Ring game questions?

mjantti

mjantti

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I have read a few articles about ring games. What I understood that every player brings equal amount of money and the playing continues until one player has won all the dough. So, is it that every rack is one on one and the winner stays at the table, race-to-one? Is it usually winner breaks or does the upcoming player has the break ? How are the stakes determined ? I understood that at some stage the stakes get higher, who determines how high and how often they are raised ?

Or are there different versions of ring games ? How were those "official" ring games played which were reported on AzB-website ?

Maybe trying to suggest some ring action here in Finland as well :)
 
mjantti said:
I have read a few articles about ring games. What I understood that every player brings equal amount of money and the playing continues until one player has won all the dough. So, is it that every rack is one on one and the winner stays at the table, race-to-one? Is it usually winner breaks or does the upcoming player has the break ? How are the stakes determined ? I understood that at some stage the stakes get higher, who determines how high and how often they are raised ?

Or are there different versions of ring games ? How were those "official" ring games played which were reported on AzB-website ?

Maybe trying to suggest some ring action here in Finland as well :)
Click to expand...

Ring games around here are played 2 ways.

We have a FREEZE POT, that's where each contestant anneys up his money to a common pot. Then we draw numbered pills to arrange the firing order. We have as many players as wants to play (generally 5-7, but we've had more). No one plays "leave" on his following opponent. Every shot is intended to make a ball & continue the run. If you continually end up with a "no way shot", you can request a re-roll of the numbered pills once an hour. There are as many "buy back ins" as one would like. When you announce that you are out.... you are out! This style of "Ring Game" is winner take all.

The other "Ring game" we play is the casual way. You can get out of the game after you've lost all you intend to loose or you can step out of the game to do something other than play pool for a while. When you announce that you want back in, you have to wait 2 games, that stops players from exiting & entrancing behind a weak player. We also re-roll the numbered pills for a new order of play, after each hour of play. This kind of ring game is good for camraderie & weaker players to venture in & out.
 
Ring Game Next Week in NYC

For those within striking distance of NYC, according to the flyer I was given when I purchased my tickets for the Big Apple Nine Ball Challenge, the UPA event next week at Master Billiards, in Queens, NY:

"9 ball ring game being organized and coordinated by Grady Matthews for Wednesday, August 4, 2:00 PM"

and then the same flyer continues "For further information, call Alexandra Dyer at 646-824-9582."
 
mjantti said:
...is it that every rack is one on one and the winner stays at the table, race-to-one? Is it usually winner breaks or does the upcoming player has the break ? ...
Click to expand...

Since nobody is really answering your question I will make an attempt. I have only played ring games a couple of times but here's how we played.

You draw for the initial order of play. The shooter keeps shooting until he misses. When he misses the next guy in the shooting order gets up and shoots until he misses.

No defensive shots are permitted. We played $1 on the 5-ball and $2 on the 9-ball. When a player makes a money ball the other players pay him accordingly.

If a guy can run 3 or 4 racks he can make 30 or 40 bucks but the guys I played with aren't that good. We could rarely string 2 racks together so it was just for fun really.

I hope I got the rules right.
 
sjm said:
For those within striking distance of NYC, according to the flyer I was given when I purchased my tickets for the Big Apple Nine Ball Challenge, the UPA event next week at Master Billiards, in Queens, NY:

"9 ball ring game being organized and coordinated by Grady Matthews for Wednesday, August 4, 2:00 PM"

and then the same flyer continues "For further information, call Alexandra Dyer at 646-824-9582."
Click to expand...

Grady, or anyone else, can you confirm that this ring game will take place? Also, what participants are already lined up and can anyone get involved?
 
Thanks for your input. Found out something new...

Well, I've played only one or two ring games. We had 3 players and one rack was always one-on-one and the winner stays at the table and breaks. It was 9-ball race-to-5 and you score normally one point from making the nine. If you win, you continue at the table, if you lose, you have to wait for your turn.

I guess there are many ways to play ring games, just have to set up the rules that satisfy as many players as possible.
 
Wally described it perfectly as far as how the players rotate in and out of shooting. As far as the money and how it's handled, I think there are many ways to do that and it's up to the players to decide. I've seen some players play short sets and no one wins until the set is over, like a race to three or something. When there is a ring game with very good players, one player may go broke before he even gets to shoot. A lot depends on where in the order a player gets to shoot.


mjantti said:
Thanks for your input. Found out something new...

Well, I've played only one or two ring games. We had 3 players and one rack was always one-on-one and the winner stays at the table and breaks. It was 9-ball race-to-5 and you score normally one point from making the nine. If you win, you continue at the table, if you lose, you have to wait for your turn.

I guess there are many ways to play ring games, just have to set up the rules that satisfy as many players as possible.
Click to expand...
 
mjantti said:
Thanks for your input. Found out something new...

