Playing the ghost

Bmoretallpaul

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Apr 4, 2018
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212
Up the room today practicing. A fellow asked me to play the ghost. I never tried it before and i wasn't sure how many balls would be fair. He suggested 35, with 5 tries which i turned down. Just knowing the character who made the offer, I knew I was in a bad game before I started. We kicked numbers around and never agreed on a game. I don't like prop bets but for kicks and whiskers what would be a fair game.
 

Tom Wirth

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Jul 5, 2004
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Delray Beach, Florida
Do you have to call your pocket before you break? Do you have ball in hand to begin your run? What rule will you be obligated to should you scratch while breaking? You might want to figure these things out before committing to a challenge.
If you must choose before you break and do not have ball in hand, try setting a goal of 20 in practice before taking on a challenge for $$.
You will find many times you will have no open shot to your pocket. Try a variety of break options before settling on any specific style.

This is a great drill for developing better patterns and for improving your imaginative skills for finding ways to continue runs where it appears there are no shots.

Just to throw out a plug my way. Have you seen my DVD video where I run eight and out 18 times alternating pockets each time. I provide commentary on the patterns throughout the exercise? I call it "The Running Of The Balls"

And that ain't no bull. hardee har har! :D

Tom
 

Jimmy B

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Aug 17, 2007
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6,897
Do you have to call your pocket before you break? Do you have ball in hand to begin your run? What rule will you be obligated to should you scratch while breaking? You might want to figure these things out before committing to a challenge.
If you must choose before you break and do not have ball in hand, try setting a goal of 20 in practice before taking on a challenge for $$.
You will find many times you will have no open shot to your pocket. Try a variety of break options before settling on any specific style.

This is a great drill for developing better patterns and for improving your imaginative skills for finding ways to continue runs where it appears there are no shots.

Just to throw out a plug my way. Have you seen my DVD video where I run eight and out 18 times alternating pockets each time. I provide commentary on the patterns throughout the exercise? I call it "The Running Of The Balls"

And that ain't no bull. hardee har har! :D

Tom



Plug away, Mr. Hemingway...
 

cincy_kid

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Nov 23, 2015
Messages
7,794
From
Cincinnati, OH
The only way I have seen it played or played it myself is you have to call pocket before break and you don't get ball in paw after, you shoot where it lies. Unless you scratch on the break, then you are starting at (-1) and ball in line behind line.

The first time I played it, I was hustled (imagine that lol)...

I started shooting at 20, then down to 17, then 15, then 13...I ended up going busted shooting at 9....no joke. Although I have never been a real good ball runner, it seems anyone can make 9 right? Try some out and see! :)

It still amazes me the top pros shoot at such high numbers!
 

El Chapo

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Oct 28, 2016
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1,649
Efren was shooting at 35 in five racks when he was in his prime.

I think we should forget one pocket and just play this game. Screw effing around with one hole. This game is a winner.
 

gulfportdoc

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Jun 25, 2004
Messages
12,654
From
Gulfport, Mississippi
Do you have to call your pocket before you break? Do you have ball in hand to begin your run? What rule will you be obligated to should you scratch while breaking? You might want to figure these things out before committing to a challenge.
If you must choose before you break and do not have ball in hand, try setting a goal of 20 in practice before taking on a challenge for $$.
You will find many times you will have no open shot to your pocket. Try a variety of break options before settling on any specific style.

This is a great drill for developing better patterns and for improving your imaginative skills for finding ways to continue runs where it appears there are no shots.

Just to throw out a plug my way. Have you seen my DVD video where I run eight and out 18 times alternating pockets each time. I provide commentary on the patterns throughout the exercise? I call it "The Running Of The Balls"

And that ain't no bull. hardee har har! :D Tom
Tom, I wonder if you or anyone else has ever utilized Cory Deuel's "smack 'em" break (which he used against Daulton) for playing the ghost? I've never played with it, but it seems to me worth a try. Surely balls would be open to shoot at the guy's pocket. If I can remember, I'll give it a whirl later.

~Doc
 

Tom Wirth

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Jul 5, 2004
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2,972
From
Delray Beach, Florida
Tom, I wonder if you or anyone else has ever utilized Cory Deuel's "smack 'em" break (which he used against Daulton) for playing the ghost? I've never played with it, but it seems to me worth a try. Surely balls would be open to shoot at the guy's pocket. If I can remember, I'll give it a whirl later.

~Doc

Doc., I don't think so. At least not at the Pro level. Remember, Corey was using that break in the very early stages of his One Pocket development. He used it against me the only time we were every matched up in a tournament. He got away with it both times he broke the balls, making one in his hole once, and the other time he had me hooked badly. I did see him use it again against other players in that same event, but it wasn't long after that he used the more conventional break.

We talked later about it and he told me that he felt he was the underdog due to his inexperience. He felt loosening them up took away some of the moving advantages those experience players had. He also told me he had experimented with a few of these wide open breaks and found that open shots to either corner pocket were rare. In this particular case he way right and he beat me with his superior shooting skills.

Tom
 

vapros

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May 24, 2004
Messages
4,806
From
baton rouge, la
If I remember correctly, Deuel used that break in a match with Shannon Daulton, but he called the opposite pocket - and beat Daulton.
 

gulfportdoc

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Joined
Jun 25, 2004
Messages
12,654
From
Gulfport, Mississippi
Doc., I don't think so. At least not at the Pro level. Remember, Corey was using that break in the very early stages of his One Pocket development. He used it against me the only time we were every matched up in a tournament. He got away with it both times he broke the balls, making one in his hole once, and the other time he had me hooked badly. I did see him use it again against other players in that same event, but it wasn't long after that he used the more conventional break.

We talked later about it and he told me that he felt he was the underdog due to his inexperience. He felt loosening them up took away some of the moving advantages those experience players had. He also told me he had experimented with a few of these wide open breaks and found that open shots to either corner pocket were rare. In this particular case he way right and he beat me with his superior shooting skills.

Tom
No, I don't think the wide open break is sensible against top players. However if the breaker can successfully draw the CB off the side rail and get it to the other side, it does open possibilities....... sometimes.

Bill mentioned the Daulton match. I think Shannon was so shocked and pissed that he used that break on him, that he never did get over the disrespect that he may have assumed Corey showed him by using it. We'll never know.

There is a thing or two I don't like about Deuel, but one thing I do admire about him is his ability and conviction to be able to innovate. He's always looking for new and/or unusual methods.

~Doc
 
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