I am not saying you should or should not like APA 9-ball. That's totally your choice. It's just a different game than standard 9-ball, but they both have a decent method for determining a winner.
Maniac
Can't stand APA 9-ball
- Thread starter americanfighter
- Start date
I am not saying you should or should not like APA 9-ball. That's totally your choice. It's just a different game than standard 9-ball, but they both have a decent method for determining a winner.
Maniac
Yeah I just love nineball in it true form allot. Being that there is a possibility of screwing up on the 8 or 9 in order to be successful it takes allot of skill but more than skill it takes allot of knowledge judgment strategy and nerves. I also like using some impressive caroms and combos to win the game which are useless in this APA format. I am a very strategical minded person.
I am a good 9-ball player but suck at this rotation style.
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Lol...okay,depending on the shot,I'd just hand it back.
Or play safe...still think I can out move most lower skill level players.
I just don't think most would bennifit from the push..
I am just the opposite in my view. If a lower skill-leveled player is hooked after making a ball on the break, or is hooked after their opponent breaks dry and leaves them hooked, they should be able to push to where the opponent can take or leave the shot. All the lower skill-leveled player has to be able to do is push to where they can at LEAST hit the lowest numbered ball on the table without leaving a decent shot. That either forces the higher skill-leveled player to take a bad shot, attempt a safety, of give the shot back. Either three of those choices at least keeps the higher skill-leveled player from getting BIH from the lower skill-leveled player after an attempted kick-and-miss. What the lower skill-leveled players need is to NOT have to give up BIH to a player that is capable of running the table out. And....all because they made a ball on the break and got hooked, or was the recipient of a hooked cueball after their opponent breaks dry. This totally punishes a lower skill-leveled player, and all because of bad luck. If the situation were reversed on the better player, even a missed kick wouldn't result in them giving up all the points on the table as the lower skilled players aren't likely to run more than a few balls anyways.
Maniac
Its hard to ever come to the APA's defense because it takes things like this to make you realize their slogan of "Everyone can play and Anyone can win" is a total absurdity. But....when you think about the many different skill levels of players and the fact that the masses that they are catering to are the average Joes who just want to hang out with friends and possibly win a trip to the national event in Lost Wages it makes perfect sense. Here is the best way to think about it, if an average player is playing SVB how many games are they going to win by making the 9 ball.....not many but they may get lucky and make a few balls here and there.
Eventually every APA member will have a story like this and it comes with playing in leagues where the rules and regulations are maent for weaker players to have a little more of an advantage, all be it a small one.
Sounds like you like to ship the 9 but don't like running balls. Waiting for the other player to screw up isn't good 9 ball. It can get you through a lot of lower level players in a short race in some podunk tournament. But play anybody who really understands the game and doesn't miss and you'll be sitting on your ass while they put packages on you or play a nut safety when it finally is your turn.
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I understand what your saying,I really do.there has been many times I wish I could push.I just think the master players would still come out ahead.I know a few lower skill
Folks who have played bcapl, an they get ran over,an come back
to apa..that said,I do get where your coming from.
Then we could also ask you about 9 ball "in its truest form"....
Is it Texas Express, or 9-ball before that was invented? Because you can find many here that dislike what Texas Express did to the game they loved.
This is similar.
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Don't like APA 9 - ball...I almos want to say don't play, but that's not my kind of response.......The goal of APA 9 - ball is to score more points than your oppponent, not win the game.....Simply change your focus from the 9 ball to getting points.
If you're winning 90% of the games, but still losing the match....It sounds like you're breaking dry an awful lot.
With the above in mind I would highly recommend not putting so much energy into @#$%$# about APA 9 ball....I would recommend working on your break.
If you're winning 90% of the games, but still losing the match....It sounds like you're breaking dry an awful lot.
With the above in mind I would highly recommend not putting so much energy into @#$%$# about APA 9 ball....I would recommend working on your break.
Seriously? Do you really think you are the better player because you made one ball, the nine ball?
I understand what you are saying in traditional 9 ball, I play that quite a bit; however, you need to understand APA is not about making the 9 ball. It is about making as many balls as you can.
I enjoy APA 9 ball because I think they have a pretty good handicapping system, albeit favors the lower ranked player. However, it is all about control of the table and a good test to stronger players.
No disrespect to your game, but if you are losing to lower level players you may want to take a better look at your game.
If your strategy is to tie up balls before the 9 ball, take a step back and start tying up earlier balls, it will give you the same effect.
Note: I do lose to lower level players and continue to look at my game to understand how I can control the table. These same players could never beat me in a race to 7. But that is ok, because that is not the object of APA.
Also, just to add some context, I am an 8 in APA 9 ball.
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IMHO I do not think the APA Equalizer Handicap System for 8 or 9 ball favors one skill level over the other... IF both teams & all other teams in the division actually mark innings, defensive shots and don't allow sandbagging to go unchecked on their watch...
The APA's rotation form of 9 ball takes a lot of the luck out of the game, which forces all skill level players to play their best...
I frequently see strong 4's play strong 8's and the match will be won either way by a point or two...
The single biggest problem I see every week, year after year in APA is sandbagging by intentionally running up innings to keep ones handicap low...
AND followed closely by failure by one team in a given match to properly mark defensive shots...
IMHO and according to the APA Defensive Shot Video on youtube from the APA... Either a player is playing OFFENSE or playing DEFENSE...
PERIOD... mark accordingly as the scorekeeper sees it... educate your scorekeepers on intentionally missed shots, these are defensive shots and or attempts at sandbagging...
IF you want folks to be handicapped correctly keep em honest, mark the defensive shots; and reconcile the defensive shots after every inning, tell the other score-keeper loud and clear I have "n" number of defensive shots so far for player "A" and "n" number of defensive shots for player "B"...
Doing so will ensure that late in the season or during playoffs etc., you will not be playing a 3 that should be a 5 or 6 which is all to common place in the APA due to lazy score-keeping and or sandbagging...
Lastly, make sure your teammates watch the APA Score-keeping & defensive shot Videos... so they actually know what a defensive shot is according to the APA... just because a shooter did not call a defensive shot does not mean it was not...
How to Keep Score While Playing 9-Ball in the APA Pool League
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-shuWUHS1g
How to keep score while playing 8-Ball in the APA Pool League
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdhmJDQzUn0
Understanding defensive shots while playing pool in the APA Pool League.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzfvYHM3CEs