New-found respect for 8-ball.

inside_english

inside_english

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I recently joined APA (3 weeks ago) and am learning that there is SO much more to this popular game than I cared to realise. I say this because I spent years rejecting, disrespecting and refusing to play this game, which really made no sense.

Well, twenty years later, I join APA and not only am I having a lot of fun, I am learning that 8-ball is not easy, and can be quite technical and challenging.

Don't really have a point, just that my eyes have been opened...and I am getting more experience with position-play, which never hurts. Do I regret embracing this game so late? Not at all. Better late than never. At least I was open enough to change my mind and attitude about it.
 
I see 8 Ball as a game where it's me against my opponent. Most other games seem like it is me against the table. IMO.

Dave
 
It is suprising the misconception that 9ballers have about 8ball. The skill required for this game is often underestimated.

Our league runs a singles division where players play both 8 and 9 ball in an evening. The one thing it has highlighted for me is how the luck factor really levels the playing field in 9 ball.

What I've been noticing when you get players of different calibers playing the score in 8 ball is far more of a blowout than in 9 ball.

Last week I played a guy, we played the 8ball set first and out of 8 games he was only able to win 2. When we started 9 ball, he said to me straight out, "I'm not good at this game, I'm just going to try and luck the 9 in". He won half the games.:mad:

To say I was less than thrilled would be an understatement. He got 3 lucky 9 balls and one 9 on the break. I freely admit 9ball isn't my best game, but I do play it at a moderate level and I think my understanding of the fundimentals and strategy is above average. (thanks AZ) That night the games I won, I played well and had nice runs.

I like that the 9 ball is combined with 8 ball into one night, this way the players in our singles division can develope the skills required for both games and be better over all players.

edited for spelling
 
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The fundamental difference between 8 and 9 is the lucky 9-ball versus the favorable table layout in 8-ball. The lucky 9-ball is easy to recognize - make it on the break or lay it up near a pocket and you're obviously lucky. In 8-ball, the favorable layout can be equally decisive depending on your skill set and twice as frustrating if you're fighting against it. What's more, I find most 8-ball layouts favor one player or another. The rarity is when the layout favors neither.

If you can read an 8-ball table well and your opponent can't, you can dominate sets. If both of you read the table well, you usually know off the break who is going to win.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
The fundamental difference between 8 and 9 is the lucky 9-ball versus the favorable table layout in 8-ball. The lucky 9-ball is easy to recognize - make it on the break or lay it up near a pocket and you're obviously lucky. In 8-ball, the favorable layout can be equally decisive depending on your skill set and twice as frustrating if you're fighting against it. What's more, I find most 8-ball layouts favor one player or another. The rarity is when the layout favors neither.

If you can read an 8-ball table well and your opponent can't, you can dominate sets. If both of you read the table well, you usually know off the break who is going to win.
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which aint all so different from 9 ball really........
 
smokeandapancak said:
which aint all so different from 9 ball really........
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You're right but once again, it's rare. Plenty of times, in 8-ball all you have to do is be the right group and you win - that's the point I'm making. For example, one group can be completely wide open while another has 3 clusters. I mean, you can add a life-line for every cluster in that scenario. Even a cripple is going to beat Efren in that scenario and there's little Efren can do about it. That's the "luck factor" in 8-ball.

You don't see spreads like that in 9-ball. What you see in 9-ball are easy combinations on the 9 or something along those lines. To run out usually requires a bit of execution.
 
the main difference as well with 9-ball and eight ball are the kind of shots you face, which, execution wise, make it a far easier game. in eight ball all you are doing most of the time is stunning balls in and playing one rail position. whereas in nine ball on average, each individual shot is harder requiring you to work the cue ball more, and you need a more confident stroke to hit the balls in with authority.
 
I think another poster on here said it best one time, and I'm paraphrasing and generalizing, but it was something like, 9-ball is a game of shotmaking and 8-ball is a game of moves.
 
thats the main reason i dont like 9 ball. the luck factor.
unless you are playing with someone close to your own speed . if it is not in a trny i will make call the early nine. removes most of the luck factor.

carl
 
StrokeofLuck said:
I think another poster on here said it best one time, and I'm paraphrasing and generalizing, but it was something like, 9-ball is a game of shotmaking and 8-ball is a game of moves.
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Agreed. I mean, controlling the cueball is key in every game but the definition of control is more subtle in 8-ball than 9-ball. The balance is, 9-ball has higher demands on shot-making.
 
I love 8-ball but it can be frustrating. I think my biggest problem is getting a little two aggressive offensively. When you play aggressive 8-ball you better get out every time. I almost always get myself in position to win the game, and when I lose it's usually because I didn't play safe or tie up balls when I had the chance. Then I leave the door open, and my opponent gets a lucky roll or runs out. Thursday night VNEA I ended up the season with 60-wins 10-loses, and I really feel that some of those 10-loses could have been wins had I played a safety early in the game instead of missing a tough shot. 8-ball is all about playing smart and not beating yourself.
 
I grew up on eight ball but I rarely play it anymore, I used to play lots of 8 ball tourneys but now its all 9 ball.
 
inside_english said:
I recently joined APA (3 weeks ago) and am learning that there is SO much more to this popular game than I cared to realise. I say this because I spent years rejecting, disrespecting and refusing to play this game, which really made no sense.

