Going to Australia

[Eric H.]

I will be going to Australia in December, My girlfriend is a pool junkie like me but says that the rules are a lot different in Australia.

If you accidentally drop one of your opponents balls after making a legal shot on your own and droping a ball they get two shots? There is no foul rule, you dont have to hit a rail after hitting your object ball? and slop counts? After any scratch your opponent gets two shots? I really am not looking forward to playing there if that is the case. People can play dirty hooking you by tapping the ball behind the eight by moving it two inches and its legal?

Can anyone give me more insight on the Australian pool rules?

Thanks

Eric

 

[Hidy Ho]

I will be going to Australia in December, My girlfriend is a pool junkie like me but says that the rules are a lot different in Australia.

If you accidentally drop one of your opponents balls after making a legal shot on your own and droping a ball they get two shots? There is no foul rule, you dont have to hit a rail after hitting your object ball? and slop counts? After any scratch your opponent gets two shots? I really am not looking forward to playing there if that is the case. People can play dirty hooking you by tapping the ball behind the eight by moving it two inches and its legal?

Can anyone give me more insight on the Australian pool rules?

Thanks

Eric

I'm not an expert but in Thailand, they also play two shot foul. I believe this comes from UK 8 ball rule.

see below:

http://www.arseweb.com/rupe/pool/uk_rules.html

http://www.epa.org.uk/wrules.php

 

[Eric H.]

I dont mind the two shot rule so much, its the fact that you dont have to hit a rail after a ball, if two people want to play safes that way a game can go on forever. Maybe ill just take two weeks off of pool.

 

[Siz]

neverending safety

I dont mind the two shot rule so much, its the fact that you dont have to hit a rail after a ball, if two people want to play safes that way a game can go on forever. Maybe ill just take two weeks off of pool.

I think that you will find that in general players won't just keep playing safes by rolling up against a ball. You might find a player who adapts this tactic but you can just avoid playing them - everyone else will be :wink:

Having said that, of course if you go for a run out and mess up, leaving only one or two of your balls left, then you can expect to be snookered for ever. But I guess that is the same the world over.

Depending on details of the rules they play, a big difference you might find is that blocking a pocket becomes a more important tactical shot. Tighter pockets means that it is easier to do, and the rule against pocketing your opponent's balls means that it is more effective.

But don't worry - you shouldn't have any trouble adapting to their rules.

Their equipment will kill you though ...

 

[mullyman]

It's going to depend on where you go too. I've been to Australia 3 times and have yet to even find a real 9 foot pool table with regular balls. Only thing I found was this weird, taller than normal, just about 7.5 foot table with tight pockets and a bunch of red and yellow balls. It was almost like snooker on this tiny, tall table. I played a few games and never went back.
MULLY

 

[chamillionare]

I will be going to Australia in December, My girlfriend is a pool junkie like me but says that the rules are a lot different in Australia.

If you accidentally drop one of your opponents balls after making a legal shot on your own and droping a ball they get two shots? There is no foul rule, you dont have to hit a rail after hitting your object ball? and slop counts? After any scratch your opponent gets two shots? I really am not looking forward to playing there if that is the case. People can play dirty hooking you by tapping the ball behind the eight by moving it two inches and its legal?

Can anyone give me more insight on the Australian pool rules?

Thanks

Eric

in melbourne there is maybe 3 or 4pool rooms with american tables they dont play real good and there usually empty as no one uses them. in all of the country except sydney all you will find is 7 and 8 foot tables with really tight pockets much smaller balls than american pool but here is the real good kicker the white ball is smaller again and you need a 10 mm tip or less to play top class, its a game i refer to as tippy tap bullshit. though im sure you still have to hit a rail after contact but there is alot of snookering/safeties involved but if you only played american pool you will not like this game

in sydney there are still 7 foot tables but they have straight cut pockets like your pool and usually use a larger cue ball then the rest of the set similar to yours so you can poss use your cue, they also play mostly intenational rules ie 1 shot and have pool comps in hotels/pubs at night easily the best city to play pool in australia. if your not going to syd i would not bother bringing your cue and risking it with the plane

 

[Sanj]

Adelaide

I lived in Adelaide for over a year.
There is an amazing pool hall there .20 gc iv .
All 9ft tables.
The club is called the Empire pool hall on Rose street just off west terrace.
The tables are brushed and very clean. Mainly TV aramith pro balls.
If you get a chance to visit Adelaide ,visit the pool hall.
Alec Evranadis is the owner ,and is a friend of mine.
best wishes,
Sanj

 

[conetip]

7ft to 8ft tables are what most pubs will have,if they have a table.
The bar rules change a little from place to place. Most have the english sized snooker balls or pool balls, with tighter than american std tables.
Some places have sinkng the 8 on the break as a automatic loss of game.
Also not hitting the 8 ball when all yours are down. Not all places have the 2 shot foul rule. When breaking or when the cue ball goes back on the table, it must be shot from the D.
Some places if you pocket an oponents ball during your shot and also made your ball 1st, is still considered a foul and it is the oponents shot.
Nothing has to hit a rail after the cue ball is moved and there is usually no minimum distance for the cue ball travel. Pockets are not normally called and a shot is fine even if it goes off an oponents ball. Sometimes if there is a snooker situation, you can nominate a ball. It means that is the ball you will be hitting insted of your 8 ball and have not lost the game unless you missed the nominated ball.
It is all different and should be alot of fun. Your cue would most likely be considered large compared to the 10 mm or so front shaft dia of the southern cues.
Have fun Neil

 

[vagabond]

it will be considered a foul if your clothing or any of your body parts touch the cue ball or any balls on the table.

