New Defensive Game

Joe T

Joe T

Well-known member
I'm not sure if anyone has already come up with a game like this and if they have I apologize.

Was giving a lesson this past weekend and it’s always tough to give a good lesson on 9 ball safeties and kicking safe because there’s so many different situations that come up and what I usually do is make it so we play 9 ball/10ball but are only allowed to play safe but balls hang up or you’re left with an easy shot that you would never play safe on. So what we did was play similar to the 1pocket spot of one and stop but kept score by receiving 1 point for every ball you made thereby creating a penalty for selling out a ball and this also made for a good battle on those last few balls. I would like some of us here to try it and see how they like it and maybe find some bugs or rules that might be appropriate.

You could play by yourself but I would like to see how it feels to you with an opponent.
Break a rack of 9, 10 or 15 balls, (might be good for 8 ball also) spot any balls made on the break and the incoming players has to push out to start the game. After this you receive 1 point for any ball you make, you can only make 1 in a row and then must play safe, if you make 2 in a row the 2nd ball spots (no penalty and could be a good way to play safe if a ball is hanging in a pocket). One possible way to score 2 in a row would be if you kicked your first shot in, then made a ball and then played safe, bonus for kicking one in?
Any way I thought it was kind of interesting and giving the option of making your first shot at least allowed you to play position for the next safe.

Give it go and let us know how you made out.
Oh yeah, you don’t have to play by the rack, you can play a race to however many points you choose. I would think a race to 21 points would be good.
 
I used to do something similar when working with team mates in 8 ball. you can make one ball then must shoot a safety. If your opponent makes a good safety it stops you from making your one ball. Play it like regular league with ball in hand for fouls. It teaches them fast how safeties can affect the outcome of a game.
Chris
 
I was working with two students last weekend. They wanted to work on defense, so I had them play 9-ball but the only way to win was to 3-foul your opponent. I then coached both of them. They had a lot of fun, and we got to discuss a lot of different defensive options.
Steve
 
3 GREAT POSTS GUYS! Now I have something good to practice alight bulb went on great ideas for everyone! read Joe T BOOKS AND WATCH dvd you can learn from a knowledgeable player who hasput a lot of time and effort into putting good products on the market thanks also chrisceus and pooltchr I LEARNED SOMETHIG TODAY.
 
Less is more

I have an idea for a game with two cue balls and an object ball. The game starts by the breaker playing a safe.
If you can kick it you get 1 point.
If you can kick it to leave your opponent hooked, you get 2 points.
If you can kick it into a pocket, you get three points.
If you can hit it without kicking, you get 4 points.
If you can pocket it without kicking, you get 5 points.
Three fouls is five points.
Game is to 5, alternate breaks.
If a ball is pocketed before the end of a game the player that pocketed it, places it any where on the table and shoots again, but must attempt a safety.

I'm not sure how the three balls should be placed for the opening break, any suggestions? I was thinking, non breaker places his cue ball any where on the table, then the breaker places his where he chooses, the object ball would then be placed by the non breaker. This way there would be strategy involved, even before someone shoots a ball.

Tracy
 
Joe T said:
I'm not sure if anyone has already come up with a game like this and if they have I apologize.

Was giving a lesson this past weekend and it’s always tough to give a good lesson on 9 ball safeties and kicking safe because there’s so many different situations that come up and what I usually do is make it so we play 9 ball/10ball but are only allowed to play safe but balls hang up or you’re left with an easy shot that you would never play safe on. So what we did was play similar to the 1pocket spot of one and stop but kept score by receiving 1 point for every ball you made thereby creating a penalty for selling out a ball and this also made for a good battle on those last few balls. I would like some of us here to try it and see how they like it and maybe find some bugs or rules that might be appropriate.

