APA 9-ball

hobokenapa

hobokenapa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just wondering what APA players think of APA 9-ball as a game, and what tactics you employ. I've been doing APA 9-ball season, and I'm enjoying it. For those that are not familar, each handicap level (from 1 to 9) has to get a certain number of points. You score one point for each ball, and 2 points for the 9-ball. So, it's kind of like Straight Pool with 9 balls.
 
I think APA 9 ball is fine for amateurs, but when you get serious about 9 ball, BCA or USPPA will offer stiffer competition....which will result in elevating your game.
 
Just plain weird

I don't think they should call it 9ball since it quite obviously isn't. It's some weird amalgam of rotation and straight pool...with a 9 ball flair thrown in.

The game seems to wind down to who can control the safety game enough to get ball in hand and from there run out...

I haven't played it much, but it seems to me that the main objective is to only shoot when you think you can run out and otherwise play safe - somewhat like regular 9-ball, but I think you need to raise the bar on your acceptable percentage for making shots (ie maybe in regular 9-ball you would attempt a run out with a shot somewhere in there that you think you'd make 85% of the time, up that to nothing under a 90% sure for APA 9ball). In short, play more defensively until you are sure to get out. Better to plaiy a lock up safety than a weak two-way shot.
 
Or cinch tougher shots and then play safe. I run into that dilemna in APA 9 ball.

Also kind of screwy if you're on a table that breaks easy and make 3 or 4 on the break and get credit for it.
 
Well, the whole idea to APA 9 ball is to pocket as many balls as you can. This helps beginners and low skill level players to sharpen their shooting skills. When you get into game races, more strategy is involved. Of course you can use the same strategies in APA 9 ball, but it isn't the same. In APA 9 ball, you want to run out as opposed to getting an early 9 ball. In game races, early 9 balls are desirable.
 
When I play APA 9-ball (normal apa 9ball league play here is on 9-footers luckily), I think of it more like rotation straight pool with an open break, because that's what it is. Almost reminds me of that StrEightPool ranking thing floating around years ago.
 
okinawa77 said:
I think APA 9 ball is fine for amateurs, but when you get serious about 9 ball, BCA or USPPA will offer stiffer competition....which will result in elevating your game.
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<sarcasm>Really? What's amateurish about bar table nine ball with no push out rule, where pocketing the nine ball only earns you two points as opposed to one for each other ball additional?</sarcasm>

That said, I played APA nine ball for about six sessions, and loved every minute of it. Great game for the newer shooters like I was at the time.

The only downside is the league really, really really pushes out the skilled nine ball shooters; We had an APA SL9 (I guess this would apply to a SL8 as well) who has to make a massive amount of balls to win. Our SL9 would have to go to 75 points, making five or six balls a clip, and would still lose a big split to a SL4 or SL5 who was shooting well on a bar table.

Not to mention that you have to still be under the 23 team handicap point with a SL9. Everyone else had to be a SL1 and SL2s to fit him in.:)
 
juggler314 said:
The game seems to wind down to who can control the safety game enough to get ball in hand and from there run out...
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Very much so . . . I've played APA 9-Ball as a SL6 or SL7 . . .

You don't want to play anyone at a lower skill level, at least not more then one level, as you begin spotting a tremendous amount of balls. And, most 5's have started to learn defense, so depending on the luck of the rolls, you can get creamed by someone rated at a lower skill level . . . I play BCA as well (both 8 and 9-ball) . . . its a lot more challenging for advanced players as the overall skill level is higher and more on parity for everyone.

APA serves its purpose by having the 9-ball, but I'm seriously considering dropping it . . .
 
