Variations on "Playing the Ghost"

[maha]

i bet some pretty good players 100 a game that they cant run out in 6 ball after the break. no ball in hand but shoot again after the break.

i win those bets.

and if i don't recognize their face they can have that bet in 9 ball. all day long for sky is the limit.

 

[Black-Balled]

Break a rack of 15 balls and play rotation. If you miss keep shooting, and mark your misses on the wire. Try to get personal best for 10 racks in a row.

This is more fun than keeping track of different points for different things happening. Plus if you run a full rack you feel like you accomplished something. It makes the other rotation games feel easier.

Agreed...though I'd suggest starting with ball in hand after any miss.

 

[SSP]

If you can't consistently beat the ghost playing BIH, there's no reason other than unfounded arrogance to consider anything tougher.

Hell, until you can do the same with a 6 ball ghost, I wouldn't recommend playing the 9 ball.

Screwing up harder stuff doesn't make you better...

Coming from Bob Jewett I would take his advice, he's forgotten more than most people have learned on this site.

 

[David in FL]

Coming from Bob Jewett I would take his advice, he's forgotten more than most people have learned on this site.

Agree!

 

[Black-Balled]

If you can't consistently beat the ghost playing BIH, there's no reason other than unfounded arrogance to consider anything tougher.

Hell, until you can do the same with a 6 ball ghost, I wouldn't recommend playing the 9 ball.

Screwing up harder stuff doesn't make you better...

There is are multiple benefits of playing a harder game in training though.

Playing 12 or 15 ball rotation means you have to rack a lot less and eventually you get down to 9 and 6 anyway, right?

But for actual useable benefits, you'll learn to play position better, especially those shots where you get on a ball in awkward positions.
Breaking up clusters or clearing lanes for later use is another.

But the best? When you go play 9/10b that matters, there's a lot of easier there.

 

[dr_dave]

My understanding is that there are two main accepted ways to "Play the Ghost". One, the "pro" version is to break and play from the break. This would mean that one would need a full, true break and run more than 50% of the games to win. Two, the more common "amateur" version, where one breaks and then takes ball in hand after the break, regardless of what happens on the break.

For me, I see the "amateur" version is being something that encourages laziness or apathy on the break, or to just "get a good spread" to beat the ghost and not necessarily make a ball. So I came up with what I call the "modified pro version".

In the modified pro version, one gets 2 points for a break and run, and the ghost gets 2 points for a scratch on the break. With a break that does not make a ball, then one takes ball in hand and runs out from there. With a break that does not make a ball, if one runs out after taking ball in hand its 1 point. If one misses at any time, the ghost gets 1 point. So - make a ball on the break, its on for a break and run and potentially 2 points, no ball in hand. Scratch on the break, the ghost gets 2 points. Any other miss, whether one made a ball on the break or not, the ghost gets one point.

This encourages practicing the break in a way that break and runs are sought after, and laziness or apathy on the break are discouraged. As most serious 9 ball players are aware, a scratch on the break is asking for a loss of game and loss of momentum, so the scratch on the break is heavily penalized.

In my earlier pool playing time, not too far back, I beat the ghost in the "modified pro" version twice, and I did so on a 9 footer. The 9 footer I used to beat the ghost in the "modified pro" version was not my home table, and I used a triangle rack. I generally play on 9 footers as a default, only playing on bar tables for occasional tournaments.

Of course, my "modified pro" version uses all 9 balls.

2 questions:

1. Has anyone ever heard of the "modified pro" version that I came up with being used?
2. What other variations of "playing the ghost" are you aware of?

Good post. FYI, I've added a quote on the "playing the ghost" resource page, where other versions are also decribed.

 

[Fvalstounge]

I typically play it straight. Scratch or no balls is only half-way to a loss. Then I play the "ghost" turn. If ghost runs out and wins, I still feel great about the loss. If not, it's a draw. Maybe I just hate losing.

 

[Cleveland_Rocks]

There is are multiple benefits of playing a harder game in training though.

Playing 12 or 15 ball rotation means you have to rack a lot less and eventually you get down to 9 and 6 anyway, right?

But for actual useable benefits, you'll learn to play position better, especially those shots where you get on a ball in awkward positions.
Breaking up clusters or clearing lanes for later use is another.

But the best? When you go play 9/10b that matters, there's a lot of easier there.

I like this idea. You are right, if you practice with 12 then playing with 9 should look easier.

 

[Cleveland_Rocks]

Good post. FYI, I've added a quote on the "playing the ghost" resource page, where other versions are also decribed.

Thank you.

 

[Cleveland_Rocks]

I typically play it straight. Scratch or no balls is only half-way to a loss. Then I play the "ghost" turn. If ghost runs out and wins, I still feel great about the loss. If not, it's a draw. Maybe I just hate losing.

Double the fun! Sounds good!

 

[Cleveland_Rocks]

To add clarity on when I beat the ghost in the "modified pro" version, I beat it in a race to 7 twice, on different days near the same time. On a 9 footer that was not my home table and with a triangle rack. It was not too far back in time.

 

[Flakeandrun]

To add clarity on when I beat the ghost in the "modified pro" version, I beat it in a race to 7 twice, on different days near the same time. On a 9 footer that was not my home table and with a triangle rack. It was not too far back in time.

I play a similar modified format. MR break rules on a 4" cornered Rasson table.

Take ball in hand and run out, it's one point, If I miss it is two points to the ghost.
No ball in hand and break and run, it's two points to me, one point to the ghost if I miss.

If I choose to lay a safety after the break - the point is up for debate. If I lay it successfully, I let myself take ball in hand after, if I run out I get a point. If I miss ghost gets a point. If the safety is poor, the ghost gets a point.

Usually racing to 5 or 7 when I have nothing better to do.