What order do you Rack the Balls?

billiardbum

billiardbum

Listen U Might Learn!!!
Silver Member
Just curious which order you rack the balls in a 9 ball rack. I play a lot of 9 ball and seem to rack them the same way, but wanted to get some insight to others out there, that play the game. My Rack is like this
1
3 5
8 9 6
4 2
7

Switch the 2 and 3, and also 6 and 8.
 
I always switch out the balls depending on who Im playing, from where they are breaking, how they are breaking etc. You can effect the lay of the balls and therefore the run they require to some extent by seperating them.
If the guy is breaking from the rackers left, I put the 3 behind the 1 on the right. The 2 will go on the same side behind the wingball unless he is breaking soft, for that I put the 2 in the back. There are hundreds of combinations you can mess with to try and get different results. Did you have a particular problem you were trying to "fix"?
Chuck
 
1
63
895
42
7
When my opponent is breaking from the racker's left (the side of the 6,8,4). This distinctly does not apply to racking for myself. However, it is also my understanding that the rules require a "random" racking order of the balls, so if an opponent argues about this racking order, I have a couple of other specific 'random' racking orders which I like to use.
 
We play a lot more 8 ball and I don't rack the same every time, I do however make sure the 6 ball is in the middle/back of the rack. Someone told me once that it was the heaviest ball in the rack...LOL. I'm sure it's not true, but it has been a ritual for so long now why change it?
 
For 9 Ball

1
XX
X9X
XX
8

"X's indicate any other ball but 1, 9, or 8

As Post Break I like to see where the 1 & * end up..
 
1
35
698
24
7

Most people break from the right side of the table. I keep the 2 & 3 towards the side of the breaker per tucker rules.
 
This is what i do and dont do.

1
7 3
4 9 5
2 8
6


1
3 4
7 9 8
5 6
2

Doing racks like these most of the time makes it so you hafta go back n forth across the table for every shot.

I dont like putting the 2ball up front, just in case someone makes the 1 ball, it seems like the 2 and 9ball end up right by each other.
 
Last edited:
I love using the joe tucker dvd as a teaching aid I have had it about 1 year now and I must the spread of the balls on the break has improved a lot and for anyone wanting to learn racking secrets for all the disciplines I recommend this dvd.
 
1
xx
x9x
xx
x

Unless there's weight being given. Pure random. I don't believe rack mechanics should be allowed. Really tough to enforce, though.
 
I am not telling you people any secrets, except that I find that, when racking for other people putting the 1 in the middle works best. You always get ball in hand that way.
 
Sorry for jack'in this thread with this other question but could someone explain the rack for 8 ball? I know a low ball in one corner, a high ball in the other corner and the eight in the middle.

Here's how I do both 9 & 8 ball racks. I know the color of the balls mean nothing but when I'm rack for 8 ball I keep the same colors away for each other. Like the 13 and 5 ball opposite in the rack, 2 and the 10 ball are opposite. Again I know it means nothing, it's just the way I like to do it. Racking 8 ball is not always like I posted below except for the 8 and two bottom corner ball being low high

1
3 5
7 9 8
6 4
2


L1

H10 H12

L4 8 L7

H11 L6 L3 H13

L5 H15 L2 H14 H9
 
Excuse Me!

Is this one of them multiple choice trick questions? HA, HA, I ain't falling for that one again!!!!;)
Purdman:D
 
Here's a defensive, however, legal racking trick if want to stop the wing ball from going in.Depending on what side your opponent is breaking from:
Turn the wing ball and the ball its touching (from the second last row from the back)so that the round circled number labels on the balls are touching/frozen to each other.

Something to do with the composistion (friction) of the numerical labeling will cause the balls to react differently and steer the wing ball away from the pocket.
Got that secret from a Pat Flemming instructional DVD,however, never really tried it(thought it was sleazy :D ) to see if it works.

Example:
1
46
798
23
5

Turn and freeze the darkened black balls numerical labels together.Give it a try and let me know if it works.Maybe I'll use it when playing some unlikeable goof.:p
RJ
 
Last edited:
my 9-ball rack is pretty common (i think?)

--1--
-3-5-
6-9-7
-4-2-
--8--

for 8-ball, random.

-s
 
recoveryjones said:
Here's a defensive, however, legal racking trick if want to stop the wing ball from going in.Depending on what side your opponent is breaking from:
Turn the wing ball and the ball its touching (from the second last row from the back)so that the round circled number labels on the balls are touching/frozen to each other.

Something to do with the composistion (friction) of the numerical labeling will cause the balls to react differently and steer the wing ball away from the pocket.
Got that secret from a Pat Flemming instructional DVD,however, never really tried it(thought it was sleazy :D ) to see if it works.

Example:
1
46
789
23
5

Turn and freeze the darkened black balls numerical labels together.Give it a try and let me know if it works.Maybe I'll use it when playing some unlikeable goof.:p
RJ
Click to expand...
I think if you wet the contact areas between the balls, you can also alter the result off the break.

But whether the result is favorable or not I have no idea.:confused:
 
according to the rules it is unsportsmanlike conduct to rack in a special pattern on purpose.
at least it is here in europe, but i believe apa has come up with the rules.
correct me if i'm wrong.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top