Checking Racks of Friends

I had a very interesting conversation with a player the other day.  He was basically saying there are two people he plays regularly that he completely respects their game and never checks their rack.  However, as much as he respects their game, he has noticed that he doesn't quite make as many balls against one of them anymore and he's wondering what is going on.

He shared that he felt like if he checked the rack of this one particular person who he deeply respected (mutual respect, too), that it would actually come across as disrespectful.  And he wasn't quite sure what to do about it.

I took in all of his words and concerns and I expressed my thoughts:  I told him that he needs to do what he needs to do to win his matches.  And if looking at the rack for a split-second will make him feel better about the rack or see if something's going on (like balls aren't touching or crooked rack), that he needs to that. 

I also shared with him that I don't think the other player would consider it disrespectful or even notice anything different.  The player I was talking to looks at everybody's rack anyway.  And he doesn't take a long time doing it - he probably looks at the rack for less than 2 seconds.  He kinda walks by briskly and peers into the rack and then walks quickly away to break.  I think if he studied the rack and was down their deciphering it to death, then yea, the guy would notice all of a sudden.

I'll let you know after they play or match-up against each other if he did indeed check the guys rack quickly or not and how he felt about finally doing that.

But you gotta do what you gotta do and sometimes think of yourself, even if your opponent might feel disrespected.  But I can tell you that I honestly feel this guy won't even care that his rack is being checked.  He knows it's part of the game.

What's also interesting about this is not only that he feels he might make the opponent feel disrespect, but what that makes HIM feel.  It's a fact that affecting someone else's emotions can have a personal effect in you.  And when competing, we need to not be distracted how the other person is feeling because it takes away from our own focus.

My Rack

A few years ago my friend Monica suggested that I write in my blog how and why I rack balls a certain way. 

Well, I didn't think too much about doing that, until at ACS last week one of my friends asked me why I always put the 11 ball on the left corner, and the 4 ball on the right corner.

She wondered if it was related somehow to dates of my Mom.

I thought, "Wow, that would be cool!" 

Well, the 11 ball sort of is.

When I was 11, my Mom and Dad first met each other (obviously my step-Dad), and so 11 became my favorite number.

And anytime I have to choose a raffle ticket or a number or set my alarm, whatever, there is always an 11 or 1 in it.

So, of course the stripe I use to rack an 8-ball rack has the 11 ball on a corner.

 The way I rack 8 ball, with my break cue in the pic, too!

Why on the left side? 

I guess I am partial to the left because I shoot pool left handed, even though I'm right handed.  I even always move my coin to the left, if I win the first game.

The solid ball on the right corner is the favorite color of my friend Janet - purple.  It's a neutral color, and not the fav color or number of my two ex boyfriends, lol. 

So, there you have it!  Why I rack the 11 on the left, and the 4 ball on the right.  :)

Different Way to Rack 9-Ball - Video Clip

Last weekend I was at my Sunday league playoffs.  Towards the end of Saturday night, two of the top players left at the pool room decided to gamble.

They were playing 9 ball, I think $10 or $20 a game.   They were racking their own racks.

One of the players finally gets his first win and so he starts to rack for himself.

But he uses ALL 15 balls to rack!

I was thinking to myself, "Omg this guy can't be THAT drunk can he, that he doesn't remember he's playing 9-ball?"

Check out how he racks 9-ball:


Whew!  He is still playing 9-ball.

Unconventional, yes.  And first time I had ever seen racking 9-ball like this.

As I look back at the video, I bet he got a really tight rack of 9-ball doing it this way!