Spotting and betting question on 9 ball

smokey777

smokey777

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hello, Im a younger player and now that im in college ive decided to pick up pool again as a hobby and Ive just learned to play 9-ball. going to one of the nice pool halls in town I heard a guy say the he would play another in 8-ball for 5 dollars a ball? I thought you could only bet on a per ball game in straight pool.

Next I was asked by a quite elderly gentleman to play 9-ball for $1 per game and he would spot me the 7 and 8? I politely declined but im confused as to what it means spot the 7 and 8. does that mean when I get to the seven and 8 they automatically get taken off or do I get to set them where I want from the break. please clarify this for me.

sorry if these questions are basic I've just recently tried to actually really learn the game.
 
Im not 100% sure about the per ball 8 ball game. I would have to assume it means something like if you win a game of 8 ball, and your opponent has 3 balls left, he would owe you $20, because you made 8 balls and he only made 4. $5 x 4 = $20.00.

The 9 ball spot you referred to means that you win the game by making the 7, 8, or 9 balls on any legal shot. This could be on the break or on any combination hitting the lowest numbered ball on the table first.

That is a very big handicap and if the guy walked up to you and opened the conversation by offering the 7 and 8, I suggest you don't play him because it probably means that you need the 5,6,7, and 8.

Hope this helped.
 
CharlesUFarley said:
Im not 100% sure about the per ball 8 ball game. I would have to assume it means something like if you win a game of 8 ball, and your opponent has 3 balls left, he would owe you $20, because you made 8 balls and he only made 4. $5 x 4 = $20.00.

The 9 ball spot you referred to means that you win the game by making the 7, 8, or 9 balls on any legal shot. This could be on the break or on any combination hitting the lowest numbered ball on the table first.

That is a very big handicap and if the guy walked up to you and opened the conversation by offering the 7 and 8, I suggest you don't play him because it probably means that you need the 5,6,7, and 8.

Hope this helped.
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At a buck a game, might as well try him some. The most you lose is $20the and you get a good lesson.
 
well im still learning and im not familiar with all the gambling ettiquette and rules. secondly its kinda of intimidating seeing guys playing with cues that cost more than what you paid your first car. and seeing guys that can take said cue and run out 80% of the time in one turn whether you give him the break or not.
 
Generally when someone says I will give you the 7 and 8 that
means they do not count on the break (if they do count on the
break it is the 7 and 8 wild).

If a really good player offers you that spot for $1 per game and you
can afford to lose $20 I would take him up on it.
You are going to win at least a game here and there so when you
play 20 games you might lose $10 to him,
20 games are going to take a while even if he runs out from everywhere.

He will most likely not play you for free since there is not a lot of fun
in playing someone who is considerably less skilled then yourself.

gr. Dave
 
9-ball spot

If you have questions, don't be afraid to ask. Better if you can ask before starting, but anytime is OK.

I have played a lot of 9-ball in years past where the game was handicapped by spotting balls. From my experience, handicap balls are not game balls on the break. I don't remember if the weaker player gets to spot a handicap ball if s/he sinks one on the break. Anytime the stronger player legally sinks a handicap ball, it stays down.

Getting the 7 and 8 is a lot of handicap. In the past, that was the leveler between an A player vs a C player. Playing against someone who has 3 active game balls is pretty difficult, even if they are the last three balls. For small amounts, it would be a good lesson.

I also played with a single handicap ball, but to use a lower numbered ball for more weight. There is only one one addition game ball. But playing someone who has the 5-ball almost means that the stronger player needs to run complete racks to win. The weaker player is never more than a couple of balls from a win. Also fun for both players.
 
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If your learning to play and can play a better player that offers that spot, jump on it. Watch and learn, don't let your eye roam around the room. Watch how he cues the ball and every movement, this is how you learn. Plus the $1 bet will give you the will to win and not just hit the balls. Gambling will built heart in a person or will show you that gambling is not for you. My self as with most elderly players will help you when gambling on small amounts. I will show them what they did wrong and show them what they should have done. It's just giving back to the game and getting more people to enjoy the game.

