8 ball or 9 ball which do you find more difficult?

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am a 5 in apa i ball and a 6 in 9 ball. My handicap would indicate that i am a little more proficient at 9 than 8 but that has not been the case according to mh win record the last couple of sessions..

This session i am 8 -1 in i ball . winning 8 im a row after losing tje first match of the session.

I am 2 -7 in 9 ball often playing the same opponent in both matches. I play double jeapordy which is both 8 a3md 9 ball the same night.

I havew been doing a lot of self analysis on why the large disparity in wins between the 2 formats. The main reason is because i have gotten to really hating when opponents resort to slop and my focus just flies out the window. A perfect example is last sunday night. I was up 34-16 in a 46 -38 race aagainst a 5. He started resortimg to kust banging at warp speed and make some of the damndest lusky azz shoys you would not believe. One rack he made 4 slop shots during a complets table run. He is nowhere good enough to run a table but managed to run this rack with the help of 4 slop shots along the way. Just blew my composire the rest of the match and missed shots i should not have which helped him out also.

Just starting to get real frustrated that i can shut a guy out 4-0 in 8 ball and then later that night he whips my azz in 9 ball due to banging balls all over the table at warp speed.

Now being an old bar banger i never liked 9 ball due to slop...yea i know good players dont rely on slop but it happens occasionly and although its rare it happens at the pro level.
 

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thee above post was long enough and focused mainly on 9 ball.

I much prefer i ball because as some one alluded to ...its mucb like chess.

I stay more focused during an 8 ball match and my 8-1 record reflects that.

An example is one night i faced a 7/9 in a 5 -3 race. Me going to 3 of course. I won 3-2. Not even needing the handicap. One of his wins was in the second rack where i flubbed a safe leaving him a shot at his last ball and then he sunk the 8. Next rack he put up a break and run. I won the next 2 racks to win the match. Then later their 5 whips my azz bad in 9 ball. Dont remember the points but i bibidly remember the scord was 18-2. In his favor.

Like i said in my previous post. It makes it frustrating as hell when you can beat one of the best in the room in 8 ball not needing a handicap and then a 5 kicks the shit outa you in 9 ball by resorting to a shit load of slop shots.
 

boogieman

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
I am a 5 in apa i ball and a 6 in 9 ball. My handicap would indicate that i am a little more proficient at 9 than 8 but that has not been the case according to mh win record the last couple of sessions..

This session i am 8 -1 in i ball . winning 8 im a row after losing tje first match of the session.

I am 2 -7 in 9 ball often playing the same opponent in both matches. I play double jeapordy which is both 8 a3md 9 ball the same night.

I havew been doing a lot of self analysis on why the large disparity in wins between the 2 formats. The main reason is because i have gotten to really hating when opponents resort to slop and my focus just flies out the window. A perfect example is last sunday night. I was up 34-16 in a 46 -38 race aagainst a 5. He started resortimg to kust banging at warp speed and make some of the damndest lusky azz shoys you would not believe. One rack he made 4 slop shots during a complets table run. He is nowhere good enough to run a table but managed to run this rack with the help of 4 slop shots along the way. Just blew my composire the rest of the match and missed shots i should not have which helped him out also.

Just starting to get real frustrated that i can shut a guy out 4-0 in 8 ball and then later that night he whips my azz in 9 ball due to banging balls all over the table at warp speed.

Now being an old bar banger i never liked 9 ball due to slop...yea i know good players dont rely on slop but it happens occasionly and although its rare it happens at the pro level.
I hear you about slop, I'm not a fan. The thing is, not all slop is created equal. If you stroke the ball good, and are aware of caroms, billiards, etc, you can make stuff that isn't slop, look like slop. It might not have been your main shot, but a secondary plan. Hit the balls at the right speed (not hard, a good stroke, you want the ball to roll good, not smash into stuff) and you'll often be rewarded even if you miss the pocket. A perfect example is a bank to the side, you might miss the first one rail, but if you chose the right speed, you might get it to drop on the way back. Stroke the ball good and good things can happen. Also pay a lot of attention to dead combos and dead caroms which make the pocket bigger. Get to really know your tangent lines and you can often pull off some pretty amazing stuff that looks like slop. Don't let your opponent know it wasn't slop as it can get in their head if they are the type to believe in lucky rolls.
 

