Solution for racking issues!!!

[Kid Dynomite]

Why not mandate that the cue ball must be on the other head spot????

I know that the rules for 9 ball and 10 ball mandate that the 1 ball must be on the spot!!!!! Why not mandate the position of the cue ball as well????

The whole concept of breakers choice on cue ball placement is ridiculous!!!

This way, everyone breaks from the same spot and it eliminates the cut break and a ton of other issues. No one can do anything but hit them hard when the cue ball and one ball are forced to be on the head spots!!!!!

Just opening this topic up for discussion and want to see what other people think??????

Kid
Dynomite

 

[whitey2]

It is an unusual idea, and I suspect folks will not like it.

The primary thing that comes to mind is that it would REALLY cause the head spot, and a track-line
from it to wear out pretty quickly.

 

[Kid Dynomite]

The primary thing that comes to mind is that it would REALLY cause the head spot, and a track-line
from it to wear out pretty quickly.

That happens NOW with everyone breaking from the rail. So, that is not a good reason not to do it. Plus, the spot helps slow down the wear on the cloth because they are routinely replaced! The spot where you place the cue ball on the break gets more wear than any where else because of the tips initial impact on the cue ball and the balls impact on the slate and cloth!!!!
You always see those white spots on the cloth by the rail where the cue was placed on the break and that would be prevented.

Kid
Dynomite

 

[KoolKat9Lives]

Why not mandate that the cue ball must be on the other head spot????

I know that the rules for 9 ball and 10 ball mandate that the 1 ball must be on the spot!!!!! Why not mandate the position of the cue ball as well????

The whole concept of breakers choice on cue ball placement is ridiculous!!!

This way, everyone breaks from the same spot and it eliminates the cut break and a ton of other issues. No one can do anything but hit them hard when the cue ball and one ball are forced to be on the head spots!!!!!

Just opening this topic up for discussion and want to see what other people think??????

Kid
Dynomite

That is an interesting idea and maybe could fit certain circumstances. There's so much hullabulloo about breaking these days!

An aside 'cause I can't resist asking: Did you go to the Eddie Wheat school of punctation??????? j/k!!!!!!!!!! :wink:

 

[3andstop]

I don't really understand all the break issues with this game.

Truth be known, I'd rather have bamboo shoots stuck under my fingernails than have to play this game so I'll admit I'm really not up with this, but I don't understand how there could be any legitimate concern about 9 ball breaks.

I'm one of those straight pool lovers, and I can't help but think if folks were getting the 14.1 break down perfectly, should they change the rules on how to break? Geez, some guys could run 400 balls, so why not limit a players inning to 100 then they have to sit down, I mean after all, we don't want them to make too many balls in their inning.

Regardless of the idiosyncrasies of any game, both people are playing on the same table with the same balls. Because somebody invents a term like cut break, and is having success with breaking softly, why should any of that make a difference.

You wanna break hard, break hard, you wanna break soft, break soft. So long as the cue ball is on the table behind the headstring, play the game. Geez, I just don't get it. :scratchhead:

 

[jay helfert]

Why not mandate that the cue ball must be on the other head spot????

I know that the rules for 9 ball and 10 ball mandate that the 1 ball must be on the spot!!!!! Why not mandate the position of the cue ball as well????

The whole concept of breakers choice on cue ball placement is ridiculous!!!

This way, everyone breaks from the same spot and it eliminates the cut break and a ton of other issues. No one can do anything but hit them hard when the cue ball and one ball are forced to be on the head spots!!!!!

Just opening this topic up for discussion and want to see what other people think??????

Kid
Dynomite

I can remember them doing that 30 years ago in gambling matches. That was the spot! I have said much the same thing a few times, but it always fell on deaf ears. If you break off the spot, you are pretty much forced to hit them hard!

 

[PKM]

I think they should eliminate the break and use a random number generator with laser markers to place the balls on the table.

 

[JoeW]

I like this idea. It solves many problems. Combined with alternate breaks it makes for an interesting competion.

