Interesting twist to 8-ball rules

[bdorman]

A friend and I have been playing a modified 8-ball game. We call it One Bank 8-Ball.

Very simply, you have to bank one ball of your group. If you haven't banked a ball by the end of your group, you have to bank the 8-ball. It's provided an interesting twist to the game. There's a real advantage to making a bank before you run out your group, so you can pocket the 8-ball without a bank. It really changes your shot selection and makes the game appropriately more difficult.

We made up the game, but I'm sure it's not an original idea. Anyone else play something like it?

 

[Kevin Lindstrom]

this is a cool idea to mix the game up a bit. I like this idea and hope to try it out soon with some friends.

Kevin

 

[mikepage]

A friend and I have been playing a modified 8-ball game. We call it One Bank 8-Ball.

Very simply, you have to bank one ball of your group. If you haven't banked a ball by the end of your group, you have to bank the 8-ball. It's provided an interesting twist to the game. There's a real advantage to making a bank before you run out your group, so you can pocket the 8-ball without a bank. It really changes your shot selection and makes the game appropriately more difficult.

We made up the game, but I'm sure it's not an original idea. Anyone else play something like it?

Interesting idea. Can you bank a ball on an open table to both establish and satisfy the bank requirement?

 

[Ty-Tanic]

I also play a modified game of 8 ball with my friends that are not so good. You have 4 stripes and 4 solids and the 8 ball. Rack it like you would for a game of 9 ball. Who ever breaks the rack the next person comes to the table no matter what with ball in hand if they need it. I know this probably sounds stupid easy to us pool players but it offers people who are not very good to get through games quicker and maybe run 2 or 3 balls in a row. Its also great if you have a lot of people that want to play because they games go faster.

 

[bdorman]

Interesting idea. Can you bank a ball on an open table to both establish and satisfy the bank requirement?

Yes. If a dead bank is available on the opening ball, I always take it -- almost regardless of shape it give me on the next shot depending on the table layout. Of course, if you miss it the table is still open.

I've got to admit, my banking has really improved since we started playing this game.

 

[Inaction]

I used to play at the local senior citizen's center in Wisner, NE in the mid 90's. They played 8 ball on an 8 ft table and a snooker table. The rules were that the 1 and 15 had to go in the side pockets and the 8 had to be banked in the last pocket. The only time I ran the table was on the snooker table. It was interesting to play that way.

 

[str8shtr]

Have my own little twist

I like your idea I think it would be a fun way to play the game. I also have a little twist to the game. It's called suicide eight. The rules are the same only difference is you can shoot the eight at any time but if you elect to shoot it early you must run out or it's a loss.

 

[bdorman]

The rules were that the 1 and 15 had to go in the side pockets and the 8 had to be banked in the last pocket.

That sounds much more difficult than our version. Runouts must be very rare.

I like your idea I think it would be a fun way to play the game. I also have a little twist to the game. It's called suicide eight. The rules are the same only difference is you can shoot the eight at any time but if you elect to shoot it early you must run out or it's a loss.

Very interesting idea. I can see situations where with 1-3 balls left on the table it would be easier to get position from the 8-ball than any other ball.