Slop vs No Slop Rules

Slop vs No Slop

  • Total voters
    58
It doesn't matter to me. I'd play any of the games, no call, nomination, or call everything.

I just play by whatever rules my opponent wants to play.

I play in a playBCA league one day a week.
I play in a two foul ball in hand nine ball league one day a week.
I play in an APA league (nominating only the 8 ball) once a week.
I play BCA 14.1 in a league where you set your match with your opponents at an agreed upon time.

I run a two foul ball in hand 9 ball tournament once a week as well using primarily BCA rules with exceptions.

My preference would be .call everything. Slop by my definition is you didn't shoot the ball into the pocket as you intended. So, yes, there is slop in a number of games people claim to be called shot. They are really a nomination game, nominating a ball to a pocket with no regard to how it gets there.
 
I'd play called 9 ball only in 9 ball, but all safes have to be called. All lucky safes and your opponent has the option to make you shoot again. I think it's called the "Grady" rule, and it's the best version of 9 ball there is.

Same with 10 ball. Call the 10 ball only. The biggest problem in 9 ball and 10 ball is lucky safes, not lucky pocketed ball.

8 ball I don't care. It's a worthless game anyway.
 
I like no-slop, though I don't think it makes much difference.

Here's a version that makes a difference: call this shot and the next one.

pj
chgo
 
Patrick Johnson said:
... Here's a version that makes a difference: call this shot and the next one....
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Many years ago that was an occasional game at the Rec Center. One of the better players had a 17-ball run at straight pool which means he correctly called his position after the break shot.
 
Bob Jewett said:
Many years ago that was an occasional game at the Rec Center. One of the better players had a 17-ball run at straight pool which means he correctly called his position after the break shot.
Click to expand...
:eek:

I play that way as a spot with weaker players (when I can find one).

pj
chgo
 
A place down the street just acquired a couple new tables that has brought out a variety of players with different skill levels. I usually go up on Saturday early evening and try to get out before it gets too drunk...I mean too late.

The "Bar Rules" are...

1. No Jump Balls
2. No masse shots
3. 8 Ball is not neutral
4. Scratch on the break is a loss. (What!?)
5. Must bank 8-Ball (Only during tournament play)

When I start my first game, I usually ask the person how they play meaning slop, no slop etc.. and I agree to play however they want, it doesn't matter to me as I should beat any slop player and any good player is going to play the way I do so it's all good.

Inevitably however...at least one time a night (before I can leave) I will play with one player, who after the break, will switch from Solids, to stripes and back to solids again. I just smile and when it's my turn will ask him which balls I have and then try and run out.

They play a tournament every Monday night and every Saturday people ask why I don't play in the tournament. I love playing pool and when money is on the line, I take it a bit more serious. I don't get mad when I play pool, but at the same time, I'm not going to play by those ^^^ rules and I'm not going to play with drunk people who forget their stripes and solids.
 
Bob Jewett said:
Many years ago that was an occasional game at the Rec Center. One of the better players had a 17-ball run at straight pool which means he correctly called his position after the break shot.
Click to expand...

A friend I play with ever so often plays 9 and 10 ball like that. That's the only way he will gamble.

You break, then call the first 3 pockets. If you get out of line you cannot change pockets or play safe. It is considered a foul and ball in hand for next player. After you make the third called ahead ball you then stop and call the next 3 and so on.

It's just like playing the ghost because anytime I miss I never get back to table with him. Yes, he is very strong.

He calls it "3 ahead".

Rake
 
jrctherake said:
A friend I play with ever so often plays 9 and 10 ball like that. That's the only way he will gamble.

You break, then call the first 3 pockets. If you get out of line you cannot change pockets or play safe. It is considered a foul and ball in hand for next player. After you make the third called ahead ball you then stop and call the next 3 and so on.

It's just like playing the ghost because anytime I miss I never get back to table with him. Yes, he is very strong.

He calls it "3 ahead".

Rake
Click to expand...

I like that. I don't think I could get my new bar friends to do it...but I like it.

I live in paradise but unfortunately, I still live where I have retired from law enforcement. The other night I was in the middle of a game and one of the guy says "OFFICER Kennen, how have you've been?"

I simply said "not me bud" he says"you must have a twin brother". I said "maybe somewhere but I'm from the West Coast".

I arrested that fellow 15 years ago for attempted manslaughter.

He really thought it wasn't me. He left and it was a good night.
 
Swighey said:
I like the idea of this for a practice session between two players of similar standard
Click to expand...

It is even better when one player is stronger than the other.

The stronger player calls 3 ahead. The weaker player does not.

By doing so, the weaker player has a better chance at getting to table.
 
Anyone Recall Sky Masterson in "Guys & Dolls"

If one doesn't have the confidence and skill required to announce ahead of time before shooting at any
object ball what exactly they intend to happen, i.e.,the intended pocket for the object ball being shot at,
one should not get credit when that ball drops into any of the other 5 pockets on the pool table.....Why?

Because it was an accidental outcome and for lack of a better term, it's called luck. Everyone has it
when you play games allowing slop. It's either good luck or bad luck depending on one's outlook but
you hear players gripe about either their own bad luck or the other player's good luck, especially
when their opponent stayed at the table because of slopping in some object balls pocketed by just
sheer accidental bumps on the table.

