8 ball is a love/hate relationship

Pangit

Pangit

Banned
Like most people its the first pocket billiards game I ever played, yet the rules are as broard and wide as my ex wifes backside.

Folks insisting on the One ball at the head of the rack...solid, stripe, solid stripe....pattern the rack. Behind the line on fouls?

I normally won't play 8-ball with anyone that asks. Unless I know them. Lets play ten ball, or 9 ball banks? ...

Then the same ole mantra "8-ball is the only game I know how to play".

Exactly. That's why I don't want to play pool with you.
 
Pangit said:
Like most people its the first pocket billiards game I ever played, yet the rules are as broard and wide as my ex wifes backside.

Folks insisting on the One ball at the head of the rack...solid, stripe, solid stripe....pattern the rack. Behind the line on fouls?

I normally won't play 8-ball with anyone that asks. Unless I know them. Lets play ten ball, or 9 ball banks? ...

Then the same ole mantra "8-ball is the only game I know how to play".

Exactly. That's why I don't want to play pool with you.
Click to expand...

Pool will forever be a mess until it has unified rules played EVERYWHERE.

Diversity is a disaster.
 
Only in bar pool does that happen.

I know the house rules where I frequent.
If I were to go to another town or city, I would ask the locals
how they prefer to play. When in Rome.

When playing someone I don't know, I try and adapt a small part of World Rules to bar pool.

Before the game begins, I usually tell them how I play. I say, when calling a pocket, I don't care how it gets there, 20 banks, off another ball, off the rail, I don't care as long as the ball goes in the pocket. Then I ask, how do you feel about that.

I usually tell them that is a small part of Standard Rules and makes the game much more simpler and fun. I also mention that it saves on the arguments that are almost sure to happen when mixing pool and alcohol.

I find quite often that people are interested in learning the rules to 8 Ball and it can turn into a bit of a lesson for them.
Before long they usually ask questions and I can add a little bit here and there as you play.

Honestly, I can't ever remember anyone refusing to play like that. In your mind, people that don't play the way you do are nits.
The easiest way around that is to show them instead of stressing out over something simple that you can change.

Its really very simple, try it sometime.
 
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Can't argue that 8 ball has a ridiculous plethora of rules, and probably because it is mutated by beginners since, once again it is true that 8 ball is pretty much THE game beginners learn with.

However, perceptions of any pool game belong to each of us individually. You may not like the game for whatever reasons, but that doesn't mean a lot of others enjoy it for their own reasons.

I learned to play pretty much on straight pool, so my perception differs still. I personally find the redundancy of "paint by number" 9 ball and 10 ball to bore me very quickly. Now I'm not saying they are easy games, just boring to me.

My top three games to enjoy are straight pool, then very closely followed by 1 pocket, and then 8 ball which I find enjoyable for a much longer period than 9 or 10 ball.

We all learned on different games, we all enjoy different things and really, that's a good thing IMO.
 
Pangit said:
Folks insisting on the One ball at the head of the rack...solid, stripe, solid stripe....pattern the rack. Behind the line on fouls?
Click to expand...

How are those three examples comparative in any way? One ball at the head of a rack -- is that a big deal, and why wouldn't you do it anyway, sinceeeee... it makes solid-stripe racking an incredibly simple and repeatable practice.

But my point here is, how are those two things anything like the behind the headstring foul rule? That actually affects the game and how you may play it.

The other two complaints are hooey. Sounds like you're a snob to me.

/2c. :)
 
Solid -stripe racking, while very common, does not conform to WPA or BCAPL rules, which state that the two back corner balls on the rack should be one solid and one stripe.
 
GADawg said:
Solid -stripe racking, while very common, does not conform to WPA or BCAPL rules, which state that the two back corner balls on the rack should be one solid and one stripe.
Click to expand...

But does that affect the game at all? I don't think so. If I were the OP, I'd be complaining about take-what-you-make v. the alternative. Racking tendencies really seem to amount to nothing in 8ball, and it's a dumb thing to complain about/justify not playing with someone/being a snob.
 
Blue Hog ridr said:
Only in bar pool does that happen.