The thing I like best about APA 9 ball is the way it is scored. In 8 ball, you either score one point for your team, or you score nothing. In 9-ball you are rewarded for good play, even if you lose. A close match allows a player to score 8 points if they play close, but come up a ball or two short of winning. The lower skilled players on my 9 ball teams never gave up, because they knew every ball was important, and they were contributing to the team, even when they didn't win. I think, in league play, where it's all supposed to be fun anyway, this is a good deal.
The hardest match I ever had to play was against an SL1.
Steve
 
I tried it for the first time in a tourney a few days ago and it messed with my mind quite a bit. Like others here, I was a little torn about whether to play more cautiously or not, especially since I was giving up 15 balls to my opponent. So I got beat by somebody who was pocketing reasonably well, but had played little or no 9 ball before!

Not going to complain so much about the handicap, though ... I played the fellow again afterward and won 8 out of 10 games in the usual way ... but my indecision about how to play with the funky rules turned me elbow into concrete, no doubt.
 
pooltchr said:
The thing I like best about APA 9 ball is the way it is scored. In 8 ball, you either score one point for your team, or you score nothing. In 9-ball you are rewarded for good play, even if you lose. A close match allows a player to score 8 points if they play close, but come up a ball or two short of winning. The lower skilled players on my 9 ball teams never gave up, because they knew every ball was important, and they were contributing to the team, even when they didn't win.
Steve
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Tap, tap, tap. Some good observations written here!!!!

Maniac
 
Gregg said:
<sarcasm>Really? What's amateurish about bar table nine ball with no push out rule, where pocketing the nine ball only earns you two points as opposed to one for each other ball additional?</sarcasm>

That said, I played APA nine ball for about six sessions, and loved every minute of it. Great game for the newer shooters like I was at the time.

The only downside is the league really, really really pushes out the skilled nine ball shooters; We had an APA SL9 (I guess this would apply to a SL8 as well) who has to make a massive amount of balls to win. Our SL9 would have to go to 75 points, making five or six balls a clip, and would still lose a big split to a SL4 or SL5 who was shooting well on a bar table.

Not to mention that you have to still be under the 23 team handicap point with a SL9. Everyone else had to be a SL1 and SL2s to fit him in.:)
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I totally agree. I was an SL8 on my way to SL9, but couldn't play due to skill cap. I don't play APA 9ball anymore, and can't find a team to join.
 
pooltchr said:
The thing I like best about APA 9 ball is the way it is scored. In 8 ball, you either score one point for your team, or you score nothing. In 9-ball you are rewarded for good play, even if you lose. A close match allows a player to score 8 points if they play close, but come up a ball or two short of winning. The lower skilled players on my 9 ball teams never gave up, because they knew every ball was important, and they were contributing to the team, even when they didn't win. I think, in league play, where it's all supposed to be fun anyway, this is a good deal.
The hardest match I ever had to play was against an SL1.
Steve
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That was a key reason we were able to get a lot of new players out. They didn't feel the immediate pressure to win. They could ease into it.

For me, I enjoyed playing the format. And like someone mentioned, I played very defensively. If the out wasn't a sure thing, I locked them up the best I could. There were a lot of ball makers out there playing as 4's and 5's and they were difficult to beat when I was giving up 30-40 balls a set.

The biggest problem I had was the handicap level. Once you hit 7 and up, it really starts to hurt the team more than help it. As an 8, I had to win huge to help cover the lower rated players that we were forced to play because of the 23 rule. I was basically forced out because of my number. If you can get a team of solid 4's to 6's, you can wreak havoc on your division.
 
All good points.. Here's another question ... how about the break? It can be frustrating not to make a ball on the break and leave three or four open for an SL2 or SL3 that you are giving a huge spot to (I am an SL9), and similarly being hooked on the one ball after making a ball on the break.

I agree with the more defensive route. Taking that one step further, I've been thinking perhaps some kind of safe break is possible? Send the 1-ball up table, then leave the cue ball on the foot rail. As long as you don't make a ball (unlikely as you'll hit it fairly soft and position the cue ball to avoid making the wing ball), this would be a safe at worst, and a snooker at best. Then you can control the rack from there.

I feel there must be a better way that just hitting a normal 9-break and hoping for the best. Any thoughts?
 
hobokenapa said:
All good points.. Here's another question ... how about the break? It can be frustrating not to make a ball on the break and leave three or four open for an SL2 or SL3 that you are giving a huge spot to (I am an SL9), and similarly being hooked on the one ball after making a ball on the break.

