So apparently I'm a D player

The way you're doing it is challenging and might be the closest thing to playing a top tier pro.
After all, you scratch on the break vs a top pro, you lose 1 or 2 games, maybe more.
So a scratch break penalty makes sense even if it's harsh.

A slightly easier way is magic rack, pattern rack, and break soft like Dennis does in this video.
It's less "realistic" but you never get the scratch penalty, it's still good practice,
and it won't demoralize you.

I think you should see if you can win using some of the other ways, using the soft break
or just playing traditional ghost (no penalty for scratch on the break).
No matter how you do it, beating the 10b ghost over 10 racks means you're at least A speed.

It is normal for 10b to either have clusters, or awkward balls that require window shape,
like funny balls that must be shot 7 feet down the rail. That's one of the big differences
between 10b and 9b. Nine ball outs aren't just easier because of the simple wing ball,
the balls just spread differently and cluster less, and 2 on the break is par for the course.
 
Tramp Steamer said:
The sun so bright, the waters calm, a lonely sneaker's master gone.
Where could he be, this man of the sea? Gone home, perhaps, for a cup of tea?
Click to expand...

Nah, his body is under the blue tarp. His ex-wife stepped out of the picture for a few minutes to find a heavier anchor :wink:!!!

Maniac
 
Straightpool_99 said:
I've been feeling really good about my game lately, defeating the 9 ball ghost in races to 10 several times, and coming close when I didn't so I decided to try the 10 ball ghost test. Couldn't find it before I went out but I seem to remember it was 10 ball ghost race to 10, scratches count -2 and all balls pocketed counts towards your score. I must add I rarely play 10 ball. edit: (table specs Brunswick Crown 9foot, slightly less than 4,5 inch pockets)

So I'm using the magic rack and on my first break try to pocket the second ball in the side. I park my cueball in the center of the table and it gets kicked in the side pocket and I come up dry on the break. The 2 ball is clustered up with 3 other balls and the one is on the other side of the table. I pocket the one, contact the cluster but the two is not makeable. Score -1.

Next rack is a copy of the first down to the last detail, cue ball kicked in 1 and 2 on opposite ends and the 2ball clustered up. The outcome is exactly the same, I make the one, hit the cluster and come up with no shot. Score -2

I don't usually pattern rack, but now I make sure to put the 2 in a different spot. The break is much harder this time, I park the cueball center table, again its kicked but does not scratch. Would you believe it, the 1ball is on a rail with another ball frozen to it and neither can be pocketed!? This has got to be the cruelest roll in the history of pocket billiards. Rack 3 and still my score is -2.

Ok, now I'm officially mad! I lay into the break the cueball is slightly out of control, but is still around the middle of the table when it gets kicked in. I'm not even suprised anymore. The good news is that the table is somewhat open, and indeed I manage to run it. -4 + 10 gives me a total of 6 points in 4 racks. I'm still optimistic at this point, with some runs I could perhaps salvage a B-rating, or so I thought...

The following 6 racks gives me only one runout and mostly low scores so I end up with a 30 total. I would say I made maybe two unforced errors the rest was due to clustering of the low balls and cruel rolls the likes of which I have never seen! There was a recurring pattern where 3 balls (and one time four!) from the rack would cluster together near the rail I was breaking from in nearly every rack even if I tried changing up the break, I think maybe this could be due to the magic rack?

Is it common to have two clusters every game of 10ball? And is it typical that the cueball gets kicked when parked near the center of the table? I didn't want to softbreak, or pattern rack in the ghost race (as I consider it cheating in such a test). Do you guys think it is cheating? And is it a good idea to softbreak in 10ball?
Click to expand...

One score a D player it does not make.
 
Cynic ?

Maniac said:
Nah, his body is under the blue tarp. His ex-wife stepped out of the picture for a few minutes to find a heavier anchor :wink:!!!

Maniac
Click to expand...

No I think he took off the rose colored glasses and immediately saw the finger sticking out from the tarp. :grin-square:
 
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