Why 8 Ball ?

A

Ak Guy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm not trying to bash 8 Ball or those that love it, as any pool is better then no pool.
It's not that I have mastered 8 Ball, I just don't get all excited about it like I do 9 or 10 Ball.

There are so many balls to choose from, it gets confusing trying to figure out the best path to the 8 ball. Do I take solids or do I take stripes? Your opponent has a bunch of balls to choose from for a shot.

Then there is the break. How the heck can a guy smack a 15 ball rack and not make a ball on the break? Then when I do and get a good spread and don't run out I feel like an idiot. Gets darn frustrating guys!

Also, 8 Ball is the only game I have ever won when I was sitting in a chair!
 
SARDiver

SARDiver

JCC Chief
Silver Member
It's closest to straight pool, which is why I like it. Those reasons you list are what generally draws me to it.
 
Jude Rosenstock

Jude Rosenstock

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My reasons for why 8ball is popular:

Bars & Bangers
1. Rules work well with coin operated table
2. Utilizes all 15 balls (novices get their money's worth)
3. Has the perception of fairness (both players must pocket 8 balls to win)
4. Easy to understand

Competitions
5. Bar Boxes are easy to transport, easy to assemble and require minimum space
6. Bar Box 8ball creates more clusters and blocked paths, often forcing games to stretch multiple innings. By comparison, bar box 9ball is criticized as too easy.

I like how there can be multiple approaches to playing expert 8ball. For rotation, your options are often limited but pattern games such as 8ball require a much greater degree of evaluation and planning.
 
Zphix

Zphix

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think 8-ball is my weakest game but I still love it. My only qualm with it is that alot of times it's too forgiving and there are too many bail outs if you play something wrong. As it is, that's part of the game, and the great players use that forgiveness to their advantage.

Hmmm... I should probably start practicing 8-ball...
 
KRJ

KRJ

Support UKRAINE
Silver Member
Zphix said:
I think 8-ball is my weakest game but I still love it. My only qualm with it is that alot of times it's too forgiving and there are too many bail outs if you play something wrong. As it is, that's part of the game, and the great players use that forgiveness to their advantage.

Hmmm... I should probably start practicing 8-ball...
Click to expand...

yeah, at the start, then the noose gets tighter and tighter. Thus, why there are LOTS of failed run outs in 8ball. It's more like a chess game. Sometimes you can see your opponent and he shoots well, but then suddenly, you see he's choosing the wrong pattern. I'm sure I've done it myself, once or twice ;)
 
I

Inaction

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
An observation

8-Ball gets more difficult as the run continues with more obstacles and decisions to make

9-Ball gets easier

Sometimes, playing rotation is fun to move the cueball around more, and helps to get a errant stroke back in shape.
 
randyg

randyg

www.randygpool.com
Silver Member
Just another observation:

86% of the leagues play 8-ball on a 7 foot table.

randyg
 
erhino41

erhino41

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So you don't like 8-ball, who cares? It has its moments. I wouldn't call 8-ball chess. sometimes it is very easy, sometimes it can be very hard. Playing eight ball will certainly help you see more breakouts in 9-ball. I often thought about playing with a twenty one ball rack. Take three of each from another set and add arrow of six on the back, put the eight on the spot. Mull that over a bit.
 
cueenvy

cueenvy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Get a copy of Phil Capelle's play your best 8 ball...there's a lot to 8 ball played well. It is an easy game, but it's a nice break from rotation games.

In 8 ball the better player wins more often than 9 ball. Though the races tend to be short.
 
mattb

mattb

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here is me while commentating a game of 9 or 10 ball, "Look he's shooting the one, bet he goes for the 2 next. He's shooting the 3 and going to try to get on the 4." Yes, it is as boring as it sounds. I play both 8 and 9 in leagues but even when I was younger preferred 8 ball for all the reasons the OP listed.
 
K

klone

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Probably my favorite game after 14.1...


