should a 8 ball player only practice 9 ball?

J

judochoke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
as I only play on bar tables, I only shoot 8 ball games. I practice with 8 ball in mind, but I do put out 6 balls and try to hit them in order also. but I Never rack a 9 ball rack. as a 7 month player, 9 ball is very hard to run a rack. but should I try to practice 9 ball, even thou I will probably never play 9 ball in the bars that I play in???

or should I just stick with my 8 ball game and continue to practice 8 ball pattern play?

I do enjoy practicing with 6 balls thrown out on the table, hitting in order.

hope this isn't a stupid question:confused::confused::confused::confused:
 
9ball5032

9ball5032

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
keep enjoying running your 6 balls in rotation. It will help your control of the cue ball, which will help your 8 ball game.
 
jackpot

jackpot

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
pattern play

Practicing pattern play is great, but remember if at all possible
to have a safety valve if you get out of line in your run. Like a
ball that is close to a pocket. In 8 ball there can be so many
balls that can interrupt your run. Just try to think what if I come
up long or whatever on position, what will bail me out so I can
continue. I just try to if at all possible to have this, the same
in straight pool.
jack
 
Bobkitty

Bobkitty

I said: "Here kitty, kitty". Got this frown.
Gold Member
Silver Member
judochoke said:
as I only play on bar tables, I only shoot 8 ball games. I practice with 8 ball in mind, but I do put out 6 balls and try to hit them in order also. but I Never rack a 9 ball rack. as a 7 month player, 9 ball is very hard to run a rack. but should I try to practice 9 ball, even thou I will probably never play 9 ball in the bars that I play in???

or should I just stick with my 8 ball game and continue to practice 8 ball pattern play?

I do enjoy practicing with 6 balls thrown out on the table, hitting in order.

hope this isn't a stupid question:confused::confused::confused::confused:
Click to expand...

According to the pool instructor that I go to, the 8 ball patterns require very little cue ball roll out after hitting a ball. Very much different than 9 ball. Let say in the pattern, you've got to back it up 6" or go forward 6". 8" either way will screw up the pattern. Very different than 9 ball.
 
Q

Quesports

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Practice straight pool if you want to improve in 8 ball... Learning how and when to brake up clusters is very helpful in 8 ball.. JMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
ShootingArts

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
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Silver Member
one 0ption

There are almost endless ways to practice, some better than others. One option on a coin operated table if you are primarily an eight ball player is to rack all fifteen balls and break. Choose solids or stripes and pocket them and the eight ball like playing eight ball. Then run the remaining balls on the table off in numerical order.

Hu
 
K

KMRUNOUT

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
judochoke said:
as I only play on bar tables, I only shoot 8 ball games. I practice with 8 ball in mind, but I do put out 6 balls and try to hit them in order also. but I Never rack a 9 ball rack. as a 7 month player, 9 ball is very hard to run a rack. but should I try to practice 9 ball, even thou I will probably never play 9 ball in the bars that I play in???



or should I just stick with my 8 ball game and continue to practice 8 ball pattern play?



I do enjoy practicing with 6 balls thrown out on the table, hitting in order.



hope this isn't a stupid question:confused::confused::confused::confused:
Click to expand...



9 ball is a game more focused on execution and position routes that repeat over and over. It's good for any game to be aware of these patters and be able to execute them on command. So yes, *some* 9 ball practice ought to help. But probably even more effective is to grab a book like The Pro Book, and just drill on the shots listed in there. Whatever pool game I play, I like my odds better if I'm comfortable with as many shots and routes and safes as possible.

KMRUNOUT


Sent from my iPhone using AzBilliards Forums
 
R

RiverCity

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I really dont like 8 ball, as it allows you to fook up royally and still run out. Its great when its you, but sucks when it is your opponent.

Biggest trick is working the pattern backwards from a triangle of balls including the 8, trying to minimize cb movement where possible, but making sure you have a shot no matter what.

From there, another piece of advice that will help your game, is to stop pocketing balls if you cant get out. If your skill level is lower than your opponents, tie balls up where you can, and wait on your opp. to hopefully make the first mistake.

If you are capable of breaking clusters, and running the balls, stick with practicing 9 ball IMO. :thumbup:
 
jtompilot

jtompilot

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
judochoke said:
as I only play on bar tables, I only shoot 8 ball games. I practice with 8 ball in mind, but I do put out 6 balls and try to hit them in order also. but I Never rack a 9 ball rack. as a 7 month player, 9 ball is very hard to run a rack. but should I try to practice 9 ball, even thou I will probably never play 9 ball in the bars that I play in???

or should I just stick with my 8 ball game and continue to practice 8 ball pattern play?

I do enjoy practicing with 6 balls thrown out on the table, hitting in order.

hope this isn't a stupid question:confused::confused::confused::confused:
Click to expand...

