on a 9' table with house cloth, a gold crown 3, and the rack was tight, every ball was frozen, all 15...My world record at both 8 and 9 ball is making eight on the snap at both games, records that have never been tied and have held now for 43 years untouched.
Best Wishes,
Fast Larry Guninger

 

[LastTwo]

This reminded me of a tournament I played in a few months ago. Early in the tournament, I drew one of my good friends from the poolhall I go to. He is a cool guy, but he has a tendency to be really cocky about how good he plays, and people get annoyed with him. Even though he is my friend, he hates losing to me in tournaments. When the match started, I broke and ran the first rack, the second game I broke and ran to a 4-9 combination and made it. The third game, he gave me a horrible rack, but the 9-ball got kicked into the corner pocket. The fourth game, he gave me an even worse rack, and the balls barely moved. He just stared at me as I looked up at him after noticing the obvious s*** rack he gave me, and waited for me to say something. I told him, "We can rack for ourselves from now on" and he apolgized and just said he was frustrated, and didn't notice how badly he had racked them. I beat him 7-1, and the one game he racked for himself, he gave HIMSELF a s*** rack, and left an easy 1-9 combo hanging for me to win the set! LOL

 

[recoveryjones]

A local pro (Paul Potier) told me to do two things. Allways check the rack and never concede anyone the nine ball...make them shoot it.

When getting ready to break never line up from where you are going to break from, because a racking expert (cheater) can tilt the pack ever so slightly making it difficult to pocket a ball in the corner.They also move the one ball ahead or behind the spot to stop you from making the one in the side.

I'm getting a (used) copy of Joe tuckers racking Secrets soon and I hardly can wait.I've heard it's an excellent informative book. RJ

 

[PoolBum]

Uh, let me vent just a little...

I'm gonna use this question to relate an experience I had with respect to asking for a re-rack. I was playing in the last west coast Pechauer Tour event last year--at Hollywood Billiards--and I was playing this guy who's a good player (not a top-notch pro, but an excellent player), who shall remain shameless, er, I mean nameless.

Anyway, the guy inspects the rack every single time (I actually have no real problem with that--it's his right, after all), and asks for a re-rack every single time! If he found anything at all wrong with the rack then he'd ask for a re-rack--if there were any gaps at all between any of the balls he asked for a re-rack. As we all know it's damn near impossible to get a perfect rack, and so it was taking a *long* time each game to rack the balls to his satisfaction.

Finally, after doing this every single time when it was his turn to break, I lost my patience and told him that you can't expect a perfect rack every time--to which he replied, "Well, you're a good player, you should know how to rack well then too." What an a**hole! And yes, at that point we agreed to rack-your-own.

Ok, my ranting and raving is over.