Short Rack 1P?

Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

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One way I've tried to get non-1P players to try a few games is to make it more bite size by playing "short rack" - 11 or 9 balls with 6 or 5 needed to win. I've liked it OK the few times I've tried it - but I wonder why I don't hear about it as an alternative or even a novelty version of the game?

Is there some fatal flaw in Short Rack 1P that I just haven't discovered yet? Is the game too drastically changed with fewer balls? How so?

One reason I ask is that I'm wondering if a Short Rack 1P Tourney makes sense, especially to attract players with little 1P experience. Whadya think?

pj
chgo
 
gulfportdoc

gulfportdoc

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Good question, PJ. The shorter rack games have just simply not caught on. When you think about it, 6, 7, 9 and 10 ball are just short versions of rotation. And short rack banks is, well...

I've played 11 ball banks, but never competed at 11 ball 1P. Everything is the same-- just a shorter game. The break might be a little different.

A few years back Greg Sullivan had me and a few others try 1P on Diamond bar tables. He wanted to see if the game would be suitable for tournaments in areas where there were few 9' tables, but lots of 7' ones. The game was fine, only it was better with 9 or 11 balls due to all the clusters that naturally formed. It wouldn't be as good on Valley tables. I don't know if he ever did anything with the concept.

~Doc
 
androd

androd

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I've played a lot and gambled, playing 3 ball one pocket. The break is exactly the same. almost as fast as one ball one pocket. (Which has the least opportunity to rest of any pool game I've played) :eek:
Rod.
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

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I haven't played it enough to know for sure, but I think short rack 1P must be more of a shooting game - the stack is smaller and the table more "porous" in the beginning, allowing easier shots, simpler decisions and a faster, more offensive game. All in all, a pretty good lie to suck beginners in with.

pj
chgo
 
gulfportdoc

gulfportdoc

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Patrick Johnson said:
I haven't played it enough to know for sure, but I think short rack 1P must be more of a shooting game - the stack is smaller and the table more "porous" in the beginning, allowing easier shots, simpler decisions and a faster, more offensive game. All in all, a pretty good lie to suck beginners in with.

pj
chgo
Click to expand...
PJ, I never knew that you were that nasty...:D

~Doc
 
L

LSJohn

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monett missouri
Patrick Johnson said:
One way I've tried to get non-1P players to try a few games is to make it more bite size by playing "short rack" - 11 or 9 balls with 6 or 5 needed to win. I've liked it OK the few times I've tried it - but I wonder why I don't hear about it as an alternative or even a novelty version of the game?

Is there some fatal flaw in Short Rack 1P that I just haven't discovered yet? Is the game too drastically changed with fewer balls? How so?

One reason I ask is that I'm wondering if a Short Rack 1P Tourney makes sense, especially to attract players with little 1P experience. Whadya think?

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

I think short rack is the best hope for one-pocket's future. As you suggest, it would probably be easier to get young players interested, and beyond that, it creates some possibilities and hope for TV.

Seems almost all the young players playing the game are the rising stars who start playing it for the tournament and gambling potential. Few are taking it up for fun.

I wonder how it would work out to play it 10 ball. That would shorten the game (both players need 1 and there are two on the table.) Would that feature undermine something important to one-pocket that I haven't thought of?
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

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LSJohn said:
I think short rack is the best hope for one-pocket's future. As you suggest, it would probably be easier to get young players interested, and beyond that, it creates some possibilities and hope for TV.

Seems almost all the young players playing the game are the rising stars who start playing it for the tournament and gambling potential. Few are taking it up for fun.

I wonder how it would work out to play it 10 ball. That would shorten the game (both players need 1 and there are two on the table.) Would that feature undermine something important to one-pocket that I haven't thought of?
Click to expand...
I think it's only tradition that the number of balls in the game isn't enough for both players to "win", but I've always liked it that way - especially the possibility of fighting for the same ball in the end.

pj
chgo
 
NH Steve

NH Steve

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Short Rack 1P?

Patrick Johnson said:
I think it's only tradition that the number of balls in the game isn't enough for both players to "win", but I've always liked it that way - especially the possibility of fighting for the same ball in the end.



pj

chgo
Click to expand...

I agree -- coming down to the last ball is like sudden death OT. Makes the end game more exciting
 
L

LSJohn

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monett missouri
NH Steve said:
I agree -- coming down to the last ball is like sudden death OT. Makes the end game more exciting
Click to expand...

Yes, I also agree with that, but one possibility of a first step toward enticing new players to the real one pocket we all love is to promote a shorter, faster-moving version. The extra ball would accomplish that.
 
O

onepocketchump

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In short rack one pocket you can two rail the cue ball into the bottom ball and make it a high percentage of the time. 5 and out from the break is common.

Fun game though. Played it several times for $10 a game for something to do.
 
B

bstroud

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If you have an even number of balls in the rack (say 10) you can place a ball in the middle of the end rail at either end of the table.

Bill S.
 
unoperro

unoperro

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9ball 1 hole on the barbox .extra balls available to spot up!
Definately not the same game.

12 ball game with a square rack? Create a market for a new rack!


1 ball is ultimate short rack.:p
 
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