I play 9-ball on a barbox nearly two times as good as I can play on a 9-footer. I don't play on barboxes often, and I mainly prefer 9 footers. I used to think barbox pool was a joke, because the corner pockets are so big. I think 9-ball on a barbox is a joke, but 8-ball is incredibly tough! If the balls are wide open, I can run out, but it seems that there are always at least three or four clusters, even when the balls get smashed and spread apart well. It always seems to be a "you can't get out from here" layout after the break. Another part that makes the game much much more difficult, is every barbox I have played on has a terrible drift, so you cant slow roll anything at ALL. Basically you have to use the back of the pocket on most shots. I think barbox 8-ball might be comparable to one pocket or straight pool in difficulty. What do you think? I have seen top local players not able to get out most of the time, because there are just too many clusters.
Barbox 8-ball
- Thread starter cuetechasaurus
- Start date
I love barbox, because I hate slow rolling balls. Kicking is more important, which I like. Barbox 8 ball is a different game, comperable to one pocket, I don't know. Different approach to each shot vs 9' er, especially with the big ball, diffenent response cb/ob because of weight difference. Same physics, just with some things turned around some. Great game. Some different skills. Just takes practice and it will all come together, and perhaps help your game on a 9' table. Cue close to center ball, and left/right english used to make shots and position.
This may sound backward...
but truthfully bartable 8 ball is one of the best things you can do for your game. It will make playing on a 9ft so easy. First of all...you'll need to play extremely precise position because of the much smaller window you'll often have to stop the rock in. Plus it brings up a lot of straight pool knowledge as far as dealing with clusters. If the clusters are giving you problems then...#1 - work on your break, you should be making 4 to 5 balls often playing barbox 8 ball. #2 - you need to examine the table more carefully and take better angles on the available shots as to be able to open clusters. One of my teams is actually an 8 ball barbox team...and its not uncommon for me to win my match (5,6, or 7 games) with only 1, 2, or 3 innings. Of course I do have the luxury of Simonis and the TV cueball.
I FREAKIN' HATE that heavy barbox lopsided ball.
After that...when I transfer to the big table it almost seems as if I'm stealin' because the balls spread out so well and my position windows are HUGE by comparison.
Hope this helps.
but truthfully bartable 8 ball is one of the best things you can do for your game. It will make playing on a 9ft so easy. First of all...you'll need to play extremely precise position because of the much smaller window you'll often have to stop the rock in. Plus it brings up a lot of straight pool knowledge as far as dealing with clusters. If the clusters are giving you problems then...#1 - work on your break, you should be making 4 to 5 balls often playing barbox 8 ball. #2 - you need to examine the table more carefully and take better angles on the available shots as to be able to open clusters. One of my teams is actually an 8 ball barbox team...and its not uncommon for me to win my match (5,6, or 7 games) with only 1, 2, or 3 innings. Of course I do have the luxury of Simonis and the TV cueball.
I FREAKIN' HATE that heavy barbox lopsided ball.
After that...when I transfer to the big table it almost seems as if I'm stealin' because the balls spread out so well and my position windows are HUGE by comparison.
Hope this helps.
cuetechasaurus said:
I wouldn't go that far, since most of the A players or Master players still make Barbox 8-ball look easy. But, many of us play league 8-ball on barboxes, and many of us go to some national 8-ball tournament. So, yeah, I think most of us know what you're talking about.
The challenge of barbox 8-ball stems from the small area to work with. Though shotmaking normally isn't an issue, the angles and pathways that the cueball and object ball have to travel are unlike what you might see on a 9' table, and will make the shotmaking more difficult. And, many more of your shots will be jacked up over balls or rails as well. You'll see more combinations, and clusters that won't break up to anywhere good.
I think many players who don't play both often and against very good competition underestimate the toughness.
Fred
I think the points about the pathways and angles the cueball and object balls travel is very underestimated by most people. Also, the jacked up statement as well.Cornerman said:
As someone who plays bar table 8-ball almost exclusively, I have come to realize that these are some of the things that separate the good players from the great players at this game. In my opinion, this is the one game that the really good amateur player actually has a small chance of winning some of the time against the pro players. It's a great game, that's for sure !!!!!
Yeah, barbox 8 ball can be a very demanding game, but I wouldn't go as far as saying it's more difficult than playing on the 9 footers.
