Leave 9 Ball Alone!

Rude Dog said:
Unless you play a different type of 8 ball than the rest of us, you can make 8 in a row in that game and lose too.

For that matter, I was playing one-pocket the other day and ran 7, but needed 8, and lost.

I like 9-ball the way it is too.

Regas
 
"Two-Shot Rollout" now there was a players game!

ceebee said:
As I remember... the game was played with a "two-shot rollout" format.

Safeties were still used as a defensive offense, but Jump Cues were not invented yet, so the Masse', the diamond system or the "rollout" prevailed.

Two shot rollout is called a "push shot" today. The Push Shot, today, can only be used just after the break.

Great shots were made by players, they had to make these great shots or perish.


Yes I agree with you (ceebee), many players were great shot makers!
You had the guy's that rollout for the jump shot, other's rollout for the bank, a very hard cut shot, or a combo! (All players had their specialty, a unique few had them all)!

There were times for a player to play a saftey, sometimes it was useless, because the opponent would just roll-out. "Your never hooked" (snookerd).
But, the player playing a saftey on you could be "setting you up" so you'll make a (bad) easy rollout, for him to take the advantage and run the game out for the win.
When it was time!, for a saftey play, the "Players" seized the moment!


Two-Shot RollOut (Two-Shot Foul) was definitely a "Thinkers" game!

Two-shot rollout was a very "Offensive Game" sometimes, lot's of the average guy's were running 2-3 racks of 9b regularly, because they played for every ball (shot) to go in the pockett, kicked at everything feasible to make, (because there was not really the point of playing a saftey, being the always standing "rollout rule", not this "nip and duck" one-shot foul format we've all grown to love today!

Their were lots of the 5-8 rack runners of 9b around, and the "Super Players" of 10 or more racks in those day's.

Never see much of that these day's in tournaments, billiard rooms, halls, nite club's, or taverns because everyone is LQQKING for the "Duck and Hide" try for ball in-hand............Although it does happen, just not as often, because of the one-shot foul rule format of play. (one-shot foul has you thinking Defense, instead of Offense as much)

In early 80's one-shot foul rule was emplemented on ESPN so the games would hopefully go faster for their alotted Television time.

Two-shot rollout just had you in the Offense Mode all the time, even your rollout was considered offense to you sometimes, because you were trying to trap your opponent into letting you take the rollout and make your shot, run out and win the game.

Rude Dog's reply to StraightPoolIU about how the game was played was pretty much the way it was in 70's and even untill the later 80's

Rickw: here's what I remember of the rules 20-30 yrs. ago.

:ball in hand with 2 consecutive fouls
:touch cb in anyway, it's a foul
:touch other balls, no foul, opponent has option to move back object ball to original postion
:missed object ball or bad hit, it's a foul,
:jump any ball off table, it's a foul, unless you pockett 9 also, it's a win
:spot ball before 9 on scratch, ball in hand behind line
: scratch and make ball before 9 and the 9, spot both, lowest first, ball in hand behind line
:scratch on break, take off lowest balls behind line, ball in hand behind line (that was in the 70's, in the 80's you spotted lowest ball behind line)
:make contact with lowest ball with good hit and make 9, you WIN!
That's why it's called LUCKY 9! Ball--Add's Zip to the game!

Well that Two-Shot Rollout was a Great Game in those day's, but it's gone now, and has been.
I'm perfectly happy with how the game is played today, except wish all the Pro. matches were best 11-21


Have a good one!

Catpool9


Pool is the only game in the World that you can lose at, and not get your turn to play!

David Harcrow
 
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Generally I agree Rude Dog. Just one thing I'd like to see change. I don't like it when I win this way. I don't like it when I lose this way. 9-ball on the break. It's a shit shot.
 
Rude Dog said:
9 Ball is fine the way it is. Are there really that many unhappy pool players out there playing 9 ball thinking to themselves "Damn this game sucks, how can we change the rules so we can be a top pro too'? Practice more or quit if you're not as good as you would like to be. Changing the game isn't going to help you catch up to the top players, practice is. Is the game easy? Is that why there are so many trying to change it? I see a guy every day at the pool hall playing 3 ball, for hours. He rarely runs the 3 balls out and he's not running them in order! I asked him why he only practices with 3 balls. He says, "Because 9 ball is too easy." I couldn't believe it.
Oh well, change the game people, make it harder, make it easier, I don't care anymore. I'll tell my grandkids in 30 years that I used to play 9 ball when you had to actually hold a cue in your hand and stand at the table and shoot the balls in yourself. Ha Ha, they won't believe it either. :D

You're right. 9 ball is the best game. If it wasn't for 9 ball, frankly I would have given up pool for good. Everything else is just boring.

