The reason I prefer 8 ball over 9 or 10 ball.

Luck is always a part of it, even 8 ball. Your opponent can accidentally hit the 8 ball in early, and that would be lucky too. This is why you play more than once.

Also, after the break in 8 ball, if stripes gets clustered up and in bad spots, it's just unlucky if the breaker gets to be solids.

longhorns2 said:

Luck is always a part of it, even 8 ball. Your opponent can accidentally hit the 8 ball in early, and that would be lucky too. This is why you play more than once.

Also, after the break in 8 ball, if stripes gets clustered up and in bad spots, it's just unlucky if the breaker gets to be solids.

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Only APA to my knowledge has that stupid rule punishing the breaker for making a ball. Table is open until the first strip or solid is legally pocketed after the break. That APA rule is among the worst ever.

Lucky for you, not your opponent.

If you want to play games that have less luck factors try 14.1, or maybe one pocket!

You might not like playing me in 8ball then cause I'll knock in your balls with mine to hook you lol
Whenever the situation calls for it
I also do intentional fouls and take advantage wherever I can
Even in straight 8 tournaments I'll knock in the other guys straight up
They don't like it, but it's strategy

There's less luck involved in 10 ball than there is in 9 ball. 10 ball is a call shot game. Also, by the rule changes 2 or 3 years ago, the ten ball must be the last ball pocketed. You can no longer win with an early 10 ball.

(MY definition of call shot:
Before making the shot, the player must try to guess which ball will go to which pocket. lol)

Hear this bs all the time. I don't get the constant need to eliminate luck from the game. Its part of it and always will be. Its been my experience that those that squeal the most about luck are losers just looking for a way to whine.

orion21 said:

Only APA to my knowledge has that stupid rule punishing the breaker for making a ball. Table is open until the first strip or solid is legally pocketed after the break. That APA rule is among the worst ever.

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I recall the discussion coming up before, and that "take what you make" was the way pro's played 8-ball when APA was developed, many years ago. Or something similar.

Not true.

orion21 said:

Only APA to my knowledge has that stupid rule punishing the breaker for making a ball. Table is open until the first strip or solid is legally pocketed after the break. That APA rule is among the worst ever.

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I play in a 8 Ball tournament and they play Make-It -Take-IT so whichever balls you pot the majority of is your suit.

The Pro's play that way to to make the game more complicated.

I'm a 10 ball player. If I play 8 ball it's usually Last Pocket 8 Ball.

That’s an “excuse” you hear a lot from people who prefer 8-ball. What they really prefer is being able to have multiple choices of balls to shoot as they fumble their way around the table.

At a high level, all three games are entertaining and have their own challenges. But make no mistake, there’s a reason that newer, or less skilled players first learn, and prefer 8-ball.

Great game!

atthecat said:

I'm a 10 ball player. If I play 8 ball it's usually Last Pocket 8 Ball.

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Last Pocket is a great game, its a great way to play 8 Ball, second only to Bank the 8!

King T said:

Last Pocket is a great game, its a great way to play 8 Ball, second only to Bank the 8!

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Bank the 8 to the last pocket or any pocket???

David in FL said:

That’s an “excuse” you hear a lot from people who prefer 8-ball. What they really prefer is being able to have multiple choices of balls to shoot as they fumble their way around the table.

At a high level, all three games are entertaining and have their own challenges. But make no mistake, there’s a reason that newer, or less skilled players first learn, and prefer 8-ball.

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2nd this^^^

All three games have an element of luck involved due to how balls spread on the break, though good players overcome or know how to manipulate this into their favor by tactical safety play.

If you want to remove as much game induced inherent luck as possible play One Pocket or Straight Pool. Then your opponent can blame you for their bad luck when you accidentally leave them hooked, but you can always say it was intended when they moan about it. And even so, the more experienced player will win in the long run anyway.

jaime_lion said:

So the reason I like 8 ball is it takes the luck out of 9 or 10 ball. What I mean by this is in an ideal game the 2 players have 7 balls to hit then the 8 ball. With 9 ball or 10 ball I can hit a low number ball and make the 9 or 10 ball in and win the game. Or I get my opponent to make the first 8 or 9 balls and I make the 9 or 10 ball. Then I win. 8 ball just seems more equal and fair. At least from that angle.

Thoughts?

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It depends on the skill level of players, if both players are really good players, then 8 ball is the highest luck of all, and this is exactly why the 8ball tournaments in the pro level are particularly none existence.

I'm not saying 9ball or 10ball do not have luck involved in them for high skill players, but 8ball is by far is the luckiest game.

Even if players are around "B" skill level, still 8ball for these players will be a flip of a coin.

On 9ball these B+ players will never attempt to shoot the lowest numbered ball into the 9ball to luck it out, this manoeuvre usually happens for players who are below the D level even.

With good players, 9ball and 10ball is mostly luck by the break only, rest of the game is pure skill and positional play, even though layouts matter, but given there arent many balls on the table, then other than the break which is the most important, then skill is so important.

For D and C players, the 9ball and 10ball will seem more about luck, because its basically a game of whoever gets lucky last sort of say.

For example, whoever gives away the easy 8 and 9 ball in the end will lose the game, and the luckier who gets easier 7,8, and 9 ball will win, so for D and C players I do agree with you.

Why 8ball is a luck based game for B+ and pro's, because the luck part isn't about calling balls on pocket, its purely about the layout, there are so many clusters and problems in 8ball that if a lucky player gets the easiest layout will basically win the game, sometimes you can get problems everytime, then run 6 out of your 7 balls, then give away an empty table to a C player behind you, that C player can potentially beat a B player in 8ball due to this.

In my opinion in 8ball a lower skilled player can beat a higher skilled player very easily, all due to the layouts and problems in the game, which are all created by luck.

And even if you want to go into balls to open them up, its all sheer luck about what is going to happen afterwards, especially hitting hard to open up clusters, 8ball is mostly about luck.

garczar said:

Hear this bs all the time. I don't get the constant need to eliminate luck from the game. Its part of it and always will be. Its been my experience that those that squeal the most about luck are losers just looking for a way to whine.

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I would agree with this, usually the better player wins no matter what the game. The key is to just figure out what You need to do to get better.

mikemosconi said:

I would agree with this, usually the better player wins no matter what the game. The key is to just figure out what You need to do to get better.

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If i'm playin' someone and they start whinin' about luck/rolls i know they're done 99% of the time. Its the guys that don't say anything and just take it in stride that you have to watch 'cause they're usually, if not always, better to really good players.