Playing the ghost - short racks count?

Can you win against the ghost by making the money ball early?

  • make the moneyball, win that rack

    Votes: 51 75.0%
  • run out all of the balls

    Votes: 3 4.4%
  • can go either way depending on who's betting.

    Votes: 14 20.6%

  • Total voters
    68

cleary

Honestly, I'm a liar.
Silver Member
Say you're playing the ghost and you win the rack early with a combination, carom, etc. Do you win that rack or run the balls out.

Recently someone wanted to bet against my friend playing the ghost, but told them playing the ghost, you cannot win a rack early. Is that normal?
 
Say you're playing the ghost and you win the rack early with a combination, carom, etc. Do you win that rack or run the balls out.

Recently someone wanted to bet against my friend playing the ghost, but told them playing the ghost, you cannot win a rack early. Is that normal?

I guess some people play it differently, but I believe most play combo's, etc do count. I do. I guess we'll find out now!
 
I play it just like tournament rules.....money ball goes down....rackem!

If there were a stipulation on having to run out every time? I guess it might come into play once or twice per race to 9 IMO.....for me anyway, depends on the table and rack sequence. Maybe 10 to 15 % on the $$$

G.
 
The only stipulation I've played with is that you can't play a 1-9 combo. After the first shot with ball in hand it's all fair game. If the nine ball is moving around too much the non-shooting party should check the rack.

Dudley
 
I'm with you Gerry...make the game ball, win the game! If you had to run out all the balls, there'd be even fewer people than there are, who claim they can beat the ghost! LOL

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

I play it just like tournament rules.....money ball goes down....rackem!

If there were a stipulation on having to run out every time? I guess it might come into play once or twice per race to 9 IMO.....for me anyway, depends on the table and rack sequence. Maybe 10 to 15 % on the $$$

G.
 
You

can not change the rules to suit you. If the money ball goes down, that game is over.

Although years ago, playing the ghost, you DID NOT get ball in hand after the break, unlike today, and that's where it was developed that beating the ghost back in that day really meant something.
 
Soon as you feel guilty playing the combo the next game the 1ball is gonna get hooked with no pocket even with bih. Lol.
 
Say you're playing the ghost and you win the rack early with a combination, carom, etc. Do you win that rack or run the balls out.

Recently someone wanted to bet against my friend playing the ghost, but told them playing the ghost, you cannot win a rack early. Is that normal?

Just have to say what rules you are playing before you start .
 
Soon as you feel guilty playing the combo the next game the 1ball is gonna get hooked with no pocket even with bih. Lol.

yeah, the ghost will go on a run where he ties balls up for 3 games in a row, never fails. so if you can get an easy one on him, you take it.:thumbup:
 
Say you're playing the ghost and you win the rack early with a combination, carom, etc. Do you win that rack or run the balls out.

Recently someone wanted to bet against my friend playing the ghost, but told them playing the ghost, you cannot win a rack early. Is that normal?

For practice I never allow an early 9 (spotted on the break, spotted if combo is the only way to continue the run)... Gambling -- it would be best to stipulate ...

I believe the video on here with Efren playing the 10 ball ghost is with a stipulation of no early 10s... I think he made several 10 balls combos to continue a run but the 10 was spotted.

Not sure what percentage of less difficult I would give in a long race or 10 ahead set...
 
When I'm practicing I always spot it and continue the run.

If you're gambling, stipulate in advance.

If you're letting the guy rack his own AND playing early 9 balls count, you're gonna have a bad time.
 
If the guy mentions this AFTER the set started, it smells like a classic example of "let me make up a new rule so I can protect my money".

As for what's common or normal... you could probably walk into any pool hall in america and only 3 dudes know what playing the ghost is, and 0 of them have played it for money. There is no 'normal' here imo.

So you have to stipulate stuff like this in advance. Otherwise a win is a win is a win, it would be assumed to count if you're playing a live human. I'd never assume I had to run out a certain special way to make it count. What if the 7-9 line up straight in and I run 1-6, then combo them? Was I expected to break them apart? Bank the 7?
 
..What if the 7-9 line up straight in and I run 1-6, then combo them? Was I expected to break them apart? Bank the 7?

If I were backing the ghost you would make the 9, spot it and continue your run. Of course this would have been discussed prior to putting the money on the light..

Example -
Here is Efren playing the 10-ball ghost. At 2:10 (first rack HA) you can hear the conversation about spotting the 10 (dead 2-10 combo)... after shooting the combo the next interesting thing arises.. If spotted immediately it would interfere with his next shot. He is allowed to shoot and then spot the 10.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79f5vvdtiUg
 
can not change the rules to suit you. If the money ball goes down, that game is over.

Although years ago, playing the ghost, you DID NOT get ball in hand after the break, unlike today, and that's where it was developed that beating the ghost back in that day really meant something.

This is known as playing GOD
 
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