Nice system for non runout players! I play it this way. 1) break 2) take ball in hand only if no shot 3) you can get out of the rack (a push) if you get a full hook on the ball. EG, if you get out of line, you can save yourself from losing the game by playing a good safe. Missed shots mean losing the game. This way the training is the same as in competition. When you are out of line, you play safe rather than forcing the issue and go for some low percentage shot.
Personally I like to play left hand vs right hand. Having a good off hand is always useful, and I still feel compelled to finish the rack without changing hands
@Pool Problems I've practiced that way for a few years, so I'm confident enough to use my left if the shot is awkward with my right. But it's never gonna be as consistent lol
Nice system. I like it and it marks good progress for non-advanced players. I use a magic rack, so I do not give myself a bonus point for making a ball on the break
Thanks for the comment! It's good to hear people tweaking the rules to match their needs. Where I play we rack the nine on the spot (3 point rule, no break box), so having the bonus point here makes more sense.
Very similar to Inside Pool’s “99” a few years ago. 2 pts for making one or more balls on the break, BIH, 1pt for every ball made, max/rack of 11 pts. Play 9 racks for a max 99. Early legal 9 ball worth all 9 pts. The mag even made a web site available to post score, track progress, and compare with others. I played this for a year and got in the high 60s. Highest rack was 87! Break was working fine in that series of racks. 😅
@@PoolProblems 2 pts for 1 or more balls on the break. Scratch doesn’t matter, just no pts for a made ball. Spot the made ball(s) on a scratch to keep the 9 pts available. Thanks for your interest.
@@PoolProblems Really?? Hahaha! What a nice surprise 😄 I'm fine my friend, finnaly the TH-cam world is not so big. Nice to see you again and keep updating!
@@PoolProblems yeah you break and run out whatever looks better either solids or stripes. The biggest part of 8 ball is you pattern of running out and breaking out any clusters/problem balls. So I’d say the same idea works with almost identical scoring as well. Depending on the level you play leaving your opponent an open table 5-6 balls into your run usually means a loss of rack so the ghost method works perfect for both games.
@@PoolProblems apa rules are each ball is 1 point and 9 is worth 2 points. Each player goes to a certain point total based on their handicap. I liked playing that way before I could beat the ghost normally.
If covered it in the FAQ in the video description: "What do I do if I have clusters? Clusters are a part of the game. If the 1-ball is tied up, I think you should be allowed to spot it either on the spot or on the kitchen spot (the other side of the table). Any clusters on other balls must be broken up in some way. This doesn’t reflect actual match play, since you then have the option of playing safeties, but I haven’t been able to come up with a good rule that uses safety play as an option. I think spotting the 1-ball in case of a cluster removes the possibility of a bonus point for not taking ball in hand after the break." ____________________ I usually practice safety play by its own.
I take less balls. Beat the 4ball ghost by ten points, advance to 5ball ghost. Get beaten by ten you fall back to 3ball ghost. That way every ball matters and you can nicely track your progress.
I really like that. I've done the "find your skill level" exercise by tor lowry. Have you tried it? The downsides are you don't get any breaking practice, and you don't practice managing traffic, but there are a lot of advantages with your method also!
Yeah I tried it, it was call pockets for every ball before starting right? I now retreated to the above mentioned and I do break the balls. I’m at 4 now so way to go, but it’s demanding and keeps me motivated to beat the level and add another ball... anyway cheers to you and greets
One point for each ball, plus three possible bonus points. 9+3=12 Maybe you forgot to count the additional point for making the 9 ball? It's worth two points.
Wow , you just Handicapped playing the ghost !!!!! Dude please stop making videos and just go to your local pool room and donate for 6 months , you will improve by 4 balls
I played the ghost a race to 10. & If I got over 5 games ahead like 7-2 & missed, I started all over again 0-0.... & Would not quit until I won by at least 2 racks. It was grueling but no one wanted to play me at that point in time.
miss? Switch to non-dominant hand with ball in hand. if out with non-dominant hand than break with non-dominant hand, swap upon miss. normal points. Grants perspective/options. Increases pattern recognition. Builds symmetry of play. Really helps with stance and stroke self recognition. Divides the eye unto center ball.
@@PoolProblems At 1st you're gonna be sore physically when you're trying to develop your stance and your posture is gonna be a little offset but after you get your mind wrapped around it it becomes kind of natural
Jmo , ball I n hand should never be taken after the break because it is the most important shot period At least take a major deduction if you do take ball in hand
That's a reasonable statement, and I do agree to some degree. However, it also depends a bit on the break rules. Alot of communities are still playing one on the spot. Where I play, the official rules are nine on the spot, and three point-rule - which makes it alot tougher to control the break. It should be practiced, but to state that you never should allow yourself to proceed if you don't have a clear shot on the 1 - I don't know. For me, that would be pure break training, because my sucsess rate on that kind of break is not so high, especially with the three point rule on tough conditions. And break training is important, but maybe not for players at all levels? But this is a reoccuring topic in the comment section here, so I will definetly be more aware of this when I play - I think sometimes I do dodge semi tough one balls by taking ball in hand (like in the example video), and I realize that that is a bit to result oriented and that I need to get more out of the comfort zone. So thanks for the comment!
