Lost and Confused~8ball

sniper

sniper

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've been practicing pretty hard lately for a big tourny coming up this weekend and have ran into a problem, for the last year or so I've been playing alot of 9ball and not much eight ball, through this period I have remained pretty confident about my eight ball game despite not shooting much. Well I hit the practice table last week to get ready for the tourny only to discover my eight ball game has diminished quite a bit :(

I made the mistake of playing too much of one game which was detremental to my other games but still expect to do well this weekend. I'm sure alot of you have run into this similar problem, and my question to you is how you got back to your old form?


Any suggestions would be much appreciated, until then I will put the hours in one the table and hope the hard work pays off.
 
Get some good competition to practice with. If that's not possible, play yourself. What I mean is to break and play both groups as if you were two players. But you have to play hard. Pick a group after the break, if that group doesn't win, give a dollar to the bartender (or pool counter guy). I do this pretty often. Hope it helps..............

~DC
 
My biggest problem in switching back to 8 ball is seeing the patterns. I find its best for me to take a step or two back and really look over the table. I try to decide right then if I'm going to go for a run out or not, and if not what ball I want to play a leave with.

Nine ball I'm looking at the run out almost always, and playing a leave if I screw up a long the way. Eight ball I think you really have to decide one way or another early on. Just my opinion of course.

8 ball runs can look easier, because there are so many balls to shoot at. Yet, for me, I find if I just start shooting without thinking about how I'm getting to the 8 I'll mess up along the way.
 
What big tourney???

Anyhow, 8-ball (on the box I presume?) is simple, break the balls hard to get a good spread, take a look at which set of balls you want and will be easiest to A) run out or B) control the table with. See the out balls, attempt to see the balls that go that could be good to play shape on for the breakouts. If the out is there attempt the breakouts early and try to get control for the runout, if you do it early and it does not work out you have alot of things to play safe and tie up stuff with, if you mess up late in bar box 8-ball you lose. Just remember, potting balls is cake on a bar box, if you have been playing alot of 9-ball a bar box is heaven as it is actually hard NOT to make a pot. That is true but it is also the attitude you need, the game of 8-ball requires alot of playing for angles to get breakouts and the biggest issue is not potting balls but getting the breakouts and the exact shape that many balls require.

Not sure if they still go at the Hideout but Saturdays used to have 8-ball tournaments there, 12PM start or so. They had some good players showing up when I left and playing in that would be good to get some time in against top players and get back into the feel of 8-ball. There are ALOT of players I could reccomend for you to match up against that would be good practice and they would get you back into 8-ball pretty fast for cheap sets. One thing about Calgary, we have alot of top bar box players as is eveident from our record in the states. If you ever played in Vegas at the BCA or VNEA just call back on that experiance, I dont know very many people who do not get into the right frame of mind when they think of Vegas.
 
I like to practice by tossing the 1-8 on the table. Start with ball in hand and run out. That way in a game I know that given the table I can run out.

Remember that a bar box, especially the small 4x8, makes for a lot of congestion. And the side pockets are a lot harder than a 4 1/2 x 9. Corner pockets are usually 4 1/2. So play position for the corners.

8-ball takes a lot of thinking, like chess. If you make a bunch of balls and miss, most good players will run out.

It pays to be patient in 8-ball.

Jake
 
Thanks for the advice you guys, I was never aware of my game falling off, I truly am addicted to nine ball cause I find it more challenging.

Celtic, the tourny is a 32 man tournament downtown that usually fills with ease and pays out pretty good, this is my first time attending so I don't know alot about the tournament. I've never been to or heard of the place... it's called The Donkey's something (not ass!)

There should be good action after plus 3ball and rotation it runs till closing so I won't make it home till about 5:00 AM, sounds like fun though.
 
