Record vs. the 9 ball ghost

jdxprs

jdxprs

Banned
If pro players played the nine ball ghost, what percent of the time would they win a race to 11.

what percent of the time does an "A" player beat the nine ball ghost.

I've done this race 20 times in the past week, and i've only won 3 times. thats 15%. Most of the matches I end up losing 11-6 or 11-7. :(
 
my understanding, and the way ive been doing it is by breaking, then taking ball in hand. run out wins, fail to run is a loss. one note, im playing on an 8 foot home table, but the pockets are under 4 inches.
 
The 9 ball ghost is primarily about the break. If you can pocket a ball and get a good spread of balls consistently, it's not that hard for upper eschelon players. Add to that the ability to pattern rack.

If on the other hand you can't break or rack very well, it becomes incredibly difficult and frusterating as you will be left with impossible outs with the occassional routine layout.
 
Cameron Smith said:
The 9 ball ghost is primarily about the break. If you can pocket a ball and get a good spread of balls consistently, it's not that hard for upper eschelon players. Add to that the ability to pattern rack.

If on the other hand you can't break or rack very well, it becomes incredibly difficult and frusterating as you will be left with impossible outs with the occassional routine layout.
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exactly

I'm far from a superior player- just a recreational pool league player- but the times I've done ghost drills I've been frustrated at how frequently the balls are tied up following the break
 
Any decent pro on a table that isn't gaffed, meaning 4 inch pockets,etc..., would rob the nine ball ghost 9 out of 10 times. At least. Only a bad breaking day with balls repeatedly clustering up would make it interesting.

I suck, and have killed it 9-4, 9-5 on a good breaking day. On buckets, and breaking well, a high B player should give it a good go. I've heard that good players can find a soft break that just opens the balls, and pretty much run out every time. Sigel ran out 28 times in 28 tries with ball in hand in a tourney, according to Buddy Hall. They'll murder the ghost. I can't even imagine how bad Earl would slaughter the ghost on a table like they used in the old Sands events in Reno. Ball in hand five or six ball, who do you like lol?

10 ball ghost seems to be a whole different animal. I have lost 20 in a row without getting anywhere near the hill on tough breaking tables with two clusters a rack (see paragraph above where I confess I suck, though). Pros on a tight Diamond can lose money gambling the ghost at 10 ball. Less balls made on the break, and more clusters make it much, much harder in my humble opinion.

The weird thing is, I've tried the 12 ball ghost and something about the rack seems to help you make more balls on the break so its almost the same as 10 ball. Two or three balls used to scream in the pockets almost immediately on the big pocketed table I tried it on. I don't remember coming close to beating it, though.
 
Magic Rack and pattern racking=no chance for the 9-ball ghost with a B player or above. Johnnyt

PS: Now the 10-ball ghost on a tight pocket BB is another story.
 
Cameron Smith said:
The 9 ball ghost is primarily about the break. If you can pocket a ball and get a good spread of balls consistently, it's not that hard for upper eschelon players. Add to that the ability to pattern rack.

If on the other hand you can't break or rack very well, it becomes incredibly difficult and frusterating as you will be left with impossible outs with the occassional routine layout.
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That will raise the percentage a great deal. You made a good point.
There is more than one way to play the ghost. It is as difficult as one
wants it to be
 
many pros can spot the nine ball ghost imo.

I believe it is more about patterns than anything else.

command of cue ball and simple patterns = easy outs


Dudley
 
Sorry, but I don't think a B player can beat the ghost on a big table. Maybe here or there but not very likely. I do agree however that what the break leaves make a huge difference. I recently used the magic rack and I found a pattern to make a ball in the corner and the 1 just misses the side and allows me an easy shot at it in the up table corner. I ran the first 4 playing the ghost this way and felt like I got robbed if I didnt get out after I figured out the pattern to rack.
 
tryhonesty07 said:
Sorry, but I don't think a B player can beat the ghost on a big table. Maybe here or there but not very likely. I do agree however that what the break leaves make a huge difference. I recently used the magic rack and I found a pattern to make a ball in the corner and the 1 just misses the side and allows me an easy shot at it in the up table corner. I ran the first 4 playing the ghost this way and felt like I got robbed if I didnt get out after I figured out the pattern to rack.
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i havent played 9 ball in a couple of months. I will play the 9 ball ghost and give it 20 games on 50. No pattern racking. just throw them in the rack and breakem. window open lol
 
Wait a minute. I thought I was a favorite against the ghost on my 9 fter but I didn't know making a ball on the break is required. Is it?
 
bud green said:
Any decent pro on a table that isn't gaffed, meaning 4 inch pockets,etc..., would rob the nine ball ghost 9 out of 10 times. At least. Only a bad breaking day with balls repeatedly clustering up would make it interesting.

I suck, and have killed it 9-4, 9-5 on a good breaking day. On buckets, and breaking well, a high B player should give it a good go. I've heard that good players can find a soft break that just opens the balls, and pretty much run out every time. Sigel ran out 28 times in 28 tries with ball in hand in a tourney, according to Buddy Hall. They'll murder the ghost. I can't even imagine how bad Earl would slaughter the ghost on a table like they used in the old Sands events in Reno. Ball in hand five or six ball, who do you like lol?

10 ball ghost seems to be a whole different animal. I have lost 20 in a row without getting anywhere near the hill on tough breaking tables with two clusters a rack (see paragraph above where I confess I suck, though). Pros on a tight Diamond can lose money gambling the ghost at 10 ball. Less balls made on the break, and more clusters make it much, much harder in my humble opinion.

The weird thing is, I've tried the 12 ball ghost and something about the rack seems to help you make more balls on the break so its almost the same as 10 ball. Two or three balls used to scream in the pockets almost immediately on the big pocketed table I tried it on. I don't remember coming close to beating it, though.
Click to expand...

I think you are better than you say it you are if you play that well. You certainly don't suck
 
real bartram said:
its easy to beat .
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Thats gonna cost ya;) Sorry I didnt get to see you or Barry when you were in Vegas, I had a pile of things to deal with, Have a good christmas man.


I watched Mike Deschane butecher the 10 ball ghost on my Diamond table 2 1/2 years ago, and he plays way better now. He was spotting it 6 going to 13 and winning everytime.

One factor you have to consider is when you play the ghost-nobody is shooting back at you, there is no real pressure. You can pretend its pressure, but it really isnt. So you should expect to play much better than in a match where you can get cold, or lose momentum.
 
John Schmidt said a player who is beating the 10-ball ghost on 4.5" pockets is a pro on some level.

I agree that a strong B player should give the 9-ball ghost a good run, perhaps not win 50% of the time, but at least 40% I would think.

A players should expect to beat the 9-ball ghost most of the time. Strong A's and shortstops will sometimes blank the 9-ball ghost in races to 9.

The 10-ball ghost checks under his bed for Chris Bartram before he goes to sleep.

Aaron
 
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