The Worst Rule in Pool

3andstop said:
As far as the marking pocket rule, there are idiots in all facets of life, this rule was designed to help eliminate arguments when they are around playing pool.
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This ^^^^^

I've never seen anyone call someone on this rule if they agreed to "call them" before the match.

It's a simple rule. Follow it, no problem.

How about putting the cue ball just over the string when breaking? That would be a foul, right? Its a simple rule, that everyone seems to be able to handle. Marking the pocket is just as simple and basic, yet it creates all this turmoil... Never fails to amaze me.
 
Shaft said:
The rule against "scooped" jump shots. It is premised on the myth that a scoop shot is a deliberate miscue, which has been debunked.

Any rule that makes it an "option" to call ball/pocket in 10-ball is bad. If one insists on allowing slop in 9-ball, then 10-ball must be a called game by contrast. That's the only valid reason for 10-ball existing as its own game.

The rule in one pocket that allows you to deliberately scratch in order to take out your opponent 's "pocket hanger." I have used this rule and won games with it, but I would change the rule to say any opponents balls pocketed during a foul stay down. I am against rules that encourage deliberate fouling.

BIH anywhere on the table after a foul ... is actually a good rule.
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That first sentence makes me leery to ever read any of your posts again. If I ever play on your table (which I'm assuming you don't have) I will make sure to practice my 'scoop' shots a few hundred times. Hopefully you still have felt when I'm done but I doubt it.
 
Gunn_Slinger said:
worst rule: ball in hand ANYWHERE on the table. Never in the long history of pool ha s there ever been a more ridiculous rule . No shot in pool deserves such a drastic penalty.
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Strongly agree. BIH behind the line is traditional pool. You'll never see "anywhere" BIH in 1P or 14:1.
 
Winning the game by making the 8 on the break in 8-ball.

How ridiculous and stupid!!! It goes against the entire point of the game.
 
beetle said:
Winning the game by making the 8 on the break in 8-ball.

How ridiculous and stupid!!! It goes against the entire point of the game.
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For a 9' table, I agree with you.

For a barbox, though, what should happen if the 8 is pocketed on the break? I'm not paying $1.25 just to get the 8 ball back out!
 
Worst rule in pool: 9-ball does not have to call ball and pocket.

Second worst rule: 4-ball have to touch rails on the break.
 
desmocourtney said:
In my book its "Mark your pocket". 'Nuff said. :angry:
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That is a silly one, especially when you are shooting at a ball hanging in the pocket. I play in a TAP league (my first year in that) and they have a mark the pocket for the 8 rule, but most of the better players just agree not to bother with that.

On the other hand, I was told that even if we agree not to make the pocket, the other player can still call a foul on the shot stating I did not mark it. Granted they'd be able to pull that only once before being labled an asshole but you get a free win ;)

There are many rules I don't like from leagues, for example, being forced to take what you make in the APA, not having any type of close double hits or push shots called, dropping handicaps to shorten the races. Thats one I really don't like. As a 6, if I play a 3 that is an exact 100% spot. But they drop the races to 5-2 which is giving like another 30% spot to the player. Instead of having to just win double the games I have to win double the games plus one and going to 2 is a lot easier to win than going to 3. When I was a 7 it was even tougher, play a 3 and it's a 6-2 race, instead of just having to bet the guy a bit over 2-1 on games I have to beat them 3-1.

The ball in hand rule is only there for 9,10 and 8 ball, if it was there for 1 pocket or straight pool that would be an issue. Having to shoot behind the line where you may only have a part of the next ball to hit is not a good situation and often gives the advantage to the person that fouled more than anything else.

I would like to see the 3 foul rule modified a bit or totall removed from leagues, especially when there are many good players that just try to win by a 3 foul rule against lower players simply because the weak player can't kick and makes it easy to 3 foul quickly. In a league they shold never play with the 3 fould rule.
 
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justadub said:
This ^^^^^

I've never seen anyone call someone on this rule if they agreed to "call them" before the match.

It's a simple rule. Follow it, no problem.

