Buddy Hall - 9-Ball Rules

Ste

Ste

Caribbean Carnivore
Silver Member
Hey All,

For those who missed the TAR / IPT coverage of the One Pocket tourney at Shooters; after losing in the final to Gabe Owen, Buddy Hall was asked about the demise / lack of interest in 9 Ball.

He stated that "if played right" it's the greatest game in the world. His favoured rules for the game would be :

- Break foul = play from kitchen
- balls potted on b/f = spotted
- if lowest ball in kitchen on b/f = spotted
- push out on any shot
- LOSER BREAKS

What y'all think to that ?

To me - that not only removes ANY element of luck - but makes the game truly more beautiful. Some of these rules wee taken from Johnston City where they were voted in by the players.

God Bless Buddy.

Comments ?

.
 
Last edited:
I agree with Buddy, 100%, but you'll find that most here don't. And, it's Johnston City, by the way.
 
hi

Ste said:
Hey All,

For those who missed the TAR / IPT coverage of the One Pocket tourney at Shooters; after losing in the final to Gabe Owen, Buddy Hall was asked about the demise / lack of interest in 9 Ball.

He stated that "if played right" it's the greatest game in the world. His favoured rules for the game would be :

- Break foul = play from kitchen
- balls potted on b/f = spotted
- if lowest ball in kitchen on b/f = spotted
- push out on any shot
- LOSER BREAKS

What y'all think to that ?

To me - that not only removes ANY element of luck - but makes the game truly more beautiful. Some of these rules wee taken from Johnson City where they were voted in by the players.

God Bless Buddy.

Comments ?

.
Click to expand...
these are by far superior rules for so many reasons i dont even feel like typing them all
 
sounds like a good set of rules . . .

but why not one more change, one more ball?

Hu
 
These changes would make nine ball more of a shotmakers game, and would make defense, kicking and two way shots far less important. Further, these changes would reduce the penalty for position poorly played. To me, defense, kicking and two way shots are the most interesting thing about nine ball, and players who hook themselves should pay the full penalty of having to kick, jump or masse. All the shotmakers want to go back to the rules that favored shotmakers the most, but a return to that game would remove many of the most imaginative shots and tactics from the game.

I grew up on push out nine ball, and found it far less interesting than Texas Express, both to play and to watch. A return to the old rules would certainly spell the end of my attendance at nine ball tournaments.

As our one pocket posters often point out, much of the majesty in one pocket is brought about by the fact that one can play offense and defense together, often employing creative use of billiard knowledge in the process. Texas Express nine ball offers the player the same options, but the old way of playing nine ball rarely does.

Some feel that the shotmakers version of nine ball is a greater test of skill, but to me, Texas Express nine ball requires a far more rounded skill set.

Both versions of nine ball have merit, but I'll always prefer Texas Express.
 
I agree with ShootingArts 10 ball is the game i would prefer.
However, with those rules I like 9 ball too.
They only thing I would like to see added is having to call the 9 ball.
I can't stand it when someone swings wildly at the ball and the nine finds the bottom of the pocket. Likewise, I don't feel all that great when I too make the nine out of turn by accident either.
 
I like these rules except for the loser breaks. It would make it even more difficult to make a come back if you are behind than if you are playing alternating breaks. Winner breaks allows for more excitement (high runs) and the better player will win in a long race because the better player can string racks together and maintain control of the table.

I'm a little iffy about the cue ball in the kitchen rule. I feel as though it can punish the incoming player if the object ball is unmakable or if spotting the ball makes it very difficult to get on the next. The kitchen rule is fine for one pocket and straight pool because everyball is an object ball, but I don't like it for rotation games.

The pushout rule by itself removes a huge amount of luck from the game. It drives me insane when someone misses and leaves me snookered. I simply don't like punishing the incoming player for their opponent's mistakes.

Why don't we just play rotation?
 
-Looser breaks
-Break from box
-3 balls past the headstring on break
-call combo's and 9 ball

and Earls favorite........No jump cue
 
I like Texas Express rules except:

-I would cancel the three foul rule
-I would play call every shot
-9 ball on the break in either top corner pocket would spot back up
 
Whatever the rule set, I think the biggest problem is that we have races that are simply too short.
Races to 7 in 9ball? To 9? Come on, those guys are pro's!
10 ball won't solve anything because races are still too short at the championship level.

We need longer races. Best of 3 sets races to 15. No need for double elimination, single elimination would be just fine. Winner breaks, always. World championships do not need 128 participants. 32 of the very best is quite enough. And yes, the final of the world pool championships should last for two days, just like the final of world snooker championships.
 
That's the rules i grew up playing on except the losers breaking part...
We also played shoot again on all fouls and on scratches CB behind the line/kitchen. The only ball spotted up was the one b4 the 9.
I miss those days...=(
 
sjm said:
These changes would make nine ball more of a shotmakers game, and would make defense, kicking and two way shots far less important. Further, these changes would reduce the penalty for position poorly played. To me, defense, kicking and two way shots are the most interesting thing about nine ball, and players who hook themselves should pay the full penalty of having to kick, jump or masse. All the shotmakers want to go back to the rules that favored shotmakers the most, but a return to that game would remove many of the most imaginative shots and tactics from the game.

