Has anyone tried playing Bonus Ball???

[Jaden]

I have and I have to say that I am starting to like the game. Me and a friend played some with the pro WPBL rules and we really liked the game. Unfortunately, he was rather sick so he had trouble remembering which pockets were his and that he couldn't directly shoot balls hanging in one of my pockets in.

I didn't think it would be possible for a single game to have aspects like nineball, eightball, 14.1, one pocket, etc, but this game really does a good job of capturing all of these games.

Of course the main thing people probably ask is I don't want to spend 200 on a set of balls just to try out the game... I say then don't...

Use a regular set of balls and use solids in place of the purple balls and stripes in place of the orange balls. Use the eight for the bonus ball.

Try it. I think it's a game that is complex enough to satisfy the die hard pool player/watcher and simple enough to satisfy the banger and NO I am NOT paid to endorse the game.

Jaden

 

[The Renfro]

The biggest issue I saw was that now I have to carry my own bonus ball set to the pool room along with a scoreboard LOL....

Actually I tried watching the explanation and demos at the Open a few years ago... I tried to watch the match on the tv table.... I wanted to like it... I tried.... It is not for me but I hope they find a niche in this niche market that keeps their efforts from being for naught......

 

[Jaden]

Yeah, they do have software to use for the scoreboard

The biggest issue I saw was that now I have to carry my own bonus ball set to the pool room along with a scoreboard LOL....

Actually I tried watching the explanation and demos at the Open a few years ago... I tried to watch the match on the tv table.... I wanted to like it... I tried.... It is not for me but I hope they find a niche in this niche market that keeps their efforts from being for naught......

They need to get an i-phone and a droid and a mobile windows app for the scoreboard. That would be cool.

It's really easy to play with standard balls using stripes and solids. They really are trying to get money back on it by offering the specific balls and not showing how you can use standard balls.

I think it is a good all around game and I'd be up for playing anyone at it if they want.

Oscar, if you need a practice partner for bonus ball, let me know and I'll come up to LA...

Jaden

 

[jason]

Attach a hundred thousand dollar prize fund to it and it becomes a lot more attractive.

 

[The Renfro]

Actually I think since they have stayed with it I may take another look at the rules and at the matches they recorded.... I don't wish them any ill will and for their ongoing attempts I think I should at least take a 2nd look at the game and the concepts.... Any good links you have bookmarked Jaden??? no one ever likes anything "new" LOL

 

[sjm]

Johnny Archer did an excellent video in which he demonstrated the game.

The offense-oriented bonus ball seems to require simpler position play than the rotation games, but is clearly a solid test. On the one hand, the fact there is a pro version (in which each pro has three designated pockets) and an amateur version (in which each player may utilize all six pockets) is a good thing. On the other hand, as I so often post on this forum, given the curremt disconnnect between the pro and amateur ranks, it would be best if the pros were to play the exact same game that the amateurs know and play by the same rules.

I'd defintely enjoy trying this game, but, as one poster noted, the fact that it requires different equipment than that which is customarily found in the poolrooms, it will be hard for it to catch on. Right now, extremely few people that play pool have even heard of it.

Still, I'll assume that those marketing bonus ball have done their homework and have a plan for popularizing it. Good luck to all involved with bonus ball.

 

[JC]

Well

I recieved this game in 1995 as an added bonus along with a table I bought. I could never figure out exactly how to play the game in spite of the fact I had the rules with it. I asked Paul Potier recently in person to clarify the rules for me (he claims to have actually written them). I still don't know how to play it or exactly what the goal of the game is. Would anyone like to purchase a set in the original box, minus the cue ball? It may be a collectors item some day!! Or explain how it's played?

 

[Luxury]

The timer never made sense to me. Any pool game with a timer seems to invite stalling from the guy who is ahead but I might be wrong.