Best Game For Good players on a BB?

[Johnnyt]

What do you feel is the best game on a BB (Diamond or Tight Valley with (Ridgeback Rails) for the more skilled player to come out on top most of the time?

I think it might be 10-ball, no slop, winner breaks, rack your own or Magic Rack. Would like to get some other opinions on this or what other games you feel are more favored to the better player on a tight BB. Games with the most luck taken out of them. Johnnyt

 

[sfleinen]

Bank Pool = pure luck-removed pool

What do you feel is the best game on a BB (Diamond or Tight Valley with (Ridgeback Rails) for the more skilled player to come out on top most of the time?

I think it might be 10-ball, no slop, winner breaks, rack your own or Magic Rack. Would like to get some other opinions on this or what other games you feel are more favored to the better player on a tight BB. Games with the most luck taken out of them. Johnnyt

Johnny:

Believe it or not, the "purest" game with absolutely minimized luck is Bank Pool. You have to call the shot precisely (the exact path the object ball is going to take), and IT MUST GO IN CLEAN -- no caroming off another ball into the called pocket. Additionally, balls made on the break were not "called" so as soon as the breaker's turn is over, those balls are spotted.

On a barbox, a game called "short-rack banks" is very popular and a great test of skill. Basically, it's 9 balls (doesn't matter the number or sequence -- any 9 balls including the higher numbers) racked in the standard diamond-shaped 9-ball rack. The break is a hard one, albeit "so what" if someone soft-breaks or cut-breaks to make the "wired" wing balls -- those balls spot-up at the end of the turn anyway (and no, you can't "call" them on the break). The real test is the shooting itself. The first to reach 5 successful banks wins the rack.

Chris Bartram feels the same way -- Bank Pool is the purest form of luck-screened pool. And it's extremely fun to watch a world-class banker like John Brumback pound 'em in with authority.

Thoughts?
-Sean

 

[Tony_in_MD]

Call pocket 8 ball.

Rotation games (9 and 10) are too easy on a barbox. Straight and one pocket are not games to be played on a small table. (IMHO)

Leaves 8 ball the perfect combination of shotmaking, safety play, and full rack congestion on a bar box.

Like the Bank pool argument too.

Johnny:

Believe it or not, the "purest" game with absolutely minimized luck is Bank Pool. You have to call the shot precisely (the exact path the object ball is going to take), and IT MUST GO IN CLEAN -- no caroming off another ball into the called pocket. Additionally, balls made on the break were not "called" so as soon as the breaker's turn is over, those balls are spotted.

On a barbox, a game called "short-rack banks" is very popular and a great test of skill. Basically, it's 9 balls (doesn't matter the number or sequence -- any 9 balls including the higher numbers) racked in the standard diamond-shaped 9-ball rack. The break is a hard one, albeit "so what" if someone soft-breaks or cut-breaks to make the "wired" wing balls -- those balls spot-up at the end of the turn anyway (and no, you can't "call" them on the break). The real test is the shooting itself. The first to reach 5 successful banks wins the rack.

Chris Bartram feels the same way -- Bank Pool is the purest form of luck-screened pool. And it's extremely fun to watch a world-class banker like John Brumback pound 'em in with authority.

Thoughts?
-Sean

 

[Johnnyt]

Johnny:

Believe it or not, the "purest" game with absolutely minimized luck is Bank Pool. You have to call the shot precisely (the exact path the object ball is going to take), and IT MUST GO IN CLEAN -- no caroming off another ball into the called pocket. Additionally, balls made on the break were not "called" so as soon as the breaker's turn is over, those balls are spotted.

On a barbox, a game called "short-rack banks" is very popular and a great test of skill. Basically, it's 9 balls (doesn't matter the number or sequence -- any 9 balls including the higher numbers) racked in the standard diamond-shaped 9-ball rack. The break is a hard one, albeit "so what" if someone soft-breaks or cut-breaks to make the "wired" wing balls -- those balls spot-up at the end of the turn anyway (and no, you can't "call" them on the break). The real test is the shooting itself. The first to reach 5 successful banks wins the rack.

Chris Bartram feels the same way -- Bank Pool is the purest form of luck-screened pool. And it's extremely fun to watch a world-class banker like John Brumback pound 'em in with authority.

