1 and 15 in the side 8 ball

4X8Pro

New member
I am going to be playing in a "senior league" next fall and they play this 8 ball game where the 1 ball and the 15 ball must be made in opposite (predetermined) side pockets. I've never heard of this variation of 8 ball so here are my questions.

Does this game have a name?
Is there somewhere on line or a book where I can learn the stratagies of this game?

I've Googled it and searched here but didn't have much luck.

Thanks!
 

KissedOut

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am going to be playing in a "senior league" next fall and they play this 8 ball game where the 1 ball and the 15 ball must be made in opposite (predetermined) side pockets. I've never heard of this variation of 8 ball so here are my questions.

Does this game have a name?
Is there somewhere on line or a book where I can learn the stratagies of this game?

I've Googled it and searched here but didn't have much luck.

Thanks!

I don't know if it has a name, but I think it might be the original form of 8-ball, before the pervasive use of coin-op tables caused rule changes. It was pretty common at the senior center I used to go to.
 

MitchDAZB

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yes. It's called "One Fifteen" and it's beyond boring. My condolences.

I, too, was exposed to it at a senior center. Run away.
 

Robert58

AzB Gold Member
Silver Member
Original rules. It was in the American Billiard Congress rule book that I had in around 1956..
 

4X8Pro

New member
Yes. It's called "One Fifteen" and it's beyond boring. My condolences.

I, too, was exposed to it at a senior center. Run away.

That was my impression as well but I have no choice if I want to play at the RV resort where I will be spending winters. I guess I'll just have to learn to love it! I have to believe though that there are strategies that come onto play. I'd like to learn some of those before I start playing.
 

King T

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Good game

We called it Alabama. If you ever played last pocket or back pocket or bank the 8, you'll enjoy the game.
 

markjames

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Saw a photo recently on azb. Think it was in
South america somewhere like mexico or
Ecuador. Better than nothing.
 

MitchAlsup

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am going to be playing in a "senior league" next fall and they play this 8 ball game where the 1 ball and the 15 ball must be made in opposite (predetermined) side pockets. I've never heard of this variation of 8 ball so here are my questions.

Does this game have a name?

one-fifteen but I heard it is also known as Panama.

Is there somewhere on line or a book where I can learn the stratagies of this game?

There are 3 special rules:
1) you must make your 1 or 15 ball in the correct pocket. If you make your 1 or 15 in an incorrect pocket; automatic loss. If the opponent makes your 1 or 15 in any pocket, you are relieved of having to make it. A 1 or 15 made on the break is a freebie.
2) you cannot move the opponent's 1 or 15 either directly or indirectly. If you fail in this, your inning is done.
3) the 1 and 15 are behind the 8-ball in the rack opposite the side pocket of their designation.

Strategies:
a) become good at lobbing balls close to a particular side pocket from odd angles
b) don't move your 1 or 15 in any direction that doe not lead to it becoming closer to it's side pocket
c) don't wait too long to start moving the 1 or 15 towards the side pocket.
d) if you have to play a safety, play so that the 1 or 15 heads towards its side pocket.
e) become good at long banks with shallow cuts into the side pocket
f) speed control is vastly more important that std 8-ball.
g) position play to get and angle at the 1 or 15 into it's side pocket is mandatory.
h) become good at leaving the CB at the end of the table where the opponent has no way to make his 1 or 15 in it's side pocket.

Overall it is about 2× as hard as std. 8-ball.
 

4X8Pro

New member
one-fifteen but I heard it is also known as Panama.



There are 3 special rules:
1) you must make your 1 or 15 ball in the correct pocket. If you make your 1 or 15 in an incorrect pocket; automatic loss. If the opponent makes your 1 or 15 in any pocket, you are relieved of having to make it. A 1 or 15 made on the break is a freebie.
2) you cannot move the opponent's 1 or 15 either directly or indirectly. If you fail in this, your inning is done.
3) the 1 and 15 are behind the 8-ball in the rack opposite the side pocket of their designation.

Strategies:
a) become good at lobbing balls close to a particular side pocket from odd angles
b) don't move your 1 or 15 in any direction that doe not lead to it becoming closer to it's side pocket
c) don't wait too long to start moving the 1 or 15 towards the side pocket.
d) if you have to play a safety, play so that the 1 or 15 heads towards its side pocket.
e) become good at long banks with shallow cuts into the side pocket
f) speed control is vastly more important that std 8-ball.
g) position play to get and angle at the 1 or 15 into it's side pocket is mandatory.
h) become good at leaving the CB at the end of the table where the opponent has no way to make his 1 or 15 in it's side pocket.

Overall it is about 2× as hard as std. 8-ball.

Thanks Mitch. That's good stuff and I did not know about rule #2. I can definitely see some situations where that could really be a problem.
 

