Rotation & 9-Ball

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DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
On one of the Accu-Stats DVDs from the Sands Regency tournament in Reno one of the announcers said if you play Rotation it will help your 9-Ball game. Not sure if it was Bill Incardona or David Mattox or Jay Helfert. A comment was made that Rotation is the main game played in the Philippines and when they play 9-Ball it's easier since there are less balls.

So, just wondering what everyone else thinks? Will playing Rotation help your 9-Ball game?

It seems to me it might help your offensive game since you obviously would need much more pinpoint CB control with more balls on the table. But it might be easier from a defensive (safety) standpoint since you have more balls to hide the CB or OB behind.

r/DCP
 
Yes, as you suggest, it will help your offense, as it offers a stiffer test. As you suggest, executing the defense may be a little easier at times in 15-ball rotation, but getting out of a snooker will be harder than in 9ball, as there will be more traffic to negotiate.
 
skor said:
I love Rotation.
Should be one of the pros playing disciplines
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They need to do this on Bigfoot or get rid of that animal.

MitchAlsup said:
If you are LS6 or above, or Fargo 550+; then yes playing rotation will improve your 9-ball game.
Below these, you will only get discouraged.
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Competing at 15 ball yes. Pattern drills with 15 balls; advanced beginner to intermediate levels. If the requirements frustrate instead of challenge you, quit.
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
On one of the Accu-Stats DVDs from the Sands Regency tournament in Reno one of the announcers said if you play Rotation it will help your 9-Ball game. Not sure if it was Bill Incardona or David Mattox or Jay Helfert. A comment was made that Rotation is the main game played in the Philippines and when they play 9-Ball it's easier since there are less balls.

So, just wondering what everyone else thinks? Will playing Rotation help your 9-Ball game?

It seems to me it might help your offensive game since you obviously would need much more pinpoint CB control with more balls on the table. But it might be easier from a defensive (safety) standpoint since you have more balls to hide the CB or OB behind.

r/DCP
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Rotation was Efren's game. He used to practice racks of it before tournaments.

I think it couldn't hurt. It probably also keeps your mind sharp by adding small sums and figuring which balls you need to win and such.
 
When I was a younger man and interested in balls that disappear, I mainly used all 15b in practice.

Rack in any order, break and take BIH, run em in order.

The sense of futility decreases when you take BIH after any miss...aka no safeties allowed.
 
Know the learning process in getting better and be honest with yourself in what level you are in the process.
MitchAlsup said:
If you are LS6 or above, or Fargo 550+; then yes playing rotation will improve your 9-ball game.
Below these, you will only get discouraged.
Click to expand...


Know a good learning process for improving and be honest with yourself in what level you are in the process before playing that game. If you are actually good enough to compete in rotation then yes 9-ball would be easier. Running out 3 balls on the table is easier than running out 9 balls. Learn how to run out nine before you try running out fifteen.
 
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The wind up to all this is I think the Filipinos mostly switched to 10 ball in the last 10-15 years. Anytime there is a streamed match out of there, its 10 ball.
 
If you want to match the drill to your skill level, play progressive rotation. It has 15 different levels for you to progress through.

Let's say you are at level 11. Break a 15 ball rack, then remove the highest balls until only 11 object balls are left on the table. Take ball in hand and try to run out. Play a race to 3 against the ghost -- any miss and you lose that rack. If you beat the ghost, add a ball and play a race of 12 ball rotation. If you lose, you have to go back to 10 ball rotation.

After you play 20 races, changing the count each time, you will get a good indication of your current skill level. For a better measure, play longer sets, say races to 9.

For most players, this will be less frustrating than 15-ball rotation because you will be able to run out about half the time. Some will be discouraged because they think they can beat the 12-ball ghost when they are really at a skill level of 7-ball.

Playing this game for three or four hours from time to time can tell you whether you're improving or not.
 
Could be that a rotation player would do especially well in a 9 ball ring game. With 15 balls on the table to run out, choosing out-of-order stripe combos can be advantageous practice.
 
A word of caution, rotation will improve your game in time, but it takes many years to master the basics, I only played the Philippine version. Its what i would call pools version of snooker. If you find someone to play,competitively against. Its a great game. A serious game. Loads of safety, and because the amount of balls on the table, loads of 2 and 1 Shots (meaning if you don't make the ball, the you get cover) the thing i like is, with all the safety, you can still be, very aggressive. One of the best games to play if you like, using caroms and combinations. Many call it 61, as many of said here, its not as popular as it once was. Back in 2007 there was an Exhibition match at derby city. you'll know them, when you see this.

 
Cue Alchemist said:
A word of caution, rotation will improve your game in time, but it takes many years to master the basics, I only played the Philippine version. Its what i would call pools version of snooker. If you find someone to play,competitively against. Its a great game. A serious game. Loads of safety, and because the amount of balls on the table, loads of 2 and 1 Shots (meaning if you don't make the ball, the you get cover) the thing i like is, with all the safety, you can still be, very aggressive. One of the best games to play if you like, using caroms and combinations. Many call it 61, as many of said here, its not as popular as it once was. Back in 2007 there was an Exhibition match at derby city. you'll know them, when you see this.

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This may be the video where I heard the announcers talking about how it makes 9-Ball easier for the Filipinos. And it was indeed an Accu-Stats video from the Sands Regency tournament in Reno where they were also talking about this.
 
Billy's been saying for decades on Accu-Stats that all the Filllipions cut their teeth on rotation. It wasn't just one video.
 
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