9-Ball needs to be fixed

One alternative that comes up in these discussions of fixing the break at nine ball: the first shot after a legal break must be a push out.

With that fix, loose or patterned racks have very little effect on the game. And, you wouldn't need a break cue.

the filipino money match / streaming outfit sharks tried that. it was boring to watch with that rule imo
 
9ball was invented/designed to be a GAMBLING game, pool's version of throwing dice. All these years of lame attempts to 'tournament-ize' it have been a joke. Just play 10ball as kgb stated. I for one love the rat-a-tat action of all out 9ball. I think winning on the break is exciting fk, fans love it too.
 
20 second? I think that’s way too short. I actually think Pat Fleming had it right with his 40 second clock.
I think that if the pro players had a 20 second clock, they would learn to deal with it and the level of play would not drop significantly. Well, it might drop for some.

In the snooker shootout, they play with a 15-second shot clock for the first 5 minutes of a frame and then a 10-second shot clock and no time outs. Here is a player shooting a perfect 147 under those conditions. He doesn't look rushed. He does get a little extra time as the ref has to spot balls a lot.

 
just play 10 ball
9ball and 10ball were plenty different twenty-five years ago, but ....

These days, with WNT 9ball events having tighter pockets and a narrower break box than Predator PBS 10ball events, I'm struggling more and more to see the difference between the two games other than the call shot feature. The break and run percentages are pretty similar, and each game requires a lot of defense and tactical play. WNT has, surely unintentionally, been guilty of the "10ballization" of 9ball in recent years.

As someone who frequently attends both 9ball and 10ball events live, nobody is going to convince me that one game requires significantly more skill than the other.
 
9ball and 10ball were plenty different twenty-five years ago, but ....

These days, with WNT 9ball events having tighter pockets and a narrower break box than Predator PBS 10ball events, I'm struggling more and more to see the difference between the two games other than the call shot feature. The break and run percentages are pretty similar, and each game requires a lot of defense and tactical play. WNT has, surely unintentionally, been guilty of the "10ballization" of 9ball in recent years.

As someone who frequently attends both 9ball and 10ball events live, nobody is going to convince me that one game requires significantly more skill than the other.

The PBS 10 ball events have far fewer break and runs/successful breaks in general (at least as of the most recent event), plus the set format is like a middle ground between winner break and alternate break.
 
One alternative that comes up in these discussions of fixing the break at nine ball: the first shot after a legal break must be a push out.

With that fix, loose or patterned racks have very little effect on the game. And, you wouldn't need a break cue.
I've always wanted to play this way. I always get met with the "fans want to see pros run packages" argument.
 
... the set format is like a middle ground between winner break and alternate break.
Actually, I love the set format and agree that it adds a lot of excitement. No deficit is insurmountable in the race to four format. If I'm watching a race to 9 and it is 5-1, I often walk to another table and watch that match.

I see alternate break as just another example of how event producers might be willing to pander to the players and thereby reduce the entertainment value of the pro pool product. The fans love packages. As you correctly note, however, the short set format gets rid of this issue.
 
Actually, I love the set format and agree that it adds a lot of excitement. No deficit is insurmountable in the race to four format. If I'm watching a race to 9 and it is 5-1, I often walk to another table and watch that match.

I see alternate break as just another example of how event producers might be willing to pander to the players and thereby reduce the entertainment value of the pro pool product. The fans love packages. As you correctly note, however, the short set format gets rid of this issue.

The set format also allows the match to go on for as many as 13 racks + a shootout.

I do think that the finals should be best 3 out of 5 sets, though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sjm
The set format also allows the match to go on for as many as 13 racks + a shootout.
My understanding is that can go 3-4, 4-3 and then 3-3 before reaching a shootout, so that's 20 racks + a shootout.
I do think that the finals should be best 3 out of 5 sets, though.
I can take it or leave it here. I've never been a big fan of extended length finals in any sport. Wimbledon doesn't need them. Why should pool?
 
The set format also allows the match to go on for as many as 13 racks + a shootout.

I do think that the finals should be best 3 out of 5 sets, though.

I agree that the finals should be best of 5 sets, but count me in the camp that doesn’t like sets to begin with. It hasn’t grown on me.
 
I agree that the finals should be best of 5 sets, but count me in the camp that doesn’t like sets to begin with. It hasn’t grown on me.
My issue with sets, and this is true of tennis as well, is that we can watch a person win fewer games and win the match. That, in pool, is weird to me.

0-4, 4-3, 3-3, and win the shootout. The winner lost 7-10, in games, and split 1-1-1 in sets.
 
Back
Top