8ball or 9ball
- Thread starter Busboy
- Start date
Definitely 8ball for me. You have to stop and think and plan a run out. in 9ball its all right there in front of ya and I get ahead of myself. start goin too fast and usually mess it up lol
That's kinda how I am too
Keep playing I been playing pool 2 years I'm 6 in 8 and 5 in 9 :thumbup:
Me too. I prefer 8 ball because each game is so different and requires some thoughts about how to run out. In 9 ball you know that after you sink the 2 ball you'll be shooting at the 3 ball. Not so in 8 ball. Depending on how you played position, you might have to change your plans and formulate a new out path. I never tire of playing 8 ball - just a great game.
9 ball. I learned a long time a go good 9 ball player can play 8 ball but 8 ball players struggle to play 9 ball. I see it in tournaments around here all the time. you have to understand playing the rails and lines around the table with 9 ball where as 8 ball is about finding the path of Least resistance and being patient. If you ever watch pros playing 8 ball it's like watching a chess champion play checkers lol it looks like a kids game . Only when the balls are tied up does 8 ball become fun but honestly it seems with the fast cloth we play on today balls doesn't cluster the way they did on the slow tables back in the day.
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I used too like 9 better not anymore but really I just love too play pool don't matter what it is
8-Ball is more tricky and the superior game which will make your overall skills stronger. It will sharpen your pool strategy and this will help you in playing 9 ball too.
I agree with Trob. In my opinon, 9 ball will improve your 8 ball game. In 9, there is only one ball you can hit first next on the table on every shot. In 8, you have numerous balls you can play until the end. Once I could actually play 9, I didn't play 8 anymore. It helps you with better kicking at balls, when someone plays a safety or you are stuck behind another ball and can't see the next object ball. It helps you better with picking lines around the table, speed control and English. When someone wants to play 8, it seem like a much easier game to me. You are only having to totally control the cue during the final shots, where every shot is like that in 9 ball. Also with no called balls, you can make a great shot sometimes and act like it was luck that made that ball drop.
Totally agree with this. Much easier to play position on a choice of 6-7 different object balls rather than one. Not to mention if you get out of shape on a shot you usually have a couple other possible shots. 8 Ball on bar boxes drives me nuts.
I used to like 8 more because it felt less lucky, and I hated when an opponent beat me
by just making 1 or 2 or 3 balls.
But as I play more 9 ball, I feel like it's got less luck than I thought,
and 8-ball's luck is sometimes just as bad.
One way 9b is NOT that lucky is the break. It's very simple
and if you know what you're doing and you rack 'em well,
you make a ball almost every time.
And you can control the 1 vand have an opening shot.
That's how it should be.
In 8b it still seems like a crapshoot. You can do everything right and come up dry.
And it's funny how often you have a tough shot after. Potentially 13 balls to shoot,
and you have to bank something or cut a ball all the way down the rail.
Where in 9b you just have one ball to shoot but it's hanging out
right by a pocket almost every time.
One way 8b is luckier than I thought is in how you can screw up leaves
and still get to shoot. Half my 8b runouts don't go according to my original plan,
and involve at least one "improvised" shot.
by just making 1 or 2 or 3 balls.
But as I play more 9 ball, I feel like it's got less luck than I thought,
and 8-ball's luck is sometimes just as bad.
One way 9b is NOT that lucky is the break. It's very simple
and if you know what you're doing and you rack 'em well,
you make a ball almost every time.
And you can control the 1 vand have an opening shot.
That's how it should be.
In 8b it still seems like a crapshoot. You can do everything right and come up dry.
And it's funny how often you have a tough shot after. Potentially 13 balls to shoot,
and you have to bank something or cut a ball all the way down the rail.
Where in 9b you just have one ball to shoot but it's hanging out
right by a pocket almost every time.
One way 8b is luckier than I thought is in how you can screw up leaves
and still get to shoot. Half my 8b runouts don't go according to my original plan,
and involve at least one "improvised" shot.
If I had to pick between just 8-ball or 9, I would choose 9-ball! But I don't play much of those anymore. I stick to Joe Tuckers "American Rotation" and straight pool as my games of choice. Due to me working 70-80 hrs a week, those are my practice games, but when I get a chance to play with a human being
, I love one pocket!!!
Can't play one pocket by yourself! Trust me, I do it all the time
, I love one pocket!!! Can't play one pocket by yourself! Trust me, I do it all the time
This is NOT how runout barbox 8ball is played. If u think u can just hit any of the 6 left & still get out, I would strongly disagree. The patterns of barbox 8ball is what separates the field usually.
See Deuel vs Chan?? in 2013 4 bears finals. Sometimes u have to shoot the harder shot first if u want to get out.
Just my opinion, love all games.
Banks
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I prefer barbox 8, too. Imo, you see more creativity in 8b, people playing more caroms, setting up break-outs, etc. I'll go for the difficult shot, too, when it means a run-out. If I question my run-out, I'll take whatever shot secures my choice of balls. Barbox 8 also means being clutch in the final shots, because you're likely to be hosed if you screw up. Big table and 9b players may make for good shooters, but it takes more than a shooter to get through many 8b racks. Don't get me wrong, I envy their precision, but I don't envy them shooting themselves into a corner.
My point was there is more than one pattern to be relied upon.
This is often true, but I have & sure most others have been started shooting an out and realized that you're not going to or can't get out. And finding the appropriate stopping point can often be difficult. Running 5, 6, or 7 balls is usually certain death.
Obviously some outs or safes are easily done but I'm more speaking to the tough to near impossible outs.
I would have to say I prefer 8 right now but probably only because I have a hard time finding people to play 9 ball. Also 9 ball is a lot tougher for me right now because I have only played probably less than 50 racks since I started playing a couple years ago. I'm sure if I started practicing 9 ball regularly I would improve quickly but since I don't have anyone to play against I practice mainly 8 ball and Fargo.