Johnny Rosato

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
We called it Alabama. If you ever played last pocket or back pocket or bank the 8, you'll enjoy the game.
Wow, I'm from Birmingham and first played this game in early - mid '70's. We called it "Missouri".
And there is a bit of strategy involved.
We didn't use rule #2 as posted by Mitch.
Sometimes we banked the 8 then other times just played 8 straight in.
 

9BallKY

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I used to play it some many years ago and we always played that which ever sided the table you made your first ball in that was the side you had to make your 1 or 15 in depending on whether you were stripes or solids. The opponent then had the other side. We also played where you move your opponents ball with a legal hit. When someone rolled their ball up in front of the side it almost always got moved.
 

SpiderWeb

iisgone@yahoo.com
Silver Member
Just move to costa rica and they will tune u up. Its the #1 game and they play it very good.
 

jeephawk

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
one-fifteen but I heard it is also known as Panama.



There are 3 special rules:
1) you must make your 1 or 15 ball in the correct pocket. If you make your 1 or 15 in an incorrect pocket; automatic loss. If the opponent makes your 1 or 15 in any pocket, you are relieved of having to make it. A 1 or 15 made on the break is a freebie.
2) you cannot move the opponent's 1 or 15 either directly or indirectly. If you fail in this, your inning is done.
3) the 1 and 15 are behind the 8-ball in the rack opposite the side pocket of their designation.

Strategies:
a) become good at lobbing balls close to a particular side pocket from odd angles
b) don't move your 1 or 15 in any direction that doe not lead to it becoming closer to it's side pocket
c) don't wait too long to start moving the 1 or 15 towards the side pocket.
d) if you have to play a safety, play so that the 1 or 15 heads towards its side pocket.
e) become good at long banks with shallow cuts into the side pocket
f) speed control is vastly more important that std 8-ball.
g) position play to get and angle at the 1 or 15 into it's side pocket is mandatory.
h) become good at leaving the CB at the end of the table where the opponent has no way to make his 1 or 15 in it's side pocket.

Overall it is about 2× as hard as std. 8-ball.

1 and 2 weren't part of the official rules when I was growing up or before. Some sort of house rules or special tournament rules?

Rules change, but don't recall those, not saying they were never used, of course, just curious.
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Original rules. It was in the American Billiard Congress rule book that I had in around 1956..
Well, the original rules from about 1920 used reds, yellows and a black ball, so 1 and 15 would have been tough to figure out.

As for the rules at the senior center, you have to ask the other players. The version I played at an Elks' Club had no loss for pocketing the 1 or 15 in the wrong pocket and in fact a standard strategy was to continue to shoot the 1 or 15 off the spot multiple times in a row to accomplish breakouts and such. Of course, none of the players there could do that.

You have to ask the players what the rules are. They absolutely do not play by some of the rules mentioned here.
 

Cornerman

Cue Author...Sometimes
Gold Member
Silver Member
I am going to be playing in a "senior league" next fall and they play this 8 ball game where the 1 ball and the 15 ball must be made in opposite (predetermined) side pockets. I've never heard of this variation of 8 ball so here are my questions.

Does this game have a name?
Is there somewhere on line or a book where I can learn the stratagies of this game?

I've Googled it and searched here but didn't have much luck.

Thanks!

Original 8-ball rules! I call them 1948 8-ball or One and Fifteen 8-ball.

Some people will call it by the name of the State or the the name of the social club that they first ran across the rules or where the guy that introduced it to them came from. E.g, Alabama 8-ball, Moose Club 8-ball, Senior Center 8-ball...
 

MitchAlsup

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks Mitch. That's good stuff and I did not know about rule #2. I can definitely see some situations where that could really be a problem.

Rule #2 is designed to prevent your opponent from simply moving your 1 or 15 to an un-makeable place as a delay of game strategy.
 

GaryB

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I live in a 55+community with two Brunswicks covered in Simonis and all of the regulars have been playing 1-15 forever. I hated it at first but have fun with it now. Our rules are different than those stated above. Mainly you can move your opponents 1 or 15 ball whenever you want or can as long as you hit your ball first. If you inadvertently make their 1 or 15 it stays down. If they make their 1 or 15 in the wrong pocket it spots up and they keep shooting. There is a lot of defense in the game we play. The first team, we play partners, that makes their 1 or 15 is usually the favorite to win. Generally you will become familiar with shots that you don't usually shoot in other games. It takes some patience. Always look for where the 1 & 15 are. You want to, if possible, early on move your 1 or 15 towards your pocket without leaving them a shot at their 1 or 15 or a shot at moving your 1 or 15 away from your side pocket. Obviously there are very few break and runs.
Like all 8 Ball always ask for the House rules. I swear it seemed like I had been playing for over a year and was still hearing about "New" rules. loi
 
Top