I wasn't at the BCA but I am sure that if I was there and allowed to use it I would without question. I have never played BCA but have been to the VNEA at least a dozen times and must say that I have never gotten more bad racks, either intentional or accidental, at any tournament and the magic rack would be a godsend to me.
Your opinion on Magic Racks?
- Thread starter SpinDoctor
- Start date
I wasn't at the BCA but I am sure that if I was there and allowed to use it I would without question. I have never played BCA but have been to the VNEA at least a dozen times and must say that I have never gotten more bad racks, either intentional or accidental, at any tournament and the magic rack would be a godsend to me.
I was a ref at the Mezz tournament at the Hard Times a few weeks ago and witnessed dozens of games. All the tables were using the Magic Rack and we didn't have one single complain about it.
The interference it caused with balls being in the area of it were minimal and non had any effect on the outcome of any game. Everyone seem pleased with it. For sure the tournament ran smoothly as far as the time allowed for each round with the Magic Rack having a lot to do with that. Most games were racked fairly quickly and to the satisfaction of both players.
Other games like one pocket and straight pool will surely need the conventional rack. Eight ball I'm not so sure because for someone that breaks as weak as I do the Magic Rack might present a problem.
The interference it caused with balls being in the area of it were minimal and non had any effect on the outcome of any game. Everyone seem pleased with it. For sure the tournament ran smoothly as far as the time allowed for each round with the Magic Rack having a lot to do with that. Most games were racked fairly quickly and to the satisfaction of both players.
Other games like one pocket and straight pool will surely need the conventional rack. Eight ball I'm not so sure because for someone that breaks as weak as I do the Magic Rack might present a problem.
I think you nailed it. About 98% of the times there are no balls in the rack. On a 8 ball break same thing applies.
I would not use probably on a straight pool or one pocket match.
The MAGIC BALL RACKS are endorsed by a ton of pros like Mika Immonen for example.
Make sure you remove the protective film from both sides of the racks.
I don't see any reason these things can't last years as long as you take care of them. Mine moves from the pool table to the stool behind it, and that's the extent of its travels. Unless you cut it or snag it on something, you'll have it for a while.
Good to know, thanks.
Can we assume then that it will be available through the AZ Billiards Marketplace?
Has anyone seen clear paper reinforcements used? I know at the Super Billiard Expo, it looked like they were using this. I'm very curious about what people think about something stuck to the table.
Here's what I THINK they were using. I'm not sure, though.
http://yahoo.shoptoit.ca/shop/product--catId_1002908__locale_en__productId_9003074.html
Here's what I THINK they were using. I'm not sure, though.
http://yahoo.shoptoit.ca/shop/product--catId_1002908__locale_en__productId_9003074.html
Having seen mbr affect the roll of the balls a little bit, I would not want anything that can't be removed. That said, there's much less surface area using a few little paper donuts vs. the full plastic magic rack. The odds of a ball rolling on it are small, maybe small enough make it irrelevant?
But how do you place these things accurately even if you're willing to accept leaving something on the table?
And can that tiny bit of sticker residue on the cloth cause any problems?
But how do you place these things accurately even if you're willing to accept leaving something on the table?
And can that tiny bit of sticker residue on the cloth cause any problems?
Knowing my luck, I'd measure everything out and stick them on, only to realize I did it all wrong AFTER the fact, and now half the rack has its own zip code. Not worth it to me.
Does anyone here have a pool hall that they frequent that has replaced their old triangles with the Magic Rack?
Interesting question. I would think on the surface that pool halls generally would stick with the plastic/wood racks since they are cheap, last longer, and are less likely to grow legs. Plus, the traditional triangle can be used to rack all games.
I would think that the MBR would be a good item for a room to carry for sale to its customers/members.
In another thread a guy in japan says it's something like... 80% of the pool halls there use the donuts (it's a lot easier to type than paper hole reinforcers) and the rest use the magic rack. They hardly use traditional racks anymore.
Certainly as a room owner I would consider it. The price is right. They might be a little too "portable", but not many people need to steal a rack. I think there'd be a lot of confusion and it might get old answering the same questions over and over... "where's the rack?" "how do you use this thing?". Typical pool hall bangers don't care about tight and would probably prefer the speed of the triangle.
Certainly as a room owner I would consider it. The price is right. They might be a little too "portable", but not many people need to steal a rack. I think there'd be a lot of confusion and it might get old answering the same questions over and over... "where's the rack?" "how do you use this thing?". Typical pool hall bangers don't care about tight and would probably prefer the speed of the triangle.
I love mine.
Things I like about it:
Perfect racks: The balls are racked perfectly touching every time. So I get a great break AND my cue ball does not go flying off the table.
I bet most of you didn't know that when a cueball goes flying off the table it's generally because there was a gap in the first two balls.
Portable: I can take it with me and insist on it's use when I gamble. Bustamante found out the hard way that a perfect rack every time against a player he is giving the breaks to is deadly.
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Things I don't like about it:
There is no where to put it when playing. It gets "lost" easily. I didn't invent it.
Like, love and use it. Used it in Afghanistan on some really crappy tables, loaded with dust. I had a new set of aramith pro's, so I was able to get a perfect rack everytime. I figured out how to move the nine ball on the break, just a matter of where you break and how. More often than not the seven or eight (when racked in numerical order) would go straight into the corner pocket.