I know the house rules where I frequent.
If I were to go to another town or city, I would ask the locals
how they prefer to play. When in Rome.

When playing someone I don't know, I try and adapt a small part of World Rules to bar pool.

Before the game begins, I usually tell them how I play. I say, when calling a pocket, I don't care how it gets there, 20 banks, off another ball, off the rail, I don't care as long as the ball goes in the pocket. Then I ask, how do you feel about that.

I usually tell them that is a small part of Standard Rules and makes the game much more simpler and fun. I also mention that it saves on the arguments that are almost sure to happen when mixing pool and alcohol.

I find quite often that people are interested in learning the rules to 8 Ball and it can turn into a bit of a lesson for them.
Before long they usually ask questions and I can add a little bit here and there as you play.

Honestly, I can't ever remember anyone refusing to play like that. In your mind, people that don't play the way you do are nits.
The easiest way around that is to show them instead of stressing out over something simple that you can change.

Its really very simple, try it sometime.
Click to expand...

I've played all over the world, and let me tell you, the lack of consistent rules is one major PITA. The novelty of having to agree rules every 5 mins wears off really quickly.

Above all else, it slows the game down - and the very last thing pool needs is even more dead air space.
 
Pangit said:
Like most people its the first pocket billiards game I ever played, yet the rules are as broard and wide as my ex wifes backside.

Folks insisting on the One ball at the head of the rack...solid, stripe, solid stripe....pattern the rack. Behind the line on fouls?

I normally won't play 8-ball with anyone that asks. Unless I know them. Lets play ten ball, or 9 ball banks? ...

Then the same ole mantra "8-ball is the only game I know how to play".

Exactly. That's why I don't want to play pool with you.
Click to expand...

I'm wondering why you even play. Do you ever have any fun playing pool? Your posts seem to only be these vague comments about what you don't like. Maybe you would be happier playing something else.

When you come across someone that says "I only know how to play 8 ball", instead of saying "Exactly. That's why I don't want to play pool with you." Why not show them how to play a new game. Why not help them develop their skills. Anything rather than just sitting their and complaining because the world doesn't bend to your will.
 
Cdryden said:
I'm wondering why you even play. Do you ever have any fun playing pool? Your posts seem to only be these vague comments about what you don't like. Maybe you would be happier playing something else.

When you come across someone that says "I only know how to play 8 ball", instead of saying "Exactly. That's why I don't want to play pool with you." Why not show them how to play a new game. Why not help them develop their skills. Anything rather than just sitting their and complaining because the world doesn't bend to your will.
Click to expand...

He's a troll, making a new post like this every day, simply to stir the stuff.
 
Blue Hog ridr said:
Only in bar pool does that happen.

I know the house rules where I frequent.
If I were to go to another town or city, I would ask the locals
how they prefer to play. When in Rome.

When playing someone I don't know, I try and adapt a small part of World Rules to bar pool.

Before the game begins, I usually tell them how I play. I say, when calling a pocket, I don't care how it gets there, 20 banks, off another ball, off the rail, I don't care as long as the ball goes in the pocket. Then I ask, how do you feel about that.

I usually tell them that is a small part of Standard Rules and makes the game much more simpler and fun. I also mention that it saves on the arguments that are almost sure to happen when mixing pool and alcohol.

I find quite often that people are interested in learning the rules to 8 Ball and it can turn into a bit of a lesson for them.
Before long they usually ask questions and I can add a little bit here and there as you play.

Honestly, I can't ever remember anyone refusing to play like that. In your mind, people that don't play the way you do are nits.
The easiest way around that is to show them instead of stressing out over something simple that you can change.

Its really very simple, try it sometime.
Click to expand...


Get out of here with that healthy attitude.....you just don't fit in. :angry:





:wink:


.
 
TheThaiger said:
I've played all over the world, and let me tell you, the lack of consistent rules is one major PITA. The novelty of having to agree rules every 5 mins wears off really quickly.

Above all else, it slows the game down - and the very last thing pool needs is even more dead air space.
Click to expand...

the worst rule in 8 ball is the one where you must call all the rails. Example: "I'm playing the 8ball in the corner, but the 8ball doesn't go clean but touches the rail before the pocket".
Have you ever played with this rule?
 
