pooligan
Registered
In trying to get back in stroke after starting up in league after a hiatus, I developed a new practice game that I'd like to get opinions on.
Since I just don't have the patience for drills, when practicing, I still prefer some structure to my routine so I'm not just "banging balls around" and reinforcing bad habits. I had been using the Hopkins Q-Skill Challenge, but I found the fact that one miss and you are done frustrating when trying to get back into my stroke. During normal practice, I started to develop another scored game that reinforces shotmaking, position play, and strategic planning in what I believe a fun and interesting format.
I call the game 7-UP since the highest score you can achieve is 7. Here are the basic rules. I'll list some possible modifications below.
Object :
Complete 3 ball sequences to score points.
Rack/Break :
Rack all 15 balls in standard 8-Ball fashion (triangle with apex ball on footspot). 8-Ball should be in the center, all other balls may be placed at random. Cue ball behind the headstring, open break (i.e. 4 balls should hit a cushion, etc).
Cue ball scratch on the break is minus 1 point. This is the only time points are deducted from the game and is meant to reinforce the importance of protecting the cue ball on the break
(The table reset after the break involves the most complicated part of the rules so bear with me. It gets much easier after this).
Table reset after the break :
Any balls made on the break are spotted (no points are scored on the break). Player has the option to spot the ball(s) on the footspot or the headspot, whichever they think will be more advantageous (this will become more clear later on). Multiple balls can be spotted on either the footspot or headspot, but should be done with a ball width between them (no balls frozen).
The 8-ball is moved, regardless of location, to the center spot.
The player gets cue ball in hand to attempt his first sequence.
Play :
Starting with cue ball in hand, the player will attempt a sequence. A sequence is defined as shooting a stripe then solid, or solid then stripe, and then the 8-ball. The solid/stripe balls in a sequence must be of the same color.
Example 1 :
Player shoots the 1-Ball. They must then shoot the 9-Ball (both yellow), then attempt to make the 8-Ball.
Example 2 :
Player shoots the 10-Ball. They must then shoot the 2-Ball (both blue), then attempt to make the 8-Ball.
Scoring :
A completed sequence is counted as 1 point. A perfect game is 7 points, as there are a total of 7 possible sequences.
Table reset after a sequence :
Once a sequence has been completed, the 8-Ball spots up again on the center spot and the player takes cue ball in hand to attempt the next sequence.
Incomplete sequence:
If, during an attempt at a sequence, the player misses any shot, or fouls, the sequence ends. The solid/stripe balls that belonged to that sequence are removed from the table and are no longer available to be used in scoring. The 8-Ball is placed back on the center spot.
Example 1 :
Player makes the 3-Ball, but then misses the 11-Ball. The 3-Ball stays down, the 11-Ball is taken off of the table, and if the 8-Ball was moved from the center spot, it is re-spotted. Player takes ball in hand to attempt another sequence. No points are scored.
Example 2 :
Player calls the 12-Ball at the start of a sequence and misses. The 12-Ball and the 4-Ball (the other ball in the sequence - both purple) are removed from play and the 8-Ball is re-spotted if it was moved. Player takes ball in hand to attempt another sequence. No points are scored.
Example 3 :
Player makes the 13-Ball and the 5-Ball, but misses the 8-Ball. The 8-Ball is re-spotted and the 5-Ball and 13-Ball stay down. Player takes ball in hand to attempt another sequence. No points are scored.
End of Game :
Game is over when all sequences have been attempted.
So that's the game in a nutshell. Of course, since I developed it for practice, you could tweak any of the rules to your liking. Some obvious modifications to make it more challenging would be to eliminate the cue ball in hand before each sequence (very hard) or to require sequences be shot in order (i.e. 1-9, 2-10, 3-11, etc).
Blatant apologies to Bonus Ball for borrowing the 8-Ball on the centerspot concept, as well as the 3 ball sequence.
Please share your thoughts and opinions on this practice method. I'd especially like to know what some of the instructors on here think.
I'll try to post an instructional video at some point in the future, just to help get some of my concepts for this game across that might not translate that well in words.