On the barbox you're playing for narrow position zones but you also move the cueball very little by comparison.
Either way, if you play only 9 footers you'll have difficulty on the barbox and vice-versa.
New York does not have a barbox scene at all, so I don't get to play it as much as I would've liked. It does tighten your cueball, and gets you seeing patterns, much like straight pool. But what it has that straight doesn't is strategic maneuvering that can get up there with one pocket in complexity.
On the barbox you're playing for narrow position zones but you also move the cueball very little by comparison.
Either way, if you play only 9 footers you'll have difficulty on the barbox and vice-versa.
New York does not have a barbox scene at all, so I don't get to play it as much as I would've liked. It does tighten your cueball, and gets you seeing patterns, much like straight pool. But what it has that straight doesn't is strategic maneuvering that can get up there with one pocket in complexity.
I'm the exact opposite!
I live in a rural area and the only tables to play on around here are 7 ft. bar tables. And that is what all the tournaments are on. So that is what I always play on.
So I mostly play bar box 8-ball and then 9-ball about once a week with a friend.
Well my friend and I went to the city last night and played 8-ball on a 9 footer. My position play went out the window and I had trouble with missing cut shots. It was like I was a day one beginner all over again. I did manage to make many of my shots, but was terrible at leaving the cue ball where I was trying to leave it. The slick shiny super fast cloth did not help matters.
Then we played 9-ball. I couldn't run anything! And since my friend likes to leave me with impossible shots, I had a lot of difficult long cut shots which I couldn't make. And then I couldn't leave position for my next shots, so it was one ball at a time then miss the next shot. When I got ball-in-hand, then things were a lot easier and I could run 4 balls sometimes.
But I suppose this is like everything. Practice makes perfect. We both were making more shots and getting better at leaving position after playing for a couple of hours.
I live in a rural area and the only tables to play on around here are 7 ft. bar tables. And that is what all the tournaments are on. So that is what I always play on.
So I mostly play bar box 8-ball and then 9-ball about once a week with a friend.
Well my friend and I went to the city last night and played 8-ball on a 9 footer. My position play went out the window and I had trouble with missing cut shots. It was like I was a day one beginner all over again. I did manage to make many of my shots, but was terrible at leaving the cue ball where I was trying to leave it. The slick shiny super fast cloth did not help matters.
Then we played 9-ball. I couldn't run anything! And since my friend likes to leave me with impossible shots, I had a lot of difficult long cut shots which I couldn't make. And then I couldn't leave position for my next shots, so it was one ball at a time then miss the next shot. When I got ball-in-hand, then things were a lot easier and I could run 4 balls sometimes.
But I suppose this is like everything. Practice makes perfect. We both were making more shots and getting better at leaving position after playing for a couple of hours.
T
Timberly
Guest
That was an uncalled for pompus cheap shot, and shameless plugging.Varney Cues said:
The thread is about playing on barboxes, not jumping balls, knocking the friends of other forum members, or selling your cues.
As for you making 4-5 balls CONSISTENTLY on the break... I call BS
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I will whole heartedly agree with this BS call. I sometimes will go 3-5 breaks without making a ball and I'm hitting them pretty darn square. I do defintely need work on my break, but 4-5 balls every break is VERY unrealistic. With ANY break cue.Timberly said:
T
Timberly
Guest
I've played on them quite a bit since there really isn't anything else in the area. I played on a tap league for 2 or 3 seasons and then we switched to a scotch doubles league. My team consisted of 5 guys and 2 girls....tsw_521 said:
I've got a pretty decent break "for a girl"
On a barbox my break was even with my male teammates. I broke every bit as good as they did. The tables we played on were covered in simonis. A few had a knock off brand but they were knock offs from simonis, not that slow nap stuff. No one made 4-5 balls consistently on the break. Not on my team or any other team. It has happend once in awhile but never with any consistency.
I go to the pool hall and Practice on a 9' table with tight 2 ball pockets and fast felt.......After warming up for an hour I'll go to the bar and just kill..... The distances are smaller the pockets are bigger and everything is closer. I play a real soft touch game on the 9' table because the felt is so fast, and my control isn't where it needs to be.....so on barbox felt my game is just right....
The guys who are always playing barbox and then can't play as well on the bigger tables don't realize that you don't have to hit harder because it's bigger.....That's how you end up missing...