A large part of the reason for the various rules in pool is that the public have not been exposed to the professionals playing the game by the professional rules to learn any different. All they have ever seen is their bar rule 8-ball and this weird game called 9-ball on TV that they tend to ignore and have never played.

If 8-ball actually became the professional game of choice and had some TV exposure then it would start to show people the proper rule set for the game and that would slowly work to change the way the game is played in all those hole in the wall pubs. It would not take place overnight and you are going to get some stubborn people who want to stick to their old rules, but no longer is there an argument about what the "correct" rules actually are because alot of people will have been exposed to the actual professional rules, and amature players tend to largely play games by the legit professionally recognized rules if they know them.

8-ball is not going to take over in pool overnight and it is not going to be this instantaneous explosion of interest in the game when it starts being promoted and presented at the pro level. It will be a slow and steady increase in popularity that will be very noticable when looking at the sports growth on a decade or so scale. And that is fine by me because we can do that today and see a steady dropoff in popularity of pro pool over the last 3 decades or so and anything done differently in the last 30 years that could have changed that decline would have us discussing a very different pool scene today.
 
Celtic said:
A large part of the reason for the various rules in pool is that the public have not been exposed to the professionals playing the game by the professional rules to learn any different. All they have ever seen is their bar rule 8-ball and this weird game called 9-ball on TV that they tend to ignore and have never played.

If 8-ball actually became the professional game of choice and had some TV exposure then it would start to show people the proper rule set for the game and that would slowly work to change the way the game is played in all those hole in the wall pubs. It would not take place overnight and you are going to get some stubborn people who want to stick to their old rules, but no longer is there an argument about what the "correct" rules actually are because alot of people will have been exposed to the actual professional rules, and amature players tend to largely play games by the legit professionally recognized rules if they know them.

8-ball is not going to take over in pool overnight and it is not going to be this instantaneous explosion of interest in the game when it starts being promoted and presented at the pro level. It will be a slow and steady increase in popularity that will be very noticable when looking at the sports growth on a decade or so scale. And that is fine by me because we can do that today and see a steady dropoff in popularity of pro pool over the last 3 decades or so and anything done differently in the last 30 years that could have changed that decline would have us discussing a very different pool scene today.
Click to expand...

Who was it on here that devised that flyer with a condensed version of the rules?

Anyway, I think we all have a duty to ONLY play 8 ball with the official rules.
 
Slh said:
the worst rule in 8 ball is the one where you must call all the rails. Example: "I'm playing the 8ball in the corner, but the 8ball doesn't go clean but touches the rail before the pocket".
Have you ever played with this rule?
Click to expand...

Thankfully no. Crazy Italians. Actually, the British are the worst in the world for pointless variants.
 
TheThaiger said:
Number of thought-provoking threads started by justadub?

Um, er, no, sorry. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

We could go down this road, if you like. I'd rather not, though. You can ask around, and compare the sort of posts that I make as opposed to the type that our OP makes, and I'm comfortable with the likely response.

But since you seem to share our OP's taste for tweaking the general population here on AZB, I'm also quite confident it wouldn't matter.
 
3andstop said:
Can't argue that 8 ball has a ridiculous plethora of rules, and probably because it is mutated by beginners since, once again it is true that 8 ball is pretty much THE game beginners learn with.

However, perceptions of any pool game belong to each of us individually. You may not like the game for whatever reasons, but that doesn't mean a lot of others enjoy it for their own reasons.

I learned to play pretty much on straight pool, so my perception differs still. I personally find the redundancy of "paint by number" 9 ball and 10 ball to bore me very quickly. Now I'm not saying they are easy games, just boring to me.

My top three games to enjoy are straight pool, then very closely followed by 1 pocket, and then 8 ball which I find enjoyable for a much longer period than 9 or 10 ball.

We all learned on different games, we all enjoy different things and really, that's a good thing IMO.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with you. Even your rating of your top 3. It's just easier to get an 8 ball game than the others. I haven't even played it yet, but I think call your pocket or 'shot' 10 ball might be okay & fun.
 
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