8 ball barroom rules questions

[straightline]

bar rules are just that and if you learn them and play within them you do fine.

they were generally called playing honest. you just played honestly and didn't play safes or intentionally miss. and always tried to hit the ball.

it worked fine both ways for both players and the best player still always won. and no fights. unless someone tried to play shit-y on you.


if you wanted true rules you went to the pool room.

I attempt to trash the standard bar defense by pocketing their blockers - outright if that's what's on the table. The veteran lizards will cite the "you can't do that rule" and so it begins...
I always show noobs who want to play bar (regulur) rules, the follies that only prolong the game. They usually come around to the loose BCA version I play. Helps to have players around to establish the "chic" of ball in hand pool.

 

[Fatboy]

So can I use my cue to space the cue ball if it’s too close to the rail?

Asking for a friend

Fatboy

 

[FunChamp]

Same kind of rules they played in Louisiana when I was in the Army in the 90's. dumb hillbilly rules. Have to call every piece of lint the ball touches. Even if it wipes it's feet on the way into the pocket. I got threatened with being banned from The Sugar Shack because I played safeties. They called it "insert racial epithet pool" I could not stand those folks. I simply would not play with those folks if I were you. Waste of your time. Better off playing for small wages.

 

[boogieman]

"I was playing the guy running the tournament 3rd round, hill hill and he misses and leaves me a 3 ball combination with 1 of his balls in the middle of it. I shoot it and he calls a foul saying I can't use his ball in a combination.
He takes ball in hand and wins the set."

This quote from above is the reason I won't play bar rules with anyone unless shit like this is spelled out at the beginning. Just another way for a natural loser to win a game. Nothing in your post can be used to defend against this crap.

See post #6. I'd not play a tournament with those rules... I don't like being around bar fights.

I was talking about a rare occasion where you might be somewhere they play that way. Here in town we have a bar that has pretty good food, not just the typical fried bar food type stuff. They have a group of mostly older guys and gals that play bar room rules. It can be really fun as they get super competitive and the regulars are actually pretty honest. If they play bullshit like that, they lose face in front of the other regulars. It keeps them pretty honest since about half a dozen to a dozen regulars hang out there all the time.

It can be fun to play bar room rules, but again, only for the entertainment and socializing aspect, nothing serious or playing for anything over a beer.

 

[Bob Jewett]

So can I use my cue to space the cue ball if it’s too close to the rail?

Asking for a friend

Fatboy

Absolutely. I'll fill you in on the other rules as we go along.

 

[Fatboy]

Absolutely. I'll fill you in on the other rules as we go along.

Thx Bob, I appreciate the help

 

[filerunner]

Local bar has started a regular tournament and brought in some league players to seed the roster. Several local regulars don't like league rules and have requested and received their own barroom 8ball regular tournament. But the arguments pop up of "the way we've always played it" (barroom rules) versus league rules. The locals get all snotty about how silly the league rules are.

A couple of barroom rules...

1. Opponent scratches. That gives me cue ball in hand but only in the kitchen. My object ball is frozen at the center, on the end rail. Sans playing safe, having to kick that shot in is close to impossible for most players. (Even hitting it can be a challenge.) So, the opponent is being 'rewarded' for bad play. (He scratched.) I have never understood how this is equitable. So, question on this is... was this always the "way it was" in 8ball until tournaments started cue ball in hand table-wide? What's the history of this?

2. Must call shot and you have to call every friggin intricacy of the shot. "Three ball off the six into the side rail off the two ball into the corner pocket." You need a referee to monitor that. Fights can occur. I figure the leagues changed it to prevent fighting. League says if you call the object in a pocket, if it goes in, however it goes in, it's good. Now, I was first exposed to 8ball in the 60s and I don't recall having to describe every detail of a called shot but maybe I'm just forgetful. Seems to me that the current barroom requirement to announce every shot detail developed after the 60s.

3. Another bone of contention is about making the 8 on the break. In barroom, you win. In leauge, is it different, maybe you have to spot it? (If it's a pay table and you can't get the table key, how you gonna get the ball, it's inside the table.) If you do not win in leauge, I suppose they changed it to remove the 'luck' of making the 8 on break?

4. In barroom, if you scratch attempting the 8, you lose. Not sure, but maybe it's different in league. Curious why and when this changed.

