9 ball for pro tournaments

robertod · Oct 16, 2018

Can some one tell me why 9 ball is still used for pro tournaments?

Todays pros can easily run 9 ball racks. It's all about the break and then if have a good break, most pros run out fairly easily. 10 ball seems to be a much better test of skill. And so I can't understand why 9 ball is still used to test the skill of the best players in the world.

Again I am not saying 9 ball is not a good game for us mortals, just not a great game for the slayers of the game.

Inquiring minds want to know :scratchhead:

MattPoland · Oct 16, 2018

If it’s a ProAm then you need 9 ball so more amateurs enter. If it’s on TV/streamed, it’s 9 ball so it moves faster. If it’s a long standing 9 ball event, it’s staying that way for tradition. Otherwise, yes, they ought to be playing 10 ball in my opinion.

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jasonlaus · Oct 16, 2018

I dont see anybody running out the set
Jason

Black-Balled · Oct 16, 2018

As long as everybody is playing the same game, then skill will be a major factor.

The better players play better.

erhino41 · Oct 16, 2018

How much ten ball have you been watching? At the pro level more balls tend to be made on the break and the ten just sits in the middle of the rack leaving it a sitting duck. The only difference I see is in the call shot/safe, I don't think any more skill is required.

ChrisinNC · Oct 16, 2018

robertod said:
Can some one tell me why 9 ball is still used for pro tournaments?

Todays pros can easily run 9 ball racks. It's all about the break and then if have a good break, most pros run out fairly easily. 10 ball seems to be a much better test of skill. And so I can't understand why 9 ball is still used to test the skill of the best players in the world.

Again I am not saying 9 ball is not a good game for us mortals, just not a great game for the slayers of the game.

Inquiring minds want to know :scratchhead:

Same reason the pros don't play their tournaments on 4-inch pockets or on 10-foot tables.

Joe_Jaguar · Oct 16, 2018

erhino41 said:
How much ten ball have you been watching? At the pro level more balls tend to be made on the break and the ten just sits in the middle of the rack leaving it a sitting duck. The only difference I see is in the call shot/safe, I don't think any more skill is required.

You don't think in 10 Ball there is far more safety play? I'm not referring to any call safe crap either.

Icon of Sin · Oct 16, 2018

jasonlaus said:
I dont see anybody running out the set
Jason

It happens. Kaci just did it in 10 ball race to 8 at Freezer's about 2 months ago. The vid is on POV's channel.

But... for the most part, I agree with you.

MitchAlsup · Oct 16, 2018

robertod said:
Can some one tell me why 9 ball is still used for pro tournaments?

Todays pros can easily run 9 ball racks. It's all about the break and then if have a good break, most pros run out fairly easily. 10 ball seems to be a much better test of skill. And so I can't understand why 9 ball is still used to test the skill of the best players in the world.

You win tournaments by breaking and running more racks than your opponent {8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball, 14.1 continuous,...}

trob · Oct 17, 2018

I completly agree with you. At the very least they should go back to how it was played before Texas express rules came a long and took over the game in the 80’s and make it call pocket. 10 ball is the game the pro’s should be playing when it’s rotation.

robertod said:
Can some one tell me why 9 ball is still used for pro tournaments?

Todays pros can easily run 9 ball racks. It's all about the break and then if have a good break, most pros run out fairly easily. 10 ball seems to be a much better test of skill. And so I can't understand why 9 ball is still used to test the skill of the best players in the world.

Again I am not saying 9 ball is not a good game for us mortals, just not a great game for the slayers of the game.

Inquiring minds want to know :scratchhead:

Buckzapper · Oct 17, 2018

The 9 ball format has worked for the Joss Tour. It's a quick format that everyone understands and you don't see the epic safety battles like you do in One Pocket. It moves right along. The winners are great shot makers. Mike Zuglan has done a superb job and doesn't tolerate the drama that so many of today's entitled players can produce.
Don't tailor the game to 10 ball with the Magic rack and then add commentary by two in the booth that play at a "C" player level.

