There Are No 8 Ball "Rules"

Pangit

Pangit

Banned
It's crazy, the most popular game in billiards and there are no standardized rules? It changes everywhere you go. No 3 foul rule, why?

http://www.sfbilliards.com/articles/2002-02.pdf

One place it's "behind the line" on fouls, which sucks, because you can deliberately foul and put the squeeze on at times. Foul on all balls. As far as I know, foul on all balls only applies when there is an official referee calling the match? Otherwise the "offending" party points at where the ball was and asks his/her opponent where he/she want's the ball?

I don't even like playing it anymore.
 
8-ball rules

Pangit said:
It's crazy, the most popular game in billiards and there are no standardized rules? It changes everywhere you go. No 3 foul rule, why?

http://www.sfbilliards.com/articles/2002-02.pdf

One place it's "behind the line" on fouls, which sucks, because you can deliberately foul and put the squeeze on at times. Foul on all balls. As far as I know, foul on all balls only applies when there is an official referee calling the match? Otherwise the "offending" party points at where the ball was and asks his/her opponent where he/she want's the ball?

I don't even like playing it anymore.
Click to expand...

There are the "World Standardized Rules" that are used by most pool organizations, sometimes with minor changes. They are good rules that have been honed and improved over the past thirty years. It's a shame that one or two organizations insist on a very different set of rules.
Regarding the 3-foul loss in 8-ball, that rule was used by some league organizations in the '80s, but was abandoned because defensive masters were using it to a degree that took away from the game. I carry a copy of the World Standardized Rules in my cue case to avoid any confusion.
Donny Lutz
BCA/ACS Instructor
Gainesville, Fl
 
Pangit said:
It's crazy, the most popular game in billiards and there are no standardized rules? It changes everywhere you go. No 3 foul rule, why?

http://www.sfbilliards.com/articles/2002-02.pdf

One place it's "behind the line" on fouls, which sucks, because you can deliberately foul and put the squeeze on at times. Foul on all balls. As far as I know, foul on all balls only applies when there is an official referee calling the match? Otherwise the "offending" party points at where the ball was and asks his/her opponent where he/she want's the ball?

I don't even like playing it anymore.
Click to expand...
I think you're missing the whole point of bar-room eight ball. It is not mostly a pool game -- it is an exercise in interacting with others. How do you gently negotiate rules when you are among angry strangers? How do you deal with cheating when you know they're cheating, they know they're cheating, and they know that you know they're cheating? What do you do if someone on the side demands to bet with you? Are you able to maintain a clear path to leave the area if necessary? Each of these facets can be far more exciting and interesting than just playing the game.

Start developing your interpersonal skills.
 
Bob Jewett said:
I think you're missing the whole point of bar-room eight ball. It is not mostly a pool game -- it is an exercise in interacting with others. How do you gently negotiate rules when you are among angry strangers? How do you deal with cheating when you know they're cheating, they know they're cheating, and they know that you know they're cheating? What do you do if someone on the side demands to bet with you? Are you able to maintain a clear path to leave the area if necessary? Each of these facets can be far more exciting and interesting than just playing the game.

Start developing your interpersonal skills.
Click to expand...

ahhhh good ole bar box 8ball! the rules change faster than your opponent :grin:
 
Pangit said:
It's crazy, the most popular game in billiards and there are no standardized rules? It changes everywhere you go. No 3 foul rule, why?

http://www.sfbilliards.com/articles/2002-02.pdf

One place it's "behind the line" on fouls, which sucks, because you can deliberately foul and put the squeeze on at times. Foul on all balls. As far as I know, foul on all balls only applies when there is an official referee calling the match? Otherwise the "offending" party points at where the ball was and asks his/her opponent where he/she want's the ball?

I don't even like playing it anymore.
Click to expand...

Liquor, bars and home court have created the ''bar Rules'' animal, because idiots and drunks always want to be right, and home court guys always want to win. Welcome to the dysfunctional world of 8 ball and pickiness in clubs.
 
Rule #1

#1 Run Out

#2 Play better than the other guy

This will get you through 99% of the BS no matter what the rules are. I have played the game with people who make the rules up as they go..., what i have found is that people who do that cant play and I always get thier cash.

Forget the rules, get the cash!
 
Pangit said:
It's crazy, the most popular game in billiards and there are no standardized rules? It changes everywhere you go. No 3 foul rule, why?
Click to expand...

Some places you go, it's a bar game. Other places it's a league game, or a tournament game. Golf's the only sport/game that really pretends to have the same rules for the pros and amateurs, but there you call your own fouls. :-D

College and pro Football have different rules. Why can't 8 ball have different sets of rules for different environments? If I'm playing on a tournament table, obviously the rules on spotting balls are going to be different from on a coin-op table. If I'm paying for the rack and not the table time, then a 3-foul rule wastes my money if I have to leave the table with balls left on it.

