Old School 2 Pushout 9 Ball

Charlie Hustle

Charlie Hustle

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've heard about the old school 2 pushout 9 ball that was played before Texas Express took over, but have never seen it played. I have a couple of questions about the rules.

Obviously after the break if the shooter doesn't have a shot, they can push out (roll out). If the opponent gives them back the shot, do they get to pushout again?

2nd question. After the 1st pushout, if the opponent decides to accept the shot from where it lies, do they have the option to pushout again?

Just something I have been curious about recently.
 
Two different games -- way more strategy with push out -- similar to 1P -- lots of safety play. Ability to think was an essential skill, so was ability to play rails. Just another aspect of the game that commercialization/modernization of pool has stolen from us. Can't deeply miss what you don't deeply know. Too early in the morning for such ruminating . . .

Never heard of, or don't remember, "2 pushout".
 
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One of the best rollout matches I ever saw was in Syracuse, NY. Gary Pinkowski was in the hot seat and Mike Wallace had to beat Pinky twice in races to 11. Each set went 10-10 with Mike Wallace winning both sets. Amazing play and tough shots fired in every rack. Wallace, a great straight pool player took down many competitors. That was at Cap's Cue Club.
 
We always played where there could only be TWO consecutive pushes: say player A pushes. Player B could shoot, pass, or push. If they push back both are on one foul so the next shot, regardless of who shoots, has to be legal or a ball-in-hand happens. This situation didn't happen often but having this rule eliminates a 'push fest'. Playing push-out 9b is such a better game than TE. TE is fine for speeding up tournaments but that's about it.
 
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garczar said:
We always played where there could only be TWO consecutive pushes: say player A pushes. Player B could also push. At that time both are on one foul so the next shot, regardless of who shoots, has to be legal or a ball-in-hand happens. This situation didn't happen often but having this rule eliminates a 'push fest'. Playing push-out 9b is such a better game than TE. TE is fine for speeding up tournaments but that's about it.
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This is exactly what I was looking for! I know I have heard/read about the old school version of 2 pushout 9 ball. Thank you for chiming in.
 
Charlie Hustle said:
This is exactly what I was looking for! I know I have heard/read about the old school version of 2 pushout 9 ball. Thank you for chiming in.
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Its not called '2pushout 9b' . Either 2-foul, rollout or pushout. Only time there is two pushes is in the scenario i described. Very rarely did that happen, the incoming player usually shot the shot or passed it back. If he passes it back player A has to make a legal shot or its BIH.
 
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HawaiianEye said:
I have never played where two pushes were allowed.
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It was pretty rare where i played but it was allowed. Most of the time the incoming player would shoot or pass but he could push too. If he did push back both players are now on 'one' so next shot has to be a legal hit or someone's gettin BIH. The version i've heard described but never seen is 'accept the shot accept the foul' where if player A pushed and player B took the shot he also accepted the foul and would then be on 'one' himself. We only played two fouls by the same player.
 
That’s so long ago. That’s how I learned to play 9 Ball.

Seems like the breaker might break dry or make a ball. If they were hooked, they could roll out to a position where they might be able to make a difficult shot or at least have position for a decent safe.

This is where it gets gray. Seems like if they rolled out to where you could see the object ball, you’d take the shot. Otherwise, you passed and the opponent shot.

I vaguely remember what garczar described with being able to push back. That may have come later or been an offshoot, but mostly we just played the one push out.
 
Korsakoff said:
That’s so long ago. That’s how I learned to play 9 Ball.

Seems like the breaker might break dry or make a ball. If they were hooked, they could roll out to a position where they might be able to make a difficult shot or at least have position for a decent safe.

This is where it gets gray. Seems like if they rolled out to where you could see the object ball, you’d take the shot. Otherwise, you passed and the opponent shot.

I vaguely remember what garczar described with being able to push back. That may have come later or been an offshoot, but mostly we just played the one push out.
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Lot of strategy in 2-shot. You'd roll out to a thin cut or a bank, maybe even a easy kick-safe and you'd learn what your opponent liked based on what shots he accepted or passed back. Plus you had to shoot spot shots, often to win a game/set. Great way to play 9b.
 
Korsakoff said:
That’s so long ago. That’s how I learned to play 9 Ball.

Seems like the breaker might break dry or make a ball. If they were hooked, they could roll out to a position where they might be able to make a difficult shot or at least have position for a decent safe.

This is where it gets gray. Seems like if they rolled out to where you could see the object ball, you’d take the shot. Otherwise, you passed and the opponent shot.

I vaguely remember what garczar described with being able to push back. That may have come later or been an offshoot, but mostly we just played the one push out.
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If I remember correctly, you could not push out to a position where the object ball was completely hidden where the incoming player couldn't hit the ball without touching a rail first.

If that happened, the incoming player could make the pusher shoot and the pusher had to hit the object ball without touching a rail first or it was a foul.
 
HawaiianEye said:
If I remember correctly, you could not push out to a position where the object ball was completely hidden where the incoming player couldn't hit the ball without touching a rail first.

If that happened, the incoming player could make the pusher shoot and the pusher had to hit the object ball without touching a rail first or it was a foul.
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A lot of little variations. We never did what you describe here. You could push anywhere and incoming player could shoot, pass back or push.
 
Even those who were action but not tournament players, with rare exception, abandoned rollout 9ball decades ago. May it rest in peace. It's the first version of 9ball that I played, but I found it just about unwatchable.

Still, those who enjoy playing things the old way can play rollout even today. First and foremost, pool is supposed to be fun. Still, I don't think I have seen 9ball played that way for about 30 years.
 
garczar said:
A lot of little variations. We never did what you describe here. You could push anywhere and incoming player could shoot, pass back or push.
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In my scenario, the incoming player had the option of shooting the shot being able to hit a rail first since he opted to shoot. Then, if he hit the ball and made it or otherwise didn't make some other type of foul it was okay.

Only the pusher was forced to hit the ball without hitting a rail first.

This kept people from constantly pushing out to completely blocked shots.
 
sjm said:
Even those who were action but not tournament players, with rare exception, abandoned rollout 9ball decades ago. May it rest in peace. It's the first version of 9ball that I played, but I found it just about unwatchable.

Still, those who enjoy playing things the old way can play rollout even today. First and foremost, pool is supposed to be fun. Still, I don't think I have seen 9ball played that way for about 30 years.
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To me, it was way more interesting and watchable.

Today's version is too sterile and bland.
 
sjm said:
Even those who were action but not tournament players, with rare exception, abandoned rollout 9ball decades ago. May it rest in peace. It's the first version of 9ball that I played, but I found it just about unwatchable.

Still, those who enjoy playing things the old way can play rollout even today. First and foremost, pool is supposed to be fun. Still, I don't think I have seen 9ball played that way for about 30 years.
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Was never designed to be 'watchable'; it was for action. WAAAY better game than TE. Once TE showed up in tournaments that's all people, especially the suckers, wanted to play. I never did like losing my cash watching the cheese get shit in or someone missing by a diamond and get a lucky hook. IMO one has to be a tad thick to bet anything other than super cheap playing TE rules. Glad you mentioned 'unwatchable' because that very accurately describes modern day, magic rack, TE 9ball. Rather watch paint dry than watch 9b today.
 
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