Thoughts on Pro Game

[mnorwood]

I have been away from the game for two years. Since I have been paying attention again I still find the 9 ball game as being broken. So I have two questions: 1. Why hasn't 15 ball rotation ever been tried as the pro game? 2. With 9 ball why not add a rule where the shooter has to bank every other shot and make the game a scoring game where you get points for the numerical value of each ball?

 

[Texas Carom Club]

I’m surprised they haven’t gone to 5 ball on 2 inch pockets by now

 

[tim913]

You’ll never change 9 ball at the bars, a lot of people like slop. In the tournaments I wish they would just play 10 ball. Slop looks bad, a miss is a miss.
You can’t hit a tennis ball out of bounds, have it bounce around the seats and then land back on the court and it’s counted as “in”

 

[SEB]

Pool is the best its been in 30 years. Nothing is broke at all!

Go play your boring 15 ball rotation.

 

[trob]

I have been away from the game for two years. Since I have been paying attention again I still find the 9 ball game as being broken. So I have two questions: 1. Why hasn't 15 ball rotation ever been tried as the pro game? 2. With 9 ball why not add a rule where the shooter has to bank every other shot and make the game a scoring game where you get points for the numerical value of each ball?

Because people want break and runs and the 2nd rule is just silly. Nothing is broke. You just don’t like 9 ball and that’s ok.

 

[Island Drive]

Yah can't like everything, but offshoots are a given.
Bonus Ball .

 

[Texas Carom Club]

Pool is the best its been in 30 years. Nothing is broke at all!

Go play your boring 15 ball rotation.

Boring=you can’t play it

 

[L.S. Dennis]

You’ll never change 9 ball at the bars, a lot of people like slop. In the tournaments I wish they would just play 10 ball. Slop looks bad, a miss is a miss.
You can’t hit a tennis ball out of bounds, have it bounce around the seats and then land back on the court and it’s counted as “in”

I tend to agree with you about 10 being the better game but I'm afraid that we're probably in the minority on this. I like the call pocket aspect of 10 ball but again there are many who would prefer it to be a Texas Express type game. One thing is for sure in my opinion is that 9 ball is BORING on tv without strict enforcement of a 30 second shot clock. I'm fine with just watching the highlights on YouTube of these un
clocked matches. Just my opinion of course...

 

[Oikawa]

The reason I like 9-ball or non-call-shot 10 ball more than call-shot 10-ball is the added element of offensive multi-way options. Sometimes you have situations where the best play is to go for two different pots that are both too low % on their own to be worth it, but trying both is your best option, especially if you are also considerate of the CB ending up semi-safe or safe. These are most commonly a bank or a combo for the OB, while the CB goes for a carom pot.

As much as it sucks in the moment to lose to a fluke from your opponent in 9-ball, luck evens out in the long run, so I'm not really bothered by it. Call-shot rotation pretty much feels like the same game, except you can't do the aforementioned multi-way offense shots, so it's less appealing since you have less to think about.

 

[Island Drive]

OiKawa you right.
I'm always amused when I hear one pocket players talk about lucky 9.
In one hole.... When whitey break/scrapes the rack side to open em up, the outcome is NEVER Known.
I don't know of any pool game, other than 14.1 when your ''controlling'' the opening rack to your total liking.

 

[Dimeball]

Because people wasn’t to break and runs and the 2nd rule is just silly. Nothing is broke. You just don’t like 9 ball and that’s ok.

I have to agree here. If you don't like 9 ball, don't play it. If you don't like what you see, don't watch it.
I feel the same about one pocket. I don't play it often, mostly because I've never studied or practiced the game, so I don't know the moves. I next to never watch it. I can, however, watch when the new breed of players get after it such as we had in the final 3 of the derby, it's exciting watching these master pocketers play the game. I know this doesn't sit well with other old timers... but it's the future.
Have a nice day.

 

[Oikawa]

If anyone wants a tough game, try one pocket 15-ball rotation. All balls must be pocketed into a single corner pocket in order from 1 to 15. If you run out even once, you are probably a 900+ fargo.

 

[BRKNRUN]

You can’t hit a tennis ball out of bounds, have it bounce around the seats and then land back on the court and it’s counted as “in”

However ....in Golf you can bounce it off the roof of someones house back on to the course and get a hole in one.

 

[garczar]

If anyone wants a tough game, try one pocket 15-ball rotation. All balls must be pocketed into a single corner pocket in order from 1 to 15. If you run out even once, you are probably a 900+ fargo.

Sounds: hard, boring, futile. I'll pass.

 

[garczar]

I have been away from the game for two years. Since I have been paying attention again I still find the 9 ball game as being broken. So I have two questions: 1. Why hasn't 15 ball rotation ever been tried as the pro game? 2. With 9 ball why not add a rule where the shooter has to bank every other shot and make the game a scoring game where you get points for the numerical value of each ball?

