WPA Event: "Ten Ball Last" --- Why?

[Scratch85]

It’s 10-ball rules?....they are Johnny-come-lately rules..not THE rules.

For a long time 10-ball was just 9-ball with an extra ball.

I grew up playing almost nothing but 8-ball. We played some 9-ball, some straight pool and some rotation (15 ball), which everyone hated. Of those games, 10-ball, as played in the recent World Championship, is probably my 4th favorite game.

However, this Championship was probably one of my 3 favorite Championships of all time. The other two happening earlier this year!

I am stoked about where pool currently is worldwide. Maybe we can take it back to where it was 10-15 years ago but I wouldn’t change a thing. I like where it is right now and how it’s future looks.


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[sjm]

I am stoked about where pool currently is worldwide.

In the past year alone, we've seen:

October 2018
The WPA Sanctioned International 9-ball event debuts in Chesapeake.

April 2019
The WPA Players Championship debuts in Las Vegas.

April 2019
A new edition of the US Open 9-ball run by Matchroom Sports debuts with what I believe to have been the strongest field ever assembled in a US-based event.

July 2019
The World 10-ball Championship, after a few years of absence, is contested in Las Vegas.

Great year for pro pool!

 

[Scratch85]

I know we’re talking pool but getting to watch Judd Trump take down the Betfred World Snooker Championship was also a treat. Having these World talents available for viewing is a blessing!


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[jay helfert]

It’s 10-ball rules?....they are Johnny-come-lately rules..not THE rules.
For a long time 10-ball was just 9-ball with an extra ball.

Bingo! You could win on the break (it's much harder to make the ten ball on the break!) and you didn't have to call anything. That said, it was (and is) a more difficult game than 9-Ball. The addition of the extra ball changes everything!

 

[pt109]

I grew up playing almost nothing but 8-ball. We played some 9-ball, some straight pool and some rotation (15 ball), which everyone hated. Of those games, 10-ball, as played in the recent World Championship, is probably my 4th favorite game.

However, this Championship was probably one of my 3 favorite Championships of all time. The other two happening earlier this year!

I am stoked about where pool currently is worldwide. Maybe we can take it back to where it was 10-15 years ago but I wouldn’t change a thing. I like where it is right now and how it’s future looks.


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I agree on this tournament ...it’s in my top ten life time....I enjoyed it all to hell.

But I still don’t like the rules.

 

[Swighey]

10 ball is best imo call shot and last ball. Playing it the other way is fine, as is playing 9 ball call shot or having to call the 9 early or whatever.

What we are talking about here though is the WPA World Championship. If both 9 and 10 ball were played exactly the same way in this context then the 9 ball World Championship would become redundant (why have 2 rotation world championships played to the exact same rules?). As it stands it works most excellently - one is no call shot required combos and caroms allowed on the money ball, the other is call shot sink the money ball last. Seems about right to me.

 

[Catalin]

10 ball is best imo call shot and last ball. Playing it the other way is fine, as is playing 9 ball call shot or having to call the 9 early or whatever.

What we are talking about here though is the WPA World Championship. If both 9 and 10 ball were played exactly the same way in this context then the 9 ball World Championship would become redundant (why have 2 rotation world championships played to the exact same rules?). As it stands it works most excellently - one is no call shot required combos and caroms allowed on the money ball, the other is call shot sink the money ball last. Seems about right to me.

Most sensible post in this thread.

Julian

 

[jay helfert]

10 ball is best imo call shot and last ball. Playing it the other way is fine, as is playing 9 ball call shot or having to call the 9 early or whatever.

What we are talking about here though is the WPA World Championship. If both 9 and 10 ball were played exactly the same way in this context then the 9 ball World Championship would become redundant (why have 2 rotation world championships played to the exact same rules?). As it stands it works most excellently - one is no call shot required combos and caroms allowed on the money ball, the other is call shot sink the money ball last. Seems about right to me.

If anything it should be the other way around, with 9-Ball having the more restrictive rules.

 

[Swighey]

If anything it should be the other way around, with 9-Ball having the more restrictive rules.

I can see a logical argument both ways.

1) 9 Ball should be more restrictive, because the extra ball does make a big difference, so placing the restrictions on 9 Ball goes some way to evening things up/restoring the balance.

2) 10 Ball should have the restrictions because it’s more difficult so why not make it a game where you have to play to those restrictions while enduring a more difficult game? 9 Ball is a walk in the park for any polished player if the rolls are not too bad and there is no pressure.

Evening things up doesn’t feel like a good way to go to me. Making the “easier” game more open and the “harder” game more closed seems like a better way to differentiate them. Levelling the mindsets fails to advance either game.

I’m as critical as anyone of the WPA regarding their support of the game that they attempt to regulate but they are spot on with their rules in 9 and 10 (and 8) ball.