You could play by yourself but I would like to see how it feels to you with an opponent.
Break a rack of 9, 10 or 15 balls, (might be good for 8 ball also) spot any balls made on the break and the incoming players has to push out to start the game. After this you receive 1 point for any ball you make, you can only make 1 in a row and then must play safe, if you make 2 in a row the 2nd ball spots (no penalty and could be a good way to play safe if a ball is hanging in a pocket). One possible way to score 2 in a row would be if you kicked your first shot in, then made a ball and then played safe, bonus for kicking one in?
Any way I thought it was kind of interesting and giving the option of making your first shot at least allowed you to play position for the next safe.

Give it go and let us know how you made out.
Oh yeah, you don’t have to play by the rack, you can play a race to however many points you choose. I would think a race to 21 points would be good.
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I played my practice partner a game I came up with similar to yours: 1) open break - no balls spot;
2) you can only make one ball at a time and play safe;
3) the exception to rule #2 are the final three balls --- when you are allowed to get out to win the game.
4) 9 ball always spots until it is the last one remaining, but if you make it with a combo/carom, you spot the 9 and get to shoot again playing safe;
But I think I like your game better. If I can find someone open minded enough, I'll give it a try. Thanks Joe.
 
A buddy and I came up with a defensive game a few years ago that was kind of interesting (it's probably been invented 1000 times over). We just played normal 9/10-ball, but made the game so that the only time a player was rewarded was when he played an effective safety. For instance, if player A plays a called safety on player B, and player B fails to execute a legal shot, then player A gets 1 point. If player B makes a legal hit on the ball, then no points are awarded, but if player B kicks the ball into a called pocket, then player A LOSES 1 point. There is no penalty to the shooter for making balls, but he must make his intentions known before he shoots by calling ball/pocket or "safety". We usually played to 5 or 10 points.
 
While not a pure defensive game, I play "kick-9ball" to work on my kicks (duh!). I toss out 9 balls and run the rack by only kicking at the balls. It takes many innings as most kicks are very low percentage pots, but I try to either kick the ball in, or hit it to a safe position. There is a big thrill (for me anyway) to kick multiple rails sending the OB or CB to a hidden position, then do it again ! I think the most kick-safeties I've hit in a row was 4. I had the biggest :D of any practise session after that one (finally got myself GOOD).

It has been a real experience for me as some higher percentage kick-pots turn up regularly after a very common safe ... making it really demoralizes the opponent who thought they had me safe.

Dave
 
Just an FYI that Bryne's Standard Book of Billiards has a 9 ball game similar to what you guys are describing. He has a point system similar as well. Not much different that what you guys are describing.
 
Very good idea,i play one hole by myself and its interesting to play safes and whatnot and see which one of my split personalities sells out first,lol.:)
 
Fast Lenny said:
Very good idea,i play one hole by myself and its interesting to play safes and whatnot and see which one of my split personalities sells out first,lol.:)
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This method of practicing has been pretty productive for me personally; much moreso than practicing nine-ball or rotation by myself. Being on the receiving end of my own one-pocket strategy was a big eye opener the first time I played that way. I remember thinking "damn, I'm not as tough to beat as I thought I was", lol.
 
EDRJR said:
Try this game, Kansas, by Jack Kohler. I love it, but no one likes to play because they don't know what the next "correct" shot should be. I never know what the next shot "should be" in any game so it doesn't bother me, LOL.

http://www.upscale-billiards.com/kan-rul-1.html
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That's very similar (as are some of the other suggestions) and sounds like a pretty good game but I would still like some people to try out the version I suggested to see if they like it, if it's fun at all and to see if they have any suggestions to make it better. I think it may be a little better than this version as the intentional foul in my version won't come up nearly as often, position play can be practiced a little more and the fight for balls towards the end of the rack (7,8,9,10) is similar to a real game situation.

Lets get some research.

Leil nice to have you hear and thanks for the kind words!

Gregg which edition of Byrnes book is that in? I have an old version and looked kind of quick and couldn't find anything like we're talking about.
 
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