If you can talk about your game, you had better be prepared to walk it too. Call pocket is truest test of
competition in any pocket billiards game. If you want to play slop counts, then that's your own choice.
But I have a pretty good hunch those players say in a match, "That's good.", meaning that they conceded
the shot, very often hoping their oppnent would reciprocate at some point..You see this happen on golf
courses all the time....pure bullshit.......make the putt even if it is a tap-in. None of this inside the leather
concession of putts.....how long does it finish a tap-in......3 seconds......you have to walk to the balll just
to pick it up so why not simply finish the putt?

Slopping a ball into a pocket and then being credited with making the shot is just not my cup of tea.
It is just an accident that I never intended to happen and my own approach to pool, regardless of which
game I may play, is focused on proficiency, predictability and precision & never about slop that's annoying.

Players whom enjoy and endorse playing a game when chance is involved are gamblers by nature,
even if they do not wage money. The element of luck adds more excitement and interest for them.
They are like the character Sky Masterson in "Guys and Dolls" and Franks Sinatra sang about it.....
"Luck be a lady tonight." If I want to play a game involving luck, I'll stick to poker but never with pool.


Matt B.
 
Bavafongoul said:
If one doesn't have the confidence and skill required to announce ahead of time before shooting at any
object ball what exactly they intend to happen, i.e.,the intended pocket for the object ball being shot at,
one should not get credit when that ball drops into any of the other 5 pockets on the pool table.....Why?

Because it was an accidental outcome and for lack of a better term, it's called luck. Everyone has it
when you play games allowing slop. It's either good luck or bad luck depending on one's outlook but
you hear players gripe about either their own bad luck or the other player's good luck, especially
when their opponent stayed at the table because of slopping in some object balls pocketed by just
sheer accidental bumps on the table.

If you can talk about your game, you had better be prepared to walk it too. Call pocket is truest test of
competition in any pocket billiards game. If you want to play slop counts, then that's your own choice.
But I have a pretty good hunch those players say in a match, "That's good.", meaning that they conceded
the shot, very often hoping their oppnent would reciprocate at some point..You see this happen on golf
courses all the time....pure bullshit.......make the putt even if it is a tap-in. None of this inside the leather
concession of putts.....how long does it finish a tap-in......3 seconds......you have to walk to the balll just
to pick it up so why not simply finish the putt?

Slopping a ball into a pocket and then being credited with making the shot is just not my cup of tea.
It is just an accident that I never intended to happen and my own approach to pool, regardless of which
game I may play, is focused on proficiency, predictability and precision & never about slop that's annoying.

Players whom enjoy and endorse playing a game when chance is involved are gamblers by nature,
even if they do not wage money. The element of luck adds more excitement and interest for them.
They are like the character Sky Masterson in "Guys and Dolls" and Franks Sinatra sang about it.....
"Luck be a lady tonight." If I want to play a game involving luck, I'll stick to poker but never with pool.


Matt B.
Click to expand...
Excellent post - I've never heard of high skilled players that have a problem with playing strict 10-ball call shot call safety rules.
 
I don't think slop comes into play enough, at a high level, to make a difference and, so, let sleeping dogs lie.
 
Between 2 good players not calling shots generally isn’t a big deal. I rarely slop balls in because I’m hitting everything medium speed and if I miss I don’t miss badly. If I slop a ball in it would usually be banking a ball short and it going in the opposite pocket.

Now things like Apa are a different situation . You play on a fast big pocket valley and those 2 through 4’s our hitting every thing way to hard.. missing badly and the have the balls fly all around the table. Lol A lot of slop as you call it happens in that situation.:frown:
 
pro 9 ball tourneys have proven over time that slop makes no difference

its only amateurs who argue this
 
Depends on the game. 14.1 is call shot. In a game like 9 ball I prefer Texas express. In some versions of 10 ball you can give a shot back if the opponent misses which removes the 2 way shot from the game and the 2 way shot is a high level move.

The jump cue is a far bigger issue for me than "slop" in allowing a lesser skilled player to compete because players with little clue about kicking can use the jump cue as a shortcut to learning the game.

I would allow slop but ban the jump cue.
 
alstl said:
In some versions of 10 ball you can give a shot back if the opponent misses which removes the 2 way shot from the game and the 2 way shot is a high level move.
Click to expand...
BCA and WPA Rules

9.6 Safety

The shooter, after the break at anytime may call “safety” which permits him to make contact
with the legal object ball without pocketing a ball and end his inning. However, if the shooter
pockets the legal object ball the incoming player has the option to play the shot as left, or
hand it back to his opponent. (See 9.7 Wrongfully Pocketed Balls which also applies during a
safety.)

9.7 Wrongfully Pocketed Balls

If a player misses his intended ball and pocket, and either makes the nominated ball in the
wrong pocket or pockets another ball, his inning has finished and the incoming player has the
option to take the shot as is, or hand it back to his opponent.

In other words, you can shoot a 2-way shot and if you miss your called ball (or call a safety), your opponent has to shoot unless you also make an uncalled ball.

pj
chgo
 
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I wonder how the late great Don Willis would answer this??? He could make the 9 ball a half dozen times in a game and make it look like luck. Suckers couldn't wait to play him. It was a different era, but I think his technique would win now...at least win the cash. Of course he didn't play tournaments.
 
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