I have a few questions about 8ball

Muttonchops

Muttonchops

Banned
It's the most popular pocket billiards game on earth. Why don't the Pro's play more on TV? That's grass-roots stuff?

What person dead or alive reads a 8 ball rack like no other. I'm not asking about the best 8-ball player, some people dog's a shot once in awhile?

Is there any video to study this person's game?
 
Its a much better game than its given credit for when played call shot. My bet is the best layout readers are straight pool players. :thumbup:
 
3andstop said:
Its a much better game than its given credit for when played call shot. My bet is the best layout readers are straight pool players. :thumbup:
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I won't and have never discounted straight pool players when it comes to reading 8-ball racks but I'm of the strong opinion that the best 8-ball rack readers are top flight amateur 8-ball players.

Freddie <~~~ 8-ball is it's own
 
I used to say the same thing until I saw the pro's play it. For them it's a childs games.. It's like watching a chess master play checkers. For the most part position play is relatively simple ..it's more about finding the path of least resistance. The safety part of the game is enjoyable..especially if you have a rack with some tied up balls. But for your best players in the world the break outs are simple with so many balls on the table for them to choose from to use to break into the rack. It's just to simple for them.

Muttonchops said:
It's the most popular pocket billiards game on earth. Why don't the Pro's play more on TV? That's grass-roots stuff?

What person dead or alive reads a 8 ball rack like no other. I'm not asking about the best 8-ball player, some people dog's a shot once in awhile?

Is there any video to study this person's game?
Click to expand...
 
I had a conversation with a pro player maybe 7 or 8 years a go at the super billiards expo. At the time all I played was 8 ball and I made the comment that I didn't like 9 ball.. I don't play it often so I don't have a feel for it. He asked me how long I had been playing? I said about 20 years. He said look around at players and you will notice that guys who play 8 ball all the time struggle to make the transition to 9 ball when they have to play it. Rotation players have no problem making that transition when they have to play 8 ball think about that.
I started playing nothing but 9 and 10 ball and guess what.. I quickly learned it wasn't that I didn't play 9 ball that made me not as good at it. I wasn't as good at position as I thought I was. Simple knowledge of position can have you playing good 8 ball but when you can't just take the path of least resistance to get out. Since then I spent a lot of time on position drills and guess what ..He was right lol 8 ball is pretty simple and boring to me now.

Sorry if I went off track but this how I came to the realization of why 8 ball is not a game you see played on a pro level.
 
trob said:
I had a conversation with a pro player maybe 7 or 8 years a go at the super billiards expo. At the time all I played was 8 ball and I made the comment that I didn't like 9 ball.. I don't play it often so I don't have a feel for it. He asked me how long I had been playing? I said about 20 years. He said look around at players and you will notice that guys who play 8 ball all the time struggle to make the transition to 9 ball when they have to play it. Rotation players have no problem making that transition when they have to play 8 ball think about that.
I started playing nothing but 9 and 10 ball and guess what.. I quickly learned it wasn't that I didn't play 9 ball that made me not as good at it. I wasn't as good at position as I thought I was. Simple knowledge of position can have you playing good 8 ball but when you can't just take the path of least resistance to get out. Since then I spent a lot of time on position drills and guess what ..He was right lol 8 ball is pretty simple and boring to me now.

Sorry if I went off track but this how I came to the realization of why 8 ball is not a game you see played on a pro level.
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I disagree, I think it's tough, especially when you screw up and miss with just one ball on the table, regular or black...then it's duck and hide ball in hand time.
 
Muttonchops said:
I disagree, I think it's tough, especially when you screw up and miss with just one ball on the table, regular or black...then it's duck and hide ball in hand time.
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but good players don't lol. That's why it's to simple for upper level players even on a local level. Someone goes for the tougher early run when all the balls on the table and either they get out or blow the out and they lose. you let me an open table after failing to get out 99% of the time you lost against me and the guys I play with. I don't know what level a player you are so of course it could be tougher for some then others.
 
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Muttonchops said:
I disagree, I think it's tough, especially when you screw up and miss with just one ball on the table, regular or black...then it's duck and hide ball in hand time.
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i see where your located.. are you talking about english 8 ball or 8 ball played on the valley slush boxes we seem to play on? lol
 
Muttonchops said:
It's the most popular pocket billiards game on earth. Why don't the Pro's play more on TV? That's grass-roots stuff?

