WPA Event: "Ten Ball Last" --- Why?

sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
At the WPA World Championship, they are playing "ten ball last." I've heard of this version but never actually seen it until now. I've been to ten ball events, even within the past year, that carried WPA ranking points, but these rules were never used.

Ten ball last, by the way, means that if you call and make the ten out of order, it spots and you continue shooting.

Why are they playing this way, other than the traditional reason of making the game completely unrecognizable for the mainstream amateur player?

I, personally, don't care for this version of ten ball and don't think it changes much, but it does eliminate two way shots on the ten ball, and that's dumbing down the game in my books.
 
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evergruven

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
sjm said:
I, personally, don't care for this version of ten ball and don't think it changes much, but it does eliminate two way shots on the ten ball, and that's dumbing down the game in my books.
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agree..but it does eliminate ez combos, and ensure that the ten ball will be pocketed last, which I understand the value of.

so far I'm not a fan, but I'd like more time to experience/consider it.
 
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garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
sjm said:
At the WPA World Championship, they are playing "ten ball last." I've heard of this version but never actually seen it until now. I've been to ten ball events, even within the past year, that carried WPA ranking points, but these rules were never used.

Ten ball last, by the way, means that if you call and make the ten out of order, it spots and you continue shooting.

Why are they playing this way, other than the traditional reason of making the game completely unrecognizable for the mainstream amateur player?

I, personally, don't care for this version of ten ball and don't think it changes much, but it does eliminate two way shots on the ten ball, and that's dumbing down the game in my books.
Click to expand...
It bites. We always play where you can combo/carom 10b for a win. 10b last takes potential fireworks out of the game. I hate it.
 
BRussell

BRussell

AzB Silver Member
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Everyone plays 10 ball last in my area. I see it as just another example of making 10 ball a tougher, less lucky game than 9-ball. The main thing it does is take out the dumb, quick win where there’s an easy combination after a foul. Honestly, it doesn’t change the game that much, in my experience.

And maybe it goes without saying, but the official WPA 10-ball rules do require the 10 to be pocketed last.
 
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garczar

AzB Silver Member
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BRussell said:
Everyone plays 10 ball last in my area. I see it as just another example of making 10 ball a tougher, less lucky game than 9-ball. The main thing it does is take out the dumb, quick win where there’s an easy combination after a foul. Honestly, it doesn’t change the game that much, in my experience.

And maybe it goes without saying, but the official WPA 10-ball rules do require the 10 to be pocketed last.
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Wanna bet?? https://wpapool.com/rules-of-play/#Ten-Ball 10b must go last to win the game. If made earlier it spots. BTW, how is a called carom/combo a "dumb/quick" win? If you want zero luck play 14.1
 
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sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
OK, I'll keep an open mind and learn to love this type of ten ball.

That said, though, as rules such as these eliminate two way shots on the ten ball, they remove one of the most interesting shots in the game, which is a shame.
 
Joe_Jaguar

Joe_Jaguar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
its beyond dumb. Even Jeremy Jones goes to Mr Cliche on the stream, "how long has this rule been around?" I've never played it. LMAO.
 
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garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Joe_Jaguar said:
its beyond dumb. Even Jeremy Jones goes to Mr Cliche on the stream, "how long has this rule been around?" I've never played it. LMAO.
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Apparently its THE #1 way to play in Yoooooooorup. Reason enough for me not to like it. ;)
 
Scratch85

Scratch85

AzB Gold Member
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I like “ten ball last.” I’ve never liked the idea of making one game more like another game. If you enjoy two way shots and fireworks watch/play 9-ball. Enjoy each game for what they are.


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jay helfert

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
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Who thinks these things up? A couple of guys sitting around saying, "Let's see how hard we can make this game. Call shot, call pocket, call banks and combos, call safety, nothing counts on the break, yadda, yadda, yadda." How about adding that you must break from the center diamond of the head rail and what about shooting one rack in numerical order and the next rack in reverse order (ten to the one and then the ten spots up for the final shot). Wouldn't that be fun!

Better yet, let's just play Rotation and the fifteen ball is the game ball! BOOM!!
 
T

tableroll

Rolling Thunder
Silver Member
sjm said:
At the WPA World Championship, they are playing "ten ball last." I've heard of this version but never actually seen it until now. I've been to ten ball events, even within the past year, that carried WPA ranking points, but these rules were never used.

Ten ball last, by the way, means that if you call and make the ten out of order, it spots and you continue shooting.

Why are they playing this way, other than the traditional reason of making the game completely unrecognizable for the mainstream amateur player?

I, personally, don't care for this version of ten ball and don't think it changes much, but it does eliminate two way shots on the ten ball, and that's dumbing down the game in my books.
Click to expand...

It eliminates "slop" which therefore exposes their talent to a high degree.
 
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tableroll

Rolling Thunder
Silver Member
jay helfert said:
Who thinks these things up? A couple of guys sitting around saying, "Let's see how hard we can make this game. Call shot, call pocket, call banks and combos, call safety, nothing counts on the break, yadda, yadda, yadda." How about adding that you must break from the center diamond of the head rail and what about shooting one rack in numerical order and the next rack in reverse order (ten to the one and then the ten spots up for the final shot). Wouldn't that be fun!

Better yet, let's just play Rotation and the fifteen ball is the game ball! BOOM!!
Click to expand...

I like the rule that every final shot must be shot with the opposite hand.
 
G

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
tableroll said:
It eliminates "slop" which therefore exposes their talent to a high degree.
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How often do players of this caliber slop balls in? Not very often. I just talked to a friend who's out there and he said that the audiences were all like " WTF is going on?" the first few matches. Whats wrong with a called combo/carom to win? Doesn't detract from the skill level and the fans would all go for it.
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
tableroll said:
It eliminates "slop" which therefore exposes their talent to a high degree.
Click to expand...

Of course it doesn't. Call shot is what eliminates slop. This thread is about whether a ten ball called and made skillfully but before the end of the rack should count as a win. That's an entirely different matter.
 
iusedtoberich

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
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I think they changed the rule to 10 ball must be made last about 3 years ago in the "official WPA rules". I might be off a year... There was much discussion of that new rule set here at the time. I think the consensus then was that no one liked it.

I know me personally, as an amateur, I love playing luck 9 ball. No calling anything! I truly enjoy shitting in the 9. It's fun. All these call this call that can't do this can't do that make the game more boring, IMO.
 
Scratch85

Scratch85

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
sjm said:
Of course it doesn't. Call shot is what eliminates slop. This thread is about whether a ten ball called and made skillfully but before the end of the rack should count as a win. That's an entirely different matter.
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There is an argument that BIH, after a scratch on the break, that leads to an easy 10 ball combo, is lucky and a bit like slop. The combos and caroms for players at this level are numerous.

Which do you consider the worse rule, last ball 10 or no win on the snap? I consider them the same.


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