3 things you would change about pool

1 - Make all new cloth play like broken in cloth. Very few people enjoy the first week of new cloth and it's really a different game

2 - Alternate break for everything. To come in line with all major sports, closer matches, increase fairness and to reduce overall importance of the break shot and reward overall ability more

3 - 4 inch pockets as maximum size for all professional play and 4.5 standard for amateur. Misses create pressure and excitement

Honorable mention to using chess clocks to manage match times and slow play. Ie each player starts with 30 mins and add 30 secs every time the players swap chairs. Better than a shot clock and can be run without a ref

What about your 3?
1. Somehow make rich people like pool as they do golf, tennis and Formula One.

2. Have a joint men's pro tour and women's televised pro tour with weekly televised tournaments like golf. One week men, the next week women. Make it as popular and lucrative as professional golf.

3. Get companies like Callaway, Nike and Taylor Made to make pool equipment in the USA.

Bonus: Have a company figure out how to make carbon fiber shafts that sell for under $200 that are as good as Revo.
 
I play in both NAPA and APA leagues. I prefer the rules structure used in NAPA, so:
- Play 8-ball as a call pocket game, no slop (I'm looking at you APA)
- 9-Ball, call the 9 (again, APA)
- ban cell phone use while playing. Use of a cell phone while at the table (unless an emergency situation) results in loss of turn and ball in hand to your opponent.
I agree with everything except #2, why call the 9? That goes against the rules of 9 ball. Have you ever seen a professional tournament where the 9 must be called? I have not. Part of the fun of 9 ball is playing a 2 way shot where I make the next ball in rotation but also try to carom the 9 in when the stars are aligned. It doesn't happen often but its part of the fun of 9 ball knowing where the cue ball will be headed and how to adjust its path for a potential early game win.
The idea is the 3" aperture.
Why not just play Russian Pyramid??? Nothing needs to be changed.
 
1. No Magic Rack in 9-ball - makes it too easy for anyone to consistently make a ball on the break
2. Jumping is allowed with a full length cue only
3. Classic colored balls
4. Make 10-ball the premier discipline
All good except #4, if the players wanted 10 ball to be the premier discipline it would have morphed into it already.
 
I agree with everything except #2, why call the 9? That goes against the rules of 9 ball. Have you ever seen a professional tournament where the 9 must be called? I have not. Part of the fun of 9 ball is playing a 2 way shot where I make the next ball in rotation but also try to carom the 9 in when the stars are aligned. It doesn't happen often but its part of the fun of 9 ball knowing where the cue ball will be headed and how to adjust its path for a potential early game win.

In a shot like this a simple phrase of "play the 9" communicates the intent of pocketing the 9 off a carom type shot. Usually in this type of shot the possibility of making the 9 can be seen by both the player and the opponent. "Playing the 9" tells your opponent what you are intending to do and if it works you look that much better for calling the shot!!

Calling the 9 is a rule used in NAPA 9-Ball and 9-Ball Pro.

My main intention with calling the 9 in APA is to get away from the "bang and pray" slop type of shot that would possibly win a game.
 
In a shot like this a simple phrase of "play the 9" communicates the intent of pocketing the 9 off a carom type shot. Usually in this type of shot the possibility of making the 9 can be seen by both the player and the opponent. "Playing the 9" tells your opponent what you are intending to do and if it works you look that much better for calling the shot!!

Calling the 9 is a rule used in NAPA 9-Ball and 9-Ball Pro.

My main intention with calling the 9 in APA is to get away from the "bang and pray" slop type of shot that would possibly win a game.
What if its not bang and pray though? We have all seen professionals accidentally make the 9 when another moving ball pockets it.
 
What if its not bang and pray though? We have all seen professionals accidentally make the 9 when another moving ball pockets it.
Good question. In that case the 9-ball comes out and is spotted.

Here are the NAPA rules for calling the pocket/making the 9-ball. These are the rules that I wish the APA would implement.

1.7 CALLING YOUR POCKET​

Shooters are not required to call their pocket when shooting with the exception of the 9-ball. Shooters must announce to their opponent or opposing team which pocket they plan to shoot the 9-ball into. Calling a pocket is done by either, verbally announcing the designated pocket to the opponent or any shooter on the opposing team, or by pointing at the pocket with your hand or pool cue. The shooter does not need to call number of cushions, banks, kisses, or caroms.

