The reason I prefer 8 ball over 9 or 10 ball.
- Thread starter jaime_lion
- Start date
The reason I prefer 8 ball over rotation games, is the creativity and imagination allowed during 8 ball. Both players are playing a different table. Consequently, each player can manipulate the table to favor themselves and hinder their opponent, more so than in rotation games. And almost always, one group has an easier out than the other. Makes for a fun game.
That being said, I don’t consider 8 ball a better game, just different. I now play way more 9 ball than anything. It’s the preferred game for competition/gamble in my area.
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That being said, I don’t consider 8 ball a better game, just different. I now play way more 9 ball than anything. It’s the preferred game for competition/gamble in my area.
Sent from my iPhone using AzBilliards Forums
No disrespect, but at the recreational skill level, you are absolutely correct. However, as you get to higher levels of players, the better and more deserving player that plays the best in the matchup will almost always come out on top in 9-ball or 10-ball, particularly in longer races or in a longer $ session.
In 8-ball, the better player, if they are playing a very aggressive style may attempt to run out every time they get to the table. They are doing the much harder work of clearing their balls early in the game, with all their opponent's balls on the table, but if they don't get out and get stuck on their last ball or on the 8-ball, the lesser skilled player can easily run out the table or play a lock-up safety if necessary. This doesn't really happen in 9-ball / 10-ball. If the better player gets in trouble on their run-out, they generally can play an excellent safety on their opponent and maintain an advantage.
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I prefer last pocket.
I agree with all of this. When I am playing a stronger player than me, I can try and limit the runouts and manage things to my strengths. If the player isn't as strong as I, then I can be the aggressor and try to control things offensively. And/or both strategies vs either opponent! I love the strategy of 8-ball.
You can always play the 9 or 10 has to go last, there are quite a few people that play that way, and even some large tournaments that did that. Also at a low level of play the luck does not matter much since the players will have multiple innings at the table each game. It can matter more when two good players play where one lucky early win can win the match.
midnightmark
Registered
9/10 Ball
Lots of Luck in 9-Ball. Virtually NO Luck in 10-Ball. 8-Ball is a tough game, if played correctly.
Then you have a whole world of people who strictly play 1-Pocket.
Lots of Luck in 9-Ball. Virtually NO Luck in 10-Ball. 8-Ball is a tough game, if played correctly.
Then you have a whole world of people who strictly play 1-Pocket.
Then play call shot 9 ball. That’s how it was played before Texas express rules became popular in the late 80s
"Luck" is a method of play.
"Called shots" is rule preferred by those who resent having their method of play being bested by the fore mentioned.
At a high level, "luck" is rare, and when it happens, it's entertaining. Top players take it in stride because they know a controlled player will overcome a "lucky" one.
At a high level, 8 ball is more difficult in all skill sets, except maybe cuing straight with power. There's less perceived luck in 8 ball because it requires a controlled "touch", and rarely is one required to spin the cue ball off 4 rails to get on a single ball.
One of the greatest moments in North American snooker started with a fluke:
https://youtu.be/PE0n_7i_VLE?t=181
"Called shots" is rule preferred by those who resent having their method of play being bested by the fore mentioned.
At a high level, "luck" is rare, and when it happens, it's entertaining. Top players take it in stride because they know a controlled player will overcome a "lucky" one.
At a high level, 8 ball is more difficult in all skill sets, except maybe cuing straight with power. There's less perceived luck in 8 ball because it requires a controlled "touch", and rarely is one required to spin the cue ball off 4 rails to get on a single ball.
One of the greatest moments in North American snooker started with a fluke:
https://youtu.be/PE0n_7i_VLE?t=181
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Where was it popular? I played a LOT from '79 to '86 and never saw/played one game of call-shot 9ball. We played 2-shot roll-out until TE 1foul came along.
I play Snooker 60% of the time. 8 ball about 25%. 10% ‘Golf’.
I just find 9 ball boring. Unlike all the expert players on this forum, my experience is 95% of players don’t run the table most of the time. Unlike the players here, I’m not playing top pros every evening but a range of players. Doesn’t matter who potted the first 5 balls...Or if a ball was potted on the break....yawn.