Good luck,
 
The only people I've ever heard say they wanted to play for five dollars a ball couldn't play a lick. They know little about pool and less about pool played for money. And, I've never heard anyone say anything like that about Straight Pool. It's played by the game, not per ball.
 
CharlesUFarley said:
Im not 100% sure about the per ball 8 ball game. I would have to assume it means something like if you win a game of 8 ball, and your opponent has 3 balls left, he would owe you $20, because you made 8 balls and he only made 4. $5 x 4 = $20.00.

The 9 ball spot you referred to means that you win the game by making the 7, 8, or 9 balls on any legal shot. This could be on the break or on any combination hitting the lowest numbered ball on the table first.

That is a very big handicap and if the guy walked up to you and opened the conversation by offering the 7 and 8, I suggest you don't play him because it probably means that you need the 5,6,7, and 8.

Hope this helped.
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That did not help!

If he has some disposable cashish he should take the spot and then quit if he gets down 8-10 games. And ask questions!

Who plays a buck a game, much less who that can make a couple balls plays a buck a game?(that was quite awkward)
 
Sealegs50 said:
If you have questions, don't be afraid to ask. Better if you can ask before starting, but anytime is OK.

I have played a lot of 9-ball in years past where the game was handicapped by spotting balls. From my experience, handicap balls are not game balls on the break. I don't remember if the weaker player gets to spot a handicap ball if s/he sinks one on the break. Anytime the stronger player sinks a handicap ball, it stays down. ...
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But 2nd bolded needs clarification: If the ball is made legally by the spotter then it stays down. If sunk on a foul by either it has to come up. Would you leave the 9 down if it was made on a foul? of course not.
Double-Dave said:
Generally when someone says I will give you the 7 and 8 that
means they do not count on the break (if they do count on the
break it is the 7 and 8 wild).
gr. Dave
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What's with the no count on the break thing? That is not a rule, it is a negotiating point. And the same rule must apply to the 9 too.

I would say- IMO- the spot balls are wild by default. 'Call' shot only if agreed upon.
 
Pushout said:
The only people I've ever heard say they wanted to play for five dollars a ball couldn't play a lick. They know little about pool and less about pool played for money. And, I've never heard anyone say anything like that about Straight Pool. It's played by the game, not per ball.
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I've played straight pool by the ball. Like race to 100 for $50 plus buck a ball. I usually play snooker the same way.

BTW: Wild means you can make the 7,8,etc on any legal shot to win. Called means you have to call the shot when you make the 7 or 8. I've always implied wild unless specified.
 
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Now that you mention it, Drew, I have heard of that but it was very rare where I played.
Edit: I never saw it played where I was, only heard of it in other rooms, out of state, I think.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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CharlesUFarley said:
Im not 100% sure about the per ball 8 ball game. I would have to assume it means something like if you win a game of 8 ball, and your opponent has 3 balls left, he would owe you $20, because you made 8 balls and he only made 4. $5 x 4 = $20.00.

The 9 ball spot you referred to means that you win the game by making the 7, 8, or 9 balls on any legal shot. This could be on the break or on any combination hitting the lowest numbered ball on the table first.

That is a very big handicap and if the guy walked up to you and opened the conversation by offering the 7 and 8, I suggest you don't play him because it probably means that you need the 5,6,7, and 8.