-Pooligan
Since I just don't have the patience for drills, when practicing, I still prefer some structure to my routine so I'm not just "banging balls around" and reinforcing bad habits. I had been using the Hopkins Q-Skill Challenge, but I found the fact that one miss and you are done frustrating when trying to get back into my stroke. During normal practice, I started to develop another scored game that reinforces shotmaking, position play, and strategic planning in what I believe a fun and interesting format.
I call the game 7-UP since the highest score you can achieve is 7. Here are the basic rules. I'll list some possible modifications below.
Object :
Complete 3 ball sequences to score points.
Rack/Break :
Rack all 15 balls in standard 8-Ball fashion (triangle with apex ball on footspot). 8-Ball should be in the center, all other balls may be placed at random. Cue ball behind the headstring, open break (i.e. 4 balls should hit a cushion, etc).
Cue ball scratch on the break is minus 1 point. This is the only time points are deducted from the game and is meant to reinforce the importance of protecting the cue ball on the break
(The table reset after the break involves the most complicated part of the rules so bear with me. It gets much easier after this).
Table reset after the break :
Any balls made on the break are spotted (no points are scored on the break). Player has the option to spot the ball(s) on the footspot or the headspot, whichever they think will be more advantageous (this will become more clear later on). Multiple balls can be spotted on either the footspot or headspot, but should be done with a ball width between them (no balls frozen).
The 8-ball is moved, regardless of location, to the center spot.
The player gets cue ball in hand to attempt his first sequence.
Play :
Starting with cue ball in hand, the player will attempt a sequence. A sequence is defined as shooting a stripe then solid, or solid then stripe, and then the 8-ball. The solid/stripe balls in a sequence must be of the same color.
Example 1 :
Player shoots the 1-Ball. They must then shoot the 9-Ball (both yellow), then attempt to make the 8-Ball.
Example 2 :
Player shoots the 10-Ball. They must then shoot the 2-Ball (both blue), then attempt to make the 8-Ball.
Scoring :
A completed sequence is counted as 1 point. A perfect game is 7 points, as there are a total of 7 possible sequences.
Table reset after a sequence :
Once a sequence has been completed, the 8-Ball spots up again on the center spot and the player takes cue ball in hand to attempt the next sequence.
Incomplete sequence:
If, during an attempt at a sequence, the player misses any shot, or fouls, the sequence ends. The solid/stripe balls that belonged to that sequence are removed from the table and are no longer available to be used in scoring. The 8-Ball is placed back on the center spot.
Example 1 :
Player makes the 3-Ball, but then misses the 11-Ball. The 3-Ball stays down, the 11-Ball is taken off of the table, and if the 8-Ball was moved from the center spot, it is re-spotted. Player takes ball in hand to attempt another sequence. No points are scored.
Example 2 :
Player calls the 12-Ball at the start of a sequence and misses. The 12-Ball and the 4-Ball (the other ball in the sequence - both purple) are removed from play and the 8-Ball is re-spotted if it was moved. Player takes ball in hand to attempt another sequence. No points are scored.
Example 3 :
Player makes the 13-Ball and the 5-Ball, but misses the 8-Ball. The 8-Ball is re-spotted and the 5-Ball and 13-Ball stay down. Player takes ball in hand to attempt another sequence. No points are scored.
End of Game :
Game is over when all sequences have been attempted.
So that's the game in a nutshell. Of course, since I developed it for practice, you could tweak any of the rules to your liking. Some obvious modifications to make it more challenging would be to eliminate the cue ball in hand before each sequence (very hard) or to require sequences be shot in order (i.e. 1-9, 2-10, 3-11, etc).
Blatant apologies to Bonus Ball for borrowing the 8-Ball on the centerspot concept, as well as the 3 ball sequence.
Please share your thoughts and opinions on this practice method. I'd especially like to know what some of the instructors on here think.
I'll try to post an instructional video at some point in the future, just to help get some of my concepts for this game across that might not translate that well in words.
-Pooligan
