The four ball rule (one of the better rules that Grady thought up) will take care of all the up table slow matches, PERIOD! I know that many people don't like this rule but it works to speed up what would otherwise be a very long and slow match. The four ball rule only adds one more facet to an already great game. The bottom line from my observations of hundreds of games played with this rule in place is that the better player will still win the match, and the weaker player will lose, so nothing is really changed. There is no real advantage or disadvantage that favors either player.
As far as making the corner ball on the break, I think it should count and the inning continues. That is the way One Pocket has been played for eons and doesn't need to be changed now. It's rare that it happens anyway and even making the first ball is no guarantee of winning the game.
I feel the same way about jumping the cue ball when making a ball hanging in the opponent's pocket. It's an important part of the game and being able to successfully execute this shot is an important skill to have. I don't like jump cues for One Pocket and picking up the cue ball to be cleaned can only be done when it is not touching another ball.
That's my two cents.
Two questions:
Do you think that some players are better at the up table game (maybe better bankers), and some are better at down table (close to the stack) play, and if so, how is it that there is no effect with this rule?
Secondly, do you not see a bit of hypocracy in promoting the "four ball" rule to speed up the game, and then rejecting the "rerack" rule out of hand, with no consideration as to why this rule is suggested, simply because this is the way the game has been played for "eons"?
Even though I have offered up suggestions for speeding up the game here, I have always pretty much believed that it's best to just play according to the current rules.
