pool is so lame

John, the real question at this moment is what happened recently to stimulate this rant on your part? Regardless, have to agree with you in general.

A lifetime of pool and crappy rules,I would guess.John B.

PS: and I read quite a bit about the sport that I play.
 
"We" are no better than the 8 ball ball bangers.

Here is my biggest pet peeve of rules: Every rule book I have ever read states that you go by the center of the OB and CB when determining if a ball is inside or outside of the kitchen. I've yet to play in a tournament, either local or national level, that used this so simple rule.

Edit: And I always ask my onepocket gambling opponents before we start do we go by the center or edge of the balls? In 15 years of asking this question, I've never gotten one person to say center.
 
"We" are no better than the 8 ball ball bangers.

Here is my biggest pet peeve of rules: Every rule book I have ever read states that you go by the center of the OB and CB when determining if a ball is inside or outside of the kitchen. I've yet to play in a tournament, either local or national level, that used this so simple rule.

Edit: And I always ask my onepocket gambling opponents before we start do we go by the center or edge of the balls? In 15 years of asking this question, I've never gotten one person to say center.

A perfect example. John B.

PS: I think the rule this year is that the ball has to be all the way across the line.But... next year...... who knows what it might be.
 
Lou ole buddy,you aint helping any.Member that book you want me to help you write,hehe? Lets do one on all the stupid rules of pool for starters or should it be called the sport with 10,000 diff rules that nobody can understand. I think you and I together could rewrite the rules all together. Whatdoyathink? John B.


John, who was it again that needed the help writing the book :-)

Of course we can, John. (Didn't have a chance to talk to you about it at Tunica.) Just let me know what you have in mind.

Lou Figueroa
 
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JB highlights the reason that, at one time, I had a BCA rulebook + 1pkt rules printed out and kept in my pool case. This was just as protection against BS during gambling matches, even involving low stakes.

Also, lack of commonly adopted rules, even amongst organizations playing the same game, add to confusion (for example, in Lexington, there is the ACS & BCA 8 ball leagues - one is rack your own, one is not, one is ball in hand after the break after a scratch, one is not - I can't ever remember the difference ha ha ha).

Lastly, and perhaps tangentially, a lack of common rules and common understanding (especially amongst casual players and bystanders) is the single strongest reason that new pool games (yes, BB) are almost always going to be D.O.A. If most of the public don't even know the rules of 8 ball, the most popular game in the US by far, then how can it possibly be good for pool to explore other games? Just my opinion of course.

Anyway, cheers to you JB...labor day approaches and I don't know about you, but I need a break...:D
 
that if you are playing one pocket you need to discuss first, if it's a foul if the ob ball jumps the table. Does that seem dumb or is it just me? Man,in golf you can just tee it up and play,everyone knows the rules to golf,no questions even asked.To bad pool couldn't be more user friendly. How can a sport be so dumb???? What is there...10 zillion diff ways to play 8 ball???? That's very stupid...for a lack of better words,It's beyond me but I've been seeing it for about 30 years. John B.

I have to disagree with you on the golf comment. Most people think they know the rules -- and they usually know the basic rules -- but there are always uncommon situations where they get it wrong. Over at thesandtrap.com there's a goofy thread about whether using a broken tee you find on the ground constitutes using "other people's equipment".

That said, golf does it right by having one set of rules (that they will send you free in the mail), where the rules for the various pool games are all over the map.
 
Arnold Schwarzenegger said it best when he was calming the bickering on an online bodybuilding forum :

Let's focus on expanding the pool community instead of protecting our corner of it.

That is true in almost all sports except POOL....... THere is no ONE way, and there is NO one way to run out, and no one way to hold the cue, to bridge, to stroke, etc.

And it should be common knowledge when you knock the OB off the table, it's a foul, and anyone that would even attempt to dispute that, on general principle, should be slapped upside the head, and hard :)
 
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John, who was it again that needed the help writing the book :-)

Of course we can, John. (Didn't have a chance to talk to you about it at Tunica.) Just let me know what you have in mind.

Lou Figueroa

Yeah I looked around and you were gone,wth?,lol I had to leave right after the banks. Oh yes it was me that needed the help not you.I forgot,:D Thanks,I will be in touch in the near future. John B.
 
JB highlights the reason that, at one time, I had a BCA rulebook + 1pkt rules printed out and kept in my pool case. This was just as protection against BS during gambling matches, even involving low stakes.

Also, lack of commonly adopted rules, even amongst organizations playing the same game, add to confusion (for example, in Lexington, there is the ACS & BCA 8 ball leagues - one is rack your own, one is not, one is ball in hand after the break after a scratch, one is not - I can't ever remember the difference ha ha ha).

Lastly, and perhaps tangentially, a lack of common rules and common understanding (especially amongst casual players and bystanders) is the single strongest reason that new pool games (yes, BB) are almost always going to be D.O.A. If most of the public don't even know the rules of 8 ball, the most popular game in the US by far, then how can it possibly be good for pool to explore other games? Just my opinion of course.