McCue Banger McCue
The guys who are always playing barbox and then can't play as well on the bigger tables don't realize that you don't have to hit harder because it's bigger.....That's how you end up missing...
McCue Banger McCue
I'd be happy if I could just make 1 ball consistantly, I mean above 80-90%.
Is there *any* pro(or anyone in general) that can make a ball consistantly on the break without having a sardo juiced the head ball to the side?
I was just watching the 10 ball ring game on Video.Google.com and saw that even using the sardo having the head ball going to the side or by others just breaking the hell out of balls, nonethe less they were unable to string more than a rack or two together due to not consistantly making a ball on the breaK(and 10 ball breaks way easier than 8 ball).
I too call BS on anyone saying that making 4-5 balls on the break is not a problem, I'll call BS on anyone that says they can make a SINGLE ball on more than 9/10ths of their breaks consistantly on multiple tables too....
Is there *any* pro(or anyone in general) that can make a ball consistantly on the break without having a sardo juiced the head ball to the side?
I was just watching the 10 ball ring game on Video.Google.com and saw that even using the sardo having the head ball going to the side or by others just breaking the hell out of balls, nonethe less they were unable to string more than a rack or two together due to not consistantly making a ball on the breaK(and 10 ball breaks way easier than 8 ball).
I too call BS on anyone saying that making 4-5 balls on the break is not a problem, I'll call BS on anyone that says they can make a SINGLE ball on more than 9/10ths of their breaks consistantly on multiple tables too....
From playing 90% of my games on 7 footers, I can say that the thing that makes for a good barbox player is the ability to break out balls while still getting position. A lot of people can consistently get good position for the next shot but not many are excellent at getting postion and breaking a blocked ball.
When playing barbox, you can bet that you will have two or more balls that you must break out to run the table.
When playing barbox, you can bet that you will have two or more balls that you must break out to run the table.
I find 14.1 helps out the bar box game quite a bit. You learn how to break out clusters and such.
Ok...lets get something straight...if you guys are going to try & quote me...GET IT CORRECT!!! I never said I make 4-5 balls consistantly...I said..."OFTEN"!!! I never said its not a problem either...I said making a "multitude" of balls on the break is not a problem...and its not, on a barbox with Simonis! We are not talking 9ft 9 ball...we are talking 8 ball on a barbox w/Simonis. I've actually made 7 balls on this set up before. Sorry...but my pantyhose aren't too tight and I hit em' like a man. When I'm breaking...people stop and watch...and ask questions. If you don't believe me, I could care less but I do question your talent. I've been clocked and I'm over 30mph. The only other player they clocked hitting them harder than me who was there was Sammy Jones. There are some who break even harder than I...Breedlove is the first one who comes to mind. Making & selling jump/break cues pays my bills and I promise I know how to work one. Like I actually did say...quote..."I can make a legal jump from less than one inch away over a full ball". Now maybe before you call BS you should read what I actually wrote. Get pissed if you like...but I'll NEVER back down from a TRUE statement!!!
As for the guy who said he goes 3 or 4 racks in a row without making a ball...I'll bite my lip and not say a word...everyone here is laughing too hard!!!!!!!!!!
As for the guy who said he goes 3 or 4 racks in a row without making a ball...I'll bite my lip and not say a word...everyone here is laughing too hard!!!!!!!!!!
Secaucus Fats
Banned
tsw_521 said:
I play regularly on a 7ft Great American barbox with Simonis that is kept in ideal conditions, and with cleaned and polished Aramith Super Pros. I have 3 break cues, two with canvas phenolic tips, and one with a pure phenolic tip that I got a long time ago from Joe Picone in FL.
I am a big boy and I break hard as a mother and smack the second ball in the stack right in the face most every single time and yes..I sometimes make 4, 5, and even 6 on the break. But that is not a regular ocurrence. What I like about this break however, is that 1.) I win a lot of games with 8 on the break, 2.) Even if I don't make the 8 I usually put something down and have a pretty much wide open table from which to commence a run.
Now, with perfect conditions for a barbox such as I detailed above, and a solid hard ass break. I would bet that the object of Timberly's keen interest cannot reliably make 4 or 5 on the break. Of course, his odds go way down on Mali or the like, and that's without throwing in things like old dirty balls.
No offense to Varneycues but I'm siding with the BS vote.