If I'm wrong on some of this or you have some insight, advise. I'm a local regular at the subject bar but, especially No. 1 and No. 2 above, I prefer the league rules and some of these local regulars are awful cocky on this stuff, lol. Just curious. I've had some discussions and given my opinion but some of these guys get all pissed off, lol. I'm not a league player, I just kinda like their rules, seems better to me. I'm not sure, but I think the league guys are BCA.

And they hate it if you play a safety. I guess you're supposed to leave them a good shot whenever you miss.

 

[TheBasics]

Howdy All;

Local VFW, Sat. and Tues. 8-ball tourneys. Basic rules;
Call shot (only which ball and which pocket. (Doesn't require the routeing),
BIH in the kitchen when required, (we go for approx. split the line),
8 on break is a winna (also win the kitty that accumulates up to $100.00 then a second kitty starts),
Cue ball off table cost ya $1.00. (goes into kitty mentioned above),
We play 1 rack matches double elimination. Most are older and play in the afternoons. Don't
want to miss the Senior's discount at the local restaurants. chucklin'

hank

 

[MitchAlsup]

1. You have to learn to make those shots. Inside draw off the side rail back to the corner pocket not so hard.

2. You seem to want to allow un-called behavior on the shot. Either you know the order of events, or your inning does not continue.

3. 8-ball on break is a win on any pay machine.

4. Is to make up for 1.

 

[TrxR]

I have always know scratch or foul on the 8 is only a loss if the 8 ball is pocketed or leaves the table.

Most here play ball in hand anywhere on the table but there are a few old guys that play ball in hand behind the line.

And we always play call the ball and pocket, it doesn't matter how it gets there as long as it's a legal shot.

 

[Guy Manges]

Local bar has started a regular tournament and brought in some league players to seed the roster. Several local regulars don't like league rules and have requested and received their own barroom 8ball regular tournament. But the arguments pop up of "the way we've always played it" (barroom rules) versus league rules. The locals get all snotty about how silly the league rules are.

A couple of barroom rules...

1. Opponent scratches. That gives me cue ball in hand but only in the kitchen. My object ball is frozen at the center, on the end rail. Sans playing safe, having to kick that shot in is close to impossible for most players. (Even hitting it can be a challenge.) So, the opponent is being 'rewarded' for bad play. (He scratched.) I have never understood how this is equitable. So, question on this is... was this always the "way it was" in 8ball until tournaments started cue ball in hand table-wide? What's the history of this?

2. Must call shot and you have to call every friggin intricacy of the shot. "Three ball off the six into the side rail off the two ball into the corner pocket." You need a referee to monitor that. Fights can occur. I figure the leagues changed it to prevent fighting. League says if you call the object in a pocket, if it goes in, however it goes in, it's good. Now, I was first exposed to 8ball in the 60s and I don't recall having to describe every detail of a called shot but maybe I'm just forgetful. Seems to me that the current barroom requirement to announce every shot detail developed after the 60s.

3. Another bone of contention is about making the 8 on the break. In barroom, you win. In leauge, is it different, maybe you have to spot it? (If it's a pay table and you can't get the table key, how you gonna get the ball, it's inside the table.) If you do not win in leauge, I suppose they changed it to remove the 'luck' of making the 8 on break?

4. In barroom, if you scratch attempting the 8, you lose. Not sure, but maybe it's different in league. Curious why and when this changed.

If I'm wrong on some of this or you have some insight, advise. I'm a local regular at the subject bar but, especially No. 1 and No. 2 above, I prefer the league rules and some of these local regulars are awful cocky on this stuff, lol. Just curious. I've had some discussions and given my opinion but some of these guys get all pissed off, lol. I'm not a league player, I just kinda like their rules, seems better to me. I'm not sure, but I think the league guys are BCA.

Many rules and alcohol are dangerous, best walk away... Guy

 

[Rickhem]

So can I use my cue to space the cue ball if it’s too close to the rail?

Asking for a friend

Fatboy

And if your shooting over another ball, you can palm that ball and just use it as a part of your bridge.

 

[Zerksies]

This is why I hate playing 8 ball in bars for this reason to many variations of rules. You try and play a safety you're fending off a guy with a cue stick

 

[ChrisinNC]

Local bar has started a regular tournament and brought in some league players to seed the roster. Several local regulars don't like league rules and have requested and received their own barroom 8ball regular tournament. But the arguments pop up of "the way we've always played it" (barroom rules) versus league rules. The locals get all snotty about how silly the league rules are.

A couple of barroom rules...

