How to get others interested in more than just 8-ball and 9-ball?

You can try to be more persistent asking people to play. "Eight ball again? C'mon, let's try some one pocket." Make sure you don't win all the time. :devilish:

I've organized 14.1 leagues. Pretty easy to handicap with fine-grain spots down to the ball. Of course, you would have to do all the work of the organizer. Could do 1P, too.
What does handicap with fine grain spots mean?
 
new players want to pocket balls, not play around weird games.

Even not new players tend to like games they can shoot in, and often. If you are playing 14.1, you can be waiting for a few racks to shoot again, if you are playing one pocket, you are bunting around balls trying not to sell out. If you are playing banks, well you need to bank well instead of just play good shape and pocket balls. If you are playing 8/9/10 you are often at the table, shooting a shot at a hole, with new games starting fairly quickly.

While I tend to play the "normal" games 95% of the times, when people ask if I get bored playing the same games, my reply is "well I am not yet perfect at them".
 
I’d really like to get into playing 1p, 14.1, and maybe even banks. Problem is, all anyone in my area wants to play is 8-, and to a lesser extent 9-ball. What’s a good way to convince people to try something new? I mostly play at social clubs with leaguers

Would I be better off just putting out some feelers at the two halls closest to me, to see if someone else is already interested?
Same way they get you into ice skating and heel-toe driving.

Now you out there and do it! But not at the same time.
 
I get bored watching players at 8ball and 9ball at my poolhall (9’ tables). So I put something on our Facebook page: “Play one-pocket free until 5pm. Limited time offer.”

Dumb de dum dum. Kids and non-players were shown the basics and left alone. They started out just trying for their pocket with no idea of safety (why should they fear? Their opponet can’t make two balls in row). Soon they were back to 8-ball.

Worse, my regulars who can play, don’t want to work that hard.
 
I get bored watching players at 8ball and 9ball at my poolhall (9’ tables). So I put something on our Facebook page: “Play one-pocket free until 5pm. Limited time offer.”

Dumb de dum dum. Kids and non-players were shown the basics and left alone. They started out just trying for their pocket with no idea of safety (why should they fear? Their opponet can’t make two balls in row). Soon they were back to 8-ball.

Worse, my regulars who can play, don’t want to work that hard.
I might have to make a flyer, put them at each of the closest room. Bug’s is only 1/2 hour, Breakers is close to 1 hour. I have a feeling I’ll have better luck at Breakers, though, sadly.
 
What does handicap with fine grain spots mean?
Many rating systems have divisions like A, B, C or 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. When you assign spots based on those ratings, you get seriously unfair matches. A high 4 against a low 4 is a whole division apart, more or less. A low 6 against a high 5 should be an even match, but it's not.

A system like FargoRate has maybe 50 levels of "5", say from 400 to 450. That means that with FargoRate you have "finer grain" ratings that allow more accurate estimates of differences of ability.

In terms of spots in handicapped events, usually the steps are pretty coarse, say from 5-4 to 5-3 games as the step. At straight pool, you can change the target score by a single ball, say from 100-73 to 100-72 to get very "fine grain" changes in the handicap.

It's a trade off between being easier to run and being fairer.
 
I actually had a guy tell me last week as he was watching me practice 14:1 that the game was too slow. He didn't think he'd enjoy it. This coming from the mouth of a guy who plays nothing but one hole!!😂🤷🏻‍♂️
Btw... I'm thru racks in a few minutes, so...

I’d really like to get into playing 1p, 14.1, and maybe even banks. Problem is, all anyone in my area wants to play is 8-, and to a lesser extent 9-ball. What’s a good way to convince people to try something new? I mostly play at social clubs with leaguers

Would I be better off just putting out some feelers at the two halls closest to me, to see if someone else is already interested?
You might try playing simpler games, like six ball, or 3 ball or?
 
You might try playing simpler games, like six ball, or 3 ball or?

Or 7-ball (or 9- ball) where each person has a side of the table they have to make the money ball in.

