how has pool play changed over time?

Ken_4fun said:

Easily in the last 20-30 years the biggest change beyond the equipment is in one pocket.

While in the past an occasional 8 and out, now it is a common. I can remember the "Chicago Style" one pocket where you lucky if you got a shot every other week.

Ken

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One pocket has become much more aggressive at the professional level as new pro's have gotten better at banks and position. They open the rack earlier and play run outs that were unheard of 20 years ago.

It's exciting and includes all the great strategy as before - just at a much higher level. I don't know who first broke the new game open but Tony Chohan is an excellent example of the new style.

8 ball on a 9 foot table has become pointless. Every pro is favored to get out on any open break. Bar table 8 ball remains interesting since there's usually 1 or 2 clusters that need to be promoted.

Less rooms, less action, less 9 foot tables, allot fewer players and more bar boxes than regulation tables, thus to society it's more of a Game than a true sport.

I think tho, with the way the cost of living is going, it will make a comeback, because it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to expensive to play golf attend other venues and America's middle class is not nearly a$ affluent as in the past. It's more like, the have's and the have-nots.

The major factor, is cost per square foot of commercial buildings and heating, insurance and on and on.

cubswin said:

More 1 pocket, less gambling, less rooms, and of course leagues.

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^^^^^^^^^^^^^ = more NITS (cry babies).

Island Drive said:

Less rooms, less action, less 9 foot tables, allot fewer players and more bar boxes than regulation tables, thus to society it's more of a Game than a true sport.

I think tho, with the way the cost of living is going, it will make a comeback, because it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to expensive to play golf attend other venues and America's middle class is not nearly a$ affluent as in the past. It's more like, the have's and the have-nots.





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*************The major factor, is cost per square foot of commercial buildings and heating, insurance and on and on.***********
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^^^^^^^^ That in itself is the number one reason pool sucks today.

When pool was a dime a rack for 9 ball or 65 cents a hour.... well, you could actually get people to play 5 and 9 ring games etc...etc from opening till closing at most every room I went to.

At the same time, there would be a game of snooker or odd ball being played on one of the snooker tables up front, not to mention, there would be a game of poker pool or 1hole or banks on the back tables constantly. Sometimes head up but, most of the time it would 4 or more player on each table other than 1hole.

Also, we didn't rack our own balls. The room supplied a rack man for every game if playing by the rack.

Also, the balls, tables everything was clean and in good shape....

Yep, the days when rooms actually could afford to cater to pool players and not "drunks".

Yet another part of history that I miss.

Jeff

The change in equipment has precipitated almost robotic players.
Cuemen of yesteryear were much more colorful. Either by style of play, or showmanship. The older equipment forced players to develop differently. The created things like the slipstroke to move their rock. Some had short punchy strokes, but could still get out - Hopkins. Some had flashy, long strokes. Bridge hands were different. I look at some of my favorite players of today, and their my favorites because they're a little different. Cory, what a stroke and an innovator when it comes to the break. Shane, that hitch in his stroke. Shaw, man is he a crybaby but the way he "sees" patterns differently.

Pete said:

Was this a few months back when Roy set that group class up?

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Yes that one

hang-the-9 said:

Yes that one

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I was there in the afternoon till 6. Did we meet???

bobprobst said:

8 ball on a 9 foot table has become pointless. Every pro is favored to get out on any open break. Bar table 8 ball remains interesting since there's usually 1 or 2 clusters that need to be promoted.

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I wish we could dis-spell the erroneous notion that "this game" on "this type of table" is "pointless." 8 Ball on 9 foot is "too easy" and 9 ball on a 7 foot is "too easy." I watched the U.S. Open 8 Ball tournament. Looked like there was plenty of point.

DecentShot said:

I wish we could dis-spell the erroneous notion that "this game" on "this type of table" is "pointless." 8 Ball on 9 foot is "too easy" and 9 ball on a 7 foot is "too easy." I watched the U.S. Open 8 Ball tournament. Looked like there was plenty of point.

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I agree there. I got the Accustats Vimeo thing and I’ve been watching the 2016 make it happen 8 ball for the past few days. Freakin awesome play. I’ve never gotten why people blow 8 ball off like a junk game or something.

I still think it’s overall harder on a 9’. It’s the same exact trade off as every other pool game. Less space to work vs much shorter shots in general. When a player is a beast and playing top speed they make any game look easy on any table. Jason shore was running through this 2016 thing, getting out from everywhere, skunked John morra to 10. But very little of it was easy he’s just a fiend out of the bogs or something.

Rodney Morris played a pretty sick match to stop Jason’s roll and avoid going 0-4 in the round robin...I still have more to watch.

Anyway I feels ya

JazzyJeff87 said:

I agree there. I got the Accustats Vimeo thing and I’ve been watching the 2016 make it happen 8 ball for the past few days. Freakin awesome play. I’ve never gotten why people blow 8 ball off like a junk game or something.

I still think it’s overall harder on a 9’. It’s the same exact trade off as every other pool game. Less space to work vs much shorter shots in general. When a player is a beast and playing top speed they make any game look easy on any table. Jason shore was running through this 2016 thing, getting out from everywhere, skunked John morra to 10. But very little of it was easy he’s just a fiend out of the bogs or something.

Rodney Morris played a pretty sick match to stop Jason’s roll and avoid going 0-4 in the round robin...I still have more to watch.

Anyway I feels ya

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Exactly, every professional 8 ball tournament has just as much back and forth as the others. (Alt break or otherwise.)