Racking Templates

[David_Smith]

The original racking template is the Rack-M-Rite tapping system. It is reusable, works for all pool games - including 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, straight pool and rotation - and requires no labels. It was copied and has been used in Europe for years, and was used in the 2008 World Ten Ball Championships. I have a few more and they are $15 with free shipping. PM me if you want one.

This is a video of it in use at the 9-Ball Grand Prix Open, Biel, Switzerland, 07/03/2010, Dimitri Jungo vs. Shane van Boening.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7auZYig_R4&feature=channel

The posts below are from Jay Helferts thread on the World Ten Ball Championships from Manila in 2008.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=114930&highlight=tapping&page=3

First day pbservations.

The refs are racking the balls by hand, on pre-dented tables. UGH! It just goes against everything Ive learned the last 30-40 years. the roll of a slow moving ball absolutely could be affected by the dents in the cloth. There are perfectly good Brunswick racks under each table. Why not use them? I KNOW I can put a better rack up there using a good rack then anyone can using their bare hands!!

I am watching refs roll balls into place a few at a time. A tight rack? No way! The only rack you can put up fairly tight with your hands is Six Ball. Interestingly most players don't seem to mind. I would have thought there would be an uproar. The Brunswick Gold Crowns V's are beautiful table's. They just need to be releveled, still a lot of roll offs.

Reply from Peter@CEP in post #40

With regard to tapping the tables, if we had to rely on the refs to rack, the matches would take much longer to complete (and some of them are already taking up the complete two hours allowed as there is quite a lot of safety play) since there would inevitably be arguments from the players over the racking. The tapping mat used does give a tight rack, that has been proved in Europe over the past couple of years.

Reply from Mjantti in post #42

When the dents are on the table, you can get a perfect (and I mean perfect) rack everytime with your hands. You don't need a triangle. You are not aware of the tapping system ?

Jay not convinced, wants a bet in post #63

I'm also still not buying the "perfect" rack by tapping the balls in. I will wager ANY amount that I can put a tighter rack up by using a triangle of my choosing. We can have a strong player break the balls ten times using hand racks and my racks and see where he makes the most balls and how many times the 9 ball (or 10 ball) goes in. Are there any refs/officials out there who care for a piece of this action? $500 minimum bet.

Mjantti's reply at post #69

We are not talking about breaks, we are talking about racks.

So, I will gladly give you action for any amount, you or your designated racker will make racks on a table without the dents, I will make racks on a table with dents. Then we'll carefully inspect the rack and count all the gaps between balls. Let's make it interesting and bet $5k.

I am an official EPBF ref. (EPBF = European Pocket Billiard Federation FYI)

Mjantti again in post #74

In the EPC, no racks were presented for the players who were racking for each other except semis and finals, and still no one complained over the tournament about the missing racks. Even though they were racking for 14.1, 8-ball and 9-ball. The tapping system is the best thing that has happened for all games except 9-ball (won't touch that subject with a 30ft pole here )

Right now I can't find the post, I think it must have been in another thread where Jay admitted he was mistaken and the system worked very well.

Here is a list of some pro events using the tapping mat, just from this year.

EPBF Euro Tour Tournaments (9 ball, 10 ball and 14.1)

10 - 14 Feb, 2010 Diamond Nine / Dynamic French Open Paris France
14 - 18 Apr, 2010 Diamond Nine / Dynamic Italy Open Treviso Italy
9 - 12 June, 2010 Diamond Nine / Dynamic German Open Brandenburg Germany
07 - 10 Jul, 2010 Diamond Nine / Dynamic Austria Open Sankt Johann Austria
25 - 29 Aug, 2010 Diamond Nine / Dynamic Finland Open Vantaa Finland
27 - 30 Oct, 2010 Diamond Nine / Dynamic Portugal Open Albufeira Portugal

GB9 Great Britain Professional 9 Ball Tour
12 - 14 March 2010 GB9 Midlands Classic ............ Winner - Daryl Peach Runner up - Mark Gray
23 - 25 April 2010 GB9 Paul Medati Trophy ........... Winner - Mark Gray Runner up - James Kay
16 - 18 July 2010 GB9 British Grand Prix ............... Winner - Karl Boyes Runner up - Darren Appleton
24 - 26 September 2010 GB9 Southern Masters ..... Winner - Imran Majid Runner up - Jason Shaw
26 - 28 November 2010 GB9 Northern Masters ....... Winner - Chris Melling Runner up - Darren Appleton

 

[Joe T]

This is a great product to own so if you don't have anything like it I recommend you grab one here.

Happy New Year ALL

 

[David_Smith]

This is a great product to own so if you don't have anything like it I recommend you grab one here.

Happy New Year ALL

Thanks Joe! Happy New Year!

I forgot to mention for those that don't know, I invented the tapping mat with my partner Dale Craig (mechanical engineer), and we own the patent.

US Patent Number: US0D0433724

It was copied for use in Europe, but we are the original inventors - just ask Ralf Souquet where he got them. He got them at professional tournament in the US at JOB's in Nashville in the year 2000 where they were already in use on the ill-fated Billiard Channel Tour. Paul Potier was in charge of setting up the tables and training APA volunteers to rack for the pros. At this event the 9 had already been moved to the spot to make it harder to make the automatic wing ball.