Explain this gambling term

livemusic

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So, if Tom gives Sam the 7-ball in a game of 9-ball. Sam only needs to make the 8 and 9 or just how does that work? Just a guess, lol.
 

David in FL

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A good thing to clarify before you start playing, but ordinarily Sam wins if he makes either the seven ball or the nine ball. If Tom were to give him the 7/out then he would win if he made either the seven, the eight, or the nine.

It’s also important to clarify whether any/all of the money balls have to be called…
 

cycopath

Call me Banger.
Silver Member
If you “give” a player a certain ball that ball becomes their winning ball, as well as the 9 ball.

Also if you give the player “the last two” once the table is down to two balls either ball is the winning ball for that player. Still shot in numerical order of course.


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cycopath

Call me Banger.
Silver Member
Also if you give the the player the “wild X” (x being whichever specific ball) that ball counts on the break. Otherwise it doesn’t.


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Tennesseejoe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think 'Wild' means any time the Wild ball is made on a legal shot it is good. You do not have to call it.
 

jimmyco

NRA4Life
Silver Member
...and when it's gone, it's gone. IOW, your opponent combos/caroms the 7, it does not spot.
 
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Poolplaya9

Tellin' it like it is...
Silver Member
---You have the "call 7" = the 7 becomes a game winning ball for you only if you make in on a legal shot and call it and the pocket (hence why it is called the "call 7"). If you slop it in somewhere on a legal shot that was not called it is treated like any other ball that was slopped in and you get to continue your turn but it doesn't win you the game.

---You have the "wild 7" = if you make the 7 on a legal shot, even if it is unintentional or it goes into a pocket other than what was intended, then you win the game. That includes on the break. It is also very common for the wild 7 to not be allowed to be wild on the break but will be wild for the rest of the game, but if this is not specified before the match then wild means wild on the break too. When the 7 is agreed not to be wild on the break, it stays down when made on the break but it is also fairly common to play where any wild balls made on the break will spot back up immediately after the break (but it must be specified that you are playing that way otherwise the default is that they stay down). If you are getting the wild 7 and racking for yourself it is prudent to rack it where it has the greatest chances for going on the break, such as on the corner ball location, and if you are giving the wild 7 to someone else and racking for each other, it is prudent to rack the 7 in a location where it is not likely to go on the beak for them such as in the second row right behind the head ball. It is also very commonly negotiated before the match where the wild balls can and cannot be placed in the rack.

---You have "the 7" = wild 7. If call or wild wasn't specified, they mean wild.

---You have the "7 out" = "out" in this case means "on up", and since called or wild wasn't specified it means wild, so 7 out means (in 9 ball) that you have the 7 and 8 wild in addition to the 9 which is obviously always wild for everybody (unless you are playing a call shot variation of 9 ball).

---You have "the last two" = say the game is 9 ball, you win when you legally pocked the last remaining ball on the table other than the 9 ball on a called shot (others may play where the second to the last ball acts like a wild ball rather than a called ball but I don't think this would be common but in any case make sure you clarify all these type things before you start). Typically in 9 ball the last two balls left on the table will be the 8 and 9, but often enough because of what was made on the break or made earlier in the game, the last two balls might be the 7 and 9 or even the 5 and 9, who knows. Because of this, in 9 ball, "the last two" is very slightly more weight than the "call 8".

***When giving or getting weight, it is smart to spell out every last detail of all the above type things and never leave them to the assumption that your opponent has the same understanding of what certain terms mean that you, do or that they play these things the same way that you or everybody else you know does, because as sure as you don't explicitly specify every last detail your opponent is going to say things like "well xyz is the default for that around here/where I come from" or "that isn't how most people play it when you say that" or "I've never played it that way and didn't know that's what you meant" etc, whether they actually believe that to be true or not, and once you find yourself at that point it is at best a very messy situation and at worst a dangerous one.
 
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kling&allen

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
When I was introduced to this years ago (when I played even worse than I do now), an OK player once gave me the 5. I thought it would be easy money for me. Of course, when he broke he was able to run to the 5 almost all of the time (and play safe if needed afterwards) and if I broke I rarely made it to the 5. So it wasn't much of a handicap. Thankfully it was only a $20 lesson.
 

easy-e

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What's the consensus on the following:

"A" offers "B" the 7 ball. "A" breaks and runs to the three, realizes the 4 and 5 are tied up, so he takes a foul and pockets the 7 ball. What happens now?
 

Poolplaya9

Tellin' it like it is...
Silver Member
What's the consensus on the following:

"A" offers "B" the 7 ball. "A" breaks and runs to the three, realizes the 4 and 5 are tied up, so he takes a foul and pockets the 7 ball. What happens now?
I almost mentioned the opponent making one of your wild balls early in such a manner and decided my post was long enough. Short answer, you should have specified ahead of time and now there is likely to be an argument and a mess. Longer answer, that it spots back up or it stays down are both pretty common from what I've seen depending on the area, but I'd argue that you always follow the normal rules of the game unless something else was specifically specified so it stays down and opponent has ball in hand as always.

I've also seen it played quite a bit where your wild ball spots back up even when your opponent pockets it early on a legal shot, but again this would have to be negotiated in advance.
 

easy-e

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I almost mentioned the opponent making one of your wild balls early in such a manner and decided my post was long enough. Short answer, you should have specified ahead of time and now there is likely to be an argument and a mess. Longer answer, that it spots back up or it stays down are both pretty common from what I've seen depending on the area, but I'd argue that you always follow the normal rules of the game unless something else was specifically specified so it stays down and opponent has ball in hand as always.

I've also seen it played quite a bit where your wild ball spots back up even when your opponent pockets it early on a legal shot, but again this would have to be negotiated in advance.
I agree, just bringing up this example to emphasize the need to clarify such things in advance.
 

measureman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Same as if it were the 9. Money ball spots on illegal shot.
That's correct.
If the next ball in order is lined up for an easy combo on the 9 and my chances of making a legal hit on the next ball in order are remote but I can see the 9 I'm going to hit the 9 away or pocket it and give ball in hand to my opponent.
 

book collector

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Sheesh, it's a wonder any gamblers are still alive what with all the possible misunderstandings!
Most of the time ,if there was a misunderstanding , the whole room would be on the side of the player giving up the spot , herd mentality or something like that.
 
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