Puzzles with numbers and things

[Robert602]

Not a 15 ball plant, I was thinking 1 hanging on the pocket and 14 surrounding it (think there'd be room for a nice big arc of them). Apart from the last red each is a two ball plant of the type Barry has a knack for.

[davis_greatest]

15 reds by the yellow pocket....

Are you starting with a 15 ball plant? If so, this might be acceptable in what I was toying with asking for round 230 (where I was thinking of saying that "anything goes" as regards plants, although still haven't decided whether to ask such a question), but unfortunately wouldn't be allowed in round 229. Hopefully the wording makes clear my intention that only 2-ball plants are allowed in round 229.

Still - a nice idea... I'll read it through now!

If you'll allow me a 16th red ....

... which I won't He has to start a normal break. But nice try

[Robert602]

Of course, just a simple alteration to my previous effort.

15 reds by the yellow pocket, pink over right baulk, blue over left top, black over left middle, brown over right middle.

A bit of shorthand: L/R M/T/B = left/right middle/top/baulk pocket

Red
Pink to RB
Red
Blue to LT
Red
Black to LM
Red
Brown to RM
Red
Black to RT
Red
Black to LT
Red
Pink to RT
Red
Pink to RM
Red
Pink to LM
Red
Pink to LT
Red
Blue to LM
Red
Blue to RM
Red
Yellow to RB
Red
Green to RB
Last Red to LB
Brown to RB
Yellow to LB

If I've added up correctly this time that's 96 with 15 reds. If you'll allow me a 16th red Barry could also be given the obvious green over right top for a round 100.

[davis_greatest]

Ah that's a bit clever. I don't suppose you'd accept a late 96 then?

Well, abextra wins the round as deadlines are deadlines, but I'd certainly like to see your 96! Do please post it!

[Robert602]

Ah that's a bit clever. I don't suppose you'd accept a late 96 then?

[davis_greatest]

Round 229 then is closed, and won with a superb 73 from abextra! Congratulations!

Congratulations also to Monique and snookersfun for their entries (and Robert602 for his withdrawn entry - hope I haven't missed anyone)!

How do you get that abextra?
If a ball can never been potted twice in the same pocket, then
Yellow, Green, Brown, Blue and Black can be potted 2x, Pink 4x max
If we suppose each is potted with red - which gives more points than alone - we get to
6 +8 +10 +12 +28 +16 = 80.
Or did I misunderstand something?

This is nice logic, but it doesn't really prove (on its own) that 80 is an upper bound to the maximum possible break. A very careful reading of the question will show that it is possible to pot, for example, more than 2 blacks (or other colour) if one black started off over a pocket (baulk or centre pocket, in the case of black). It is only if a colour is on its spot that it can only be potted into a particular pocket - whereas, if a colour is hanging over a pocket, it can always be potted into that pocket (provided it hasn't been potted there before).

[abextra]

... I assume that "red 1" refers to playing a plant (knocking red 2 onto red 1, which was hanging over the pocket) and red 2 is then the ball left over the pocket after a previous plant.

Yep, that's exactly what I meant!

[Robert602]

I think that Robert602 submitted a 72 but it seems to have disappeared from the thread.

Ah unfortunately I only achieved 72 by means of some overly generous addition. Upon further analysis I realised my break only added to 70, and was essentially the same as Monique's earlier submission, so I deleted it.

I'm also going to stick my neck out and say that I don't think it's possible to go any better than 73, but I am going to try and prove myself wrong.

[davis_greatest]

Somebody please check it - I got 73!

red 1 - top right
black - top left
red 2 - top right
pink - top left
red 1 - middle left
black - top right
red 2 - middle left
pink - top right
red 1 - middle right
pink - middle left
red 2 - middle right
blue - middle left
red 1 - baulk left
pink - middle right
red 2 - baulk left
blue - middle right
red 1 - baulk right
yellow - baulk left
red 2 - baulk right
brown - baulk left
yellow - baulk right
green - baulk left
brown - baulk right

I think that Robert602 submitted a 72 but it seems to have disappeared from the thread.

Unless I've missed any, abextra's 73 is the highest offering currently here (I think the previous bids above that have been retracted?)

We'll close this round at 20:00 BST tonight - highest valid bid by then will win... currently with abextra (which looks an extremely good answer)!

I assume that "red 1" refers to playing a plant (knocking red 2 onto red 1, which was hanging over the pocket) and red 2 is then the ball left over the pocket after a previous plant.

[Monique]

Brilliant Abextra!

[abextra]

Somebody please check it - I got 73!

red 1 - top right
black - top left
red 2 - top right
pink - top left
red 1 - middle left
black - top right
red 2 - middle left
pink - top right
red 1 - middle right
pink - middle left
red 2 - middle right
blue - middle left
red 1 - baulk left
pink - middle right
red 2 - baulk left
blue - middle right
red 1 - baulk right
yellow - baulk left
red 2 - baulk right
brown - baulk left
yellow - baulk right
green - baulk left
brown - baulk right

[davis_greatest]

argh, thought one could go for crazy plants (like black onto red etc.).

Afraid not... striking white onto black so that black knocks a red in would be a foul. Striking white onto red, so red hits black, so that black knocks a red in would ordinarily be a legal shot, but is beyond Barry's capabilities, unfortunately. So it is not allowed here. The only sort of plant he can play is the type described in the question.

But also, aren't we still with 'However, Barry's positional play is so poor that he can never play two consecutive pots into the same pocket.'?

Yes we are!

[snookersfun]

yep, I have now 69, pretty similar to yours, except I didn't think I could pot colour after colour (so last yellow missing)

like line up 7/8 balls in front of the two baulk pockets

R1 (green pocket)
black
R2
black
R3
pink
R4
pink
R5
pink
R6
pink
R7
blue
R8
blue (56)
R1 (yellow pocket)
brown (to green)
R2 (yellow)
green (to green)
R3 (yellow)
yellow (to green)
R3 (yellow)
and done...
69 points

[Monique]

You're right snookersfun! My mistake Sorry!
So my break is much lower

red1 in middle left (plant)
pink in top left
red2 in middle left
black in top left
red1 in top right (plant)
pink in middle left
red2 in top right
blue in middle left
red1 in middle right (plant)
pink in top right
red2 in middle right
black in top right
red1 in yellow pocket (plant)
pink in middle right
red2 in yellow poket
blue in middle right
red1 in green pocket (plant)
yellow in yellow pocket
red2 in green pocket (plant)
green in yellow pocket
red3 in green pocket
brown in yellow pocket
yellow in green pocket

that's only 70

[snookersfun]

Ok will try ... for 77
colours on their spots.
two reds in front of each pocket except for top left -pocket is free- and green pocket which gets three reds
now

red1 in middle left (plant)
pink in top left
red2 in middle left
black in top left
red1 in top right (plant)
pink in middle left
red2 in top right
blue in middle left
red1 in middle right (plant)
pink in top right
red2 in middle right
black in top right
red1 in yellow pocket (plant)
pink in middle right
red2 in yellow poket
blue in middle right
red1 in green pocket (plant)
yellow in yellow pocket
red2 in green pocket (plant)
green in yellow pocket
red3 in yellow pocket
brown in yellow pocket
yellow in green pocket
green in green pocket
brown in green pocket

Hope that's OK

argh, thought one could go for crazy plants (like black onto red etc.).
But also, aren't we still with 'However, Barry's positional play is so poor that he can never play two consecutive pots into the same pocket.'?

Will rethink the 'normal' plants option later....