APA Rules Question

N

NeZ

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm thinking about joining a local APA league in a couple of weeks here.

I normally play by the BCA rules so I was checking out the APA website to familiarize myself with their rules.

One 8 ball rule looked odd to me so I just wanted to check with you guys to see if I'm reading it correctly. It's rule 4d regarding what happens after the break. It states:

"One ball is pocketed; it is still the breaker's turn and he continues shooting the category of ball he just made."

If I'm reading that correctly it sounds like the table isn't always open after the break. It does specify that if you make two balls (solid and stripe) on the break it's open and you can choose. But with the scenario above it sounds like if you just make one, that's your group, no choice.

That seems strange to me. Am I reading that right?

A second question regarding 9-Ball APA league play. From looking at the site it seems like you play for points (1 - 8 being 1 point, and the 9 counting for 2) instead of playing for games. That also seems strange to me as it seems like the advantage of winning a game is lessened. Is there an extra bonus for winning the game? How do 9 ball players that have played APA like the points system?
 
Yeah you are what ball you pocket. if you make two stripes on the break you are still stripes. If you make one of each or more it is open. It is not open after the break unless you make one of each.

I have not played APA 9ball but you are correct. The ratings go from 1-9 . With the high rated people spotting points to the weaker player. Like a 9 would have to beat a 5 75 to 38. Which is 37 more points or almost 4 full racks more.
 
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You are correct in your understanding of the 8-ball break rules.

Yes, APA 0-ball is actually more like rotation in that you score points and not games. As a higher ranked player, this is actually pretty tough when you are playing a very low ranked player. If I need to score 65 points and my opponent only needs 14, I really need to control the table.
The best part from my viewpoint is that the lower ranked players feel like even if they lose a match, they still contribute to the team total. In 8-ball, it's either win or lose. In 9 ball, if you lose a close match, your team gets 8 points and the winning team gets 12. Those numbers change based on how short the losing player is from their number of needed points.

It's not 9-ball as you know it, but it's still fun...and that is what league play is supposed to be.

Steve
 
APA points system

The points system is OK, I guess. I don't particularly like it, because it reduces a lot of the game to conversations about skill levels and points scored and such. I hate to focus on such things because it makes it all sound so amateurish, but then again, that's what the APA is for. I am no fantastic player myself anyways.

I try to avoid conversations about numbers though; the numbers don't tell me how well I played or how good I am. I always think about whether I made a lot of mistakes or missed a lot of shots as far as gauging my performance.

All in all, the points system is in place to lessen the importance of winning a rack in terms of sinking the 9. Some players just can't run enough balls to get enough games by sinking the 9, or they don't deal well with pressure of sinking the money ball. The points system allows those players to have a better chance of winning. The 9 is worth two points vs. one point for 1-8, so there is a little bonus/incentive to make it, but not much. I guess the points system is one that serves its purpose well, to cater to the average Joe/amateur player and to make it as even as possible for everyone.
 
Yah, APA 9-ball is its own beast. It's still fun though. The format really encourages people to run the table out instead of looking for the early 9-ball shot and win.

I'm going to start playing it again in a few weeks after a year and a half hiatus. I'm kinda looking forward to it - especially since it'll be the same night as 8-ball (doing the 'double jeapordy' thing, 8 and 9 on the same night).
 
The thing about nine ball, IMO, is that it really chases the better shooters out of the league.

We had a SL9 in nine ball (SLs go from 1 though 9 in nine ball, 2 through 7 in eight ball) where the SL9 had to score 75 points to win. That's a lot of ball in rotation, usually on a congested bar table, with NO PUSHOUT rule off the break. In other words, you could have a pretty decent shot SL5, who has to make half the balls of a SL9, win.

It was frustrating to see a guy with half the skill win big, but APA nine ball, more than any other billiard game I can think of, is more luck than skill. Seasoned nine ball shooters may quickly become frustrated with this style of play, and as said before, really becomes a much different game than US Open rules nine ball.