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I hear you about slop, I'm not a fan. The thing is, not all slop is created equal. If you stroke the ball good, and are aware of caroms, billiards, etc, you can make stuff that isn't slop, look like slop. It might not have been your main shot, but a secondary plan. Hit the balls at the right speed (not hard, a good stroke, you want the ball to roll good, not smash into stuff) and you'll often be rewarded even if you miss the pocket. A perfect example is a bank to the side, you might miss the first one rail, but if you chose the right speed, you might get it to drop on the way back. Stroke the ball good and good things can happen. Also pay a lot of attention to dead combos and dead caroms which make the pocket bigger. Get to really know your tangent lines and you can often pull off some pretty amazing stuff that looks like slop. Don't let your opponent know it wasn't slop as it can get in their head if they are the type to believe in lucky rolls.
I understand what you are saying. . i kind of expect slop from lower level players like 2's and 3's but 5's and aboves ? C'mon man play a safe or something if you get outa line.

Like the other night. My opponent tries a long table bank to the upper corner ...misses the corner by 2 inches and it comes back down table and falls in the bottom corner. No big deal....seen that slop shot 50 thousand times in apa. When the cue ball finally stops after hitting every rail twice he has the exact bank on his next shot. So he rears back and hits it at warp speed also...this time it hits the tip of the side pocket and flies across the table into the opposite side pocket...leaving him straight in on his next ball.

Just my opinion but when you reach a skill level of 5 or above you should have some semblance of cue ball control and position play and not have to resort to shooting like a 2 or 3 smashing the ball and hope something goes somewhere.

Like i told a 7 one night....man if i was as good as you i would refuse that slop shot you just resorted to and sit down. Every one on both teams started laugjing.
 

TheBasics

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I understand what you are saying. . i kind of expect slop from lower level players like 2's and 3's but 5's and aboves ? C'mon man play a safe or something if you get outa line.

Like the other night. My opponent tries a long table bank to the upper corner ...misses the corner by 2 inches and it comes back down table and falls in the bottom corner. No big deal....seen that slop shot 50 thousand times in apa. When the cue ball finally stops after hitting every rail twice he has the exact bank on his next shot. So he rears back and hits it at warp speed also...this time it hits the tip of the side pocket and flies across the table into the opposite side pocket...leaving him straight in on his next ball.

Just my opinion but when you reach a skill level of 5 or above you should have some semblance of cue ball control and position play and not have to resort to shooting like a 2 or 3 smashing the ball and hope something goes somewhere.

Like i told a 7 one night....man if i was as good as you i would refuse that slop shot you just resorted to and sit down. Every one on both teams started laugjing.
lorider, Howdy;

Sounds like he's playin' you. think about it, for more then 5 seconds. Re-read your second paragraph.
Then think about it some more. APA is easy to sandbag in think about it again.

hank
 

Brookeland Bill

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
1P and 14.1 developes CB control better than anything else does. Not even close

best
Fatboy
I was going to suggest straight pool to begin with or even 15 ball rotation both of which were played a lot in the early 60’s when I started playing. I turned to 1P because it was more thought provoking.
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I understand what you are saying. . i kind of expect slop from lower level players like 2's and 3's but 5's and aboves ? C'mon man play a safe or something if you get outa line.

Like the other night. My opponent tries a long table bank to the upper corner ...misses the corner by 2 inches and it comes back down table and falls in the bottom corner. No big deal....seen that slop shot 50 thousand times in apa. When the cue ball finally stops after hitting every rail twice he has the exact bank on his next shot. So he rears back and hits it at warp speed also...this time it hits the tip of the side pocket and flies across the table into the opposite side pocket...leaving him straight in on his next ball.