What person dead or alive reads a 8 ball rack like no other.
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And the answer to the question regardless is probably Efren.
 
trob said:
I had a conversation with a pro player maybe 7 or 8 years a go at the super billiards expo. At the time all I played was 8 ball and I made the comment that I didn't like 9 ball.. I don't play it often so I don't have a feel for it. He asked me how long I had been playing? I said about 20 years. He said look around at players and you will notice that guys who play 8 ball all the time struggle to make the transition to 9 ball when they have to play it. Rotation players have no problem making that transition when they have to play 8 ball think about that.
I started playing nothing but 9 and 10 ball and guess what.. I quickly learned it wasn't that I didn't play 9 ball that made me not as good at it. I wasn't as good at position as I thought I was. Simple knowledge of position can have you playing good 8 ball but when you can't just take the path of least resistance to get out. Since then I spent a lot of time on position drills and guess what ..He was right lol 8 ball is pretty simple and boring to me now.

Sorry if I went off track but this how I came to the realization of why 8 ball is not a game you see played on a pro level.
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Have you ever played 8 ball on a 9 foot table with tight pockets as we do in our league? Not nearly the same game as on a sloppy bar box the game is typically played on. Even if you atleast played on a pro spec diamond bar box i doubt you would say the game is as simple.
 
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trob said:
i see where your located.. are you talking about english 8 ball or 8 ball played on the valley slush boxes we seem to play on? lol
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Fair enough, thats true. 8 ball isn't my favorite game. But that's all the "averageish" pool player plays here. Or rotation games. No one plays banks or one pocket. So I have embraced it.

I used to think it was a ugly little monkey too. But if you are playing with some pretty good players, and that's the only game they play "We" become pretty clever with that ugly little monkey.

Cheers. My Parent's in-law are finally flying in from the Province, after the Typhoon

Karl
 
Very simple. It's not up to the Players.

TV wants 9 or 10-Ball, that's the firepower.

In 8-ball, too many defensive moves.

randyg
 
I agree, 8-ball is a challenge

Muttonchops said:
I disagree, I think it's tough, especially when you screw up and miss with just one ball on the table, regular or black...then it's duck and hide ball in hand time.
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I'm with you. A pro told me many years ago, "9-ball is for shooters, 8-ball is for thinkers!" I think that's an exaggeration, but still true. Eight-ball requires patience and imagination more than many games, and these are not the strengths of many players.

I've known (and played) hundreds of players who would gamble with me at rotation games, but many of them wanted no part of me playing 8-ball.

Regarding comments about top 8-ball players being "just" good amateur players, a certain Mr. Varner won the BCA National 8-ball title in 1980 (I was one of his victims), and I doubt anyone in the world would go out of their way to play 8-ball with Efren when he was in his prime.
 
j_zippel said:
Have you ever played 8 ball on a 9 foot table with tight pockets as we do in our league? Not nearly the same game as on a sloppy bar box the game is typically played on. Even if you atleast played on a pro spec diamond bar box i doubt you would say the game is as simple.
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yep...and I find it even easier on a 9 foot table then on a bar box. The only thing tough about 8 ball is dealing with the clusters and it doesn't happen that often on a 9 foot. 3 ball is tough if your gonna play on a table with shimmed pockets to make it tight. He asked why the pro's don't play it. If you've seen them play 8 ball on a the average 9 foot table with average pockets you can see it's for them it's a childs game and it's not fun to watch.
 
Muttonchops said:
Fair enough, thats true. 8 ball isn't my favorite game. But that's all the "averageish" pool player plays here. Or rotation games. No one plays banks or one pocket. So I have embraced it.

I used to think it was a ugly little monkey too. But if you are playing with some pretty good players, and that's the only game they play "We" become pretty clever with that ugly little monkey.

Cheers. My Parent's in-law are finally flying in from the Province, after the Typhoon

Karl
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I understand what your saying.. I used to ask the same thing. 8 ball is definitely the most played game when you think about it. Almost everyone knows the basic rules of 8 ball so you would think as a game on tv it would get more viewers.
 
9b BNR for the average pro is around 20% in the recent tourneys. 8b BNR is considerably higher.
 
Varner was an elite player who mastered many games. I bet svb rarely plays 8 ball but I would have him as a favorite if he showed up for an 8 ball tournament.

Donny Lutz said:
I'm with you. A pro told me many years ago, "9-ball is for shooters, 8-ball is for thinkers!" I think that's an exaggeration, but still true. Eight-ball requires patience and imagination more than many games, and these are not the strengths of many players.

I've known (and played) hundreds of players who would gamble with me at rotation games, but many of them wanted no part of me playing 8-ball.

Regarding comments about top 8-ball players being "just" good amateur players, a certain Mr. Varner won the BCA National 8-ball title in 1980 (I was one of his victims), and I doubt anyone in the world would go out of their way to play 8-ball with Efren when he was in his prime.
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gxman said:
9b BNR for the average pro is around 20% in the recent tourneys. 8b BNR is considerably higher.
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Not a surprise when you think you have to start with the lowest ball on the table as opposed to most rules now which let you start with any ball on the table no matter what you made on the break.
 
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