Despite all of that said, some of my most memorable and fun matches I've had have been APA nine ball, and if you are just starting out, or never really played pool in general, you might have both a blast and a gentle entrance path the game of nine ball, as opposed to getting totally outclassed and out skilled by the local toughs at the pool hall.
 
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I agree that there is an inordinate amount of luck in APA 9-ball but most of that comes from the break. You can counteract it by tieing up the next ball since there is no 3-foul rule. So if you break and are snookered on the 1, you look for the 2 or 3 and make sure your opponent can only run 1 or 2 balls. Once you get out of the mindsight that it is 9-ball, it is a fun game and great if you have a team. We went to APA Vegas with 8-ball and 9-ball, and we had more fun with 9-ball.

As for the higher ranked players, once you reach APA8 or APA9, it becomes a real issue for your team to field 23. I never played a match in Vegas as I was an APA8, and it would mean the rest of the team could only add up to 15.
 
For amature league play I do like the 9ball system. And I know a 9 has to pretty much play perfect to win but that is why they are 9s.

8ball is fun too. However I have to credit loosing some games to breaking sinking a stripe and having solids wide open. However I play APA for fun. I could careless about Vegas. I also hate it when I scratch in APA 8ball. Because of course it's an automatic lose. 1 game I was playing a 3 and I was a 5 or a 4. I think I had to win 4 games and them 3. I scratched on the 8ball twice. The last game I got impatient and wouldn't play safeties and they kept screwing me over and getting lucky.

I was upset that day too because lately my game went to crap. My angles got goofy and my ball control was terrible. I think it was because I had little rest from work for an entire month and was worn out. Not to mention I normally play last which is around 11pm.

But despite what people say about APA unless I become a pro I still want to play on it. I'll probably get into BCA some for the new year. For now I mainly plan on playing in tournaments because I'll be slammed during the winter with owrk. Mainly 1pocket.
 
Thanks for the responses. I'm not sure if I'll be playing 8 or 9 ball. I don't have a team of my own so the organizer told me to just come down on the orientation night and they'd put me on a team with an open slot, or perhaps form a team of extras if there are enough.

I normally play 9 ball so it'd be a nice change of pace to play in the 8 ball league but I think I'll sign up for whatever is available.
 
Beware of the whole "put-together" team thing. League is largely a social thing - and if you're put into a team that are all strangers to each other, you may not get along with some of the folks, and all of them may not get along with everyone else on the team - you don't know how dependable/undependable everyone is, as far as showing up week to week.

If you have a choice, pick up a team that has an open slot. At least you'll have an idea with that team, that they all know each other and don't have those issues. It'll just be whether YOU fit in or not - a lot less worry than if a group of strangers all gels together.

Or, if you can manage it (and it doesn't sound like this is your situation), put your own team together with some folks you know.

A little over a year ago, for one session, I picked up a new league night and a different league than I was used to (though what league it was is irrelevant) - I was on one of those put-together teams - and it was AWFUL. Couldn't count on folks showing up, people were dropping when they didn't have the experience they wanted, etc etc.
 
Good points about the team aspect. I'll get a better idea of how things are shaping up when I go over there. The league starts on Monday, 9/11.

I'll definitely keep those things in mind and try to get on an established team that I think I could get along with.
 
APA 9 ball

I like APA 9 ball. We play on 9' tables which is fun. The thing that I like about APA is that I want to play the high ranked players because of the handicap, it gives me a chance. Yes I know I am not as good as they are but it really helps me learn though sometimes I am just racking! *S*.
Ned dont wait untill the first night to go down to the hall. Playoffs are starting now and this would be a Great chance to go meet some of the players. They will know who is quitting and belive me they are always on the hunt for good low level players. By good I mean dependable and willing to learn. Talk to the women of the leauge they know all the gossip. My wife has setup lots of players on teams just by talking and knowing who needs what.
Good Luck You will have lots of Fun!!
 
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