I gave up bar box 8 ball and leagues for 15 years and mostly played 1P with a sprinkle of 9 ball. I was asked to play on an 8 ball league. After learning 1P for 15 years 8 ball became so much easier. There are so many 1P moves and safeties that apply directly to 8 ball that I never knew just playing 8 or 9 ball.
 
Bobkitty

Bobkitty

I said: "Here kitty, kitty". Got this frown.
Gold Member
Silver Member
judochoke said:
as I only play on bar tables, I only shoot 8 ball games. I practice with 8 ball in mind, but I do put out 6 balls and try to hit them in order also. but I Never rack a 9 ball rack. as a 7 month player, 9 ball is very hard to run a rack. but should I try to practice 9 ball, even thou I will probably never play 9 ball in the bars that I play in???

or should I just stick with my 8 ball game and continue to practice 8 ball pattern play?

I do enjoy practicing with 6 balls thrown out on the table, hitting in order.

hope this isn't a stupid question:confused::confused::confused::confused:
Click to expand...

8 ball is about patterns. Your balls are soldiers like pawns in chess and should be left on the table until you can run out. Most beginners run their balls except for the last one and the 8 ball. So easy to give them a safety. Study it with a instructor.
 
S

Swighey

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
jtompilot said:
I gave up bar box 8 ball and leagues for 15 years and mostly played 1P with a sprinkle of 9 ball. I was asked to play on an 8 ball league. After learning 1P for 15 years 8 ball became so much easier. There are so many 1P moves and safeties that apply directly to 8 ball that I never knew just playing 8 or 9 ball.
Click to expand...

Yeh but you would have learned the same and more if you had played 8 ball with the same seriousness you played one pocket for those 15 years. There are so many 8 ball moves and safeties that apply directly to 8 ball.
 
iusedtoberich

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In my personal experience, playing all games makes you better at each one. This includes 9 ball, one pocket, bank pool, straight pool, 3 cushion billiards. You will learn situations in each of these games that will come up in others. I’d also say play them all when you are still a beginner, rather than wait until you are proficient in your main game before trying the others.

As always, IMO, and yours may vary:)
 
Pushout

Pushout

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Swighey said:
Yeh but you would have learned the same and more if you had played 8 ball with the same seriousness you played one pocket for those 15 years. There are so many 8 ball moves and safeties that apply directly to 8 ball.
Click to expand...

Never happen. You see so many more different shots in both Straight Pool and One Pocket than you would see in decades of playing only 8 ball. There was a guy here a few years back, swore you should only play 9 ball. He played only 8 ball for years before he switched to 9 ball and had that same attitude. Just so wrong.
 
jtompilot

jtompilot

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Swighey said:
Yeh but you would have learned the same and more if you had played 8 ball with the same seriousness you played one pocket for those 15 years. There are so many 8 ball moves and safeties that apply directly to 8 ball.
Click to expand...

I played 8 and 9 ball for 20 years. Played part time on the Viking tour. I learned far more about pool in those 15 years than I ever did playing leagues or 9 ball tournaments.

I was pretty devoted to 8 and 9 ball especially when I started traveling more. One pocket is such a different game it really forces you to learn all aspects of pool. The game is so different and much more complete and complex that I had a player like Zion Zvi ask me for weight. That was funny since he’s at least twice the player I am.
 
Chili Palmer

Chili Palmer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
iusedtoberich said:
In my personal experience, playing all games makes you better at each one.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Here's how I view the games when practicing. 8 ball is about shot selection, 9 ball is about shot execution, 14.1 helps me with focusing more and 1P makes helps with strategy and setting up balls for future use.

My game is 10 times better than it was when I only played 8 and 9 ball.
 
A

Ak Guy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well.........

The pool scene in my town is dismal and the bar league uses sorry ass bar rules and the tables are sorry. Whew!

I have a good 9' home table. I usually rack for 9 Ball and after I break the balls I spot the10 ball, put the cue ball where I want and try to run out.

If I really suck at a certain shot I practice that shot, which is usually an inside English issue for me.

I am of the belief who ever controls the cue ball the best usually wins the game. If one can control the cue ball the cue ball goes from shot to shot and ends up in a place allowing the next ball to be made and the right angle for position on the next shot.
 
claymont

claymont

JADE
Gold Member
Silver Member
ShootingArts said:
There are almost endless ways to practice, some better than others. One option on a coin operated table if you are primarily an eight ball player is to rack all fifteen balls and break. Choose solids or stripes and pocket them and the eight ball like playing eight ball. Then run the remaining balls on the table off in numerical order.

Hu
Click to expand...

^^^^^ This is the way I practice most. The tables I practice on are not coin operated, but I use this method. I might throw a few extra balls up if there are only a couple of balls left. I play mostly eight-ball; if I have a nine-ball tournament coming up, I'll play nine-ball to practice.
 
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