Chris
 
I'm voting for 8 1/2 ball...I haven't figured out how to make 1/2 a ball yet, buy I'm working on it.

Jeff Livingston
 
Snapshot9 said:
Bob ... You are from Kingman ? .... I am from Wichita ...
Snapshot, I'm from Kingman, but it's Arizona, not Kansas. Not sure if you were talking to me or not, but thought I'd clarify that for ya. Peace, John.
 
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Rude Dog said:
Unless you play a different type of 8 ball than the rest of us, you can make 8 in a row in that game and lose too.

No you can't. If you are solids, you have 1 - 7, stripes 9 - 15. So if you drop 8 balls, you have cleared your 7 plus the 8 ball. In 8-ball you have more traffic, but one less balls to pocket.
 
Fleece3 said:
No you can't. If you are solids, you have 1 - 7, stripes 9 - 15. So if you drop 8 balls, you have cleared your 7 plus the 8 ball. In 8-ball you have more traffic, but one less balls to pocket.

You can scratch on the 8 ball and lose, that's 8 balls.
 
LastTwo said:
You can scratch on the 8 ball and lose, that's 8 balls.

Actually, that'd be 9 balls, not eight. Unless we count the cueball as 1/2 a ball...and there ya go!...my new game, 8 1/2 ball. :p

Jeff Livingston
 
Lucky Nine!

Yes I agree with you (ceebee), many players were great shot makers!
You had the guy's that rollout for the jump shot, other's rollout for the bank, a very hard cut shot, or a combo! (All players had their specialty, a unique few had them all)!

There were times for a player to play a saftey, sometimes it was useless, because the opponent would just roll-out. "Your never hooked" (snookerd).
But, the player playing a saftey on you could be "setting you up" so you'll make a (bad) easy rollout, for him to take the advantage and run the game out for the win.
When it was time!, for a saftey play, the "Players" seized the moment!


Two-Shot RollOut (Two-Shot Foul) was definitely a "Thinkers" game!

Two-shot rollout was a very "Offensive Game" sometimes, lot's of the average guy's were running 2-3 racks of 9b regularly, because they played for every ball (shot) to go in the pockett, kicked at everything feasible to make, (because there was not really the point of playing a saftey, being the always standing "rollout rule", not this "nip and duck" one-shot foul format we've all grown to love today!

Their were lots of the 5-8 rack runners of 9b around, and the "Super Players" of 10 or more racks in those day's.

Never see much of that these day's in tournaments, billiard rooms, halls, nite club's, or taverns because everyone is LQQKING for the "Duck and Hide" try for ball in-hand............Although it does happen, just not as often, because of the one-shot foul rule format of play. (one-shot foul has you thinking Defense, instead of Offense as much)

In early 80's one-shot foul rule was emplemented on ESPN so the games would hopefully go faster for their alotted Television time.

Two-shot rollout just had you in the Offense Mode all the time, even your rollout was considered offense to you sometimes, because you were trying to trap your opponent into letting you take the rollout and make your shot, run out and win the game.

Rude Dog's reply to StraightPoolIU about how the game was played was pretty much the way it was in 70's and even untill the later 80's

Rickw: here's what I remember of the rules 20-30 yrs. ago.

:ball in hand with 2 consecutive fouls
:touch cb in anyway, it's a foul
:touch other balls, no foul, opponent has option to move back object ball to original postion
:missed object ball or bad hit, it's a foul,
:jump any ball off table, it's a foul, unless you pockett 9 also, it's a win
:spot ball before 9 on scratch, ball in hand behind line
: scratch and make ball before 9 and the 9, spot both, lowest first, ball in hand behind line
:scratch on break, take off lowest balls behind line, ball in hand behind line (that was in the 70's, in the 80's you spotted lowest ball behind line)
:make contact with lowest ball with good hit and make 9, you WIN!
That's why it's called LUCKY 9! Ball--Add's Zip to the game!

Well that Two-Shot Rollout was a Great Game in those day's, but it's gone now, and has been.
I'm perfectly happy with how the game is played today, except wish all the Pro. matches were best 11-21


Have a good one!

