This is a variant of regional south-eastern European 8-ball rules:
- Racking: 8 goes on the foot spot, other balls are racked in solid-stripe-solid-stripe order starting from the apex ball
- no ball-in-hand
- no requirement for any ball to hit the rail on break or during the game
- no requirement for the cue ball to hit a rail or any other ball (forgot to add this one)
- no shot calling (slop counts)
- Breaking: from kitchen, you take the suit which goes in first, if nothing drops the opponent shoots and the players keep alternating shots until something drops
- you keep shooting as long as you pocket at least one of your balls per shot
- if you pocket your opponent's ball you lose your turn
- if you hit your opponent's ball directly (without touching a rail or one of your balls first) you lose your turn and the opponent decides whether he wants to pocket that ball or not
- if you hit the 8 ball directly you lose the game
- Scratches: after scratch cue ball goes on the head spot and the opponent is not allowed to hit anything from side pocket - head spot - side pocket line to head rail directly
- you need to pocket the 8 in your last pocket (the one where you pocketed your last ball) in order to win
- if at any time you pocket the 8 before you finished up all of your balls, knock it off the table or drop it in the wrong pocket, you lose
- if another ball is pocketed along with the 8 (cue ball or your opponent's ball) you also lose
- once on the 8 ball, failing to touch it 3 times in a row is another way to lose the game
- you lose your turn by knocking any ball off the table
- balls knocked off the table are spotted the closest possible to the central diamond on the head rail
- if the cue ball is knocked off the table, it is treated as a scratch
- if at any time the 8 ball stops at the edge of a pocket which is neither player's last pocket, both players can decide to spot it next to the central diamond on either the head rail or the foot rail
There may be some other rules I've accidentally left out, and if I did I'll add them to the list. I'd like if you could please answer these questions for me:
1. How hard and complicated this version of 8-ball is comparing to 8-ball played by WSR rules?
2. Do these rules favor the stronger or the weaker player and how much do they even the field comparing to No-Conflict 8-ball rules?
3. Is this version more profound strategy-wise (more like chess)?
4. Does it take more or less shooting and CB control skill than the WSR version?
5. Would these rules be a good choice for leagues and tournaments? Do they give enough chances to the weaker player so handicaps wouldn't be necessary?
- Racking: 8 goes on the foot spot, other balls are racked in solid-stripe-solid-stripe order starting from the apex ball
- no ball-in-hand
- no requirement for any ball to hit the rail on break or during the game
- no requirement for the cue ball to hit a rail or any other ball (forgot to add this one)
- no shot calling (slop counts)
- Breaking: from kitchen, you take the suit which goes in first, if nothing drops the opponent shoots and the players keep alternating shots until something drops
- you keep shooting as long as you pocket at least one of your balls per shot
- if you pocket your opponent's ball you lose your turn
- if you hit your opponent's ball directly (without touching a rail or one of your balls first) you lose your turn and the opponent decides whether he wants to pocket that ball or not
- if you hit the 8 ball directly you lose the game
- Scratches: after scratch cue ball goes on the head spot and the opponent is not allowed to hit anything from side pocket - head spot - side pocket line to head rail directly
- you need to pocket the 8 in your last pocket (the one where you pocketed your last ball) in order to win
- if at any time you pocket the 8 before you finished up all of your balls, knock it off the table or drop it in the wrong pocket, you lose
- if another ball is pocketed along with the 8 (cue ball or your opponent's ball) you also lose
- once on the 8 ball, failing to touch it 3 times in a row is another way to lose the game
- you lose your turn by knocking any ball off the table
- balls knocked off the table are spotted the closest possible to the central diamond on the head rail
- if the cue ball is knocked off the table, it is treated as a scratch
- if at any time the 8 ball stops at the edge of a pocket which is neither player's last pocket, both players can decide to spot it next to the central diamond on either the head rail or the foot rail
There may be some other rules I've accidentally left out, and if I did I'll add them to the list. I'd like if you could please answer these questions for me:
1. How hard and complicated this version of 8-ball is comparing to 8-ball played by WSR rules?
2. Do these rules favor the stronger or the weaker player and how much do they even the field comparing to No-Conflict 8-ball rules?
3. Is this version more profound strategy-wise (more like chess)?
4. Does it take more or less shooting and CB control skill than the WSR version?
5. Would these rules be a good choice for leagues and tournaments? Do they give enough chances to the weaker player so handicaps wouldn't be necessary?
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