Just my opinion but when you reach a skill level of 5 or above you should have some semblance of cue ball control and position play and not have to resort to shooting like a 2 or 3 smashing the ball and hope something goes somewhere.

Like i told a 7 one night....man if i was as good as you i would refuse that slop shot you just resorted to and sit down. Every one on both teams started laugjing.

It's a league match, I have to say I have gone for hard shots rather than play safe in league, why not? It's not really a meaningful thing, despite many treating every ball their team makes like it was the revelations of Jesus with the cheering and "good shoot" ing. Heck, I banked a table length 9 ball in a playoff race once when it was hill hill and if I missed we would be out of the playoffs hehe.
 

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's a league match, I have to say I have gone for hard shots rather than play safe in league, why not? It's not really a meaningful thing, despite many treating every ball their team makes like it was the revelations of Jesus with the cheering and "good shoot" ing. Heck, I banked a table length 9 ball in a playoff race once when it was hill hill and if I missed we would be out of the playoffs hehe.
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I dont like losing . what can i say lol.

Yes but you were talking about the other players, there is a good chance they just want to shoot, to make the ball or show off or because they just don't think they can win on a safe. I played doubles with a low level player that played every shot like she was going to miss it instead of going for shape and breaking out clusters. I was like "what are you doing, how are you going to win when you don't give yourself a chance to even start". That is the issue with league, she was so used to playing safe and not leaving the other player an open table to get points she picked that over trying to win. Then you do this against a good player, and that good player does not give a damn about the clusters since they know how to play and move the ball to break it up or leave you a tough safe. 8 ball you can't just make balls and leave trouble clusters or shots on the table in the hopes the other player will mess up 4 times in a rack for you to shoot them on an easy shot. You need to clear the issues early before your balls are on the table for position.
 

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Been playing 8 ball exclusively since my 9ft table arrived. Skills are improving I am getting better with stroke, cue control, long shot game definitely getting better. I am pocketing balls in tandem on a more consistent basis. Skill level still fairly low but it's only been a couple weeks so this will come with time and watching more training vids etc. Had at least one really solid run out but very rare so far. Decided to get the magic rack 9 ball rack out since its just been collecting dust and I find it far more difficult to play at least for me. Should be doing more safeties but it's just me playing so I am going for shots I should just safety. Anyway which game do you find more difficult personally and why? I like 8 ball due to options where 9 ball your stuck on one ball to the next. I think I will prefer this game however to 8 ball once my cue ball control gets better.
At the end of the day 8B is a more complex game and requires more knowledge

Each game requires its own skill set and there’s a big overlap. So which one is harder? Depends where your at in your game and what your strong suits are. So it can flip/flop meaning one can be harder than the other at some points over a long span of time.

good luck
Fatboy
Although obviously it’s much harder to break and run a rack of 9-ball, there’s something uniquely rewarding about breaking and running an 8-ball rack and the creativity of seeing and planning your order for your runout and being able to execute it as planned.

I guess it has something to do with being able to successfully navigate around all your opponent’s obstructing balls in your run out, as opposed to 9-ball, where the further you get in to your run, the less balls on the table, down to the last ball.
 

Fatboy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Although obviously it’s much harder to break and run a rack of 9-ball, there’s something uniquely rewarding about breaking and running an 8-ball rack and the creativity of seeing and planning your order for your runout and being able to execute it as planned.

I guess it has something to do with being able to successfully navigate around all your opponent’s obstructing balls in your run out, as opposed to 9-ball, where the further you get in to your run, the less balls on the table, down to the last ball.
I’m not so sure about it being harder to BnR a rack of 9B. There’s a lot more packages in 9B than 8B. Not as much traffic in 9B.

