Rotation is the game to play!

[Williebetmore]

Nice story, Willie. You know, much has been writeen about how the great ones like Greenleaf, Ponzi, and Mosconi loved to play 150 no count against the shortstops. Less is written about how many top players liked to play "twenty and stop" races to 150. In that game, after running twenty, the pro would be required to play safe, and then give up the table. Even if they played it perfectly, the pro couldn't get out in less than eight innings, ensuring the inclusion of safety play in the match. The shortstops would win some of these matches, which placed great pressure on the pro.

SJM,
Yes, dang it, but I STILL can't remember of that USGA official, very famous in golfing circles, head of the committee that set up the U.S. Open courses, I think recently retired (2-3 years ago). I would also be interested in your opinion of the "slow rolling" issue being discussed at the tail end of that "Golf Theory - Putting..." thread.

 

[sjm]

SJM,
Yes, dang it, but I STILL can't remember of that USGA official, very famous in golfing circles, head of the committee that set up the U.S. Open courses, I think recently retired (2-3 years ago). I would also be interested in your opinion of the "slow rolling" issue being discussed at the tail end of that "Golf Theory - Putting..." thread.

I'll reply by PM.

 

[Renegade]

Sniper,
.... When the last 2 balls count 10 times more than the first 2, the chance for luck to rear its ugly head is maximized. .....

shouldn't this just be more incentive to be creative with the combinations and billiards off the object ball? i think this is where imagination and creativity comes in and this makes for a more exciting game to watch. you have to hit the lowest-numbered ball first but no one said you can't pocket the higher-numbered balls ahead of the others.....

 

[Williebetmore]

shouldn't this just be more incentive to be creative with the combinations and billiards off the object ball? i think this is where imagination and creativity comes in and this makes for a more exciting game to watch. you have to hit the lowest-numbered ball first but no one said you can't pocket the higher-numbered balls ahead of the others.....

Renegade,
You are absolutely correct. Therefore, if the 15 ball is hanging in the jaws next to the one ball, with a carom any beginner could make easily, that's worth 15 times as much as a tough, table length cut on the one ball.

Certainly creativity is part of the game; but the first several balls are usually the hardest to negotiate and the reward is minimal. The last few balls are the easiest (though you have to get to the table to pick them off), and the reward is the greatest. Seems backward to me. Perhaps we should be playing rotation in reverse order, starting with the 15 ball and working down. Sounds like more fun to me - I'll try it tomorrow.

 

[Renegade]

Renegade,
You are absolutely correct. Therefore, if the 15 ball is hanging in the jaws next to the one ball, with a carom any beginner could make easily, that's worth 15 times as much as a tough, table length cut on the one ball.

Certainly creativity is part of the game; but the first several balls are usually the hardest to negotiate and the reward is minimal. The last few balls are the easiest (though you have to get to the table to pick them off), and the reward is the greatest. Seems backward to me. Perhaps we should be playing rotation in reverse order, starting with the 15 ball and working down. Sounds like more fun to me - I'll try it tomorrow.

Well, how'd it go?

I imagine it wasn't as much fun. By the time you get to the 5ball (with a value of 11 in reverse rotation), you'd have won the game with a score of 65 (61 to win). The scenario you mentioned with the "15ball hanging in the jaws next to the one ball" can happen, but i reckon not often. And that's part of the game, as with a golden break in 9ball -- it happens, but not that often.
More often than not, a good rotation player would try to manufacture these high-rewards shots by feathering low balls towards the high balls for the carom or billiard or the combination later on. Planning, creativity, imagination, accuracy, skill, experience would be bigger factors than luck or a strong break ever will.

 

[Joe T]

I think it's been suggested before and I've played it with my partners many times prior to 9 ball tournaments. Race to 100 Rotation. 1pt per ball. I've always disliked the number equals the points version.

I use to have a nice loft apartment "The Cave" in Providence where we would all go after our weekly wed night 9 ball tournament and play 3-6 player rotation ring games. Starting off the evening $1 per ball and usually ending the next day at $5 per ball. It was way better than typical ring games. Just running 10 balls at only $2 per ball with 4 or 5 guys paying you was SWEET!