@@PoolProblems I used to pocket a ball or 2 and leave the cueball and 1 ball ,8 out of 10 breaks down by the headstring and the game was 10xs easier . Alas that's gone away , the cut break can be effective if you make the 1 but then where is the 2 .
@@PoolProblems fair enough. This might be out of the blue, but any idea for English 8 ball solo play? It’s similar to American 8 ball, slightly smaller table and pockets, 7 red and 7 yellows plus 8 ball to finish on
@@toziassmitt I would rack 7 red balls, the 8-ball and 2 yellow (total of 10 balls - fits well in the triangle), break and run the reds with a scoring system similar to the one I show here. One point pr. ball, bonus for ball on the break, bonus for running the rack, etc. Your emphasis should be on finding the best patterns (minimize cue ball movement). Find your key ball (last red before the 8) early on and try to commit to it.
Nice system for non runout players!
I play it this way. 1) break 2) take ball in hand only if no shot 3) you can get out of the rack (a push) if you get a full hook on the ball. EG, if you get out of line, you can save yourself from losing the game by playing a good safe. Missed shots mean losing the game. This way the training is the same as in competition. When you are out of line, you play safe rather than forcing the issue and go for some low percentage shot.
Personally I like to play left hand vs right hand. Having a good off hand is always useful, and I still feel compelled to finish the rack without changing hands
That's cool. How good are you with your left hand?
@Pool Problems I've practiced that way for a few years, so I'm confident enough to use my left if the shot is awkward with my right. But it's never gonna be as consistent lol
That is a great idea mate!!!! I will try this
I love to play alone and i love all different variations of these games
Great idea because I suck at pool even though I have an awesome Brunswick Monarch table and play every day.
You're a lucky man. What size is it?
Nice system. I like it and it marks good progress for non-advanced players. I use a magic rack, so I do not give myself a bonus point for making a ball on the break
Thanks for the comment! It's good to hear people tweaking the rules to match their needs. Where I play we rack the nine on the spot (3 point rule, no break box), so having the bonus point here makes more sense.
I'm enjoying your content. I look forward to it. Looks like a nice billiard parlor.
Thanks a lot. I'm working on some new ideas, so stay tuned!
Very similar to Inside Pool’s “99” a few years ago. 2 pts for making one or more balls on the break, BIH, 1pt for every ball made, max/rack of 11 pts. Play 9 racks for a max 99. Early legal 9 ball worth all 9 pts. The mag even made a web site available to post score, track progress, and compare with others. I played this for a year and got in the high 60s. Highest rack was 87! Break was working fine in that series of racks. 😅
I didn't know that! Sounds fun, and also, 87 is very good! What were the break rules?
@@PoolProblems 2 pts for 1 or more balls on the break. Scratch doesn’t matter, just no pts for a made ball. Spot the made ball(s) on a scratch to keep the 9 pts available. Thanks for your interest.
Great job 👏 good way to keep fun
But how does the scoring work for the ghost?
I like this idea ! Hey , what is the specs of your cue and shaft it's nice looking at well.
Hey, man. Thanks. It's a predator roadline butt with a predator revo 11.8 shaft!
I do ghost 👻 many years, when I beat the ghost I'm in perfect shape. It's a great match simulator.
Lol, so funny to see you here. Remember we worked together in Oslo Open? I was the master chef 🤌
@@PoolProblems Really?? Hahaha! What a nice surprise 😄
I'm fine my friend, finnaly the TH-cam world is not so big. Nice to see you again and keep updating!
@@agreekinnorway that's good to hear! Thanks a lot and the same to you!
Playing alone is boring but it's great practice
Sorry but your way of counting points is boring
If u bet something, you will not be bored buddy ,
You betting on ghost games???
You practicing at dave and busters?
No, actually, this is in Norway.
Poor batmann
For me I practice doing 8 ball since that's better I feel like for playing alone
8 ball is drunk checkers while 9 is stoned chess, they are not the same
So you break full racks and try to run out? I have a 8-ball tournament coming up, so I need to start practicing it :D
@@PoolProblems yeah you break and run out whatever looks better either solids or stripes. The biggest part of 8 ball is you pattern of running out and breaking out any clusters/problem balls. So I’d say the same idea works with almost identical scoring as well. Depending on the level you play leaving your opponent an open table 5-6 balls into your run usually means a loss of rack so the ghost method works perfect for both games.
You're essentially playing the apa ghost.
It probably has some similarities, even though I'm a non US player with no knowledge about APA. Do you score bonus points?
@@PoolProblems apa rules are each ball is 1 point and 9 is worth 2 points. Each player goes to a certain point total based on their handicap. I liked playing that way before I could beat the ghost normally.
What about playing safe?
If covered it in the FAQ in the video description:
"What do I do if I have clusters?
