Back Pocket 9-ball

On the Run

On the Run

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Has anyone on this forum ever hear of this game. I was told that this is a big money game out west (Cali and Nev). It's my understanding that this game is played just like 9-ball except that you have to pocket the 9-ball in one of the back corner pockets which the breaker calls before the break. Has anyone ever played this game before and if so, what are the rules.
 
That is ...

just a modification of how 7 ball used to be played, except 7 ball had to go into one of the side pockets and the pocket were chosen before the break.
 
On the Run said:
Has anyone on this forum ever hear of this game. I was told that this is a big money game out west (Cali and Nev). It's my understanding that this game is played just like 9-ball except that you have to pocket the 9-ball in one of the back corner pockets which the breaker calls before the break. Has anyone ever played this game before and if so, what are the rules.
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There are some accu-stats tapes of back-pocket 9-ball out there. Including one starring Pat Fleming. Kind of interesting....but not a game that I really had any interest in playing.

Cheers,
RC
 
Its pretty big in Philly where I live and I used to play it occasionally. Its a good gambling game and slows down the power 9 ball players and makes them think and play strategically.
 
It's a huge game in Philly and South Jersey and played almost nowhere else.

Each player has one of the two back pockets (the opposite end from where the balls are racked). It's just like regular 9-ball except that you have to make the 9-ball in your pocket to win. If you make it in your opponent's pocket, he wins. If you make it in a neutral pocket, it spots back up and it's your opponent's turn, unless you made another ball on the shot as well. If the 9-ball moves on a bad hit, opponent has the option to move it back to where it was or leave it where it is. 9-ball on the break gets spotted, no matter what pocket it goes in.
 
I saw it for the first time ever in Allentown PA over Labor Day weekend.

Thanks for the explanation. Looked like a fun game.
 
Koop said:
I saw it for the first time ever in Allentown PA over Labor Day weekend.

Thanks for the explanation. Looked like a fun game.
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Where'd you play, and who did you see playing it? That's where I grew up.
 
BackPocket9Ball said:
Where'd you play, and who did you see playing it? That's where I grew up.
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I was at Buzzy's and watched Buzzy play some older black gentleman. Both were very good players.
 
Koop said:
I was at Buzzy's and watched Buzzy play some older black gentleman. Both were very good players.
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Buzzy was and still is a very strong player. The older black gentleman is mediocre. Buzzy's used to be the action spot in Allentown, but two newer rooms have taken most of the action away from there.
 
Yea, we used to play it some back in the day. It usually came about when you got a strong 1 pocket player, and a strong 9baller jawing at each other to play. I mostly felt the 1 pocket player had the advantage, UNLESS, one of them figured out the break, or started soft breaking.

fun game, but I just would rather play one game or the other.

Gerry....<<<moving back to Pa in a few months....better practice my back pocket:D
 
bizboy313 said:
Its pretty big in Philly where I live and I used to play it occasionally. Its a good gambling game and slows down the power 9 ball players and makes them think and play strategically.
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I'm curious Bizboy, did you ever actually play the game? You come off on these boards as an expert on gambling when the truth is you never bet more than $5 a set, if that.
 
BackPocket9Ball said:
It's a huge game in Philly and South Jersey and played almost nowhere else.

Each player has one of the two back pockets (the opposite end from where the balls are racked). It's just like regular 9-ball except that you have to make the 9-ball in your pocket to win. If you make it in your opponent's pocket, he wins. If you make it in a neutral pocket, it spots back up and it's your opponent's turn, unless you made another ball on the shot as well. If the 9-ball moves on a bad hit, opponent has the option to move it back to where it was or leave it where it is. 9-ball on the break gets spotted, no matter what pocket it goes in.
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Hey, R.! I figured you'd chime in on this thread. Great to see you up in Louisville! You and OPGhost are real devotees and students of one-pocket! It's a sickness, ain't it?

Anyway, in back pocket 9-ball, does the breaker select the back pocket he wants prior to the break, as in one-hole?

Doc
 
yea doc' the breaker picks his back pocket. The cool thing is, after the break, the rack is not OVER!....I have....more than a million times, changed my bet, or sold my bet, as to keep the action going.:D nothing like a room full of 5 people!.....all having a great time, side betting to keep the fun going.

memories!:D

Gerry
 
It is a MONSTER Philadelphia game. It is definitely a great game to gamble on. If you run a 3 pack in this game, you've accomplished something HUGE.

Handicaps are given out in the form of other pockets vs, the stronger players back pocket.
So in theory, a fair game that is about = to say the 7 ball is giving someone a "Front to a Back"
Where the weaker player has to make the 9 in one front pocket, diagonally opposite of the stronger players back pocket.
Then you can go to "2 Fronts to a Back" where the player getting the spot has both front pockets to make his 9ball in, vs the other guys back which is comperable to say getting the 5 ball.
The game is won when the 9 goes into one of the designated players pocket who then wins that game., and when it goes into a pocket that doesn't belong to either player, it gets spotted up.

The theory behind the handicaps are that it is easier to run out a rack of 9 ball with the ball downtable rather then uptable.
The majority of games, the 9 is gonna be downtable vs up, so where if the first person running out to the 9 is the guy getting the spot, he has a much greater chance of pocketing the 9 in his hole or hanging it up in his hole, where the guy with the back pocket has to negotiate his way BEHIND the 9 to make it uptable, or take a bank. Hence the different handicaps.

Different spots can range from the typical "Front to a back" To "A back to 2 sides and a front", and can get as crazy as "6 pockets to a back" which is just flat out suicide unless you have a TOTAL FISH.

For everyone who thinks it's easy and that they will just shoot the 9 to their side of the table and take a scratch, the 9 can't move on a bad hit.
It has to be a legal hit (lowest object ball) before the 9 can move.
If not, it is the incoming players choice to leave the 9 where it is, or move it back.
 
All I know about this game is dont ever agree to play Grady Matthews one set 9-ball and one set backpocket 9ball. cause that old man acts like he cant remember the agreement.
 
I ordered tapes of Mike Gulyassey and Grady playing in a backpocket nine b match. Mike played good but Grady was playing awesome. I think it was from the early 1990's. The breaker places coin next to the pocket where he must pocket the 9 to win. If he fails to move the coin before he breaks, then he simply has the same pocket again.
 
Jake's Back Pocket 9 Ball Rules @ Cue and Cushion, St. Louis 10.15.2012

On the Run said:
Has anyone on this forum ever hear of this game. I was told that this is a big money game out west (Cali and Nev). It's my understanding that this game is played just like 9-ball except that you have to pocket the 9-ball in one of the back corner pockets which the breaker calls before the break. Has anyone ever played this game before and if so, what are the rules.
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1. played like regular 9 ball except you must make the 9 in your back
pocket to win. Player not breaking places a chip or coin near the back
pocket they want....if chip is not moved before break players keep same pockets...

2. 9 ball made in your hole on a good hit wins....9 ball made in
opponents pocket loses...

3. ball in hand on any foul...no 3 foul rule...

4. 9 ball moved on a bad hit...opponent has discretion to replace it to
it's original lie...ball in hand to opponent

5. 9 ball made in neutral pocket by a lower ball combination on a good
hit...it is immediately spotted... player continues

6. 9 ball made in a neutral pocket when it is the only ball left on the
table....9 ball is spotted and opponent shoots from that position...no
ball in hand....
 
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