Well, twenty years later, I join APA and not only am I having a lot of fun, I am learning that 8-ball is not easy, and can be quite technical and challenging.

Don't really have a point, just that my eyes have been opened...and I am getting more experience with position-play, which never hurts. Do I regret embracing this game so late? Not at all. Better late than never. At least I was open enough to change my mind and attitude about it.
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My first love is 14.1, my second is One Pocket, and right up there with both is always my willingness to play 8 ball. It has elements of both straight pool and one hole in it. 9 ball is entirely off the list for me. I don't like the game. I've always enjoyed the creativity in the other games, and disliked the play by number thing.

Its been so long since I've played 8 ball I'm not even familiar with the current rules. One rule I always thought was too harsh was loss of game for not hitting the 8 ball if you were snookered, or loss of game if you scratched on the 8. Ball in hand seems more fitting, but anyway with the exception of a few rule standardizations, I like the game very much also.

I'm a firm believer that if 8 ball were the game to be promoted on TV, pool would see a resurgence.
 
3andstop said:
My first love is 14.1, my second is One Pocket, and right up there with both is always my willingness to play 8 ball. It has elements of both straight pool and one hole in it. 9 ball is entirely off the list for me. I don't like the game. I've always enjoyed the creativity in the other games, and disliked the play by number thing.

Its been so long since I've played 8 ball I'm not even familiar with the current rules. One rule I always thought was too harsh was loss of game for not hitting the 8 ball if you were snookered, or loss of game if you scratched on the 8. Ball in hand seems more fitting, but anyway with the exception of a few rule standardizations, I like the game very much also.

I'm a firm believer that if 8 ball were the game to be promoted on TV, pool would see a resurgence.
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I couldn't agree with you more. I've watched 8 ball, 9 Ball, 10 Ball and even some 7 Ball on TV. By far I enjoyed watching 8 Ball the best.
 
inside_english said:
I recently joined APA (3 weeks ago) and am learning that there is SO much more to this popular game than I cared to realise. I say this because I spent years rejecting, disrespecting and refusing to play this game, which really made no sense.

Well, twenty years later, I join APA and not only am I having a lot of fun, I am learning that 8-ball is not easy, and can be quite technical and challenging.

Don't really have a point, just that my eyes have been opened...and I am getting more experience with position-play, which never hurts. Do I regret embracing this game so late? Not at all. Better late than never. At least I was open enough to change my mind and attitude about it.
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i did the same thing too, just stone cold rejected it for about 15 years, now its my best game-not my favorite, but I play it better than any other game.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
You're right but once again, it's rare. Plenty of times, in 8-ball all you have to do is be the right group and you win - that's the point I'm making. For example, one group can be completely wide open while another has 3 clusters. I mean, you can add a life-line for every cluster in that scenario. Even a cripple is going to beat Efren in that scenario and there's little Efren can do about it. That's the "luck factor" in 8-ball.

You don't see spreads like that in 9-ball. What you see in 9-ball are easy combinations on the 9 or something along those lines. To run out usually requires a bit of execution.
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In 8 ball and 9 ball there isn't anything you can do if your opponent is off to the races. You can just sit the chair and hope for a mistake. That is where the similarity ends. The guy with the bad group can still win the game if he employs creativity. Playing safe shots while opening a cluster, turning the screws further with a ball in hand until the run is available, or using your obsticles to limit your opponents option and force them to break your problem ball free.

I really like the dynamic of the game. Games which turn into safety battles leaving the more thoughtful or patient man with an edge, or games that break wide open with skillful ball control through traffic to complete a difficult run. It's a totally different game each time you rack the balls. It has best balance of offense and defense IMO

Banger
 
Eight ball is a blast, and I have a lot of fun watching and playing. So much goes into playing the game well, and you have to combine great strategy, shot making, safes, cluster busters, occasional kicks, and a bunch of other stuff.
 
inside_english said:
I recently joined APA (3 weeks ago) and am learning that there is SO much more to this popular game than I cared to realise. I say this because I spent years rejecting, disrespecting and refusing to play this game, which really made no sense.

Well, twenty years later, I join APA and not only am I having a lot of fun, I am learning that 8-ball is not easy, and can be quite technical and challenging.

Don't really have a point, just that my eyes have been opened...and I am getting more experience with position-play, which never hurts. Do I regret embracing this game so late? Not at all. Better late than never. At least I was open enough to change my mind and attitude about it.
Click to expand...

I'm the opposite. I have been playing 8 ball since i started playing pool and it's gotten easy for me to play, I've done it so much that I feel as if i see what is going to happen before it does.

You just started playing 8 ball and I just started playing 9 ball and I was struggling at first, I could make the shots but my leaves were off because in 8ball a lot of the time you just have to get the cue ball in the middle of the table and you will have a shot on one of your balls but of course we all know its different in 9ball. I'm finally starting to play better 9 ball and i think it's helping my 8 ball game as well. So it's a win; win for me!
 
To the OP, do you play Straight Pool? If so, nothing in 8 ball should be difficult for you, moreso if you play One Pocket as well.
 
Pushout said:
To the OP, do you play Straight Pool? If so, nothing in 8 ball should be difficult for you, moreso if you play One Pocket as well.
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I do play both games, and 1P is actually my favorite. I wouldn't compare the games, but there are similarities, and 1P has all but eliminated any trepidation I might have had banking a ball, especially for purposes of getting better position...:)
 
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