9 Ball vs 10 Ball
- Thread starter NewStroke
- Start date
I think its harder to pocket a ball on the break.
#1 relates to the 9 ball rack. The reading of it, the manipulating of it, the ease of winging it... And the DIFFICULTY in having the players agree on a decent 9 ball rack.
The integrity issues and ease are drastically reduced playing 10 ball.
Because the pyramid rack, the spread after the break tends to leave balls in the center of the table making the standard 9-ball paths not as prominent. The player has to use other position skills and approach angles that you might see more in other pyramid games like 8-ball and even one-pocket.
Fred
Fred
That chick is HOT.
I agree with whats been said so far. SO easy to break 9 ball, with the magic rack the game is stupid.
I don't think the game is stupid, it's just sooo different. Playing at a decent level, make sure ya both have comfortable seats. I think it's exciting at times, but for me, I want a diet consisting more of 10 ball + the Magic Rack.
2 weeks ago I was playing at Breaktime in Wilmington on a decent GC (a GC III I believe). I had some short $20 sets going with 10 ball and we were using some regular triangle rack. The balls were aged and dirty. It was extremely difficult getting a good break.
I f'g hate loading up and plowing 24 mph straight into a rack of slug!!! :angry::angry::angry:
The differences are subtle, but I like it a lot better. It takes a lot of the preventable rolls out of the game.
- 10 ball is a call shot game, just the ball and the pocket (doesn't matter how it gets there).
- If your opponent misses a called shot, but makes a legal hit and slops something in, you can make them shoot again.
- The 10 on the break doesn't count as a win. 10 spots up if slopped in.
- A power break is pretty much essential.
- Generally, it's easier to rack it tight with a decent rack.
- The extra ball on the table and generally fewer balls pocketed on the break make running out more difficult.
The one rule I would change in 10 ball is the called safety rule. The rule played in the tournament was, if you call a safety and pocket an unintended ball, your opponent can make you shoot again. To me that makes no sense at all.
I hope it eventually replaces 9 ball all together.
Chris
Last edited:
The players at the Mezz who were breaking well had no problem pocketing balls on the break except on the very tightest tables. On a hard head-on break shot, the balls behing the head ball tend to roll toward the sides. In a match I was watching between Sal Butera and Ernesto Dominguez, Sal made the second row ball in the side on every break shot, and Ernesto made it on most of them. They were both breaking from very near the center of the table.
Chris
As skeptical as I was initially about using it, the Magic Rack really took out all the complaining out of racking differences. You can pretty easily get a perfectly frozen rack. I didn't hear a single complaint about racking fairness. I think 10 ball with the Magic Rack is the fairest game they have come up with yet.
Chris
10 ball is a much better game for the better players. Anyone at a B level or higher should play it as much as they can, especially for the cash.
9-ball is way more open, and depending on the rules you use, is much more reliant on luck (crap a shot in, crap a safe if you miss).
All aspects of the game of pool show up in 10-ball more so than in 9-ball. You have more traffic to weave through on position, more shots to make, harder to have a wide-open rack due to the break being a lot harder. If you play by the "real" 10-ball rules of called shot, it becomes even more of a skill game.
Even at my lowish level of play, I already made a decision to not play 9-ball for anything over $1 a game.
9-ball is way more open, and depending on the rules you use, is much more reliant on luck (crap a shot in, crap a safe if you miss).
All aspects of the game of pool show up in 10-ball more so than in 9-ball. You have more traffic to weave through on position, more shots to make, harder to have a wide-open rack due to the break being a lot harder. If you play by the "real" 10-ball rules of called shot, it becomes even more of a skill game.
Even at my lowish level of play, I already made a decision to not play 9-ball for anything over $1 a game.
The two-way shot is alive and well in 10 ball. You call your shot and if you miss, it's your opponent's turn. The only time you can give the shot back is if your opponent slops in a ball.
Chris
S
skip
Guest
Seems the Magic Rack could have changed the 9 ball level of play. The ball are just too predictable after the break. Some what the same with 10 ball but one more ball to deal with. But it still beats a sharp stick in the eye. :shrug:
I think in this case, the writer was talking about a two-way shot in which you attempt to make 2 balls, not in a case where you play a ball and a safe at the same time. Like a carom where both balls line up to pockets, if you can call only one, the other may go in but you won't get credit. However, games like straight pool and 8-ball already play by the called shot rule where you call one ball, so this is not a big deal. If you want to play with slop, play 9-ball.
Good quote Chris.
Have you used the Magic Rack yet? It's looks unimpressive but it sure holds the balls tight even on a beat up table.
10 Ball and Magic rack are made for each other.
Chris
Last edited:
I have no problem with making it call ball, I have a problem with missing a called shot and allowing the incoming player an option to shoot or give it back.
I don't think call ball is nearly as big an issue as that.
I actually like that rule, if you miss, and hook a guy by mistake, he can give it back. This happens way too often and since the rule applies to both players, it's still an even game. As most of the pro players state "the guy made a mistake, why is he rewarded for it?"
It only is that way if you pocket the called ball in an unintended pocket, or if you slop in another ball.
I gues there is some confusion about that rule.
Chris