  1. If the shooter pockets the 9-ball in the designated pocket it is considered a win. This can be done in rotation, by combination or carom on a legal hit.
  2. If the shooter pockets the 9-ball in any pocket other than the designated pocket, the 9-ball is placed on the spot and the incoming shooter shoots from where the cue ball lies.
  3. If the 9-ball is the lowest number ball on the table and the shooter does not announce to the opponent or opposing team which pocket they plan to shoot the 9-ball into, then proceeds to pocket the 9-ball, the 9-ball is placed on the spot and the incoming shooter has cue ball where it lies.
  4. If the shooter pockets any other ball while attempting to pocket the 9-ball, the shooter continues their turn at the table as long as
    1. A legal shot was made
    2. A ball other than the 9-ball was pocketed
  5. If the shooter, accidentally pockets the 9-ball, while shooting another ball on the table, and did not call the 9-ball, the 9-ball is to be placed on the foot spot from where the break took place, and the shooter is to continue shooting as long as:
    1. A legal shot was made and a ball other than the 9-ball was pocketed
 
1. 20 sec shot clock every match
2. 20 sec shot clock every match
3. 20 sec shot clock every match

When I say "every" I mean every match. Even the local weekly tournament and 1 on 1 gambling match.
1. 10 second shot clock for rotation games. I want to see these robots shitting peach seeds when they can’t weigh 50 possible safety scenarios.

2. 4 1/2” pockets

3. Rack your own. Mechanics welcome. All you have to do is run 18 and out….since it’s just so darn unfair. I WANT to see rigged racks. Make it part of the game.

4. Race to 18 (or hell, 25) games since ‘running out is too easy’ for modern pros. Seeing each contestant exchange 6 packs (since it’s so easy now) would be freaking awesome.

5. GREEN Simonis 860. No blue. What’s the point of better visualization of the shot when a purposeful effort is made to tighten pockets and make it more challenging. It’d be nice if they made their minds up. Harder or easier game. What’s going on here?

6. Die 10 ball, die. One hole, 9, 8, and 14.1.

7. All ball fouls. No more unpenalized ‘my bad, man’ BS. A foul is a foul. BIH for 9, all others in the kitchen.

8. Smaller player caps at major tournaments.

9. If a 1 hole game has taken more than 20 minutes in a single match, the shot clock goes to 20 seconds for the remainder of the match with 2, 20 second extensions allowed per game. The shot clock can go back to 30 seconds on the rubber game.

10. Kill the template rack. Wood rack. No tapping. You get 20 seconds, max. I want to see f-ed up slug, rack your own, racks.

Play with the number of matches or shot clock. Stop with the F-ing of the table.
 
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These will never happen, but...

1) Max 2 cues in use per match. Player has to decide on whether they bring a break cue or jump cue.
2) Chess clock. Players rack their own and clock runs while they rack (should reduce 2 minute racking).
3) Centennials as official Matchroom ball set, on green cloth.
 
These will never happen, but...

1) Max 2 cues in use per match. Player has to decide on whether they bring a break cue or jump cue.
2) Chess clock. Players rack their own and clock runs while they rack (should reduce 2 minute racking).
3) Centennials as official Matchroom ball set, on green cloth.
The great thing about chess clocks is people can use their time however they want, racking, smoking, playing slow, etc

I've seen them used in 3 cushion before and it's really a near perfect solution
 
it’s emily’s fault yes, but the brits don’t have an orange ball and they don’t have a purple ball so when they suddenly took over professional pool, the incredible mistake was made without anyone realizing it (pink had already snuck in)

purple, orange, 4 ball, 5 ball
pink, brown, whatever, 7 ball,
15 ball, 12 ball whatever, the 13
is purple and black? fine
 
1. WPA and Matchroom working together
2. Reinstate Asian Pool Tour
3. Active American federation with a lucrative national tour and championships
4. Investing in proper referees and their training
 
2)
Once everyone has mastered 3" pool pockets, a division of full rack games played to the last ball for total ball count.
In Banks, 15 points per rack
In One Pocket, 15 points per rack
In 15 ball rotation, 15 points per rack, all the way out. Last ball determines who breaks.
 
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