Best game to practice???

[Majic]

Well, for some players I'm sure that's the case. Probably for me too.

But even with strong position play, after the break you're sometimes looking at a testy one ball. Not necessarily your fault, stuff gets kicked around. You'll also be looking at a tough shot after a push, if the opponent lets you see the one. And occasionally someone dogs a safety and leaves you a look, but it's still a shot only a mother could love.

Saying it another way, for every 50 balls run, 9b will have more testers than both straight pool and 8 ball (assuming the same guy shooting all three games, and he's about equal skill level in all of them).

prove it.................if you haven't already figured it out....I think 9 ball is the easiest of the games.

 

[supergreenman]

1 Pocket

I voted for straight pool. I'm surprised nobody has brought up 1 pocket yet. You need excellent all around skills to be good at this game.

1hole gives you:

• safety play on every ball on the table
• banks
• kicks
• long shots
• precision shape playing as opposed to zone play
• PATIENTS

 

[CreeDo]

prove it.................if you haven't already figured it out....I think 9 ball is the easiest of the games.

Well, "common knowledge" is that 8 ball is the easiest game out of the ones listed.

If you need proof, consider SVB's recent 8b match with dennis orcollo. Two 7 packs and a 5 pack were seen. Something like 23 out of 27? racks got run out. That's on very tight equipment.

Even with these world class players, breaking and running out 85% of the racks in 9b or 10b just doesn't happen. Not even with almost perfect racks ensuring something drops on the break.

Also, in my experience (and from what others on here have posted)... in the APA, most players end up ranked one skill level lower in 9b vs. 8b.

Having to move the cue ball up and down the entire table more often means you're going to occasionally fall thin or too long on a ball... and it catches up with them. Guys who run out in 8b all the time can't get out in 9b.

Other than that, I dunno how to prove it to you. To me it's just widely known. Since you're making the bold statement that goes against tradition, you should have to prove it to me

 

[sfleinen]

I voted for straight pool. I'm surprised nobody has brought up 1 pocket yet. You need excellent all around skills to be good at this game.

1hole gives you:
[...]

• PATIENTS

Yes, if you get a very deliberate player who moves all the time and doesn't shoot at his hole when normal people do, you can very easily fall over and become a "patient." Hope there's a doctor in the house!


-Sean

 

[Pushout]

Well, "common knowledge" is that 8 ball is the easiest game out of the ones listed.

If you need proof, consider SVB's recent 8b match with dennis orcollo. Two 7 packs and a 5 pack were seen. Something like 23 out of 27? racks got run out. That's on very tight equipment.

Even with these world class players, breaking and running out 85% of the racks in 9b or 10b just doesn't happen. Not even with almost perfect racks ensuring something drops on the break.

Also, in my experience (and from what others on here have posted)... in the APA, most players end up ranked one skill level lower in 9b vs. 8b.

Having to move the cue ball up and down the entire table more often means you're going to occasionally fall thin or too long on a ball... and it catches up with them. Guys who run out in 8b all the time can't get out in 9b.

Other than that, I dunno how to prove it to you. To me it's just widely known. Since you're making the bold statement that goes against tradition, you should have to prove it to me

It's always been my understanding that 9 ball is much harder than 8 ball because you have to shoot the balls in rotation and you don't have the choices you do in 8 ball, even considering the high/low decisions.

 

[Cornerman]

Also, in my experience (and from what others on here have posted)... in the APA, most players end up ranked one skill level lower in 9b vs. 8b.)

Not for nothing, but in my experience, it's the opposite. And I'm talking Central and Western Mass, so it's not like we're talking about vastly different areas. I'd be interested to see more data.

That being said, the range in 9ball goes lower and higher. So, I suppose one could see lower SL for 9b at the lower handicaps and higher SL's for 9b at the higher handicaps.

Freddie <~~~ higher in 9b

 

[Majic]

Well, "common knowledge" is that 8 ball is the easiest game out of the ones listed.

If you need proof, consider SVB's recent 8b match with dennis orcollo. Two 7 packs and a 5 pack were seen. Something like 23 out of 27? racks got run out. That's on very tight equipment.

Even with these world class players, breaking and running out 85% of the racks in 9b or 10b just doesn't happen. Not even with almost perfect racks ensuring something drops on the break.

Also, in my experience (and from what others on here have posted)... in the APA, most players end up ranked one skill level lower in 9b vs. 8b.

Having to move the cue ball up and down the entire table more often means you're going to occasionally fall thin or too long on a ball... and it catches up with them. Guys who run out in 8b all the time can't get out in 9b.

Other than that, I dunno how to prove it to you. To me it's just widely known. Since you're making the bold statement that goes against tradition, you should have to prove it to me

9 ball is and always will be a slop game.

 

[CreeDo]

9 ball is and always will be a slop game.

Lotta people confuse luck with difficulty. But slop doesn't make 9b an easier game, it makes it a more lucky game.

Here's the difference between the two things:

If you add luck to a game, it doesn't always favor the beginner, it can help either player... a pro can catch a roll too.

When you add difficulty to a game, it always helps the stronger player.

Not for nothing, but in my experience, it's the opposite. And I'm talking Central and Western Mass, so it's not like we're talking about vastly different areas. I'd be interested to see more data.

That being said, the range in 9ball goes lower and higher. So, I suppose one could see lower SL for 9b at the lower handicaps and higher SL's for 9b at the higher handicaps.

Freddie <~~~ higher in 9b

I'm also higher in 9b, but that's only because the APA weirdly caps 8b at 7. If it didn't, I'd definitely have a higher ranking in 8b.

My area might be wildly different, I'm now in DC area, no longer new england.

But I saw another APA player state that in his league, most players are 1 rank lower in 9b... which made me think this is probably universal.

Are you bored enough to look at your local APA stats page and check something out? Look at players 7 or lower and see how they compare in 8 vs. 9.