Neither are ever going to happen. Next?? TBH imo call-shot 10b(NO call safe nonsense) is a great pro game IF you can make the 10 early on a legal combo/carom. I DO NOT like 10b-last rule. Again, 9b is going to be the main pro game for the foreseeable future. forget about the goofy bank add-ons,

 

[tim913]

However ....in Golf you can bounce it off the roof of someones house back on to the course and get a hole in one.

Even golf has an “out of bounds”

 

[jbart65]

Nine ball is the only game in pool with a chance to become popular with the general public or a part of the general public.

Why? It takes less time than 10-ball or other rotational games. It's easy to understand and follow. And it involves some luck.

I say this as someone who never played nine-ball until two years ago.

In the newcomer thread, I mentioned I had a table from the time I was six until 20. I grew up on 8-ball. It's the only game I knew.

Then in Jan 2022 I got back into the game and bought a 7-ft table for my cramped basement. I started playing 8-ball again.

Yet when I visited my local pool all for the first time ever, I learned that 9-ball is what everyone plays.

The regulars will humor newbies by playing 8-ball, but it is never their first choice. So I started playing, too.

Although I was used to calling ball and pocket as a kid playing 8-ball, I learned to like the element of luck in nine-ball. It adds a wildcard to the sport that can't be overlooked.

Consider the recent Lions-49ers playoff game. Everything turned on the interception turned into a bobbled ball into a SF goal line catch. Tons of drama. Detroit fans feeling fate was against them. Niner fans thanking their lucky stars.

10-ball is too regimented and leaves almost no room for luck or fate. I get it. Good players don't want to see foes get lucky. I don't either. But fans do. It adds more unpredictability, and thus drama. And pool needs drama.

Even 9-ball will be hard to break through, though, especially in matches without a shot-clock. Then there's the question of how long races should be. Two hours seems to be about the time window for the typical fan. Maybe even less.

Another big obstacle to pool becoming more popular with the American public is that most people who are at least vaguely aware of the game still think 8-ball and pool are synonymous.

They are, but after watching the Predator 8-ball tourney that SVB won, I realized quickly that 8-ball is too easy for the pros on 9-foot tables. Which makes it far less interesting to watch.

It would help if 9-ball overtook 8-ball as the most popular game of pool in the U.S. I just don't see it happening.

 

[garczar]

Nine ball is the only game in pool with a chance to become popular with the general public or a part of the general public.

Why? It takes less time than 10-ball or other rotational games. It's easy to understand and follow. And it involves some luck.

I say this as someone who never played nine-ball until two years ago.

In the newcomer thread, I mentioned I had a table from the time I was six until 20. I grew up on 8-ball. It's the only game I knew.

Then in Jan 2022 I got back into the game and bought a 7-ft table for my cramped basement. I started playing 8-ball again.

Yet when I visited my local pool all for the first time ever, I learned that 9-ball is what everyone plays.

The regulars will humor newbies by playing 8-ball, but it is never their first choice. So I started playing, too.

Although I was used to calling ball and pocket as a kid playing 8-ball, I learned to like the element of luck in nine-ball. It adds a wildcard to the sport that can't be overlooked.

Consider the recent Lions-49ers playoff game. Everything turned on the interception turned into a bobbled ball into a SF goal line catch. Tons of drama. Detroit fans feeling fate was against them. Niner fans thanking their lucky stars.

10-ball is too regimented and leaves almost no room for luck or fate. I get it. Good players don't want to see foes get lucky. I don't either. But fans do. It adds more unpredictability, and thus drama. And pool needs drama.

Even 9-ball will be hard to break through, though, especially in matches without a shot-clock. Then there's the question of how long races should be. Two hours seems to be about the time window for the typical fan. Maybe even less.

Another big obstacle to pool becoming more popular with the American public is that most people who are at least vaguely aware of the game still think 8-ball and pool are synonymous.

They are, but after watching the Predator 8-ball tourney that SVB won, I realized quickly that 8-ball is too easy for the pros on 9-foot tables. Which makes it far less interesting to watch.

It would help if 9-ball overtook 8-ball as the most popular game of pool in the U.S. I just don't see it happening.

Agree with a lot of this. 8b is going to rule US pool forever. Too many leagues and bar-bangers play it.

 

[The_JV]

It would help if 9-ball overtook 8-ball as the most popular game of pool in the U.S. I just don't see it happening.

Maybe if they rigged BB's to provide only the first 9 balls if you pay half the fee....lol

 

[Black-Balled]

If anyone wants a tough game, try one pocket 15-ball rotation. All balls must be pocketed into a single corner pocket in order from 1 to 15. If you run out even once, you are probably a 900+ fargo.

Stop taking the easy way out.

Around here we do it the hard way.