 

[rackmsuckr]

You might want to pm Colin Colenso, as he lives or lived there. I can also put you in touch with my buddy, Tammy Cantoni, who was the women's champion from there.

Here's a current picture of her. Isn't she a cutie?

 

[Colin Colenso]

You might want to pm Colin Colenso, as he lives or lived there.

Just found this thread.

Chamillionaire gave a pretty good summary of the game here I think. This tippy-tappy game is referred to as Blackball in the UK. Chamillionaire is actually an ex-world champion in the game.

But yes, I tend to agree with him. The game is not as good as US pool, though 1-pocket players might enjoy the strategy aspect. There is a lot of pocket blocking. Top shooters still tend to win out, though they'll have to put up with the odd drawn out tactical battle.

As in US bars, you'll find some odd rules, but hitting a rail after contact has been the competition standard here for about 20 years.

Sydney is probably the best city to play if you want to play in conditions more like US pool. Alec's Empire Billiards in Adelaide is also very good I understand.

Colin

Here are the rules: http://www.aebf.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=45&Itemid=62

Here's a video of the game in Action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khsW8CT09Ys

 

[vagabond]

You might want to pm Colin Colenso, as he lives or lived there. I can also put you in touch with my buddy, Tammy Cantoni, who was the women's champion from there.

Here's a current picture of her. Isn't she a cutie?

can u please put a word to Tammy about me ? please,please..I will treat you for a Australian lobster dinner when we run into each other in the future.Does she still live in Australia ? I thought she moved to some European country.I first met her in Auckland,NewZealand in the year 2002.One time Tammy gambled with R.Abbink in cue club,Las Vegas many years ago when she came to BCA 9 ball as a invitee.

 

[rodrivar]

Just found this thread.

Chamillionaire gave a pretty good summary of the game here I think. This tippy-tappy game is referred to as Blackball in the UK. Chamillionaire is actually an ex-world champion in the game.

But yes, I tend to agree with him. The game is not as good as US pool, though 1-pocket players might enjoy the strategy aspect. There is a lot of pocket blocking. Top shooters still tend to win out, though they'll have to put up with the odd drawn out tactical battle.

As in US bars, you'll find some odd rules, but hitting a rail after contact has been the competition standard here for about 20 years.

Sydney is probably the best city to play if you want to play in conditions more like US pool. Alec's Empire Billiards in Adelaide is also very good I understand.

Colin

Here are the rules: http://www.aebf.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=45&Itemid=62

Here's a video of the game in Action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khsW8CT09Ys

Can you reccommend a good pool hall in sydney. I am moving there next year. I have been doing research online, the best pool I seem to find is snooker comps at the local RSL. So where are the good places to play in Sydney and do they have tournaments there?

 

[rackmsuckr]

can u please put a word to Tammy about me ? please,please..I will treat you for a Australian lobster dinner when we run into each other in the future.Does she still live in Australia ? I thought she moved to some European country.I first met her in Auckland,NewZealand in the year 2002.One time Tammy gambled with R.Abbink in cue club,Las Vegas many years ago when she came to BCA 9 ball as a invitee.

Hi Ravi,

Yes, she still lives in Australia, but not playing much pool. She is into music and trying to get that career going. She is a great singer and dancer. I always thought she could be the next Kylie Minogue.

I will let her know that you would like to get in touch with her. :wink: And then I'm gonna hold you to that lobster dinner and maybe we can get some more one pocket in. :grin:

 

[vagabond]

Hi Ravi,

Yes, she still lives in Australia, but not playing much pool. She is into music and trying to get that career going. She is a great singer and dancer. I always thought she could be the next Kylie Minogue.

I will let her know that you would like to get in touch with her. :wink: And then I'm gonna hold you to that lobster dinner and maybe we can get some more one pocket in. :grin:

Actually she gave me her e-mail address and it is my understanding from others that she does not give her e-mail address to everybody.Yeah her sister has a dance studio or some thing like that outside melbourne.One time in the past I was very fond of her.I grew out of it now.Thanks anyway.Yeah Australian lobster is much better than main lobster and I will treat u with that.

 

[poolplayer2093]

i played with some guys from africa that played by uk rules. it's kind of strange

 

[AuntyDan]

You can check out some nice videos of the UK-style 8-Ball game on the cuesporttv.com website to get an idea of the tactics.

I'm not sure how it is in Australia but in the UK the bar-table game has split. The game with traditional UK rules (where you cannot make your opponents balls and get 2 shots after a foul rather than ball in hand, with the first shot being a "Free" shot where you can do almost anything) is now being called "Black Ball". The game with new rules closer to BCA rules is called "World Rules" 8-Ball.

You'll want to ask from place to place what rules they play. Even then, just like in the USA, always check the local "house rules" before you start.

Lastly if you are playing on UK-style bar tables with smaller balls and snooker-style rounded corner facings be aware that the corner pockets will play harder and the middle pockets will play easier than a US-style bar-table with flat corner facings. If possible also test to see if the corners will accept a ball played along the rail. (Some tables won't depending on how the pockets are cut.)

 

[Colin Colenso]

Can you reccommend a good pool hall in sydney. I am moving there next year. I have been doing research online, the best pool I seem to find is snooker comps at the local RSL. So where are the good places to play in Sydney and do they have tournaments there?

Sorry, I'm not very familiar with Sydney.

Find a few bar comps when you get there and soon enough you'll meet guys like David Reljic and Shawn Budd who know everything about the scene there.

TheOne, Craig, a member here might have some tips. He lived and played there for a couple of years.

Colin