Clusters are a part of the game. If the 1-ball is tied up, I think you should be allowed to spot it either on the spot or on the kitchen spot (the other side of the table). Any clusters on other balls must be broken up in some way. This doesn’t reflect actual match play, since you then have the option of playing safeties, but I haven’t been able to come up with a good rule that uses safety play as an option. I think spotting the 1-ball in case of a cluster removes the possibility of a bonus point for not taking ball in hand after the break."
____________________
I usually practice safety play by its own.
I dont like ghost play.. . This how the joker was made lol
I take less balls. Beat the 4ball ghost by ten points, advance to 5ball ghost. Get beaten by ten you fall back to 3ball ghost. That way every ball matters and you can nicely track your progress.
I really like that. I've done the "find your skill level" exercise by tor lowry. Have you tried it? The downsides are you don't get any breaking practice, and you don't practice managing traffic, but there are a lot of advantages with your method also!
Yeah I tried it, it was call pockets for every ball before starting right? I now retreated to the above mentioned and I do break the balls. I’m at 4 now so way to go, but it’s demanding and keeps me motivated to beat the level and add another ball... anyway cheers to you and greets
Is seriously no one talking about how it's supposed to be maximum 11 points and not 12?
One point for each ball, plus three possible bonus points. 9+3=12
Maybe you forgot to count the additional point for making the 9 ball? It's worth two points.
@@PoolProblems so if you get a ball on the break it starts at 2 points?
@@nikhilpise8209 yes! A point for the ball itself, and the single bonus point for making a ball on the break.
Solid video and spin on scoring methods. Ill sub to help grow the community.
Wow , you just Handicapped playing the ghost !!!!! Dude please stop making videos and just go to your local pool room and donate for 6 months , you will improve by 4 balls
Smh, you're the same guy that suggested betting on ghost games 😆 🤣 😂
I played the ghost a race to 10. & If I got over 5 games ahead like 7-2 & missed, I started all over again 0-0.... & Would not quit until I won by at least 2 racks. It was grueling but no one wanted to play me at that point in time.
miss? Switch to non-dominant hand with ball in hand.
if out with non-dominant hand than break with non-dominant hand, swap upon miss.
normal points.
Grants perspective/options. Increases pattern recognition. Builds symmetry of play. Really helps with stance and stroke self recognition. Divides the eye unto center ball.
Wow, my non-dominant hand skills are so off, so maybe I'll try your method. How long does it take until you build those skills? @nickt8948
@@PoolProblems At 1st you're gonna be sore physically when you're trying to develop your stance and your posture is gonna be a little offset but after you get your mind wrapped around it it becomes kind of natural
After a few weeks you're gonna develop your non dominant perspective and banking become significantly easier so it's worth it
Your initial practice should just be for stance don't worry about making any balls And it will be intense
@@-Nick-T thanks. Are you confident enough to use your non dominant hand during high pressure situations?
Jmo , ball I n hand should never be taken after the break because it is the most important shot period
At least take a major deduction if you do take ball in hand
That's a reasonable statement, and I do agree to some degree. However, it also depends a bit on the break rules. Alot of communities are still playing one on the spot. Where I play, the official rules are nine on the spot, and three point-rule - which makes it alot tougher to control the break. It should be practiced, but to state that you never should allow yourself to proceed if you don't have a clear shot on the 1 - I don't know. For me, that would be pure break training, because my sucsess rate on that kind of break is not so high, especially with the three point rule on tough conditions. And break training is important, but maybe not for players at all levels? But this is a reoccuring topic in the comment section here, so I will definetly be more aware of this when I play - I think sometimes I do dodge semi tough one balls by taking ball in hand (like in the example video), and I realize that that is a bit to result oriented and that I need to get more out of the comfort zone. So thanks for the comment!
@@PoolProblems I used to pocket a ball or 2 and leave the cueball and 1 ball ,8 out of 10 breaks down by the headstring and the game was 10xs easier .
Alas that's gone away , the cut break can be effective if you make the 1 but then where is the 2 .
@@724riff for sure. And with the new matchroom rules around the corner, it'll be even more difficult.
What if you make multiple balls on the break?
You get rewarded for all those, plus the single bonus point. So if you make two balls on the break, that'll give you three points.
@@PoolProblems Thank, I've been enjoying this so far.
@@bobstanton6444 that's great. What's your typical results on sets of five?
Game ends if you miss a shot?
Yes, you then sum up your points for that rack and give it another go.
@@PoolProblems fair enough. This might be out of the blue, but any idea for English 8 ball solo play? It’s similar to American 8 ball, slightly smaller table and pockets, 7 red and 7 yellows plus 8 ball to finish on
@@toziassmitt I would rack 7 red balls, the 8-ball and 2 yellow (total of 10 balls - fits well in the triangle), break and run the reds with a scoring system similar to the one I show here. One point pr. ball, bonus for ball on the break, bonus for running the rack, etc.
Your emphasis should be on finding the best patterns (minimize cue ball movement). Find your key ball (last red before the 8) early on and try to commit to it.