I agree with the more defensive route. Taking that one step further, I've been thinking perhaps some kind of safe break is possible? Send the 1-ball up table, then leave the cue ball on the foot rail. As long as you don't make a ball (unlikely as you'll hit it fairly soft and position the cue ball to avoid making the wing ball), this would be a safe at worst, and a snooker at best. Then you can control the rack from there.

I feel there must be a better way that just hitting a normal 9-break and hoping for the best. Any thoughts?
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when you can get that type of control down you have to teach me!!! I play as a sl6 now and I like the format. When you play a lower player it forces me to play the table and not the person. knowing that I am the better player and can make more shots and play better defense, now I have to tighten up and do it. JMO
 
APA 9 ball

My wife was a 1 since she entered the league. Playing a 7 (goes to 55) she won the flip and broke in 3 and I think had a shot and made the 1. Opponent the made the next 4 and hung up the nine. 6-4.

Wife breaks and makes 2. Opponent runs a couple and leaves 9 hung up on a combo. Wife makes it 10-7

Guy racks with leftovers. My wife even has to ask what is the money ball (the 15). Proceeds to make it and another ball on the break. 13 - 7

My wife needs one ball to win.

This is the only match she ever won by more than 13-7. Her record is 4 wins 16 losses and yet she has been a 2 ever since this. APA handicapping is ridiculous sometimes.
 
iba7467 said:
APA handicapping is ridiculous sometimes.
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This is a worst case scenario.

I've seen worse with the TAP league I played for about a year and a half, where I was a brand new lowest possible SL3 available, playing against TAP SL4s who were active APA shooters who were APA SL7s for years. And I'm getting one game. I needed ten.

The APA, for the most part, makes it at least competitive. For example, from what I've seen, a weak SL4 can still compete with a strong SL4. Again, as you see in TAP, it was often to see even SL rated players completely outclassed at the table. Often times, local shooters who have been playing together or on opposing teams who knew each others ratings would just laugh when matching up, knowing that one had no chance.

Trust me, when the SLs are all over the place like that, and week in week out you feel like you can't compete, it's not fun.
 
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Handicap is tough no matter what the sport is , no different here. It's not a APA phenom. :)

But . . .

I kinda like the APA format , it's good practice and a good format for what it is. It's not a Pro level league or Tournyt nor is it meant to be.

I'm suprised that it has helped my game some (Im a SL7) by just focusing on making balls for a change and not looking too far into the table. It supports a solid safe game and cuts out a fair amount of 'typical' 9Ball luck like 9 on the breaks and the 9 left parked in a hole. You always feel like the better player is going to win and not get lucked out of the match by a couple good breaks and lucky rolls.

I don't know , some people like to trash everything but I think it's a decent format FWIW.
 
RRfireblade said:
Handicap is tough no matter what the sport is , no different here. It's not a APA phenom. :)

But . . .

I kinda like the APA format , it's good practice and a good format for what it is. It's not a Pro level league or Tournyt nor is it meant to be.

I'm suprised that it has helped my game some (Im a SL7) by just focusing on making balls for a change and not looking too far into the table. It supports a solid safe game and cuts out a fair amount of 'typical' 9Ball luck like 9 on the breaks and the 9 left parked in a hole. You always feel like the better player is going to win and not get lucked out of the match by a couple good breaks and lucky rolls.

I don't know , some people like to trash everything but I think it's a decent format FWIW.
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Nobody is bashing APA 9 ball. I said already that I love every minute of it. It's just a shame when you can't field a team because you can't get under the 23 team SL limit.
 
Gregg said:
Nobody is bashing APA 9 ball. I said already that I love every minute of it. It's just a shame when you can't field a team because you can't get under the 23 team SL limit.
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Don't say 'nobody' , just the mention of APA send some people reeling around here. :)

And that's why it's a handicap league.
 
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