1. Opponent scratches. That gives me cue ball in hand but only in the kitchen. My object ball is frozen at the center, on the end rail. Sans playing safe, having to kick that shot in is close to impossible for most players. (Even hitting it can be a challenge.) So, the opponent is being 'rewarded' for bad play. (He scratched.) I have never understood how this is equitable. So, question on this is... was this always the "way it was" in 8ball until tournaments started cue ball in hand table-wide? What's the history of this?

2. Must call shot and you have to call every friggin intricacy of the shot. "Three ball off the six into the side rail off the two ball into the corner pocket." You need a referee to monitor that. Fights can occur. I figure the leagues changed it to prevent fighting. League says if you call the object in a pocket, if it goes in, however it goes in, it's good. Now, I was first exposed to 8ball in the 60s and I don't recall having to describe every detail of a called shot but maybe I'm just forgetful. Seems to me that the current barroom requirement to announce every shot detail developed after the 60s.

3. Another bone of contention is about making the 8 on the break. In barroom, you win. In leauge, is it different, maybe you have to spot it? (If it's a pay table and you can't get the table key, how you gonna get the ball, it's inside the table.) If you do not win in leauge, I suppose they changed it to remove the 'luck' of making the 8 on break?

4. In barroom, if you scratch attempting the 8, you lose. Not sure, but maybe it's different in league. Curious why and when this changed.

If I'm wrong on some of this or you have some insight, advise. I'm a local regular at the subject bar but, especially No. 1 and No. 2 above, I prefer the league rules and some of these local regulars are awful cocky on this stuff, lol. Just curious. I've had some discussions and given my opinion but some of these guys get all pissed off, lol. I'm not a league player, I just kinda like their rules, seems better to me. I'm not sure, but I think the league guys are BCA.

No one can possibly offer any sensible explanation as to why these bar room rules, particularly 1 and 2 are still in existence in far too many bar room 8-ball settings.

Unless you own or manage the bar and are in a position to set and enforce the correct rules 8-ball should be played by, your choice is either to accept and go along with (and take advantage of) their rules or not play pool at that bar.

Attempting to get the longtime pool playing regulars at that bar to change their rules or trying to explain to them why they make absolutely no sense is a lost cause.

 

[eastcoast_chris]

Play by their rules... they'll quickly learn that they weren't helping them win and a better player can manipulate them to their advantage.

I once played in a big, locally dollars wise, tournament that was played in a dive and they insisted on using "house/bar rules".

There was NO rule that said that anything had to hit a rail. I tripled checked this before the tournament started. They insisted that that was the rule.

I was ridiculous playing in the tournament. I'd just roll up on my own ball whenever I didn't have a shot. They hated it. I won the tournament.

 

[livemusic]

Play by their rules... they'll quickly learn that they weren't helping them win and a better player can manipulate them to their advantage.

I once played in a big, locally dollars wise, tournament that was played in a dive and they insisted on using "house/bar rules".

There was NO rule that said that anything had to hit a rail. I tripled checked this before the tournament started. They insisted that that was the rule.

I was ridiculous playing in the tournament. I'd just roll up on my own ball whenever I didn't have a shot. They hated it. I won the tournament.

Good for you! What does the emboldened part above mean? ("Roll up my own ball.")

 

[eastcoast_chris]

Good for you! What does the emboldened part above mean? ("Roll up my own ball.")

Snooker type safety.... something you can't (and shouldn't be allowed to) do in normal 8 ball rules.

 

[livemusic]

Snooker type safety.... something you can't (and shouldn't be allowed to) do in normal 8 ball rules.

I don't play snooker. Have only watched some on youtube. I don't know what a snooker type safety is. Can't you just describe what you did? You said "roll up my own ball." What does that mean? Sorry, not everyone on here is expert.

 

[eastcoast_chris]

Firs

I don't play snooker. Have only watched some on youtube. I don't know what a snooker type safety is. Can't you just describe what you did? You said "roll up my own ball." What does that mean? Sorry, not everyone on here is expert.

First video I found about it...

 

[ChrisinNC]

I don't play snooker. Have only watched some on youtube. I don't know what a snooker type safety is. Can't you just describe what you did? You said "roll up my own ball." What does that mean? Sorry, not everyone on here is expert.

In snooker, you don’t have to have a ball contact a rail or pocket after contact. You can simply roll up against a ball, as long as you contact it. Probably the single biggest strategic difference between snooker and pool.