This illustrates my point that “depending on where your at in your game” one can be harder than the other.
 

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I’m not so sure about it being harder to BnR a rack of 9B. There’s a lot more packages in 9B than 8B. Not as much traffic in 9B.

This illustrates my point that “depending on where your at in your game” one can be harder than the other.
After reading tour posts i looked up my lifetime stats.

I have 18 break and runs in 8 ball and 12 in 9 ball. I have no idea if they kept stats during my days in bca and where to look if they did but i can state without a dount that i had more break and runs in a shorter amount of time in their open break format versus apa closed break.

Besides the fact that closed break is a lot harder to break and run versus open break is that i hardly ever make a ball on the break.

Here is an imteresting stat.

14 eight on the break versus 63 nine on the break.
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
After reading tour posts i looked up my lifetime stats.

I have 18 break and runs in 8 ball and 12 in 9 ball. I have no idea if they kept stats during my days in bca and where to look if they did but i can state without a dount that i had more break and runs in a shorter amount of time in their open break format versus apa closed break.

Besides the fact that closed break is a lot harder to break and run versus open break is that i hardly ever make a ball on the break.

Here is an imteresting stat.

14 eight on the break versus 63 nine on the break.

Well the 9 ball is MUCH easier to make on the break, especially in league play when players don't know how to rack well or tables and ball sets just won't allow a good rack.

Pretty good you had this many break and runs as a mid level player, I know quite a few APA 5s that I don't think I have ever seen run out a rack.
 

Bavafongoul

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am an ardent, fervent believer that luck should not decide the outcome when competing in a game of skill.
Pool games that reward slop letting you stay in control of the table & keep playing are not my favorite games.

14.1 and 10 ball are the games I prefer playing and I like 10 played without BIH fouls played behind the line.
It is the fairest test of skills and without BIH fouls, the game changes a lot and it becomes more challenging.
 

justnum

Billiards Improvement Research Projects Associate
Silver Member
no one under 25 has ever won a straight pool tournament world since Balukas.

9 ball has been won by players younger than 25.

This history suggests no pool player has exceeded Balukas in terms of being a born to play player.
 

The_JV

'AZB_Combat Certified'
I am an ardent, fervent believer that luck should not decide the outcome when competing in a game of skill.
Pool games that reward slop letting you stay in control of the table & keep playing are not my favorite games.

14.1 and 10 ball are the games I prefer playing and I like 10 played without BIH fouls played behind the line.
It is the fairest test of skills and without BIH fouls, the game changes a lot and it becomes more challenging.
I simply stopped believing in 'luck'. 'Luck' is a potential reward for those with a certain style of play. Nothing more, nothing else. That doesn't mean I enjoy losing a game/match to what could be coined as a lucky roll. Just that I understand that the product of luck is inherent to weak play, so I would rather have someone swinging recklessly when attempting to best me.

I've never understood why some prefer 'behind the line' fouls. So easy to manlipulate the game in your favour as the person committing the foul, especially in rotation games.
 

The_JV

'AZB_Combat Certified'
I'll stir up conversation and state that once you reach a higher level of play and table IQ, 8 ball becomes more difficult. There's way more to pool then run out %

Once you reach a point wherein you can pot the vast majority of shots and also control the CB, 9 ball is paint by numbers. Strategy and moves in 8 ball is vastly superior.
 

Bavafongoul

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Behind the line fouls just adds difficulty to the run out. Ball in hand does simplify it. It is that easy.
Sure, someone could intentionally foul with the cue ball for some invented reason you might recite.

The reality is shooting from the kitchen is a lot harder than placing the cue ball anywhere you desire.
Ball in hand makes the game easier & also speeds up completion but there’s always some exceptions.

10 ball played by normal rules is more difficult than 9 due to an extra object ball but mainly called pockets.
8 ball is a game unique to itself but straight pool is the most challenging in terms of skills and knowledge.
 
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