Went and played some cheap money games last night at the local pub, only $5 a game but I played well and only lost once all night, some nice break n runs and I plan on doing the same thing tonight, will let ya know how I make out at the tourny tomorrow.
 
sniper said:
Went and played some cheap money games last night at the local pub, only $5 a game but I played well and only lost once all night, some nice break n runs and I plan on doing the same thing tonight, will let ya know how I make out at the tourny tomorrow.
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i play mostly 9 ball but shoot in some 8ball tourneys locally and for some reason i just find 8 ball so easy, more balls to shoot a safe behind, more options if you dont get perfect shapes. Normally ill find the trouble spot and work backwards on how to get there and play it....and seems like the rest of the table falls into place.
good luck
 
cubswin said:
My biggest problem in switching back to 8 ball is seeing the patterns. I find its best for me to take a step or two back and really look over the table.
Click to expand...

I hear you. I keep having to remind myself NOT to carom in the 8 :)

Dave
 
I like to practice my safety play in 8-ball (vs. 9-ball runouts).

To do this, I place my "opponent's" last ball in the jaws of a pocket (because he "missed" his last shot) and two or three of my "remaining" balls in a relatively tough position with the cueball in an awkward spot. From this start, I play my only alternative, a safety.

If the safety is successful (I attempt to hit/pocket my "opponent's" ball to know this or not), I then play safe again.

I contunue this until I can runout.

When placing your last 2 or 3 balls for this exercise, put one or two of them near the pocket that your "opponent's" ball is blocking. This forces you to get excellent shape or to play an nice safety.

imho, many 8-ball games are won in this manner and therefore practicing this helps one's end play.

Jeff Livingston
 
pratice 8 ball

sniper said:
I've been practicing pretty hard lately for a big tourny coming up this weekend and have ran into a problem, for the last year or so I've been playing alot of 9ball and not much eight ball, through this period I have remained pretty confident about my eight ball game despite not shooting much. Well I hit the practice table last week to get ready for the tourny only to discover my eight ball game has diminished quite a bit :(

I made the mistake of playing too much of one game which was detremental to my other games but still expect to do well this weekend. I'm sure alot of you have run into this similar problem, and my question to you is how you got back to your old form?


Any suggestions would be much appreciated, until then I will put the hours in one the table and hope the hard work pays off.
Click to expand...
Pratice 8 ball to improve your 9 ball, there is a lot more angel and position play in 8 ball, 9 ball is straight follward you know what ball has to be next, very little stradigy. If you want to improve all your games, PLAY SOME STRAIGHT POOL
 
I wanna play more straight pool but like I said earlier I'm pretty addicted to nine ball, rotation is another game I enjoy alot. It's gonna be a late night tonight I have an hour and half drive back home after the tourny which will end well after midnight.

I'm off see ya later
 
chefjeff said:
I like to practice my safety play in 8-ball (vs. 9-ball runouts).

To do this, I place my "opponent's" last ball in the jaws of a pocket (because he "missed" his last shot) and two or three of my "remaining" balls in a relatively tough position with the cueball in an awkward spot. From this start, I play my only alternative, a safety.

If the safety is successful (I attempt to hit/pocket my "opponent's" ball to know this or not), I then play safe again.

I contunue this until I can runout.

When placing your last 2 or 3 balls for this exercise, put one or two of them near the pocket that your "opponent's" ball is blocking. This forces you to get excellent shape or to play an nice safety.

imho, many 8-ball games are won in this manner and therefore practicing this helps one's end play.

Jeff Livingston
Click to expand...

This is good advice---I'm gonna try this one out.
Thanks
~DC
 
Well I finished 3rd, should've won the whole damn thing. I lost the match for the hotseat in the cruelest of fashions, my opponent broke and ran down to the eight ball but didn't have much of a shot, he missed letting me to the table and I proceeded to run out breaking up an ugly cluster of my balls along the way and then with three balls left I made a thin cut only to watch the CB roll up and marry against the eight leaving me only a kick shot at my last two balls, stupid mistake on my behalf which cost me the game, I lost my next match too, I got some paydirt anyways.


This really can be a cruel game.
 
Who were 1st and 2nd? This a weekly event? I am OMW to Calgary for a 6 week stint on the 7th of Dec and want to play some pool!
 
Celtic said:
Who were 1st and 2nd? This a weekly event? I am OMW to Calgary for a 6 week stint on the 7th of Dec and want to play some pool!
Click to expand...


Good to hear your coming back for a little while, I sent you a PM.
 
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