Or last pocket 8-ball or bank the 8-ball or where you make the 1 in one side and the other person has to make the 15 in the other side (i.e., Alabama 8-ball).

Or Saratoga. The rules say play with 13 balls. But, it's easier to say let's play 8-ball but you have to make your object balls in order (my favorite game).

I find it easier to get someone to play a harder variation of 8-ball or 9-ball.
 
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I have a 5x10 snooker table at home. On it I play anything but 8 or 9 ball. Snooker/Banks/1P or a carom game like Cowboy or Bottle Pool. Or Fargo. My bar league friends are not interested in the slightest in games like these!. So its just me and sometimes my son. At the senior center it is golf or 15/1 last pocket 8 ball (the post before called it Alabama 8 ball).
 
Or like watching a snail with airbrakes try to run.......
Even better.
It’s not for everyone, that’s certain
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I guess I never developed into the type player who could appreciate the subtle nuances of one hole. 14:1 will always be my favorite game probably bcuz I cut my teeth on it and 9 ball. I didn't get the attraction of one pocket back then. Things get ingrained and you gotta step out of that comfort zone and experience new things or go stale and fade away... I can play one pocket, just don't particularly enjoy it. Hopefully I'll mature as a player some day and learn to respect the game as it demands, or there won't be anyone left to play on 9 foot tables. When in Rome and all that.😂
 
Even better. of
I guess I never developed into the type player who could appreciate the subtle nuances of one hole. 14:1 will always be my favorite game probably bcuz I cut my teeth on it and 9 ball. I didn't get the attraction of one pocket back then. Things get ingrained and you gotta step out of that comfort zone and experience new things or go stale and fade away... I can play one pocket, just don't particularly enjoy it. Hopefully I'll mature as a player some day and learn to respect the game as it demands, or there won't be anyone left to play on 9 foot tables. When in Rome and all that.😂
I started playing 1P seriously when I turned 40. FWIW

I’ve never played 14.1 that’s a game I love to watch, can’t stand playing it. Tried many times, doesn’t work for me.

That’s what makes pool cool. Different games. I happen to like 8B

For a period of my life I loved the rotation games, but got bored. I like thinking games more the older I get.

Now I don’t care if I play at all, I’d rather watch. And I enjoy watching pretty much everything-just has to be players stronger than me. I can’t watch bangers or mid level players.

Best
Fatboy 😃😃
 
Even better.
Easier the better. I don't wanna work that hard. Why I'm retired. 😁

Reminds me of a t-shirt I got in Cabo San Lucas back when I first retired. It had a picture of a guy in a hammock & palm trees that said:

Won't work for anything!
 
I started playing 1P seriously when I turned 40. FWIW

I’ve never played 14.1 that’s a game I love to watch, can’t stand playing it. Tried many times, doesn’t work for me.

That’s what makes pool cool. Different games. I happen to like 8B

For a period of my life I loved the rotation games, but got bored. I like thinking games more the older I get.

Now I don’t care if I play at all, I’d rather watch. And I enjoy watching pretty much everything-just has to be players stronger than me. I can’t watch bangers or mid level players.

Best
Fatboy 😃😃
Thanks Fatboy!! That's what I was trying to convey, but you said it much better bro!!
 
I started playing 1P seriously when I turned 40. FWIW

I’ve never played 14.1 that’s a game I love to watch, can’t stand playing it. Tried many times, doesn’t work for me.

That’s what makes pool cool. Different games. I happen to like 8B

For a period of my life I loved the rotation games, but got bored. I like thinking games more the older I get.

Now I don’t care if I play at all, I’d rather watch. And I enjoy watching pretty much everything-just has to be players stronger than me. I can’t watch bangers or mid level players.

Best
Fatboy 😃😃
If I had your skill set Fatboy, I'd retire my axe and play backgammon!!!😁👊🏻
 
One way to raise interest is to organize an exhibition with a top known player in a particular game.
And maybe following it with a clinic and a tournament.
Yes it takes some effort and money but if you want to build a local community around a game, I don’t see a better way.
 
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