Comments on: Pool Student’s Ramblings #3 http://www.poolstudent.com/2010/02/05/pool-students-ramblings-3/ For Serious Students of all Pocket Billiards Games Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:49:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: John Biddle http://www.poolstudent.com/2010/02/05/pool-students-ramblings-3/comment-page-1/#comment-450 John Biddle Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:35:08 +0000 http://www.poolstudent.com/?p=1972#comment-450 Jarno, I have practiced using Fargo and I like it. Fargo's twist, namely the ability to switch to rotation play, really distinguishes it from 6 Pocket for better players. Knowing when to make the switch is very important, but can be tough. Balancing the desire to make double the score per ball against the extra difficulty of getting out is tricky at first, but that, itself, can be a learning opportunity. Your point about focus is an excellent one. The simple act of keeping score really ratchets up the pressure. On the early shots you have to be very careful not to get hooked and get a very low score, and as you work your way through the rack you want each ball that much more, to finish. As you work through multiple racks, you're competing with your past performances, trying to make a new high, or at least beat your average. Jarno, I have practiced using Fargo and I like it. Fargo’s twist, namely the ability to switch to rotation play, really distinguishes it from 6 Pocket for better players. Knowing when to make the switch is very important, but can be tough. Balancing the desire to make double the score per ball against the extra difficulty of getting out is tricky at first, but that, itself, can be a learning opportunity.

Your point about focus is an excellent one. The simple act of keeping score really ratchets up the pressure. On the early shots you have to be very careful not to get hooked and get a very low score, and as you work your way through the rack you want each ball that much more, to finish. As you work through multiple racks, you’re competing with your past performances, trying to make a new high, or at least beat your average.

]]> By: Jarno Virtanen http://www.poolstudent.com/2010/02/05/pool-students-ramblings-3/comment-page-1/#comment-449 Jarno Virtanen Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:24:02 +0000 http://www.poolstudent.com/?p=1972#comment-449 Fargo is a great practicing game too. It's basically similar game, but you can switch to rotation at any given shot and you start scoring two points per ball after that. (You can't switch back to random phase after you've switched to rotation.) It represents more strategic options and offers a little bit more challenge. Of course, it isn't meant to replace 6 pocket or anything else for that matter, but I've found it to be a great practicing game for the most popular games, 8 ball and 9/10 ball. When you start becoming proficient enough to clear the table in random phase now and then, you should start looking to switch to the rotation phase well before the rack ends. I've advertised the game on our local pool community and a few players have started practicing it. It's way better than straight pool for practicing 8/9/10 ball, because the layout is so much closer to the typical layout in those games. And like 6 pocket and other similar games, it really pumps up one's focus, because you can't start shooting recklessly or otherwise you start getting those frames of just couple of points. You have to focus on each and every ball, just like you need to do in league and tournament matches. The rules are here: http://www.pro9.co.uk/html/RulesFargo.php Mike Page has a video post on Fargo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHj6KUw8xzE&feature=channel Fargo is a great practicing game too. It’s basically similar game, but you can switch to rotation at any given shot and you start scoring two points per ball after that. (You can’t switch back to random phase after you’ve switched to rotation.) It represents more strategic options and offers a little bit more challenge.

Of course, it isn’t meant to replace 6 pocket or anything else for that matter, but I’ve found it to be a great practicing game for the most popular games, 8 ball and 9/10 ball. When you start becoming proficient enough to clear the table in random phase now and then, you should start looking to switch to the rotation phase well before the rack ends.

I’ve advertised the game on our local pool community and a few players have started practicing it. It’s way better than straight pool for practicing 8/9/10 ball, because the layout is so much closer to the typical layout in those games.

And like 6 pocket and other similar games, it really pumps up one’s focus, because you can’t start shooting recklessly or otherwise you start getting those frames of just couple of points. You have to focus on each and every ball, just like you need to do in league and tournament matches.

The rules are here:

http://www.pro9.co.uk/html/RulesFargo.php

Mike Page has a video post on Fargo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHj6KUw8xzE&feature=channel

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