Yesterday at Wimbledon, Venus Williams put the subject of scoring errors on the front page, and it got me thinking about scoring errors in nineball, which I have seen first-hand at every level of play, at least three times in pro tournament action, and two of those times by a player ranked in the top three in the world.
To share what I’ve been taught:
1) When using scoring dials, always ask your opponent before the match begins to announce the score every time they rack the balls.
2) When using beads, always maintain a routine for moving your bead across after a rack won. In pro play, I’ve seen those who move the bead just after pocketing the nine, others who move the bead just after the balls are racked, and yet others who move it just after they grab their break stick. I was taught to move the bead immediately after making the nine.
3) When coins are moved around the table to track the score, I’ve also seen it done more than one way, but I was taught to move the coin immediately after pocketing the nine.
I’ve noticed that alternate break seems to have changed some players’ habits in when they mark their score.
Anyway, the questions that came to mind for me are:
1) What is the best way to minimize the likelihood of scoring errors scoring with a) beads, b) scoring dials, and c) coins?
2) When, under the rules, is it too late to make a correction to the score?
3) When players disagree on the score, how is the dispute resolved?
To share what I’ve been taught:
1) When using scoring dials, always ask your opponent before the match begins to announce the score every time they rack the balls.
2) When using beads, always maintain a routine for moving your bead across after a rack won. In pro play, I’ve seen those who move the bead just after pocketing the nine, others who move the bead just after the balls are racked, and yet others who move it just after they grab their break stick. I was taught to move the bead immediately after making the nine.
3) When coins are moved around the table to track the score, I’ve also seen it done more than one way, but I was taught to move the coin immediately after pocketing the nine.
I’ve noticed that alternate break seems to have changed some players’ habits in when they mark their score.
Anyway, the questions that came to mind for me are:
1) What is the best way to minimize the likelihood of scoring errors scoring with a) beads, b) scoring dials, and c) coins?
2) When, under the rules, is it too late to make a correction to the score?
3) When players disagree on the score, how is the dispute resolved?
