Rack your own: Feathering the head ball...cheating?

F

Flip_dat_Quarta

Banned
Many times in 9-ball I've seen players rack the balls, take the rack away, and feather the head ball back into the rack. I used to think that they were just fixing it after it rolls off but then I started hearing that certain tournaments wont allow it. So then I started realizing that there is more going on here than I thought.

1. I heard that by moving the head ball back into the rack you are allowing the wing ball to move outward causing it to be dead in the corner.

2. I heard that by moving the head ball back into the rack you are creating a gap between the two balls in the second row (directly behind the head ball). Somehow, this also makes the wing ball dead in the corner.

Can anyone explain how #2 works?

Is there anything else going on that I'm not aware of?

Is this allowed in most tournaments?

Is it assumed to be allowed unless specifically called out in the tournament rules?
 
Re#2- I have always felt a gap between the 2nd row balls left a bit of a slug rack.

That said. Anyone touching the balls in the manner you describe is trying to do something. Ga-ron-teed.
 
Flip_dat_Quarta said:
Many times in 9-ball I've seen players rack the balls, take the rack away, and feather the head ball back into the rack. I used to think that they were just fixing it after it rolls off but then I started hearing that certain tournaments wont allow it. So then I started realizing that there is more going on here than I thought.

1. I heard that by moving the head ball back into the rack you are allowing the wing ball to move outward causing it to be dead in the corner.

2. I heard that by moving the head ball back into the rack you are creating a gap between the two balls in the second row (directly behind the head ball). Somehow, this also makes the wing ball dead in the corner.

Can anyone explain how #2 works?

Is there anything else going on that I'm not aware of?

Is this allowed in most tournaments?

Is it assumed to be allowed unless specifically called out in the tournament rules?
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It's all BS Flip_dat_Quarta!
Players will ALWAYS seek the advantage in Pro Sport.
The difference being in other sports they have RULES to prevent this from happening. :thumbup:
 
rack balls

Let the ref rack and no player should be allowed to rerack or touch the balls and get on with the game just like the Mosconi Cup.
 
If you push the ball behind the 1 outward then it helps line up wing ball to the pocket. Just make them rerack.
 
I've seen mike dechaine and svb do this in 10 ball, then proceed to make 4 balls on the break. They know what they are doing, I think it should be banned.
 
As long as a few of the right people are making money...it will never change. As long as players, sponsors and fans turn their heads...it won't stop. Johnnyt
 
If someone touches the balls after the rack is removed then yes, it's doctoring mechanics.

It's my experience that most things will go on as long as you allow them to.
 
I think everyone is nuts thinking touching the balls is a conspiracy theory. I've been racking balls for 20 years, like most of you. I think maybe 1 out of 50 racks you can rack blindly, lift rack off, and all is tight. Hell, even on a magic rack you still have to massage the balls so they are all touching each other.
 
iusedtoberich said:
I think everyone is nuts thinking touching the balls is a conspiracy theory. I've been racking balls for 20 years, like most of you. I think maybe 1 out of 50 racks you can rack blindly, lift rack off, and all is tight. Hell, even on a magic rack you still have to massage the balls so they are all touching each other.
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They are talking about touching the balls after the rack is removed....
 
I'm not talking about pro tournaments. I'm talking about ALL tournaments. I see this done everywhere, in every tournament I've ever played in. I'd rather just start doing it myself than argue with everyone I play about it. If it's not specifically banned then we should assume it's legal, right?. Just like pattern racking.

I'm surprised no one else has any other theories on what is going on when you feather the head ball back. That was the major point of this post. I'd like to get a better understanding of what is actually going on and what to look out for.
 
Flip_dat_Quarta said:
I'm not talking about pro tournaments. I'm talking about ALL tournaments. I see this done everywhere, in every tournament I've ever played in. I'd rather just start doing it myself than argue with everyone I play about it. If it's not specifically banned then we should assume it's legal, right?. Just like pattern racking.



I'm surprised no one else has any other theories on what is going on when you feather the head ball back. That was the major point of this post. I'd like to get a better understanding of what is actually going on and what to look out for.
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As stated by others earlier this is a rack mechanic move intended to align the wing ball. It's a move & shouldn't be tolerated.

As far as your question regarding all the particulars I could sit here & drone on for 2 pages about rack mechanics tricks but you can just go buy Joe Tucker's book on this as it's very comprehensive regarding these techniques. In one book he exposes what took many years for me to learn the old fashioned way, through experience.
 
Bank it said:
As stated by others earlier this is a rack mechanic move intended to align the wing ball. It's a move & shouldn't be tolerated.

As far as your question regarding all the particulars I could sit here & drone on for 2 pages about rack mechanics tricks but you can just go buy Joe Tucker's book on this as it's very comprehensive regarding these techniques. In one book he exposes what took many years for me to learn the old fashioned way, through experience.
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I own both of Joe Tucker's DVD's but I've never read his book. The DVD's explain the 4 ball track, how to watch out for a slug rack, and how to try to make the 9. They don't explain anything about feathering the 1 ball. Does the book explain the feathering?
 
Flip_dat_Quarta said:
I own both of Joe Tucker's DVD's but I've never read his book. The DVD's explain the 4 ball track, how to watch out for a slug rack, and how to try to make the 9. They don't explain anything about feathering the 1 ball. Does the book explain the feathering?
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Don't really know, don't own his book or DVD's as I knew all of these tricks looonnng before Joe put this info on the street giving up long held secrets of many players. From what others have stated about his treatise, I naturally assumed he'd covered it all, if mistaken I apologize.

Bottom line it's a move, one you don't want to put up with if someone's working the 1 after the rack comes off. If your inquiry is related to trying to learn rack mechanics to utilize then Mike Dechaine has a website up on rack mechanics moves. I'll tell you what Shane told Niels Feijen when he inquired, "I'll show you all the tricks for 10K".
 
Bank it said:
Don't really know, don't own his book or DVD's as I knew all of these tricks looonnng before Joe put this info on the street giving up long held secrets of many players. From what others have stated about his treatise, I naturally assumed he'd covered it all, if mistaken I apologize.

Bottom line it's a move, one you don't want to put up with if someone's working the 1 after the rack comes off. If your inquiry is related to trying to learn rack mechanics to utilize then Mike Dechaine has a website up on rack mechanics moves. I'll tell you what Shane told Niels Feijen when he inquired, "I'll show you all the tricks for 10K".
Click to expand...

Thanks, what's the link to MD's website?
 
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