Would you have a problem with the way I rack?

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oldmanatc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Playing league mostly in bars on tables in less than stellar condition, in order to get a consistently tight rack I use the following technique. I first place the 1 ball on the spot (or as close to center on the spot that any divot will allow). I then set the rack in place so that the 1 ball is locked in this position. I then build the rest of the rack behind the 1 ball while holding the rack in place to keep it from moving.

This is the only way I have found that I can consistently get a tight rack for my opponent, yet I get questioned about it quite a bit. People will inspect the rack, see that its tight and still complain. I would like to get other's opinions on my technique and how/why they choose to rack the way they do.
 
What are they complaining about?

Shouldn't matter in what sequence you assemble it, if its as tight as the table will allow (and not blatantly patterned)
 
Its typically the "I've been playing pool for # years and never seen that" type of complaints.

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Can you not find the settle spot with the 1 in the triangle?

I agree that it gonna rack where it wants to rack, but you are doing it differently and it frightens us. We must eliminate differents.

Just kidding. Theres more than 1 way to skin a cat...
 
Can't see why anyone would complain about the way you rack. IMO It is the best way to rack as it results in less wear to the table cloth. I hate to see tables where there are 5 worn tracks running from the end rail out to the back row of balls sit. The tracks are caused by people racking the balls against the rail and then pushing the rack back and forth before stopping on the spot.
 
If someone didn't like it, I usually just hand them the rack and tell them rack your own, I just will check it for being straight and not leaning to one side or the other. In fact, most leagues in our state and tournaments have gone to a rack your own policy just to avoid the complaint issue. Really, same results without the hassle.
I can't remember which organization done in it, but they had everyone write on the score sheets all the number of break and runs and the percentage was very low. So, to avoid problems, they changed to rack your own and the next year, done the same thing and the percentage was about the same.
I would bring it up in the league meetings to change it to rack your own to avoid this.
 
Thanks to all. I'll bring up the rack your own idea the next time I see the league operator.

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I do the same thing on old cloth. Let the 1-ball settle, then build around it. Easiest way to get a tight rack on old, used cloth.
 
I run a tournament with a $500 break pot. I do pretty much the same thing you do to let the 1 settle on the spot and then put the 2 head balls next. This way I can find which two balls are the tightest with the one. The rest I just toss in.
 
Hmmm... I may have an issue with the way you rack.

You say you put the 1 ball in front. If that implies you're racking 9 balls for that carnival game instead of all 15 balls for straight pool. If that's the case, then yeah I do. :thumbup:
 
Buddy of mine played an elderly gentleman last night 9 ball league. One rack he only racked 8 balls and another he put the 2 ball in front. So your doing fine.

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I am OUTRAGED by your racking method. You, sir, are a menace and a pariah and you must be BANNED from the game at once!!

jk...who cares dude. Just laugh at them and tell them if they want you to just rack 'em loose you'll be happy to oblige.
 
sounds good to me.

Just do NOT like the folks that spend more time "organizing" the order of the rest of the balls, cause they don't want too many solids or stripes on one side ? As if they have some top secret formula that says a guy is less likely to run out if they balls are sufficiently scattered through out the rack ??

Just rackem at random, stick the 8 in the middle, put a stripe on one corner and a solid on the other and be done with it. Seems like "lower" skilled players do this the most, not sure why, but just seems to be.
 
Keep doing what you are doing.

oldmanatc said:
Playing league mostly in bars on tables in less than stellar condition, in order to get a consistently tight rack I use the following technique. I first place the 1 ball on the spot (or as close to center on the spot that any divot will allow). I then set the rack in place so that the 1 ball is locked in this position. I then build the rest of the rack behind the 1 ball while holding the rack in place to keep it from moving.

This is the only way I have found that I can consistently get a tight rack for my opponent, yet I get questioned about it quite a bit. People will inspect the rack, see that its tight and still complain. I would like to get other's opinions on my technique and how/why they choose to rack the way they do.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
oldmanatc said:
Thanks to all. I'll bring up the rack your own idea the next time I see the league operator.

Sent from my SM-G860P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

We rack our own in my league. When the rack is loose or bad, the guy/gal breaking gets to argue with themselves and then kick their own ass. :)
 
Had a guy in our league a year or so ago that insisted it was okay to rack loose, that it was "part of the game" to strategically slug rack your opponent. No amount of reasoning with him and pulling out the rulebook to show where it states you must rack as tight as possible would persuade him. He about had a fit when some of us wanted to use magic racks.
 
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