Hope this helped.
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At a dollar a game you should play anyone in the world with that spot...
 
id play him if you can afford to lose alittle money
you will learn by watching his patterns and he might be willing to give you advice on your game
think of it as cheap lessons:)
 
bbb said:
id play him if you can afford to lose alittle money
you will learn by watching his patterns and he might be willing to give you advice on your game
think of it as cheap lessons:)
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Hells yeah. If he only learns to come 2 rails out of the corner to get whitey on opposite end of table for next shot...it has been a good day.
 
smokey777 said:
well im still learning and im not familiar with all the gambling ettiquette and rules. secondly its kinda of intimidating seeing guys playing with cues that cost more than what you paid your first car. and seeing guys that can take said cue and run out 80% of the time in one turn whether you give him the break or not.
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Don't judge a player by his cue. A lot of guys just like having expensive stuff. There are guys that can't run 3 balls and play with high dollar cues. There are also guys that'll run out from everywhere with any piece of wood they pick up.

Honestly, you should go back to that guy and play him $1/game 9ball. Then play him $2/game 8ball. Then play him $5/game one-pocket. Ask him about the spots and the rules; pick his brain a little...for $30, you'll learn way more about gambling than you will on this forum. He was probably just trying to score a beer or two off you.

I wish someone would have played that cheap with me when I first started.
 
Gambling cheap with a really good player is an excellent way to learn cheap...do it. $5/ball 8-ball sounds like some kind of hustle...don't do it.
 
Per-ball 8 ball is usually a match you see weaker players do... because to amateurs, winning with 7 balls left on the table is really impressive, they rarely run out so it's like they feel they played seven times better than the other guy. At higher levels, runouts are so common that most losses happen with all the balls left on the table. It doesn't mean the other player sucked.

I think people are right to steer you away from this game. Someone with a noob mindset who assumes he will get a shot every game, and make at least 3-4 balls... is the kind of player who will probably quit fast if you manage to run more than one rack on him. But if they can play at all and run racks, and you can't, you could find yourself 70 bucks down in fifteen minutes.

Your best bet, if you want to gamble, is decline offers from unknown people, and start out trying to match up with people of similar ability.
 
Double-Dave said:
Generally when someone says I will give you the 7 and 8 that
means they do not count on the break (if they do count on the
break it is the 7 and 8 wild).

If a really good player offers you that spot for $1 per game and you
can afford to lose $20 I would take him up on it.
You are going to win at least a game here and there so when you
play 20 games you might lose $10 to him,
20 games are going to take a while even if he runs out from everywhere.

He will most likely not play you for free since there is not a lot of fun
in playing someone who is considerably less skilled then yourself.

gr. Dave
Click to expand...

I totally agree. Play the man and learn...CHEAP. But I would ask for the 7-8 WILD so you can win on your break 3 ways. The guy will give it to you because he knows he's a sure winner anyway.

And unless the man is a total jerk, he will give you a LOT of advice since he knows he has a "fish" on the line and will treat you like a king.

But use those matches correctly! Try to predict what his patterns will be. He won't just play position on the next shot...he will play position on the next SEVERAL shots...if not the entire layout which means he will not only get shape on the next shot but shape on the CORRECT side of the next ball.

If you're on the correct side, then shape on the next ball will be fairly natural. If you get shape on the WRONG side, then getting on the NEXT ball will either be much harder or impossible.

I would say that other than his "basic mechanics" of stance and stroke...watching pattern play....i.e. chosing the correct (easiest) ROUTE and understanding which side of the next ball to get on* would be what you should watch like a hawk.

EagleMan

* By that I mean....regarding the NEXT object ball...draw a line from the pocket and extend it through the object ball. Most often getting the CB to come to rest on one side of that line or the other will make a MAJOR difference in being able to get correct shape on the NEXT next ball...and so on throughout the rest of the rack.

And planning to get on the correct side of each successive shot is the PATTERN that the player tries to execute. Top speed players often see the entire pattern through the 9 ball. You should try to see 3 shots ahead.

Bottom line...to get your money's worth while getting beaten...learn something on EVERY shot your opponent makes by trying to figure out where he will attempt to make the CB stop for his next 3 shots.

If you guess wrong, you will usually see why you were wrong when he shoots his next shot...or just ASK. Why did you play for THAT side of the shot line?
 
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