Don't let it bother you. 8 ball can be different all over the place and still be 8 ball.
 
walrus_3d said:
Some places you go, it's a bar game. Other places it's a league game, or a tournament game. Golf's the only sport/game that really pretends to have the same rules for the pros and amateurs, but there you call your own fouls. :-D

College and pro Football have different rules. Why can't 8 ball have different sets of rules for different environments? If I'm playing on a tournament table, obviously the rules on spotting balls are going to be different from on a coin-op table. If I'm paying for the rack and not the table time, then a 3-foul rule wastes my money if I have to leave the table with balls left on it.

Don't let it bother you. 8 ball can be different all over the place and still be 8 ball.
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I think what your description breaks down to, while trying to help is, you gotta learn to put up with idiots, in All forms of life, those snakes ;) are everywhere.
 
In my opinion, 8-ball as a game is inherently flawed. No game, whether it's pool, cards, boardgame, etc., should allow a person to win without ever taking a turn.

I understand the constraints that a barbox places on a game, but there's got to be something better.
 
Island Drive said:
I think what your description breaks down to, while trying to help is, you gotta learn to put up with idiots, in All forms of life, those snakes ;) are everywhere.
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Yeah, but I was talking about rules rules, ignoring the fact that you're playing a game against drunks and idiots.

Once upon a time I was playing call-pocket against a couple people in succession who tried to tell me that I couldn't call: 1) my ball off their ball, 2) my ball off the 8 ball, or 3) the 8 ball off their ball. Naturally their protests were after the shots in question went in. The argument finally came down to, That's the shot I called, and you said Okay, and the bouncer's a good friend of mine.

Had another good one where I asked this chick (my drunk opponent) politely to stop leaning on me while I was trying to shoot. She told me if I can't handle the pressure I shouldn't play pool. I tell her if she touches me one more time other than to shake my hand, my wife (sitting at the bar and glaring at her) would probably kick her ass. I was right!:thumbup:

I love interpersonal relations!
 
krupa said:
In my opinion, 8-ball as a game is inherently flawed. No game, whether it's pool, cards, boardgame, etc., should allow a person to win without ever taking a turn.

I understand the constraints that a barbox places on a game, but there's got to be something better.
Click to expand...

Well, yeah. 8 Ball is an exercise in not losing. I actually like that about it. It's the only game I know you can lose on your turn. I'm pretty sure that's why matches are more than one rack. 'Cause you can't win a race to 5 without breaking at least once. Unless you're playing loser breaks. But why would anybody do that?
 
The biggest joke is when the guy you are playing says ''we don't allow slop''. SLOP has more definitions than 8 ball has rules, LOL.
 
King T is right. The cheating barroom idiots can't play a lick. Never argue. Let those mentally defective clowns cheat at will. They will still lose to a good player every time.
 
One ex-world champion once told me that when he used to go on the road hustling around the country in the 1960's he learned really fast that 8 ball is a game you should never gamble at on the road. He said every state he went to had different rules for 8 ball and they weren't made known up front.
 
Bob Jewett said:
I think you're missing the whole point of bar-room eight ball. It is not mostly a pool game -- it is an exercise in interacting with others. How do you gently negotiate rules when you are among angry strangers? How do you deal with cheating when you know they're cheating, they know they're cheating, and they know that you know they're cheating? What do you do if someone on the side demands to bet with you? Are you able to maintain a clear path to leave the area if necessary? Each of these facets can be far more exciting and interesting than just playing the game.

Start developing your interpersonal skills.
Click to expand...

Funniest post in a long time.
 
Pangit said:
It's crazy, the most popular game in billiards and there are no standardized rules? It changes everywhere you go. No 3 foul rule, why?

http://www.sfbilliards.com/articles/2002-02.pdf

One place it's "behind the line" on fouls, which sucks, because you can deliberately foul and put the squeeze on at times. Foul on all balls. As far as I know, foul on all balls only applies when there is an official referee calling the match? Otherwise the "offending" party points at where the ball was and asks his/her opponent where he/she want's the ball?

I don't even like playing it anymore.
Click to expand...



Doesn't matter to me , as long as the rules are established before the game and everyone plays by them . If it is primarily a pool room , sports bar second then i think management should post rules for all common games with the requirement that if you are playing someone you don't know then you must play by posted rules.

Good move to observe first , play later in bars . Bar owners who have pool tables but aren't interested in the game look at pool tables like pinball and slot machines , a revenue source that requires no attention. Chain poolrooms same way. If your playing with people who think safety or defensive play is chickenshit , you should probably stay away from the game.

I grew up playing 8 ball you shoot from the kitchen if opponent scratches , must try to make ball , no safeties . It can be taken advantage of if your opponent isn't sharp.
 
I think, contrary to popular opinion, 8 ball is not played much by serious players. I gave up that game for years when I walked into the pool room that I played in for the next 25 years. The serious players never and I mean never played 8 ball, not even for money. I played more 8 ball in the three or so years that the Break Room was open in Spartanburg than I played in 25 years in New York and gave it up again. Casual players will play whatever rules they want and it can change from room to room and town to town and state to state. And, frankly, I don't care. I've never liked the game.
 
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