I will play 9 ball on my own but no desire in league. 8 ball just has another level of skill sets...defense. I only play 9 ball on my snooker table, On a snooker table it ups the skill needed to make the game a challenge and not just knocking balls into 5’ pockets and sinking Wobblies down the rail.
Fortunately, here in my Canadian city, in the 3 leagues I play in, it is all 8 ball. Nobody even mentions 9 ball. If someone mentions a game of pool it equate with ‘8 ball’.
I just find 9 ball boring. Unlike all the expert players on this forum, my experience is 95% of players don’t run the table most of the time. Unlike the players here, I’m not playing top pros every evening but a range of players. Doesn’t matter who potted the first 5 balls...Or if a ball was potted on the break....yawn.
I will play 9 ball on my own but no desire in league. 8 ball just has another level of skill sets...defense. I only play 9 ball on my snooker table, On a snooker table it ups the skill needed to make the game a challenge and not just knocking balls into 5’ pockets and sinking Wobblies down the rail.
Fortunately, here in my Canadian city, in the 3 leagues I play in, it is all 8 ball. Nobody even mentions 9 ball. If someone mentions a game of pool it equate with ‘8 ball’.
Where I first started playing, no one played eight ball and we knew we weren't good enough to play nine ball so we played six ball. Five on the three ball and ten on the six.
The APA "fixed" league 9 ball by scoring a point for each ball made.
9 ball is hard
you miss your probably done, and it dont take a pro to run out, above average league players like an 7-8 and higher level locals ones will smoke you,
you have to make the shot
some defense is available with more balls on the table, but after that, you better be precise or your racking
its a challenge for a, 8 whos gotta score about 60ish points against a 4 who needs about half that
you miss your probably done, and it dont take a pro to run out, above average league players like an 7-8 and higher level locals ones will smoke you,
you have to make the shot
some defense is available with more balls on the table, but after that, you better be precise or your racking
its a challenge for a, 8 whos gotta score about 60ish points against a 4 who needs about half that
That point scoring may be better for most players in American leagues in 9 ball since there is less emphasis on strategy skills but more focus on sinking balls.
This needed a bit of fixing.
The worse of a player you are the more your game relies on random luck to execute. Not that's it's something horrible, it's just that those players don't have the skill yet to control the game, eventually if they are serious about improving random shots drop drastically. Now there are shots where you play the % and just wing it, but that is a last resort case.
Pool is not cards or Monopoly, we don't rely on random card draws or dice rolls to play, thus basing a game on luck as a real strategy vs skill is not very smart. Even things that people think are lucky that happen have some base of skill, like trying a 4 rail bank or playing shape to a small area, you still know roughly about where to hit and the speed to hit it in order to come closer than just closing your eyes and hitting it random speed.
The worse of a player you are the more your game relies on random luck to execute. Not that's it's something horrible, it's just that those players don't have the skill yet to control the game, eventually if they are serious about improving random shots drop drastically. Now there are shots where you play the % and just wing it, but that is a last resort case.
Pool is not cards or Monopoly, we don't rely on random card draws or dice rolls to play, thus basing a game on luck as a real strategy vs skill is not very smart. Even things that people think are lucky that happen have some base of skill, like trying a 4 rail bank or playing shape to a small area, you still know roughly about where to hit and the speed to hit it in order to come closer than just closing your eyes and hitting it random speed.
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I love the UK games, blackball, world rules etc and my best pool game is probably 8 ball, even though I play more straight pool. It's so tough to get a game playing 8 ball, you won't believe it. At least I can sometimes get a game of blackball. For some reason people don't respect the game, but 8 ball is a skill game, with many subtle moves and strategies. I find that many people don't actually plan their runouts and rely on winging it. I love playing those guys, unless they shoot straight like Filler, they get outmaneuvered in the end.
Meh... it wasn't broken. Players that can play, and play extremely well, still hit shots in a unnecessary manner that promote "luck".
The hitting of shots in an necessary manner is just done more often by novice players.
I know a good amount of players that are highly advanced "not pro" players. All of them are indifferent to playing "called shots". It's when you drop down a couple of tiers in skill, to the point where guys think luck matters, that guys want "call shot". This is also the point where a player wants handicaps only if it's in their favour.
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