In order to GROW THE GAME, the matches shown on television and the game advertised should be eight ball. That is what most people grew up playing, that is what most of the general population is familiar with. The prevalence of 9ball and open pocket is weakening the GLOBAL GROWTH of the game!! ✔✔✔ (This post is about GROWING THE GAME, that's the only way REAL money and sponsors will come!!)
💡 8-ball should be the game. POINT, BLANK, PERIOD!!
- Thread starter Bigkat
- Start date
Which rule set do you suggest?
I like darren's rules for pros, but not for amateurs. And the WPA rules are too easy for pros and top amateurs.
Play it just like novices. Scratch or foul cue ball goes "behind the line" or "in the kitchen"!! And TAKE WHAT YOU MAKE OFF THE BREAK LOL That will even slow pro's down a tad. Everything behind the line and take what you make NO CHOICE unless you have made both a solid and a stripe!!
most of us have no idea what the various rules are whereas i'm sure you know them, what rules would you suggest---the more info the better
The rules I like best start with ... Rack the balls in a diamond on the foot spot and call the game Nine Ball. 
using only 2 colors is a must for tv like in the uk, otherwise only rotation games work imo
Heck, why not just do away with ball in hand on fouls and play the ball behind the line on everything.
Make the 9 ball a called pocket shot, no slopping it in......use the 3 foul rule all the time.....and alt. breaks.
There a lot of ways to change the game aside from the notion that stripes 'n solids is the game of choice.
Personally, I find 8 ball less appealing than 9 ball, 10 ball or 14.1 and I don't care for one pocket as a game.
Nonetheless, switching to 8 ball because that's the game we all grew up with is pretty presumptuous.
Maybe if you are over 50 or 60 that's the game you learned. But as soon as you gained some skills,
8 ball fell by the wayside and your started playing other versions of the game. Well, the youth today
do not migrate to 8 ball like in the past and it sure seems 9 ball is pretty popular with the younger set.
Make the 9 ball a called pocket shot, no slopping it in......use the 3 foul rule all the time.....and alt. breaks.
There a lot of ways to change the game aside from the notion that stripes 'n solids is the game of choice.
Personally, I find 8 ball less appealing than 9 ball, 10 ball or 14.1 and I don't care for one pocket as a game.
Nonetheless, switching to 8 ball because that's the game we all grew up with is pretty presumptuous.
Maybe if you are over 50 or 60 that's the game you learned. But as soon as you gained some skills,
8 ball fell by the wayside and your started playing other versions of the game. Well, the youth today
do not migrate to 8 ball like in the past and it sure seems 9 ball is pretty popular with the younger set.
Giving Pro's a "choice" eveven if they drop one makes the game go by too quickly. PLAY TAKE WHAT YOU MAKE!! That's how most regular people play. If you only drop a high but the high's f'cked up...Well good luck with the stripes LOL LMAO!! But this makes the game RELATABLE!! ✔✔
We used to play a game that was fun & quick. The game was played like 8 Ball, but there were only 4 stripes & 4 solids, plus the 8 Ball. It favored a good breaker, in that a good breaker could run a few racks.
I had a set of Casino Balls (red balls & yellow balls & one black ball or an 8-Ball), which solves TV problems.
You can slow it down with Last Pocket or 1-15 option in the side pockets. It's a great game...
I had a set of Casino Balls (red balls & yellow balls & one black ball or an 8-Ball), which solves TV problems.
You can slow it down with Last Pocket or 1-15 option in the side pockets. It's a great game...
I don't want to start an argument but I prefer open pocket to the alternative.
What?
4'' pockets or less? What would that look like? Might as well get rid of the pockets and play billiards because no one can make a ball on under 4" pockets.
4'' pockets or less? What would that look like? Might as well get rid of the pockets and play billiards because no one can make a ball on under 4" pockets.
That is a great Game & it adds a lot of different challenges.
Having only 2 colors for TV is bad for commentating. Imagine announcers saying, "Right here he has to the hit the red ball. Then he'll have a shot on the red ball. After that he needs to pocket the red ball with follow. And finally he can pocket the red ball and he should be straight in on the black ball."
I second that.
No doubt he has a point as 8ball takes away the luck n ensures both players does their fair share of hardwork being getting the win each game as compared to u running out from1-8 missing d 9 n ur opponent takes it.
However , i think 9 n 10 ball rotation are more physically n mentally demanding than 8 ball.
Reason is u have to be a good shotmaker ( running outta position or certain situation ) n excellent ball control as u 're playing postion for just 1 ball on the table.
As for 8 ball, u have choices, usually 2 or 3 balls to position or shld u run into trouble so u can actually rely on intelligence to choose an effective run out pattern most of the time.
My point ,.A player who runs out consistently in 9 or 10 ball will have a higher chance beating a player in 8ball who runs out consistenly in 8 ball due to superior shotmaking n cueball control.
However a 8ball player who runs out regularly in 8ball have a pretty low percentage of beating one in 8ball that consistently does so in 9 or 10 ball.
My 2 cents
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"Open pocket" is what they call me when I walk into the pool room.