Derek7646 · Oct 17, 2018

Buckzapper said:
The 9 ball format has worked for the Joss Tour. It's a quick format that everyone understands and you don't see the epic safety battles like you do in One Pocket. It moves right along. The winners are great shot makers. Mike Zuglan has done a superb job and doesn't tolerate the drama that so many of today's entitled players can produce.
Don't tailor the game to 10 ball with the Magic rack and then add commentary by two in the booth that play at a "C" player level.

:rotflmao:

I have no response to your comment but your signature got me laughing at work at 8:30 in the morning on a Wednesday. Upstate Al cracks me up.

vjmehra · Oct 17, 2018

trob said:
I completly agree with you. At the very least they should go back to how it was played before Texas express rules came a long and took over the game in the 80’s and make it call pocket. 10 ball is the game the pro’s should be playing when it’s rotation.

Would be rubbish for the casual fan on tv though.

There is a reason why Barry Hearn only seems interested in 9-Ball events and I’m pretty sure it’s because he thinks it’s fast, easy to understand and flukes add to the drama, all of which is essential for tv.

Now of course if pool was an established tv sport already you may then have a case for trying other disciplines, but until that happens 9-Ball is the only one that makes sense.

mikepage · Oct 17, 2018

robertod said:
Can some one tell me why 9 ball is still used for pro tournaments?

Todays pros can easily run 9 ball racks. It's all about the break and then if have a good break, most pros run out fairly easily. 10 ball seems to be a much better test of skill. [...]:

It is important to do an apples to apples comparison. A race to 11 in 9-ball takes similar time to, say, a race to 9 in 10-ball. So though game-by-game 10-ball may be a better test of skill, the difference is not so pronounced comparing these two matches.

garczar · Oct 17, 2018

Why not just play 9b by 10b rules? Best of both. Call shot, no slop and quik games. Just sayin.

MattPoland · Oct 17, 2018

Are we trying to solve a problem we don’t have? I assume the percentage of flukes shots that affect matches is fairly low at the professional level.

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jay helfert · Oct 17, 2018

robertod said:
Can some one tell me why 9 ball is still used for pro tournaments?

Todays pros can easily run 9 ball racks. It's all about the break and then if have a good break, most pros run out fairly easily. 10 ball seems to be a much better test of skill. And so I can't understand why 9 ball is still used to test the skill of the best players in the world.

Again I am not saying 9 ball is not a good game for us mortals, just not a great game for the slayers of the game.

Inquiring minds want to know :scratchhead:

It's kind of like bowling where everybody is making strike after strike.......until something goes wrong under pressure. 9-Ball looks so easy......until the pressure is on and the player gets hooked or needs to make a difficult shot. If you ever watched the MC you would see what I mean. There can be a lot of twists and turns in a single game of 9-Ball, even when two pros are playing! In a short race, every shot becomes even more critical and that just amps up the pressure. Matchroom and events like the International 9-Ball Open coming up have it right in my book.

As for Ten Ball, I think it is a great game, maybe 20% more difficult than 9-Ball. As far as I'm concerned it should be played by the same rules as 9-Ball, where luck counts. That makes it more exciting for the fans and easy to follow with few complications. It's actually much harder to make the ten ball on the break, so why shouldn't it count if it happens? No need for call shot either imo. Everything that can happen during the course of a 9-Ball game, happens more often playing Ten Ball,and that's a good thing.

jay helfert · Oct 17, 2018

MattPoland said:
Are we trying to solve a problem we don’t have? I assume the percentage of flukes shots that affect matches is fairly low at the professional level.

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You are 100% correct! The outcome of most matches is determined by good play and good shot making under pressure. Rarely will you see a match won by a fluke of any kind.

jasonlaus · Oct 17, 2018

Icon of Sin said:
It happens. Kaci just did it in 10 ball race to 8 at Freezer's about 2 months ago. The vid is on POV's channel.

But... for the most part, I agree with you.

See, 10 ball is easier to run out the set

Jason

ctyhntr · Oct 17, 2018

I can't add to your reputation because I have to spread it around. Your response is dead on accurate.

For the OP, need another game more popular than 9-ball tournaments to draw players and money.

MattPoland said:
Are we trying to solve a problem we don’t have? I assume the percentage of flukes shots that affect matches is fairly low at the professional level.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

9 ball for pro tournaments

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