How about putting the cue ball just over the string when breaking? That would be a foul, right? Its a simple rule, that everyone seems to be able to handle. Marking the pocket is just as simple and basic, yet it creates all this turmoil... Never fails to amaze me.
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Having to mark the 8 ball is perhaps the most prominent rule that kept me from playing in APA leagues.
With all due respect... I have to disagree with how "simple and basic" marking the pocket is from a shooters standpoint.
When I'm hot and making good runs then it's because I'm seeing my lines and seeing them quickly (like as soon as the cue ball stops). So let's say that I drop my last object ball just before the 8 ball. I instantly see my line on the 8 down table and know that I have the shot. I have a 58" cue stick in my hand that I can point directly at any pocket on the table (with no mistake as to which pocket that I'm pointing at) and announce "8 ball... corner pocket". That should by all rights be good enough for any opponent that holds a cue stick... or they should get some damn eye glasses and hearing aids.
However... in APA I have to break my flow and walk all the way over to the other side of the table (in this example) to place a distracting object around the pocket... then go back and hope that I can find that same exact line again that I had in focus back when I was... in rhythm in my run.
It's just not part of the fundamental game of billiards. You might as well have a rule that says that you must make at least one lap around the table before you may take a shot at the game ball. This rule can be handicapping to someone who is in rhythm during a game or match... and every shooter knows it.
I understand that there are going to be nit picking whiners that will argue the obvious shot because they are sore losers or just have bad sportsmanship. I have seen it enough in the UPA also. But if I am forced to add distractions into my games rhythm just to keep someone from crying over an obvious legal shot... I don't want any part of that. If someone is not calling their shots in a manor that is obvious and their shots are often very questionable... well that's when you call in the LO to oversee and make rulings during a match... not because someone didn't walk over an place their cute little marker object over the intended pocket.
I could name other reasons why I believe this rule is somewhat "Mickey Mouse" to the serious player. It's the first thing that comes to my mind every time someone mentions APA to me when I'm out shooting.

No offense intended to anyone shooting APA and I'm not suggesting that APA players are not serious players. I know many who are, but I believe that they just deal with "marking the pocket" because they have to... not because they actually want to.
 
Shaft said:
If one insists on allowing slop in 9-ball, then 10-ball must be a called game by contrast. That's the only valid reason for 10-ball existing as its own game.
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Disagree. The rack/break is a completely different challenge and presents very different layouts in my opinion. They can easily co-exist as games without one needing to be call shot and one not.
 
Diogenes said:
-- snip ---

No offense intended to anyone shooting APA and I'm not suggesting that APA players are not serious players. I know many who are, but I believe that they just deal with "marking the pocket" because they have to... not because they actually want to.
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I think that there are quite a few that really want to get a chance to call you for not marking the pocket or doing something else silly. Then can then jump up and yell "you did not mark the pocket" and be all proud that they "won" that game and strut around the table hi-fiving people LOL.

There was another story on here where someone let a new captain setup their matches, start the last game and then told them they lost all the games for that night because he went over the handicap point total instead of saying " you may want to check who you are putting up ". The very definition of an asshole in my view.
 
There are a few but off my head for American pool it is "Rack your own/ Rack for your opponent"
This is nonsense. It should be neutral racking but still this is better than Rack for your opponent. I mean talk about humiliation/torture- your opponent is beating you badly and you still have to be further humiliated by racking for him. Whoever invented "rack for your opponent" must be a fan of water torture
LOL

But TBH the rules for American pool are super good compared to English 8-ball/blackball.
English 8-ball/blackball has many ridiculous crazy rules like
-if you are on black, you get 2 shots on black when your opponent fouls
-you hit your ball first but pot your opponent's ball it is a foul unless you also pot your own ball
- No deliberate/intentional foul are allowed. Question is how do you know whether it is deliberate or accidental foul? Maybe they have referees who are mind readers.
-you get 2 shots when your opponent fouls and you can shot your opponent's ball on first shot. :D
 
spartan said:
There are a few but off my head for American pool it is "Rack your own/ Rack for your opponent"
This is nonsense. It should be neutral racking but still this is better than Rack for your opponent. I mean talk about humiliation/torture- your opponent is beating you badly and you still have to be further humiliated by racking for him. Whoever invented "rack for your opponent" must be a fan of water torture
LOL

But TBH the rules for American pool are super good compared to English 8-ball/blackball.
English 8-ball/blackball has many ridiculous crazy rules like
-if you are on black, you get 2 shots on black when your opponent fouls
-you hit your ball first but pot your opponent's ball it is a foul unless you also pot your own ball
- No deliberate/intentional foul are allowed. Question is how do you know whether it is deliberate or accidental foul? Maybe they have referees who are mind readers.
-you get 2 shots when your opponent fouls and you can shot your opponent's ball on first shot. :D
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Damn, those rules would drive me crazy, just like playing some random bar rules.

