Practice 8 or 9 more often

Willowbrook Wolfy

Willowbrook Wolfy

Going pro
You all practice 8, 9, or something else the most?

I hate 9 ball without an opponent with a passion. So 50% 8 ball, 30% banks, 10% 9 ball and 10% other stuff. Guess you’d say I’m an 8 ball player. 9 ball is getting a little less boring now that my game has improved though.
 
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Willowbrook Wolfy said:
You all practice 8, 9, or something else the most?

I hate 9 ball without an opponent with a passion. So I’m 50% 8 ball, 30% banks, 10% 9 ball and 10% other stuff. Guess you’d say I’m an 8 ball player. 9 ball is getting a little less boring now that my game has improved though.
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8 ball against the ghost mostly. I don't like the BIH after the break "ghost rule" so I play from where the balls land. Occasionally I'll play 9 ball with the BIH rule because it's the only way I'll have a chance of beating the ghost - but I don't like to practice this way because the break and the 2nd (and sometimes 3rd) shot are so often super-critical parts of a rack in a real 9 ball game.

If I have been too busy to play recently and I just need to get in stroke then I will rack 15 balls and just hit
them à la 14.1
 
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Speaking as an instructor, practice some strengths to open a session and some weaknesses, too. End on a good note (a final shot where you make the ball and position well).

What do you do before a marathon? Run a half-marathon? No, you carb up and stretch. Pool players who get nervous in 8-Ball matches play 8-Ball with a friend for no stakes right before they play 8-Ball matches . . . instead, perhaps, just set up different 8-ball shots, let your nerves and adrenalin build, shoot the 8 . . . :)
 
I will play 9 ball against the ghost most often (55%), followed closely by 14.1 (40%), and then 8 ball. Admittedly, I don't practice 8 ball nearly enough.
 
When doing solo practice I like to begin every session with straight stroke drills - followed by half hour of rotation play - followed by one hour or so straight pool - then wind up with another half hour rotation play to unwind my stroke again after the 14.1 session.
At least once a week video this session with small tripod and I phone - review the video at some point prior to next playing session to fix any stroke flaws that creep into my game.
 
If I am alone I do 40 % drills, 20 % practicing breakshots, 10 % 9-ball ghost, 10 % bankpool and 20 % practicing 14-1

My favourite games are by far 9-ball and one pocket

If I match up with other players it is normally 9-ball. I use the app Billiard Manager and log every match.

Last 12 months I have played 491 matches and 300 of them were 9-ball, 95 10-ball and 36 one-pocket.
 
I practice almost always rotation games, so 9 or 10 ball mostly. A lot more ball movement and position play needed there vs 8 ball where you can have several options if you goof up shape. But "practice" is usually a set of a few shots for 20/30 tries per shot vs games.
 
Willowbrook Wolfy said:
You all practice 8, 9, or something else the most?

I hate 9 ball without an opponent with a passion. So 50% 8 ball, 30% banks, 10% 9 ball and 10% other stuff. Guess you’d say I’m an 8 ball player. 9 ball is getting a little less boring now that my game has improved though.
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I play against the 9 ball ghost and and then will set the timer for 10 mins to do a drill and then back to the 9 ball ghost. my opinion if your a good rotation player 8 ball becomes easy. Still a fun game.. just easier.
 
I usually spread the balls out fairly evenly across the table, and them run them like 8-ball, alternating suits on a miss. Occasionally I'll set up and practice 9-ball racks, usually on league night when all the balls aren't on the table, the unused ones still in the tray.
 
I usually do 9B because we play it more. That and equal offense. If I'm just trying to get in stroke I'll often give myself BIH on 9B if I play a good safety. Some days I try to get out of the safety but it really depends on what I'm trying to accomplish. Self made safety battles can be fun at times but if I'm trying to learn patterns or something BIH speeds up the process.
 
boogieman said:
I usually do 9B because we play it more. That and equal offense. If I'm just trying to get in stroke I'll often give myself BIH on 9B if I play a good safety. Some days I try to get out of the safety but it really depends on what I'm trying to accomplish. Self made safety battles can be fun at times but if I'm trying to learn patterns or something BIH speeds up the process.
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Why does everybody at the hall look at me funny when I practice 1 pocket by myself? Is it that weird? It’s not very often I play at the hall(usually at home), but there isn’t another game that I can safety myself in without getting bored. Sometimes I’ll even change it up and have 1 of the pockets’ players stretch the table out while the other pocket’s player works to their pocket…..In a sense practice 2 strategies at the same time. Other times it’s fun to stretch the table then strategically remake the cluster near the spot.
 
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50% rotation games (mostly 9-ball), 25% drills, 25% everything else.

Recently often been trying to beat the 9-ball ghost 7-0. Best full run this far been 7-2.
 
trob said:
I play against the 9 ball ghost and and then will set the timer for 10 mins to do a drill and then back to the 9 ball ghost. my opinion if your a good rotation player 8 ball becomes easy. Still a fun game.. just easier.
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Most the Filipino players I know would beg to differ. They won’t play 8 ball for money even if their opponent isn’t as good as them in rotation. Different strokes for different folks.
 
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