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9 Ball on Foot Spot for Break?


9 Ball on Foot Spot for Break?

I noticed watching pro women's billiards today that they were placing the 9 ball on the foot spot. What is that about? Anyone else ever see this?

Usually they do it normally with the 1 on the foot spot. Is this something new? I can't recall what year this tourney was, it was on ESPN Classic.

Has anyone ever seen this in men's 9 ball billiards?

This question relates to the following billiard rules:

9 Ball on Foot Spot for Break?

Replies & Comments

  1. JustanotherevolutionaryMitch Alsup on 1/30/2009 6:31:52 PM
  2. JustanotherevolutionaryJustanotherevolutionary on 2/19/2009 7:55:51 PM

    I saw it again today in men's BCA billiards. 9 ball on the foot spot. Maybe this is a BCA thing? However I can't find any info regarding this. The match was Francisco Bustamante and Luc Salvas. Anyways, it wasn't just me or the angle, it was definitely the 9 ball in the middle, on the foot spot. If anyone knows, pass it on.

  3. Justanotherevolutionaryquickshot on 2/19/2009 8:56:49 PM

    I never noticed that the 9 ball was on the spot. Usually it is the 1 ball as you well know. With the 9 ball on the spot it would be an illegal rack and I do not see that because the racks are set by the ref. I do not have an answer to the question.

  4. JustanotherevolutionaryJustanotherevolutionary on 2/20/2009 5:43:46 PM

    Well I saw it AGAIN today. One thing I noticed is there is no foot spot thingy on the table. He just lines them up with the diamonds, unless there is a small one I can't see on TV. But that 9 ball is definitely on straight across 7th diamonds (assuming you count the pockets as diamonds). The 9' tables I've played on never have a foot spot thingy either, but I always put the 1 on the "imaginary spot." I've seen plenty of tournaments where the 1 ball IS on the spot also. What the heck is going on here? Who knows, maybe it was an optical illusion... I'm starting to feel a little crazy here.

  5. JustanotherevolutionaryFenwick on 2/24/2009 7:29:35 AM

    I did not see the matches yet. I did however read about the format before the event took place. Normally they have to break out of the box I think? It, breaking out of the box, makes it harder to pocket the 9 ball on the break. It may also make pocketing corner balls a bit harder? During this event they could break anywhere behind the head string.. It was new to me also.

  6. Justanotherevolutionaryquickshot on 2/24/2009 7:50:57 AM

    RACKING THE BALLS. The object balls are racked in a diamond shape, with the one ball at the top of the diamond and on the foot spot, the nine ball in the center of the diamond, and the other balls in random order, racked as tightly as possible. the game begins with cue ball in hand behind the head string.

    Having posted this, isn't the object of nine ball to play the balls in numerical order. That being the case, the 1 ball has to be the first ball hit and that is why it is set at the foot spot. I can't find any indication of it being different. Especially on the pro tour both men and women's.

    The 1 ball and the 9 ball are similar in colors so it may be an optical illusion. Looking in the haystack?

  7. JustanotherevolutionaryFenwick on 2/24/2009 7:58:48 AM

    I'm sorry I didn't make myself clear. They rack in the same order however push the whole rack froward so the 9 ball is on the foot spot.

  8. Justanotherevolutionaryquickshot on 2/24/2009 10:46:44 AM

    OH! That would change the racking rules altogether and have some effect on the game.

    It does not make any sense. I watched Karen Korr and Allison Fisher today and there were no changes. Right now it is possible to sink the 1 ball on a break. Re-racking that way would create a problem in that area. I believe... I do not play that much nine ball other than to use it as a practice session.

    In order to make a change and do that I would imagine it would take an act of Congress (billiards) between the various rules makers.

  9. JustanotherevolutionaryJustanotherevolutionary on 2/24/2009 7:42:23 PM

    Well I'm glad I've stumped everyone! Fenwick, what do you mean break outside of the box? I've never heard this term. Please explain, thanks. Now you've stumped me! hehehe

  10. JustanotherevolutionaryJustanotherevolutionary on 2/25/2009 9:18:33 AM

    I'm watching Fisher and Shen Mei Lieu (pardon my bad spelling) right now and again they are placing the 9 on the foot spot. This is APA so there goes my theory about it being a BCA thing. Oh good lord I just don't know anymore!

  11. JustanotherevolutionaryFenwick on 2/25/2009 10:11:47 AM

    Some 9 ball tournaments and leagues require you to break from inside the box. The box is behind the head string between the first diamonds along the end rail and the side rail. Draw a imaginary line between the two and you have a box on either side of the table. It keeps you further back and makes pocketing the 9 on the break a bit harder I think?

  12. JustanotherevolutionaryJustanotherevolutionary on 2/25/2009 6:06:27 PM

    OHHHH! Wow that would really suck. I guess. Although in these tournaments I've seen that is not the case. They are right up on the head string and side rails. I hope I never have to play "inside the box." I don't think I have EVER broke from there. Thanks for the explanation. =) That would surely make pocketing the 9, or pocketing the 1 in the side a lot harder... I think!

  13. JustanotherevolutionaryMitch Alsup on 2/26/2009 11:49:15 PM

    The following article explains the inherent flaw in 9-ball:

    The outbreak of the soft break threatens the game of 9-ball

    Apparently the pros have found a 90%+ effective way of making a ball on the break, getting position on the 1-ball and leaving all the balls at the foot end of the table, for easy runs.

  14. JustanotherevolutionaryJustanotherevolutionary on 2/27/2009 8:17:30 AM

    Wow, thanks Mitch as usual you come through again. Recently my cousin has been soft breaking on me...

    I think I will show him this article so that he can see that what he is doing is rather uncalled for. I really like the 3 balls past the headstring idea, and I will be placing the 9 on the foot spot (where applicable) from here on out. I don't really care for that break box idea though, I don't think I will institute that rule. Thanks again Mitch.

  15. JustanotherevolutionaryFenwick on 2/27/2009 9:10:44 AM

    Thanks for the link Mitch. I had the break box backwards. I don't play much if any 9 ball.

  16. JustanotherevolutionaryJustanotherevolutionary on 3/7/2009 6:00:43 PM

    So I tried setting it up with the 9 ball on the foot spot on my table... It doesn't work so well on a 7' pool table. I tried it at the pool hall on the 9' pool tables though and it makes the game a lot different, you can still pocket the 1 in the side but the wing balls seem more difficult to make. Maybe it was just me.

    Anyways it's fun to switch things up. Really gotta lick em to get 3 past the headstring but we aren't too picky about that. In the end, I like it!

  17. Justanotherevolutionaryguest on 4/4/2015 5:10:57 PM

    Most World Cup 9-Ball is played with the rack moved forward where the 9 is on the foot spot. The one is still in front. This takes away the normal 9-ball break (although it is still a win if accomplished). This is why many top pros from all countries use the cut break to make the one in the side pocket and the wing ball in the lower corner.

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9 Ball on Foot Spot for Break?