I actually would rather have my opponent rack for me, that way I feel like I won. Like having a limo drive you to a $2,000 a night hotel but having to open your own doors. Although the issue with that is getting a good rack.
 
spartan said:
But TBH the rules for American pool are super good compared to English 8-ball/blackball.
English 8-ball/blackball has many ridiculous crazy rules like
-if you are on black, you get 2 shots on black when your opponent fouls
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So playing the becomes golf. On your first shot you knock it close to the hole, second shot you pot the ball for par?:dance:
 
Bob Jewett said:
So, Desmo, you forgot to mark your pocket? :p

The unworkable alternative is to ask the players to exhibit good sportsmanship, have an understanding of the game, and show respect for their opponents.
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I agree, I have played 8 ball for 17+ years and have never marked a pocket and also have never had an argument as to what pocket I called. I guess I just play with respectable people.
 
Diogenes said:
Having to mark the 8 ball is perhaps the most prominent rule that kept me from playing in APA leagues.
With all due respect... I have to disagree with how "simple and basic" marking the pocket is from a shooters standpoint.
When I'm hot and making good runs then it's because I'm seeing my lines and seeing them quickly (like as soon as the cue ball stops). So let's say that I drop my last object ball just before the 8 ball. I instantly see my line on the 8 down table and know that I have the shot. I have a 58" cue stick in my hand that I can point directly at any pocket on the table (with no mistake as to which pocket that I'm pointing at) and announce "8 ball... corner pocket". That should by all rights be good enough for any opponent that holds a cue stick... or they should get some damn eye glasses and hearing aids.
However... in APA I have to break my flow and walk all the way over to the other side of the table (in this example) to place a distracting object around the pocket... then go back and hope that I can find that same exact line again that I had in focus back when I was... in rhythm in my run.
It's just not part of the fundamental game of billiards. You might as well have a rule that says that you must make at least one lap around the table before you may take a shot at the game ball. This rule can be handicapping to someone who is in rhythm during a game or match... and every shooter knows it.
I understand that there are going to be nit picking whiners that will argue the obvious shot because they are sore losers or just have bad sportsmanship. I have seen it enough in the UPA also. But if I am forced to add distractions into my games rhythm just to keep someone from crying over an obvious legal shot... I don't want any part of that. If someone is not calling their shots in a manor that is obvious and their shots are often very questionable... well that's when you call in the LO to oversee and make rulings during a match... not because someone didn't walk over an place their cute little marker object over the intended pocket.
I could name other reasons why I believe this rule is somewhat "Mickey Mouse" to the serious player. It's the first thing that comes to my mind every time someone mentions APA to me when I'm out shooting.

No offense intended to anyone shooting APA and I'm not suggesting that APA players are not serious players. I know many who are, but I believe that they just deal with "marking the pocket" because they have to... not because they actually want to.
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I get that. I really do.

I still don't find it to be as big an interruption as you do, but everone is different in how they play. (I'm taken back to all the instructional material I've read and viewed, about walking the table, stepping into the shot, etc. Not everyone approaches shots and shooting in the same manner tho...)
 
I played for a year in APA and the mark the pocket thing wasn't an issue for anyone on my team the entire time. I don't even remember one instance. At regular league night everyone was ok with just calling it, but at the tournaments we would mark it. No big deal.

The rules in pool that I like the least are the rules regarding push shots and double hits. And truthfully it's not because I don't think that they shouldn't be fouls, but 1. Most people think a push shot and a double hit are the same thing when they aren't 2. They can be hard to call even for experienced referees (which are never present at 99 percent of games) 3. Depending on the rule set the rules can be written awkwardly or incompletely (APA) leading to arguments and 4. It never made sense to me that being frozen to the object ball allows you to shoot through it (under BCA/WPA rules).
 
krupa said:
For a 9' table, I agree with you.

For a barbox, though, what should happen if the 8 is pocketed on the break? I'm not paying $1.25 just to get the 8 ball back out!
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Dang, remind me to never go to the bars that charge $1.25 for a game of pool. That is absurd.
 
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