Just got home from a very fun night of 8ball 
My best friend and I played pairs against, well, most of the bar crowd (the majority of them good players, mind you). Won 7 in a row, enjoyed our time and drinks, and prior to that even played a few games 1v1 in a different bar as a warm-up.
All this made me write about the way we play and compete in this bar, which is the most popular pool place in the city. To start off, we play on a 7ft coin op bar table. The player (or pair) who won the previous game stays at the table, and the incoming player pays for the next game and racks the balls. This way everyone in the bar gets to play without waiting too much, and it motivates the players to give their best to stay at the table, playing more while saving their money.
The winner of the previous game breaks from behind the head string. If one or more balls of the same suit are made on the break, the shooter immediately claims that suit. If different suits are pocketed, the ball which dropped first (or when uncertain, which rolled into the ball return system first) determines the shooter's suit. When only the 8 ball drops, the player instantly wins the game, but if anything else gets pocketed along with it, it's an instantaneous defeat. Finally, if nothing is pocketed, the table is open and the opponent gets to shoot. This can be repeated until the first ball drops, then the suits are determined.
There is no shot calling and no requirement for any ball to hit the rail. As long as you pocket at least one of your balls per shot, you keep playing. If nothing is pocketed, or you pocket both your own and your opponent's balls, you lose your turn.
Hitting an opponent's ball directly, without touching a rail or your own balls first, results in loss of turn, regardless of the outcome of the shot. In addition, the opponent gets to pick up the ball you hit directly and drop it in a pocket prior to their turn if they so choose, or leave it where it stands.
Once a player scratches or knocks the cue ball off the table, the cue ball goes on the head spot. It cannot be moved, and the opponent gets to shoot. They are only allowed to shoot forward, in the direction towards the foot rail, in a way that their cue doesn't pass over either corner pocket. That pretty much means they can only shoot at balls positioned between right and left side pocket and the head spot, and at anything below that. If an opponent's ball or the 8 ball completely block the allowed shooting arc, the player is allowed to draw the cue ball behind the head spot until a legal shot is possible.
Any ball knocked off the table, except the 8 ball and the cue ball, is spotted in the kitchen, touching the head rail next to the center diamond, and the opponent gets the turn. If such action would allow an obviously easy shot for the incoming player, especially if it's their last ball, the knocked off balls are spotted on the opposing side of the table, touching the foot rail next to the center diamond.
If at any point in the game a player hits the 8 ball directly, without touching a rail or another ball first, it's a loss of the game. Same goes if the 8 ball is pocketed or knocked off the table. This obviously stops applying once the player pockets all balls of the suit they claimed. At that point the 8 ball can be touched directly, and must be pocketed in the pocket where the last ball of the player's suit was dropped to win the game. Pocketing it in the wrong pocket or throwing it off the table means loss. Also, committing any foul (scratching, any ball off the table, an opponent's ball hit directly or pocketed) while pocketing the 8 ball in the correct pocket is still a loss. Lastly, pocketing your last ball and the 8 ball in the same shot is not allowed and means defeat.
In case a player pockets the opponent's last ball, or touches it directly and the opponent decides to pocket it, said opponent gets to choose their last pocket.
There you have it. Feel free to state your opinion about playing 8ball using these rules, your perception of the pros and cons of the game etc. Also, give it a try yourself if you're interested and post your experiences here. It was a pleasure giving you a preview of the game and environment in which I regularly play
My best friend and I played pairs against, well, most of the bar crowd (the majority of them good players, mind you). Won 7 in a row, enjoyed our time and drinks, and prior to that even played a few games 1v1 in a different bar as a warm-up.All this made me write about the way we play and compete in this bar, which is the most popular pool place in the city. To start off, we play on a 7ft coin op bar table. The player (or pair) who won the previous game stays at the table, and the incoming player pays for the next game and racks the balls. This way everyone in the bar gets to play without waiting too much, and it motivates the players to give their best to stay at the table, playing more while saving their money.
The winner of the previous game breaks from behind the head string. If one or more balls of the same suit are made on the break, the shooter immediately claims that suit. If different suits are pocketed, the ball which dropped first (or when uncertain, which rolled into the ball return system first) determines the shooter's suit. When only the 8 ball drops, the player instantly wins the game, but if anything else gets pocketed along with it, it's an instantaneous defeat. Finally, if nothing is pocketed, the table is open and the opponent gets to shoot. This can be repeated until the first ball drops, then the suits are determined.
There is no shot calling and no requirement for any ball to hit the rail. As long as you pocket at least one of your balls per shot, you keep playing. If nothing is pocketed, or you pocket both your own and your opponent's balls, you lose your turn.
Hitting an opponent's ball directly, without touching a rail or your own balls first, results in loss of turn, regardless of the outcome of the shot. In addition, the opponent gets to pick up the ball you hit directly and drop it in a pocket prior to their turn if they so choose, or leave it where it stands.
Once a player scratches or knocks the cue ball off the table, the cue ball goes on the head spot. It cannot be moved, and the opponent gets to shoot. They are only allowed to shoot forward, in the direction towards the foot rail, in a way that their cue doesn't pass over either corner pocket. That pretty much means they can only shoot at balls positioned between right and left side pocket and the head spot, and at anything below that. If an opponent's ball or the 8 ball completely block the allowed shooting arc, the player is allowed to draw the cue ball behind the head spot until a legal shot is possible.
Any ball knocked off the table, except the 8 ball and the cue ball, is spotted in the kitchen, touching the head rail next to the center diamond, and the opponent gets the turn. If such action would allow an obviously easy shot for the incoming player, especially if it's their last ball, the knocked off balls are spotted on the opposing side of the table, touching the foot rail next to the center diamond.
If at any point in the game a player hits the 8 ball directly, without touching a rail or another ball first, it's a loss of the game. Same goes if the 8 ball is pocketed or knocked off the table. This obviously stops applying once the player pockets all balls of the suit they claimed. At that point the 8 ball can be touched directly, and must be pocketed in the pocket where the last ball of the player's suit was dropped to win the game. Pocketing it in the wrong pocket or throwing it off the table means loss. Also, committing any foul (scratching, any ball off the table, an opponent's ball hit directly or pocketed) while pocketing the 8 ball in the correct pocket is still a loss. Lastly, pocketing your last ball and the 8 ball in the same shot is not allowed and means defeat.
In case a player pockets the opponent's last ball, or touches it directly and the opponent decides to pocket it, said opponent gets to choose their last pocket.
There you have it. Feel free to state your opinion about playing 8ball using these rules, your perception of the pros and cons of the game etc. Also, give it a try yourself if you're interested and post your experiences here. It was a pleasure giving you a preview of the game and environment in which I regularly play
