Following his 11-9 victory over Denis Grabe in the round of 32 on 24/7, American player Shane Van Boening brought a set of balls to the table and summoned the referee. He then placed the rack on the table and carefully positioned each ball. The 42-year-old demonstrated the proper racking technique to help the referee improve. The referee observed, asked questions, and appeared receptive to the instruction.

Racking is crucial in pool, significantly impacting the break. The 9-ball rack has 9 designated spots for the balls. However, not everyone knows how to perfectly position the balls within these spots. Van Boening, known for having one of the best breaks in the game, possesses more racking experience than the referee.

If the balls aren't tightly racked, the force transferred from the cue ball diminishes, weakening the break and reducing the likelihood of balls dropping into pockets. Incorrect placement of the 1 ball can also make it more challenging to pocket from the break.

Fedor Gorst (right) complains to the referee at the world 9-ball pool championship in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 24/7/2025. Screenshot

Fedor Gorst (right) complains to the referee at the world 9-ball pool championship in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 24/7/2025. Screenshot

A few hours later, during the round of 16 match between Fedor Gorst and Max Lechner, another refereeing issue arose. After taking a 5-1 lead against the Austrian player, Gorst complained that the referee failed to provide the 10-second countdown warning.

In 9-ball, players have approximately 30 seconds between shots. When the shot clock reaches 10 seconds, the referee is supposed to call out "Ten" to alert the player. If a player needs additional time, they can request an "Extension."

However, the referee in Gorst's match called out "Five" instead. This startled Gorst and could have affected his shot. "This is unacceptable. You have to call it at 10 seconds, not 5," the world number one Russian player told the referee.

The 2025 World 9-Ball Pool Championship, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from 21/7 to 26/7, features 128 top players. Billiards isn't widely played in Saudi Arabia, which has no players ranked in the world's top 128. However, the country has hosted several major sporting events in recent years. In addition to the World 9-Ball Pool Championship, Saudi Arabia is also currently hosting the esports World Cup.

Xuan Binh