Practice game: FARGO

My breaking woes are so bad, I'm now keeping track of balls that stay over half the table.

I played 5 games tonight, and scored a 35. I'm going to play 10 innings or 100 racks, and it's looking like I'm going to score between 700 and 850, so this is on the borderline.

On 5 breaks, I failed to make a ball, and have made 4 balls total in 25 racks. I only placed 14 balls half way or further today, 3 balls 4 times, and 2 balls once. It's just a break out the clusters festival after the break with BIH.

I play on a valley 7 footer with new, albeit thick cloth. The cloth is routinely vacuumed and Lint rolled. I recently bought a new rack of balls as the ones that came with the table, to my surprise, were just under 1/16th of an inch from the 2 1/4 inch standard.

These newer balls, being standard vs the others, have more mass of course, and my break has gone from acceptable/bad to just plain bad on this table. I shot at my local haunt on wed (free pool) and I broke quote a bit better on what would comparably be considered a fast table, still not as good as I'd like, but who does, lol.

On other tables, I've placed 11 balls on the other side off the break b4 and have made 5 balls before, although 3 or less is my norm when I'm actually making balls on the break.

My break technique is ball on the spot, bridge on the table, aim for dead center ball, low stance but high enough to have a good elbow lever, follow thru with a conscious effort to move the hand fast. Maybe the hand fast is a mistake? Keep the hand back longer, begin rotating, then come thru and flick the wrist?

Interestingly, I've now made 12 balls or more 6 times out of 25 racks. Considering the clusters I'm dealing with multiple times per rack, I'm pleased with this number so far.

Time to scrap this felt? If so, I'd like to get to the point where I can improve my break technique to 5 balls or more over half consistently, then get a better, faster playing felt, which may take me to 6 or 7 balls. That would be nice.
 
metmot said:
I couldn't see the rules link. Came back as a dead end link.

How do you score incidental balls that fall along with your called shot? Or do you spot them?
Click to expand...

metmot,

I found this from the rules: "8.2) The player is entitled to any additional balls that are pocketed on a shot, as long as he pockets legally his called ball; the additional balls count the same as the called ball."

Hope this helps, and I agree, it is good for charting personal development, but now agree irrelevant to compare individual scores with varying playing conditions, tables, etc.

I simply find it to be useful for building focus and some intensity to solo practice and a systematic way to chart individual progress.

See attachment for complete rules and a scoresheet.

Best wishes to all in your pool journey.

~Razor
 

Attachments

Occam's Razor said:
metmot,

I found this from the rules: "8.2) The player is entitled to any additional balls that are pocketed on a shot, as long as he pockets legally his called ball; the additional balls count the same as the called ball."

Hope this helps, and I agree, it is good for charting personal development, but now agree irrelevant to compare individual scores with varying playing conditions, tables, etc.

I simply find it to be useful for building focus and some intensity to solo practice and a systematic way to chart individual progress.

See attachment for complete rules and a scoresheet.

Best wishes to all in your pool journey.

~Razor
Click to expand...

Thank you kindly!

John
 
Ranjmaz said:
My breaking woes are so bad, I'm now keeping track of balls that stay over half the table.

I played 5 games tonight, and scored a 35. I'm going to play 10 innings or 100 racks, and it's looking like I'm going to score between 700 and 850, so this is on the borderline.

On 5 breaks, I failed to make a ball, and have made 4 balls total in 25 racks. I only placed 14 balls half way or further today, 3 balls 4 times, and 2 balls once. It's just a break out the clusters festival after the break with BIH.

I play on a valley 7 footer with new, albeit thick cloth. The cloth is routinely vacuumed and Lint rolled. I recently bought a new rack of balls as the ones that came with the table, to my surprise, were just under 1/16th of an inch from the 2 1/4 inch standard.

These newer balls, being standard vs the others, have more mass of course, and my break has gone from acceptable/bad to just plain bad on this table. I shot at my local haunt on wed (free pool) and I broke quote a bit better on what would comparably be considered a fast table, still not as good as I'd like, but who does, lol.

On other tables, I've placed 11 balls on the other side off the break b4 and have made 5 balls before, although 3 or less is my norm when I'm actually making balls on the break.

My break technique is ball on the spot, bridge on the table, aim for dead center ball, low stance but high enough to have a good elbow lever, follow thru with a conscious effort to move the hand fast. Maybe the hand fast is a mistake? Keep the hand back longer, begin rotating, then come thru and flick the wrist?

Interestingly, I've now made 12 balls or more 6 times out of 25 racks. Considering the clusters I'm dealing with multiple times per rack, I'm pleased with this number so far.