Well, I've played only one or two ring games. We had 3 players and one rack was always one-on-one and the winner stays at the table and breaks. It was 9-ball race-to-5 and you score normally one point from making the nine. If you win, you continue at the table, if you lose, you have to wait for your turn.

I guess there are many ways to play ring games, just have to set up the rules that satisfy as many players as possible.
Click to expand...

What you describe is called a king-of-the-hill race, and that's my favorite type of ring game.
 
We play Jimmy Ball, which is we play it like rotation, with all 15 balls. The moneys balls are the 5, 10, and 15 balls, each worth $1-$2-$3 or $2-$4-$6 accordingly. Whoever pockets a money ball legally gets paid by everyone else in the ring game. Here are the rules we go by-

There are absoloutely no safes, you must always try to make a ball,

If someone fouls by not touching the lowest numbered ball on the table first, the incomming player has the option to let the player who fouled shoot again. If this occurs, and the person whom origionally fouled somehow legally pockets a money ball, the person who let him shoot again must pay for everyone in accordance to what money ball he pocketed.

If a player fouls by not touching the lowest numbered ball first, and the cue ball is pocketed, the incomming player has ball in hand behind the headstring, and if the object ball is behind the headstring, it goes up on the spot. Since the lowest numbered ball was not touched, the incomming player can again give the shot back to the person who committed the foul, and the same rules apply.

If the lowest numbered ball is touched fist and the cueball is pocketed, the incomming player cannot give the shot back to the person who fouled.

Sharking is encouraged, however, a player cannot go so far as to either touch the player or the table while the person is shooting. You may not do anything close to the table, such as waving a hand in front of the shooter's face, or shouting in his ear.

The balls are racked with the 15 in the middle, and the 5 and 10 balls in the spots inside the rack directly below the 15.

If a person runs the entire rack from the 1-ball, everyone must pay double.

If a money ball is pocketed legally (combo, carom, etc) while there is still a lower numbered money ball on the table, it spots back up. If the lowest numbered money ball on the table is pocketed legally by combo or carom etc. from another lower numbered ball, it stays down. If the 5 and 10 balls have all been pocketed, and somebody shoots a combination or carom etc. that sinks the 15 ball, the game is over and the winner breaks.

Order for shooting is selected by pulling the numbered balls or flipping coins. The winner always breaks, and every 3 games you can ask to change the order.

Best played with at least 4 players.
 
These rules are close to the way its played around here. Another option we have added in the 9ball ring game where 5 and 9 are money balls, you can add another money ball for the weaker players only if you want. For example add the 7ball as a money ball for one guy, so he gets paid on the 5,7, and 9.....makes it interesting. We also double the amount per rack if it was a runout.....

LastTwo said:
We play Jimmy Ball, which is we play it like rotation, with all 15 balls. The moneys balls are the 5, 10, and 15 balls, each worth $1-$2-$3 or $2-$4-$6 accordingly. Whoever pockets a money ball legally gets paid by everyone else in the ring game. Here are the rules we go by-

There are absoloutely no safes, you must always try to make a ball,

If someone fouls by not touching the lowest numbered ball on the table first, the incomming player has the option to let the player who fouled shoot again. If this occurs, and the person whom origionally fouled somehow legally pockets a money ball, the person who let him shoot again must pay for everyone in accordance to what money ball he pocketed.

If a player fouls by not touching the lowest numbered ball first, and the cue ball is pocketed, the incomming player has ball in hand behind the headstring, and if the object ball is behind the headstring, it goes up on the spot. Since the lowest numbered ball was not touched, the incomming player can again give the shot back to the person who committed the foul, and the same rules apply.

If the lowest numbered ball is touched fist and the cueball is pocketed, the incomming player cannot give the shot back to the person who fouled.

Sharking is encouraged, however, a player cannot go so far as to either touch the player or the table while the person is shooting. You may not do anything close to the table, such as waving a hand in front of the shooter's face, or shouting in his ear.

The balls are racked with the 15 in the middle, and the 5 and 10 balls in the spots inside the rack directly below the 15.

If a person runs the entire rack from the 1-ball, everyone must pay double.

If a money ball is pocketed legally (combo, carom, etc) while there is still a lower numbered money ball on the table, it spots back up. If the lowest numbered money ball on the table is pocketed legally by combo or carom etc. from another lower numbered ball, it stays down. If the 5 and 10 balls have all been pocketed, and somebody shoots a combination or carom etc. that sinks the 15 ball, the game is over and the winner breaks.

Order for shooting is selected by pulling the numbered balls or flipping coins. The winner always breaks, and every 3 games you can ask to change the order.

Best played with at least 4 players.
Click to expand...
 
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