Myths About Rules/ Bad Habits In 8 Ball

fast&loose designs

fast&loose designs

Chris Santana
Silver Member
Hey everyone.

I'm creating a poster that will debunk/expose myths about the rules of 8 ball as pool hall art. It will list such things as how to properly rack 8 ball (everyone thinks the rules state it has to alternate solids/stripes etc), rules on scratches on the break, rules on calling shots (I've heard things like "you can't call the 8 off another ball - it has to be clean"), and other ridiculousness that drunk people or ignorant people make up in order to make the game favor them.

This will be a fun, boldly designed poster intended to not only inform, but entertain those reading.

So, what has everyone out there heard that is absolute ridiculousness when it comes to the rules of 8 ball? For simplicity's sake, let's follow rules by the BCA. I believe World Standardized Rules are similar. If not, we should stick to BCA (please, no APA rules!).

Also, I'm aware that threads similar to this have come up in the past, so please save us all the "this thread is here:" nonsense. This is more about what rules/habits/nuances of the game that people make up, and this poster will debunk. Thanks all, any input will be awesome.
 
Scott Lee said:
BCA rules are the world standardized rules. BCAPL rules are similar, but contain specific differences, for league play. Which ones are you talking about?

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
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Exactly. The BCA has adopted the World Standardized Rules as issued by the WPA. As a matter of fact the rules as posted on the BCA website are on WPA letterhead.

IMHO the BCAPL rules is actually the best written rule set out there. They are more specific, have fewer grey areas, and include applied rulings.
 
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Are you playing it clean..hey man the ball hit the rail,you didn't call it..wtf,
Can I play that way sure...just don't care to.I don't play bar pool anymore,unless its with friends,an thats fun.
Good luck with posting rules,it may help.
 
scratchs said:
Are you playing it clean..hey man the ball hit the rail,you didn't call it..wtf,
Can I play that way sure...just don't care to.I don't play bar pool anymore,unless its with friends,an thats fun.
Good luck with posting rules,it may help.
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You bet me to it.
The most ridiculous call,

Me; 8 ball in that corner, "but the 8 grazes the side rail before dropping".
Bar banger; You didn't call the bank off the rail.
 
bud02 said:
You bet me to it.
The most ridiculous call,

Me; 8 ball in that corner, "but the 8 grazes the side rail before dropping".
Bar banger; You didn't call the bank off the rail.
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Pool in bars is mainly social, drop in after work with a friend.but there is that guy that wants to play for some'in...yeeeah.
but I was mostly talk'in about playing for drinks..I'll still do that once in awhile with folks I know...if you were to watch us, u'd think we were going to war..lol, thats the fun. I don't put to many quads in a table anymore..I bought a table seven eight years ago,now I spend my quarters on bbq...lol.whoops..way off topic..guess my shots still aren't clean.
 
In my world, last 40 years or so, 8 ball is ball to pocket. Slop counted on normal balls and you had to hit your ball first, except with open table.
That was the way I read it in the book in the sixties. . .Yeah, the 1960s:grin:
 
I'll have to grab the rule book of the local league and let you guys see how ridiculous it is. I'll mention a few just off the top of my head that stick out.. but the entire rule set just goes against everything I ever learned.

  • No safeties - You must call a pocket and make an honest attempt at pocketing that ball.
  • No ball in hand or fouls in play. All scratches etc.. are played from behind the head string.
  • No jumping or masse's - Masse's are determined if the butt of the cue stick is above the shoulder.
  • If you accidentally move your ball or opponents ball, it is at the digression of the opposing player to either leave it lay or place it back. They must place the ball where they BELIEVE it laid originally, you cannot.
  • If a ball is to get stuck in the bottom of the pocket it is spotted, if the ball bounces from within the pocket back onto the table it is to be played from where it comes to rest.
  • If ANY part of the object ball or cue ball is touching the head string it is considered inside the kitchen.
  • A legal break consists of contacting the head ball first and 3 balls contacting rails after the break.
  • If a player is caught/called on playing a safety the game is too be re-racked. If a second offense is made during the game, it is a forfeit.
  • Each player is allowed 3 time-outs per rack which may be called by them or the team captain. The coach may ask the player to step away from the table and call their own time-out in order to discuss possible shot options.
  • (Just an example) If you pocket 3 balls on the break (2 solids, 1 stripe) you are designated solids. If you sink a stripe and solid, the table is open.
  • You cannot rack your own game. You may ask for a re-rack but your opponent must be the one to rack. You are only allowed 1 re-rack per game, afterwards you must turn the break over to your opponent.
..These are just some rules. For a local league our rule book is about 16 pages.
 