Catpool9


Pool is the only game in the World that you can lose at, and not get your turn to play!

David Harcrow




Thats whats wrong with 9-Ball today, it's not exciting!, bring back some LUCK, and give the Banger a chance and we may have more PLAYERS!, make 9 on the break count 2 games and combo's count 2 games, if you miss , your opponent can make you shoot again until he/she likes the shot...OR Play Two-Shot Roll-Out ball-in hand, and forget it!:thumbup:


David Harcrow
 
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I love 9 ball. It's the Texas express rules that became poplar in the 80s that's gotta go.


9 Ball is fine the way it is. Are there really that many unhappy pool players out there playing 9 ball thinking to themselves "Damn this game sucks, how can we change the rules so we can be a top pro too'? Practice more or quit if you're not as good as you would like to be. Changing the game isn't going to help you catch up to the top players, practice is. Is the game easy? Is that why there are so many trying to change it? I see a guy every day at the pool hall playing 3 ball, for hours. He rarely runs the 3 balls out and he's not running them in order! I asked him why he only practices with 3 balls. He says, "Because 9 ball is too easy." I couldn't believe it.
Oh well, change the game people, make it harder, make it easier, I don't care anymore. I'll tell my grandkids in 30 years that I used to play 9 ball when you had to actually hold a cue in your hand and stand at the table and shoot the balls in yourself. Ha Ha, they won't believe it either. :D
 
The worst thing to ever happen to pool was the changing of the rules for 9-ball . Roll out and 2 foul rules were the best because they made the players think and use different strategies depending who they were up against . Also do you think someone should win a game because they missed their shot and hooked the other player ? How many great shots do you see during todays' games . I see people applauding a simple cross side bank or a shot similar to a spot shot. Back in the day you actually had to out smart and out shoot your opponent to win . My motto has always been '' safeties are for sissies ''.
 
Thats whats wrong with 9-Ball today, it's not exciting!, bring back some LUCK, and give the Banger a chance and we may have more PLAYERS!, make 9 on the break count 2 games and combo's count 2 games, if you miss , your opponette can make you shoot again until he/she likes the shot...OR Play Two-Shot Roll-Out ball-in hand, and forget it!:thumbup:


David Harcrow

In my opinion, luck IS what's wrong with 9-ball. It makes a lot of bangers better than what they really are (or at least think they're better than they really are). When in doubt, get the 9 moving. Do you really want to lose that way?
 
The worst thing to ever happen to pool was the changing of the rules for 9-ball . Roll out and 2 foul rules were the best because they made the players think and use different strategies depending who they were up against...

Hear, hear, and tap, tap, tap! :)
 
Leave 9 Ball Alone

First, I don't care too much for 9 Ball but in my town, either you play 9 Ball or Eight Ball or you don't play. I prefer straight pool but you can't find a 14.1 player who doesn't have an AARP Card. Cribbage, Rotation, and other finese games are all but extinct in my area.

I feel, and it is only my opinion that it is not the game or the rules, but how the person plays the game that can be of question. Nine ball can be a thing of beauty when played correctly but can be quite ugly when "bangers" just try to slop in the nine.

Fellow members have made some good points here, most notably the rule changes and the "luck factor." Well, luck is a factor and we all have slopped in a few balls now and then. Nine ball is the only game I know of where you can make the majority of the balls and still lose. I just live with it and press on; however, when a player just slams the balls around, hoping they go in somewhere, then my attitude changes. I have been hitting the balls well as of late, but I am in a slump of dogging the 8 or 9. I have lost many a game (and money) but that is of my doing, not the opponent. As one member said, "Practice."

Those who slam the balls, hoping they go in are not respected at the pool halls I frequent. For them to get a "set," the rules are modified to a call 9 or even call pocket game. Seldom do I see these players take up the offer. Personally, I would rather lose to a player who plays well rather than one who plays the table.

Having said all of this, leave it alone. The cream will rise to the top and the others will stay down below.
 
Anyone who thinks that 9 ball is just for bangers , match up with Shane or Johnny ...........

No one is knocking 9-ball - when it's played correctly, as another poster stated. But the fact of the matter is that at the non-professional level, there are bangers that just send the balls flying around the table and rely more on luck/slop than actual skill. I know a guy who plays exactly this way. He's more than willing to match up as long as it's "anything goes", but if you want to make the game call-shot, called safeties only, or anything else that takes away luck and emphasizes skill, then he wants no part.
 
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