Placing a Tefco Master Spot on the head string spot reduces the burn marks. The player can break from anywhere inside the black spot

 

[Cuebacca]

Has there been a "problem" with soft breaks in 10-ball? The only one who I'd heard of soft breaking in 10-ball was Corey. Has anyone else been using that with success? Personally, I think mandatory breaking from the spot would seem a little... like a gaff to me. I like there being at least a little bit of freedom to choose where to break from. Just my humble opinion.

 

[cigardave]

There's a learned skill to making the 1-ball in the opposite side pocket when breaking from a side rail (same as in 9-ball)... and if/when you do, the bonus is the corner ball opposite the breaking side has a damn good chance of going 4 rails into the corner pocket near its racked position... provided it doesn't collide with another ball of course. My practice partner, Mr. J, and I see that happen on a routine basis on my 9-foot Pro Am.

I fail to see the reason why we would want to take that skill (1-ball in side pocket) out of 10-ball.

 

[Saggy]

I think they should eliminate the break and use a random number generator with laser markers to place the balls on the table.

Hey, my prototype was supposed to be a heavily guarded secret, lol.

 

[tjlmbklr]

Sorry man this would never fly. Having the option of moving the CB on the break is no different then having the option to move it on any ball in hand. Pool is a very strategic game and this is one of those.

Most tournys are already incorporating "breaking within the box" and this is acceptable. Having someone put whitey on the same spot on the break isn't going to stop people from doing cut breaks and force follow breaks or stop shot breaks or.....well You get the picture. So there is always variety no matter what.

IMO

TJ

 

[Still_Learning]

Or...

Most tournys are already incorporating "breaking within the box" and this is acceptable. Having someone put whitey on the same spot on the break isn't going to stop people from doing cut breaks and force follow breaks or stop shot breaks or.....well You get the picture. So there is always variety no matter what.

You could always shoot the cue ball out of a cannon or something. Same cannon, same location...

 

[av84fun]

Kid, that's a fine idea...along with breaking from the box...moving the rack and other simple ways to reduce the luck factor in 9 Ball....some of which are the way the game was played back in the day.

But no one wants to do it. They would rather just ***** about it and migrate to 10 Ball which defeats the purpose of 9 Ball in the first place which was to have a fast paced, largely (but not nearly entirely) offensive game.

9 Ball is more of a drag race than a stock car race. As the ball count moves higher, you just get closer to Rotation so why not play rotation?

(Other than that you would bore the vast majority of the potential audience to death).

Regards,
Jim

 

[av84fun]

The issues include that some people think 9 Ball is too easy...which, of course, it isn't (if it was the same couple of dozen people wouldn't win the vast majority of events).

Others think there is too much luck in the game, which of course, there is. But much of the luck factor could be reduced by such suggestions as the OPs but people need a scape goat to blame pool's dwindling popularity so they blame 9 Ball and want to replace it with 10 Ball which is a band aid, not a solution.

But the aspect of all this that would be funny if it wasn't so sad, is that the most popular pool game in America...by an order of magnitude...is 8 Ball. But what is the most played game on the pro tours? 9 Ball.

That is about as logical as Pro Football converting to Rugby....and the end result would be just about the same.

Personally, I don't care for 8 Ball. I'm just sayin'.

And BTW, your favorite game, 14.1, which I also love and grew up on...is not without its own issues. YES runs SHOULD be limited to X number of balls. 150 and out where the "competitor" sits shotless in his chair is NOT a CONTEST...it is an exhibition, which as I am sure you know, was the format for a great number of matches back in the day.

Willie played in VASTLY more exhibition matches than organized tournaments....like 100-1 I would imagine.

(-:

Jim

I don't really understand all the break issues with this game.

Truth be known, I'd rather have bamboo shoots stuck under my fingernails than have to play this game so I'll admit I'm really not up with this, but I don't understand how there could be any legitimate concern about 9 ball breaks.

I'm one of those straight pool lovers, and I can't help but think if folks were getting the 14.1 break down perfectly, should they change the rules on how to break? Geez, some guys could run 400 balls, so why not limit a players inning to 100 then they have to sit down, I mean after all, we don't want them to make too many balls in their inning.