Anyway, cheers to you JB...labor day approaches and I don't know about you, but I need a break...:D

Hey bud,while I have you here..If I make one stripe and two solids,do I now have solids or is the table still open?What if I just make one ball,is the table still open or do I have to take them? Hold on.let me go ask my 87 year old mother,she will know,or she should:o John B.

PS: so that means your coming!!,Yes,a big long weekend break will be good for us.
 
Mr. Brumback;

Are you really talking pool rules in August?

Howzabout you and Ingo from Germany and me go catch a bass instead?

Isn't that a better idea for an August afternoon?

less rules. :thumbup:

we can either use the boat or I know you enjoy the banks. :)

best,
brian kc
 
I have to disagree with you on the golf comment. Most people think they know the rules -- and they usually know the basic rules -- but there are always uncommon situations where they get it wrong. Over at thesandtrap.com there's a goofy thread about whether using a broken tee you find on the ground constitutes using "other people's equipment".

That said, golf does it right by having one set of rules (that they will send you free in the mail), where the rules for the various pool games are all over the map.

I was playing in the finals matchplay for my club's golf championship (Nicklaus course, CC of Landfall in Wilmington, NC - a kinda big thing). I was in a bunker, about to take my stance, and there was a cig butt where my foot was to plant. I gingerly picked it up, never touching the sand, and the dumbass asst pro cried foul. I said:

1) any man made object in a bunker may be removed
2) you have no authority, in match play it is up to my opponent, and opponent only
3) my opponent said he had no problem with it

The dumbass asst pro proceeded to call the pga while we're all greenside and delayed play. It took 2 holes of tense play before the PGA ruling came back (in my favor). During which I went bogey, bogey. Tilted me.
 
I have to disagree with you on the golf comment. Most people think they know the rules -- and they usually know the basic rules -- but there are always uncommon situations where they get it wrong. Over at thesandtrap.com there's a goofy thread about whether using a broken tee you find on the ground constitutes using "other people's equipment".

That said, golf does it right by having one set of rules (that they will send you free in the mail), where the rules for the various pool games are all over the map.

Yes,I should have said "the basic rules of golf" My bad. Did you know that Jack N. said that one of the worst rules in golf was,that if your ball stops in a divot,you should get a free drop cause if that's not "ground under repair" he doesn't know what is.

The broken tee doesn't belong to anyone anymore,imo.haha.That's a good one whoever brought that up. John B.
 
Mr. Brumback;

Are you really talking pool rules in August?

Howzabout you and Ingo from Germany and me go catch a bass instead?

Isn't that a better idea for an August afternoon?

less rules. :thumbup:

we can either use the boat or I know you enjoy the banks. :)

best,
brian kc

Sounds good,I sure would like to go out in the "gator bait boat" that thing looks awesome!! Do they even have bass over in Germany.He might be the carp expert.I do like them big ole carps too!! John B.
 
Yeah I looked around and you were gone,wth?,lol I had to leave right after the banks. Oh yes it was me that needed the help not you.I forgot,:D Thanks,I will be in touch in the near future. John B.

Looking forward to hearing your ideas.

Lou Figueroa
 
Looking forward to hearing your ideas.

Lou Figueroa

Jumping OB off table in 1P use to not be a foul at least as commonly played but i specifically asked Ken Schuman at the Southern Classic and he said it is a foul. Things change i guess.
 
Lou ole buddy,you aint helping any.Member that book you want me to help you write,hehe? Lets do one on all the stupid rules of pool for starters or should it be called the sport with 10,000 diff rules that nobody can understand. I think you and I together could rewrite the rules all together. Whatdoyathink? John B.

In '91, Tony Ellin knocked a 5-ball off the table....it re-spotted, no foul.
...in a major tournament.

So object ball off the table 'no foul' has been around longer than you'd think.
I was one of the complainers that had that rule changed....I ran qualifiers
for that tournament....and any ball on the floor was a foul.:mad:

So I think it is good that a player of your stature is speaking up.

And while you and Lou are at it...write a song....I got the title...
...Bar Rules Blues....:)
 
In '91, Tony Ellin knocked a 5-ball off the table....it re-spotted, no foul.
...in a major tournament.

So object ball off the table 'no foul' has been around longer than you'd think.
I was one of the complainers that had that rule changed....I ran qualifiers
for that tournament....and any ball on the floor was a foul.:mad:

So I think it is good that a player of your stature is speaking up.

And while you and Lou are at it...write a song....I got the title...
...Bar Rules Blues....:)

haha,thanks,I'm humming that and it makes me think of Hank Williams SR lol

Oh I know how the rule used to be.I think Tony and I were about the same age. Yes it was a lame rule back then too. JB

PS: thanks for helping fix the rules.
 
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