What do amateurs think of Texas Express Ten Ball?

[Positively Ralf]

I know it has always been a debate for fans regarding call shot, call safe vs texas express rules when it comes to ten ball for the pros. But what about amateurs? Does anyone here play in any leagues or tours where express ten ball is the game mainly played?

 

[Dead Money]

I know it has always been a debate for fans regarding call shot, call safe vs texas express rules when it comes to ten ball for the pros. But what about amateurs? Does anyone here play in any leagues or tours where express ten ball is the game mainly played?

Before I stopped playing regularly we gambled playing cheap sets of Tex Exp Ten ball all the time. Loved it!

 

[sjm]

I haven't played in any leagues since 2000, but I'll chime in and say that I love Texas Express 10-ball.

Call safe is, by far, the worst version of pool ever invented, robbing the game of some of the most imaginative and majestic shots. Call shot games are all fan unfriendly but the gamblers can play any game they agree on in an action match. I'm OK with Texas Express 10-ball in which one is required to call the ten ball, but nothing else should have to be called.

Texas Express 10-ball is the game played at the Bigfoot 10-ball event at Derby City on the ten footers, and it has become one of the most popular events. It's a wonderful game.

 

[Fatboy]

There’s not much in life that feels good as shitting in a ball and running out. Nuff said!!!!

 

[Fatboy]

Before I stopped playing regularly we gambled playing cheap sets of Tex Exp Ten ball all the time. Loved it!

I’m glad to hear you were gambling!!!

Respect,
Fatboy

 

[pt109]

I assume most people know where the style of wearing your pants way too low came from....
...for those who don’t, it came from jail, they take away your belt.
I feel that some of the rules that really irk me...like call shot, call safe... have a similar source...
...dive bars with rules that grew out of inebriation rather than logic.

 

[boogieman]

There’s not much in life that feels good as shitting in a ball and running out. Nuff said!!!!

As we always say when it happens in 9-ball "If you hit em good good stuff can happen."

 

[ShootingArts]

I dislike slop, where you make a ball with zero preplanning and get rewarded. On the other hand I hate to have two way and more way shots taken away. Sometimes a pocket is made big by balls around it and you aren't real sure what is going but you are playing that shot because something is going to fall! Two way shots have a very warm place in my heart too, using them turned around the toughest match I ever played. I also take an evil delight in playing the youngsters one or two and hook on the bar box. Make a ball or two and then jam them up with an "unplanned" safety. It would take half the fun out of that if I had to announce every safety! Not crazy about real slop but anything that takes all of the creativity out of play is bad!

I assume most people know where the style of wearing your pants way too low came from....
...for those who don’t, it came from jail, they take away your belt.
I feel that some of the rules that really irk me...like call shot, call safe... have a similar source...
...dive bars with rules that grew out of inebriation rather than logic.

Paul, Just wanted to comment on your posts over the past few weeks. Can I say you have been cooking with gas? Weather too extreme and other reasons I am staying close to the hearth. Reading your posts has been a pleasure, no matter the thread! Knew it had to happen sometimes, finally saw it. A young man with his ass hanging out stepped out of his car to buy gas and his pants fell around his ankles! Being old and no longer in my natural prime I didn't whistle and holler "come over here sweetcheeks!" another happening in prisons! Cops love the guys lowriding their pants too. With perps trying to hold up their pants with one hand as they run cops can catch them without breaking a sweat.

Hu

 

[alstl]

I prefer Texas express.

 

[boogieman]

I dislike slop, where you make a ball with zero preplanning and get rewarded. On the other hand I hate to have two way and more way shots taken away. Sometimes a pocket is made big by balls around it and you aren't real sure what is going but you are playing that shot because something is going to fall!

This exactly, when you hit em good, sometimes good things happen. When you're playing a 2 way shot and the opponent doesn't realize it was played as a 2 way, it can be devastating mentally. Works best when the 9 is the one "slopped" in.

2 way shots are a huge part of games where "slop counts." Eliminating that really hurts creativity.

 

[Bavafongoul]

So what difference is there, aside from obviously one additional pool ball, between Texas Express and Call Pocket 9?
10 Ball is great for ring games but call 9 results in faster and more games. Regardless, slop is slop and I think it sucks.

I want to win or lose on my skills versus my opponent’s. Slop is like a mulligan in golf even though you don’t replay it.
But Texas Express is preferable to 9 ball where any pocket counts regardless of one’s intentions or ball banger’s luck.

 

[Positively Ralf]

So what difference is there, aside from obviously one additional pool ball, between Texas Express and Call Pocket 9?

You know this was one of the conversations we were having while discussing this. My main point was because it is amateurs, it basically gives the rules of slop for low level players while also eliminating 9 ball rack manipulation which some of the top amateurs take advantage of from some of the tournaments I've seen staged around here.

Still, thanks for the input everyone.