Join Billiards on Slack -
billiards-on-slack.herokuapp.com
 
Mrdodd72

Mrdodd72

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ak Guy said:
I'm not trying to bash 8 Ball or those that love it, as any pool is better then no pool.
It's not that I have mastered 8 Ball, I just don't get all excited about it like I do 9 or 10 Ball.

There are so many balls to choose from, it gets confusing trying to figure out the best path to the 8 ball. Do I take solids or do I take stripes? Your opponent has a bunch of balls to choose from for a shot.

Then there is the break. How the heck can a guy smack a 15 ball rack and not make a ball on the break? Then when I do and get a good spread and don't run out I feel like an idiot. Gets darn frustrating guys!

Also, 8 Ball is the only game I have ever won when I was sitting in a chair!
Click to expand...



I can agree that 8b is better than no pool. I love pool, but I find the rotation game more challenging and exciting.

8b fails to punish mediocre play, and alone, will not develop a strong stroke.

I hear the "checkers/chess" analogy with 9b/8b all the time, but I think a better analogy would be -
9b is like player golf on a tough 9 hole course, and 8b is 18 holes of putt-putt.

A "C" player will get out at a higher rate in 8b, than in 9b or 10b.

A player will advance to a certain level with 8b alone, but will struggle to push their game to a higher level.
For this reason it is "the" novice game.
But I love it for this, it brings people into billiards.

I believe some of my dislike towards playing 8b stems from the leagues being the major outlet for pool in most areas.
I therefore, if I wish to participate in the local pool scene, must play 8b on horrid tables, with players who can't, or are too lazy, to give me a decent rack, and who although playing in their league for the past 15 years, are still ignorant of basic billiard rules (I've given up trying to explain double hit fouls).

But as the saying goes "a bad day at pool, beats a good day at work."
 
ENGLISH!

ENGLISH!

Banned
Silver Member
I like 8 ball best of the short games.

An old man I play with calls it Chess played with Big Marbles.

It's the mental side of the game that usually makes the difference.

It's not a simple follow the Yellow Brick Road kind of game.

One has to plan the route & then execute traveling that route while avoiding a few pit falls & dodging a few falling rocks.

I think it is the best of the short games.

I'm now playing one pocket which a similar but with a slower 'speed limit'.
 
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PocketPooler

PocketPooler

...............
Silver Member
Mrdodd72 said:
I can agree that 8b is better than no pool. I love pool, but I find the rotation game more challenging and exciting.

8b fails to punish mediocre play, and alone, will not develop a strong stroke.

I hear the "checkers/chess" analogy with 9b/8b all the time, but I think a better analogy would be -
9b is like player golf on a tough 9 hole course, and 8b is 18 holes of putt-putt.

A "C" player will get out at a higher rate in 8b, than in 9b or 10b.

A player will advance to a certain level with 8b alone, but will struggle to push their game to a higher level.
For this reason it is "the" novice game.
But I love it for this, it brings people into billiards.

I believe some of my dislike towards playing 8b stems from the leagues being the major outlet for pool in most areas.
I therefore, if I wish to participate in the local pool scene, must play 8b on horrid tables, with players who can't, or are too lazy, to give me a decent rack, and who although playing in their league for the past 15 years, are still ignorant of basic billiard rules (I've given up trying to explain double hit fouls).

But as the saying goes "a bad day at pool, beats a good day at work."
Click to expand...

I couldnt agree more.
 
K2Kraze

K2Kraze

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Eight Ball is one of those games that has enough diversity to it that not only challenges the very best of players but offers rule variations that easily bring that "new game" feel to the table by changing a few rules here and there.

Or ball sets if that's what it takes to inspire someone. Try using the solid color red and yellow Casino set by Aramith for a way to change the way you see a runout.

ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1455757318.053889.jpg

A small group I play amongst regularly play 15 different Eight Ball games - and the strategic elements vary enough in those to keep every man wondering how good he really is while also tasking his cue ball positioning ability and shot making.

One of the "great games" for sure.
 
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AF pool guy

AF pool guy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Those are the same balls they use in the southern Netherlands on 6 footers with 8-9 cm (3.1-3.5 in) pockets. Talk about a crowded table.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
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