Regardless of the idiosyncrasies of any game, both people are playing on the same table with the same balls. Because somebody invents a term like cut break, and is having success with breaking softly, why should any of that make a difference.

You wanna break hard, break hard, you wanna break soft, break soft. So long as the cue ball is on the table behind the headstring, play the game. Geez, I just don't get it. :scratchhead:

 

[Kid Dynomite]

Most tournys are already incorporating "breaking within the box" and this is acceptable. Having someone put whitey on the same spot on the break isn't going to stop people from doing cut breaks and force follow breaks or stop shot breaks or.....well You get the picture. So there is always variety no matter what.

I must disagree with you here!!! Place the cue ball on the spot and if you can cut break and not scratch then you know something I don't???? The other breaks you mention are also eliminated if you simply place the cue ball on the spot for everyone!!!!

Kid
Dynomite

 

[Cuebacca]

Has there been a "problem" with soft breaks in 10-ball? The only one who I'd heard of soft breaking in 10-ball was Corey. Has anyone else been using that with success? Personally, I think mandatory breaking from the spot would seem a little... like a gaff to me. I like there being at least a little bit of freedom to choose where to break from. Just my humble opinion.

Bump What is the issue that we're trying to solve by breaking from the spot in 10-ball?

For 9-ball, I guess I'd be willing to give it a chance (as if I had any say, lol ) but might as well just switch to 10-ball instead. It's a better game than 9-ball, IMO, unless we just think the diamond shape of the rack is too cool-looking to give up on.

 

[unknownpro]

Why not mandate that the cue ball must be on the other head spot????

I know that the rules for 9 ball and 10 ball mandate that the 1 ball must be on the spot!!!!! Why not mandate the position of the cue ball as well????

The whole concept of breakers choice on cue ball placement is ridiculous!!!

This way, everyone breaks from the same spot and it eliminates the cut break and a ton of other issues. No one can do anything but hit them hard when the cue ball and one ball are forced to be on the head spots!!!!!

Just opening this topic up for discussion and want to see what other people think??????

Kid
Dynomite

Hey, what's up Kid?

Here's one reason. In 9 ball with a perfect rack you will make very few balls breaking hard from the center, so it could possible backfire in some way.

 

[Kid Dynomite]

Hey, what's up Kid?

Here's one reason. In 9 ball with a perfect rack you will make very few balls breaking hard from the center, so it could possible backfire in some way.

I agree that you will make less balls on the break. But, that does not mean it is impossible to make balls on the break from that position. It just makes it more of a random occurence when you make a ball on the break! Plus, the whole object of the break is to be random. Currently, the run outs are way too high and common! If the break is more luck then certain then everyone wins! I want champions that win because of skill not the fact that he/she exploited the less than random outcome due to cue ball placement!!!

Also, at the Tiger Planet-Pool Tournament I witnessed some very disgusting altercations over the rack. One player who will remain nameless said " He beats me every time we've played and I had to pull the old rack move on him to gain an advantage by refusing every rack he puts there" needless to say the director had to be called and it was either too high, slightly twisted or anything else he could think of to prevent a good rack. After 20 minutes at the table racking balls the racker was totally out of his game and rythmm after hitting him with a 3 pack in a race to 9!!!! Now how fair is that???

Kid
Dynomite

 

[Cuebacca]

Also, at the Tiger Planet-Pool Tournament I witnessed some very disgusting altercations over the rack. One player who will remain nameless said " He beats me every time we've played and I had to pulled the old rack move on him to gain an advantage by refusing every rack he puts there" needless to say the director had to be called and it was either too high, slightly twisted or anything else he could think of to prevent a good rack. After 20 minutes at the table racking balls the racker was totally out of his game and rythmm after hitting him with a 3 pack in a race to 9!!!!

Kid
Dynomite

Dang, that IS nasty. That crap should definitely be eliminated from the game. But I think the best way to do that is with 10-ball, rack your own (or neutral racker) and maybe have the cloth prepared with a tap template too.