Time to scrap this felt? If so, I'd like to get to the point where I can improve my break technique to 5 balls or more over half consistently, then get a better, faster playing felt, which may take me to 6 or 7 balls. That would be nice.
Click to expand...

Ranjmaz, there is no point to making balls on the break if your playing Fargo. Any ball made is spotted so that's another cluster. Just break at med speed, enough to spread the balls well. Its rare I make a ball playing Fargo and I might have 6 past the side pockets. No real clusters, usually just random balls touching or close.

If they don't spread well new cloth should help but your cushions might need replaced. Slow cushions that need replaced are common so keep that it mind. Another reason could be the balls are not racked tight. Poor racks give poor results.

As far as technique, seek some help. You have misconceptions about execution. Its not very complicated but it takes time and practice to deliver a straight smooth stroke. As your stroke improves, your ball pocketing and break will improve. Good luck

Sorry, just noticed you play on a Valley. There notorious for slow cushions. Also on a 7 footer clusters are common.

Rod
 
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I do know there is no point on making balls on the break in Fargo, but there is a point of diminishing returns, I'm usually looking at 12 balls on 1 half, a nice cluster of 5 to 8 near the rack, and 1 more cluster, requiring 3 break out shots on some racks, which is beyond my C to B- skill level at the moment.

I feel like I'm playing straight pool. It's hurting my score, but I am learning how balls interact in close proximity better, breakouts to stay away from, get out of trouble balls, and scrutinizing my break, so overall this has been a great game to pick back up.

I'd much rather make 2 or 3 balls, have 8 balls down table, and the only cluster the made balls spotted.

The cushions are brand new, less than a year old, same as the felt.

The racks are tight and quite easy to keep in place on this table vs others I've played on.

Today I will be breaking at a bar in our league that I have quite a bit of success on, including a break and rake during the season, so I'll keep a mental note on how the break goes there.
If I come up with a change that helps my break, I will definitely share it.
 
Ranjmaz, I'm no pro but as far as breaking I usually do pretty well. Here's a couple of things you might try. If I'm breaking an 8-ball rack I start with the cue ball dead center and concentrate on the ball in the center of the last row and try to drive the cue ball through the rack to hit it. Also I try and keep the muscles in my arm and shoulder loose and relaxed till I hit the cue ball. Tightening my grip at the last second. A relaxed muscle can move a lot faster than a flexed one. If you watch a boxer throw a jab his hand is open and relaxed till just before impact when he closes it. You get a lot more speed that way and in my case more power. Another thing that improved my break was a Samsara tip on my break cue it seems to hit harder than any other tip I've ever used. Good luck I hope this helps.
 
Thanks JustBanger, I will try that tonight.

My only break on the bar league table friday netted 1 ball and 5 others across the table with no clusters and I was using a 17 oz house cue.
 
equivalent fargo rating?

Samiel said:
I think it's worth posting the link to the rules (as listed in the video): http://www.pro9.co.uk/html/RulesFargo.php

Also the rankings:

Code: 
[B]Pro	Above 220
AA	160-220
A	130-160
B	100-130
C	60 - 100
D	Below 60[/B]
Click to expand...

I recently came across this single player practice game. Curious if anybody ever estimated the fargo ratings of the letter ranges, in relation to this game. I searched some old threads, but didn't come up with anything. Anybody know?
 
Jimmorrison said:
I recently came across this single player practice game. Curious if anybody ever estimated the fargo ratings of the letter ranges, in relation to this game. I searched some old threads, but didn't come up with anything. Anybody know?
Click to expand...
Here's a ratings comparison chart from Dr. Dave's website,. It includes FargoRate ratings, but you'll have to compare FARGO game scores (with A/B/C/D ratings) yourself.

https://billiards.colostate.edu/faq/rating/abcd/

pj
chgo

BU Rating Comparisons.jpg
 
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This is a fun game. It's new to me, so of course, I like it. Requires focus, so many options. I get so absorbed, I keep forgetting to switch over to rotation phase. Had several racks at 15, duh!
 
Patrick Johnson said:
Here's a ratings comparison chart from Dr. Dave's website,. It includes FargoRate ratings, but you'll have to compare FARGO game scores (with A/B/C/D ratings) yourself.

https://billiards.colostate.edu/faq/rating/abcd/

pj
chgo

View attachment 551223
Click to expand...

I practiced the BU tests until I was blue in the face and never made it to upper advanced but my well established Fargo rating is over 600. Something don't jive with that chart.

Beating drills and beating other players are not related in a linear fashion is my conclusion.
 
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I agree, according to that, my fargo has jumped 100 points. Highly unlikely. If you can't go somewhere, and beat somebody, it don't mean a thing. That doesn't detract from the value though. Great single player practice.
 
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