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And WHY would anyone agree to that?:rolleyes:

And WHO decided to manipulate the rules like that:rolleyes:

And for what reason?:rolleyes:

I started hitting balls in the early sixties in the local bowling alley. sometimes there was no one to play. I read the BOOK, COVER TO COVER. Several times, it wasn't that big:cool:

WHOINELL DECIDED IT WAS BROKEN??
AND WHOINELL APPOINTED THEM TO FIX??
 
barboxbanks said:
I'll have to grab the rule book of the local league and let you guys see how ridiculous it is. ....

If a player is caught/called on playing a safety the game is too be re-racked. If a second offense is made during the game, it is a forfeit. ...
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So if I'm in real trouble and have no chance to win the game, I can just play a safe and the game is re-racked. Like a get-out-of-jail-free card. Neat. That rule set has lots of possibilities. Has anyone ever been knifed in your league?
 
thommy said:
And WHY would anyone agree to that?:rolleyes:

And WHO decided to manipulate the rules like that:rolleyes:

And for what reason?:rolleyes:

I started hitting balls in the early sixties in the local bowling alley. sometimes there was no one to play. I read the BOOK, COVER TO COVER. Several times, it wasn't that big:cool:

WHOINELL DECIDED IT WAS BROKEN??
AND WHOINELL APPOINTED THEM TO FIX??
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I cannot tell you how many times I have asked that and the only response was "they wanted a gentleman's game"... which leaves me even more confused. The funny thing is most people in the local league think ball in hand is nonsense and cheating lol.. They also think 9-ball is nothing but luck, then again we're talking about people who do nothing but fire at the nine ball every possible chance.
 
Bob Jewett said:
So if I'm in real trouble and have no chance to win the game, I can just play a safe and the game is re-racked. Like a get-out-of-jail-free card. Neat. That rule set has lots of possibilities. Has anyone ever been knifed in your league?
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Oh believe me, we have more than a few who have played that card numerous times. I've seen more than a couple fist fights and heated arguments over our rules. Yet they keep adding to them and changing them yearly. The funny thing is 96% of the rules changes are made on the spot when a problem arises and someone whines to the league president (everyone has her cell phone, for this reason). For a league that pays absolutely no money, just measly plastic trophies at the end of the year, they take it very serious.
 
I've never played in a league, except PeeWee softball:D,
Been invited to join once, declined.

I think I'll keep shooting bar pool, until I'm ready for the road:D:D
 
thommy said:
I've never played in a league, except PeeWee softball:D,
Been invited to join once, declined.

I think I'll keep shooting bar pool, until I'm ready for the road:D:D
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lol, well.. it is a bar league you have to be 21 or older.
 
I'm with Thommy on this one...tho maybe I could take his bet. Seems to me that leagues overly complicate what was once a simple & fun game for friends to play while having a few...(Born 1943)
 
SkyscraperChris said:
So, what has everyone out there heard that is absolute ridiculousness when it comes to the rules of 8 ball?
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1a. Make the 8 on the break and scratch, you lose.
1b. Scratch on the break, you lose.
2. People miss hit the cue ball on the break and swipe the cue ball aside so it doesn't hit the rack, and expect to be able to try again.
3. The 8-ball can never be used in a combo or carom, even if not the first ball contacted.
4a. You can play your last ball and the eight and win on the same shot, as long as you call it.
4b. You can play your last ball and the eight and win on the same shot, as long as you call it and the last ball of your group falls before the 8.
5. On the break, if you make a stripe and a solid, you get the group of the ball that fell first.
6a. If you shoot a ball from your group and make the called shot it doesn't count if you also made a ball from the other players group.
6b. If you shoot a ball from your group and make the called shot it doesn't count if you also made a ball from the other players group and that ball fell before your ball.
7. If you make one of the other players balls, it's a foul (this one was from a person that played ball in hand rules :rolleyes:)
 
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In the Chiang Mai, Thailand bar 8 ball league the following rules are in effect along with other strange things.

1. Do not have to hit a rail after object ball contact so little touch safeties are played all the time
2. If you make opponents ball it is a foul
3. After your opponents foul, you have ball in hand and on the first shot may hit opponents ball first and/or make opponents ball. If you make opponents ball on that shot, keep shooting as if it was your own ball.
 
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