I grew up on push out nine ball, and found it far less interesting than Texas Express, both to play and to watch. A return to the old rules would certainly spell the end of my attendance at nine ball tournaments.

As our one pocket posters often point out, much of the majesty in one pocket is brought about by the fact that one can play offense and defense together, often employing creative use of billiard knowledge in the process. Texas Express nine ball offers the player the same options, but the old way of playing nine ball rarely does.

Some feel that the shotmakers version of nine ball is a greater test of skill, but to me, Texas Express nine ball requires a far more rounded skill set.

Both versions of nine ball have merit, but I'll always prefer Texas Express.
Click to expand...

I agree with much of what you say here, lbut one thing the push would bring back is the bank shot which has gone by the way side in the past 25 years.

With the push, it would become almost comical back in the day when someone would get loose and other guy's stroke would get short and you could see the look in his eye as he prayed for some sort of shot. Suddenly the guy leading would get bad on ball and push to an obvious bank, the incomin g player would study and study the shot and you could see what he was thinking. " I don't feel good about this, but I can't pass, or he is out".

I understand Buddy's thinking, but the rules lean toward the lesser players and I doubt it will ever change. IMO, without some luck, pool is even more boring to watch.
 
Why not make it call shot? I never understood why 9 ball & 1 Pocket don't require you to make the ball you intended in the pocket you intended. Why do we reward slop at the highest level of play?
 
john schmidt said:
these are by far superior rules for so many reasons i dont even feel like typing them all
Click to expand...

Then please address how one can see it is logical to push-out when someone plays you safe. Please don't come back w/ the retort of someone crapping into a safe, there are plenty of times safes aren't crapped into...

I can't think of any other situation where, if a player doesn't like his options, he can move the CB w/ out a significant penalty.
 
Matt_24 said:
I like Texas Express rules except:

-I would cancel the three foul rule
-I would play call every shot
-9 ball on the break in either top corner pocket would spot back up
Click to expand...

The balls are racked at the foot of the table.

Have you been playing pool upside down all along?!:eek:
 
Black-Balled said:
Then please address how one can see it is logical to push-out when someone plays you safe. Please don't come back w/ the retort of someone crapping into a safe, there are plenty of times safes aren't crapped into...

I can't think of any other situation where, if a player doesn't like his options, he can move the CB w/ out a significant penalty.
Click to expand...

Your thinking about the push-out in terms of how the game is currently played and not how Buddy thinks it should be played. If you can push-out I think the strategy would be a little different then how 9ball is currently played. ;)
 
GordonRamsay said:
-Looser breaks
-Break from box
-3 balls past the headstring on break
-call combo's and 9 ball

and Earls favorite........No jump cue
Click to expand...

What the hell's wrong with jump cues? I've met Earl and he was a pretty nice guy when he wasn't on one of his rants. Still, I think he's full of sh!t regarding jump cues.

I shoot jump shots with a full length cue and a jump cue fairly well. I kick very well for a mediocre amateur too. Just because it's easier to jump with a jump cue doesn't cheapen the game. You never hear golfers get criticized for getting out of a sand trap with a sand wedge. They don't use a driver when they're in a sand trap. Similarly, it's stupid to use a break cue to jump a ball when you can use a jump cue.
 
daphish1 said:
Your thinking about the push-out in terms of how the game is currently played and not how Buddy thinks it should be played. If you can push-out I think the strategy would be a little different then how 9ball is currently played. ;)
Click to expand...

I think you are reading between the lines too much! My post wans't that deep!!!

I am familiar with pushout- when I started playing that was the game.

I never liked it that my opponent could play crappy shape and then pushout to somewhere else. I never liked it when I stuck him to the back of a ball, broke up a cluster and he pushed out. Both are silly. SILLY, I SAY!! ;) :)
 
Ste said:
Hey All,

For those who missed the TAR / IPT coverage of the One Pocket tourney at Shooters; after losing in the final to Gabe Owen, Buddy Hall was asked about the demise / lack of interest in 9 Ball.

He stated that "if played right" it's the greatest game in the world. His favoured rules for the game would be :

- Break foul = play from kitchen
- balls potted on b/f = spotted
- if lowest ball in kitchen on b/f = spotted
- push out on any shot
- LOSER BREAKS

What y'all think to that ?

To me - that not only removes ANY element of luck - but makes the game truly more beautiful. Some of these rules wee taken from Johnston City where they were voted in by the players.

God Bless Buddy.

Comments ?

.
Click to expand...

It would bring back the spot shot thats for sure.


and i like the rules the way they are.
 
I'm Just Sayin....

I like the rules that Buddy suggested, but I'd prefer to watch 9-ball with the rules we used to use in marbles. Just as your opponent is about to shoot, you can holler BLOCKSIES, UPSIES AND BOMBSIES (if they didn't holler NO blockies, upsies & bombsies first)......

Doug
 
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