Is it the rack, or the game?

[JasBy]

After reading the spirited discussion regarding an opponents use of a magic rack in a local tournament, I am left wondering - If the magic rack completely freezes the balls together in the exact manner that the game of 9 ball is meant to be, and everyone complains that it ruins the game.... is it the fault of the rack, or the game?

Does the 9 ball rack have an inherent flaw when racked 'perfectly'?

 

[336Robin]

The game

After reading the spirited discussion regarding an opponents use of a magic rack in a local tournament, I am left wondering - If the magic rack completely freezes the balls together in the exact manner that the game of 9 ball is meant to be, and everyone complains that it ruins the game.... is it the fault of the rack, or the game?

Does the 9 ball rack have an inherent flaw when racked 'perfectly'?

JasBy,
My opinion that as time goes by and people have to find a little edge here or there that the flaws of the game itself start coming to light.

Even at the amateur level. I have a friend that I had to stop playing 9 ball with because if he manages to not rack well one time and I break dry I can be in serious trouble watching him control the game unless I can get him safe and he in turn lets me loose to which I can do the same back.

I find its just a little more edge than the other player deserves either way and especially more so if the breaks end up clear after all there are only 9 balls on the table minus the ones the corner ball that goes on the break.

So I play 10 ball now most of the time or One Pocket which is a game where the break is an advantage in itself so it has a rotating break.

 

[hang-the-9]

After reading the spirited discussion regarding an opponents use of a magic rack in a local tournament, I am left wondering - If the magic rack completely freezes the balls together in the exact manner that the game of 9 ball is meant to be, and everyone complains that it ruins the game.... is it the fault of the rack, or the game?

Does the 9 ball rack have an inherent flaw when racked 'perfectly'?

It's not really a "flaw", it's the fact that the shape of the rack and the fact that it was studied so much lends itself to an easy ball or 2 or 3 off the break, making the game too mechanical and preset. It's like if you played poker but every hand you got dealt in the start was the same every game and you had 9 cards in the deck.

There is no way to fix this, but you can put in some rules to make it more random. No pattern racking and no soft breaks.

Outside of that you need to play 10 ball instead, once again with no pattern racking.

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

After reading the spirited discussion regarding an opponents use of a magic rack in a local tournament, I am left wondering - If the magic rack completely freezes the balls together in the exact manner that the game of 9 ball is meant to be, and everyone complains that it ruins the game.... is it the fault of the rack, or the game?

Does the 9 ball rack have an inherent flaw when racked 'perfectly'?

Assuming the magic rack gives the theoretical perfect rack, then yes, there is an inherent flaw in the diamond formation in that the wing ball is by default wired when the one is racked on the spot, and the one ball in the side can be dialed in when the 9 is racked on the foot spot.

Now, I'm not sure the MR is simply an easy way to get a perfect rack. There has been discussion about whether having the balls leaning into each other is the same as if they were all simply touching. I'm not sure if there is any quantitative data on this (Dr. Dave?)

Having said all that, you tell me whether it's the racking device or the rack (diamond formation), cuz I don't know.

To me it's more an issue in professional tournaments, especially when the rules against pattern racking are not enforced. On the amateur level not so much. Guys aren't running out from everywhere anyway and routinely sinking one or two balls on the break tends to speed up the tournament, which is a good thing when both players are going to get chances just about every game.

 

[Johnnyt]

The flaw in 9 ball diamond rack has been there forever. It just took someone like Corey D. to find it after the game has been around 100 years. Plus IMO there are waaay more "A" and above. Johnnyt

 

[DJ14.1]

Agreeing with alot of what the others said, not sure if it's a flaw, but rather a change. Tools like the magic rack just change the game because it reduces the variability of each rack. Now players are predictably pocketing balls, playing position, etc. off the break.

IMO, it's certainly not the game's fault because the game will be there regardless. But we can choose whether to use a magic rack or not.

Personally, I kinda like rack your own, no magic rack...or the good old days of referee racking in tourneys.

 

[The Renfro]

Try the Accu-Rack Diamond9 Template for 9ball... The geometry will freeze the balls but the choice of material will keep the balls from being locked into set ball paths so speed will still change the results of the break..... The diamond ball diamond shape is condusive to make balls but no more so than the 10ball triangle.... You can still break bad on an Accu-rack if you don't put the time in to learn to break....

 

[Bob Jewett]

... Does the 9 ball rack have an inherent flaw when racked 'perfectly'?

If the balls are frozen, the wing balls are wired. Whether this is a flaw is in the eye of the beholder. There are several top nine ball players for whom the wired ball is the most beautiful thing they have ever beheld.

 

[Paul Schofield]

If the balls are frozen, the wing balls are wired. Whether this is a flaw is in the eye of the beholder. There are several top nine ball players for whom the wired ball is the most beautiful thing they have ever beheld.

If this is the case, and it does appear it is, the next obvious question becomes "Should a game start with wired balls?" If the answer is no then the follow up question becomes "How should a ball-on-the-break be made? Should it be lucked in?

I am not seeing much difference between the wing ball in Nine-Ball and a second row ball in the side in Ten-Ball. They both require special racking with a specific hit and speed.

There is only one solution if "break and run-out" is going to be a part of our favorite short games (8,9,10, bank).

 

[JasBy]

If this is the case, and it does appear it is, the next obvious question becomes "Should a game start with wired balls?" If the answer is no then the follow up question becomes "How should a ball-on-the-break be made? Should it be lucked in?

This is kind of what I was getting at, as the OP in the post I was referring to felt that the magic rack gave an advantage to a 'weaker break.' OTOH one could argue that the break is a shot, just like any other (just harder), and if you have practiced a shot to always make it a certain way, then that's to your advantage.

 

[Push&Pool]

After reading the spirited discussion regarding an opponents use of a magic rack in a local tournament, I am left wondering - If the magic rack completely freezes the balls together in the exact manner that the game of 9 ball is meant to be, and everyone complains that it ruins the game.... is it the fault of the rack, or the game?

Does the 9 ball rack have an inherent flaw when racked 'perfectly'?

Either the racking format needs to be changed (diamond isn't the only logical option) or there must be a rotating break regardless of the winner of the previous game.

 

[336Robin]

NoAdvantage

This is kind of what I was getting at, as the OP in the post I was referring to felt that the magic rack gave an advantage to a 'weaker break.' OTOH one could argue that the break is a shot, just like any other (just harder), and if you have practiced a shot to always make it a certain way, then that's to your advantage.

Jasby,
The wired ball is no advantage to a weaker player. The best player will always rise above because the weaker will get himself in trouble if he can. The likely hood that the weaker player will run 9, 8, 7 or 6 balls is unlikely in many cases.

That does not mean he cannot win and evidenced in many games when the weaker player is at least wise enough to know when he shouldnt shoot even a make able shot and chooses the safe instead, changing the complexity of the game.

This is why I like 8 ball for weaker players, it teaches them the value of the safety and they have more chances of winning if they play right, everyone does not start out a aiming, ball making machine.