Thoughts?
-Sean

I have played very little bank pool of any kind. For some reason I never have seen banks or short banks played on a BB. I've been asked to change the game to short rack banks on a BB but those guys had a Kentucky twang in their voices so I said no.
I'll have to give it a good try on my box. I never even thought of playing it. It sounds like a good game for a BB. Maybe Jay Helfert could teach me how to play it right. I'm not sure if he gambles or not. I hat playing for nothing. Thanks Sean. Johnnyt

 

[sfleinen]

I have played very little bank pool of any kind. For some reason I never have seen banks or short banks played on a BB. I've been asked to change the game to short rack banks on a BB but those guys had a Kentucky twang in their voices so I said no.
I'll have to give it a good try on my box. I never even thought of playing it. It sounds like a good game for a BB. Maybe Jay Helfert could teach me how to play it right. I'm not sure if he gambles or not. I hat playing for nothing. Thanks Sean. Johnnyt

Johnny:

My pleasure. What's really cool about short-rack banks is that on a coin-op barbox, after the coin drop and you've racked the balls, you have 6 balls left to use for "spotting." For a fair banker, that should be enough. It might not be enough for those just beginning to explore the game, though, because remember -- any shot that pockets but doesn't go in CLEAN spots back up. And a player owes a ball when he/she scratches as well. (TIP: The total number of beads slotted for successful banks for both players + the number of balls still left on the table should always equal "9".) So a couple bangers will use-up those 6 spare balls pretty quickly before someone actually gets to "5".

That's why a good player such as yourself can really get a lot of bang for your buck with short-rack banks. Yes, I know you own your barbox and thus there's no coin-drop, but when you walk into an establishment with coin-drop barboxes looking for some action... you get the idea. The only adjustment you personally might have to make is how the rails/cushions are reacting compared to your barbox's Ridgebacks.

And barboxes tend to be VERY GENEROUS in accepting bank shots -- much more so than 9-footers. Barboxes usually don't have the problem with spitting balls out, unless the pockets on the barbox are so beat-up that the chiseled faces on the throat of the pockets are no longer flat, but curved from years of players slamming balls into them. Watch out for these tables -- don't play short-rack banks on them.

Here's a good short description of the rules, in case it's helpful:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_pool

Enjoy!
-Sean

 

[Johnnyt]

Johnny:

My pleasure. What's really cool about short-rack banks is that on a coin-op barbox, after the coin drop and you've racked the balls, you have 6 balls left to use for "spotting." For a fair banker, that should be enough. It might not be enough for those just beginning to explore the game, though, because remember -- any shot that pockets but doesn't go in CLEAN spots back up. And a player owes a ball when he/she scratches as well. (TIP: The total number of beads slotted for successful banks for both players + the number of balls still left on the table should always equal "9".) So a couple bangers will use-up those 6 spare balls pretty quickly before someone actually gets to "5".

That's why a good player such as yourself can really get a lot of bang for your buck with short-rack banks. Yes, I know you own your barbox and thus there's no coin-drop, but when you walk into an establishment with coin-drop barboxes looking for some action... you get the idea. The only adjustment you personally might have to make is how the rails/cushions are reacting compared to your barbox's Ridgebacks.

And barboxes tend to be VERY GENEROUS in accepting bank shots -- much more so than 9-footers. Barboxes usually don't have the problem with spitting balls out, unless the pockets on the barbox are so beat-up that the chiseled faces on the throat of the pockets are no longer flat, but curved from years of players slamming balls into them. Watch out for these tables -- don't play short-rack banks on them.

Here's a good short description of the rules, in case it's helpful:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_pool

Enjoy!
-Sean

Thank you for the rules and advice. Johnnyt

 

[grindz]

I second the banks! :wink:

Now should we vote?

td


'bank on brother'

 

[poolhustler]

Last pocket 8 Ball

 

[jay helfert]

I love Banks but Eight Ball is by far the best skill game on a bar table. All those balls jammed in a small area. Banks are a joke imo. I'm only an average banker and I might run out all day on a bar box.

 

[grindz]

What do you feel is the best game on a BB (Diamond or Tight Valley with (Ridgeback Rails)

for the more skilled player to come out on top most of the time?..........

Johnnyt

You sure about that Jay.... I mean 'captain banks'? :grin:

td

 

[sfleinen]

I love Banks but Eight Ball is by far the best skill game on a bar table. All those balls jammed in a small area. Banks are a joke imo. I'm only an average banker and I might run out all day on a bar box.

Jay:

Yep, when you're doing 5-and-outs in succession like that, it's time to go to full-rack banks. Obviously a lot tougher trying to weave banks through all that traffic on such a small table -- and at that level of play, the closer you get to doing an 8-and-out, the closer you are to a miss causing your opponent to do the same to you (i.e. you've cleared the congestion for him).

But alas, full-rack banks are not conducive to a coin-op barbox, unless the proprietor of the establishment opens the side of the table for you (and keeps it open for the duration of the game) so that you can spot balls if you need to.

Anyway, I agree that last-pocket 8-ball is a great skill game for the barbox, as well as "bank last pocket 8-ball" (where you have to bank the 8-ball into your last pocket).

-Sean

 

[book collector]

Best game for good players on a BB

Last pocket 8 ball gives the smarter guy a tremendous advantage.