Will 9 ball be a dead game in 5 years?

sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Straightpool_99 said:
I recently had a discussion about the future of 9 ball as a competitive game. My argument was that since the break in 9 ball has been figured out to such a degree that even moving the 9 ball to the spot does not stop the soft break, and the huge luck factor involved in the game as a whole, the game has no future as a competitive sport. I believe that in 5 years it will be replaced by 10 ball almost completely as far as major tournaments go. My friend disagreed. He pointed out that because of the history and the gambling factor, there will always be an interest in major tournaments of 9 ball.

What do you guys think?
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Nine ball is no more broken than ten ball.

In Europe, televised nine ball draws solid ratings. The three best events on the 2013 pool calendar this year are, in my opinion, the World Cup of Pool, the World 9-ball Championship, and the Mosconi Cup, all three of them nine ball events.
 
N

NYC cue dude

Banned
Straightpool_99 said:
I recently had a discussion about the future of 9 ball as a competitive game. My argument was that since the break in 9 ball has been figured out to such a degree that even moving the 9 ball to the spot does not stop the soft break, and the huge luck factor involved in the game as a whole, the game has no future as a competitive sport. I believe that in 5 years it will be replaced by 10 ball almost completely as far as major tournaments go. My friend disagreed. He pointed out that because of the history and the gambling factor, there will always be an interest in major tournaments of 9 ball.

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

One can only hope.

14.1 is the real game
 
N

Neil

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Straightpool_99 said:
I recently had a discussion about the future of 9 ball as a competitive game. My argument was that since the break in 9 ball has been figured out to such a degree that even moving the 9 ball to the spot does not stop the soft break, and the huge luck factor involved in the game as a whole, the game has no future as a competitive sport. I believe that in 5 years it will be replaced by 10 ball almost completely as far as major tournaments go. My friend disagreed. He pointed out that because of the history and the gambling factor, there will always be an interest in major tournaments of 9 ball.

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

If 9 ball is broken,if the break in 9 is the most important shot, and so many have it figured out, why aren't we seeing more sets being run out?

My answer is that it's not broken, the break is far from figured out, and if people hear something enough times, whether true or not, they tend to believe it.
 
N

Neil

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Straightpool_99 said:
In my local pool room we use the magic rack. The corner ball is stone dead and the one goes if you want it to. I'm not some super player, but I figured it out, as well as the rest of the room. I haven't tried the sardo or slug doctor, but I have reason to believe that the results would be similar. With rack your own rules its even worse. Pattern racking, making balls dead etc.
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O.K., I'll give you that part. A tight racks gives you the wing ball and head ball. Always has. Nothing actually new there unless you count the fact that you get an actually tight rack every rack.

My question to you then, since that makes 9 ball broken, and so easy, how many of those guys in your room are running out sets?? If the game is all about the break, and they can reliably make a ball or two on the break, what is holding them back?

So, since not many if any are consistently running sets, then one would have to logically come to the conclusion that while the break is an important shot, it is not the most important, nor is it broken.

My point is, 9 ball is not broken, nothing the matter with making the wing ball or the head ball. That has always happened. I believe it's just a matter of two things- 1. People keep saying it's broken, and if you hear something enough times, people tend to believe it without giving it any real thought. And 2. People feel that since the break is supposedly so easy to make a ball, then to not conflict with the statement that the break "breaks" 9 ball, they should run out all the time. But, in reality, they can't. To cover that little fact, they then want a harder game to run out in. Hence, going to 10 ball.

First thing I always ask someone face to face that tells me 9 ball is broken is this- "When was the last time you ran a 6 pack playing 9 ball?". Not surprising, most of them say "never". Well, it's not really broken then, is it??
 
Z

zilemok

Registered
9 ball will never be obsolete because it is THE GAME in terms of pool. It is the most popularised game out of all pool sport. You might see other games gaining a place in pool sport but I don't think 9 ball will go down the drain in due time.
 
MahnaMahna

MahnaMahna

Beefcake. BEEFCAKE!!
Silver Member
I'm assuming you would consider 14.1 a dead game?

I think the strongest player is going to win no matter what 99% of the time.

I like all the different games for different reasons, and wish there were regular tournaments for everything (8 ball, 9 ball, 10 ball, rotation, 1 pocket, 14.1, etc.

And no, 9 ball is not broken. It may have become easier for some people due to the break, but it is very rare that someone will break and run out a set of 9 ball where the opponent never shoots. I think the US Open did not have a single match where both players didn't have multiple chances to win the set.
 
R

Rockin' Robin

Mr. Texas Express
Silver Member
There is absolutely nothing wrong with 9-ball, no matter how many times the geese on here say it is broken. It should be the game that young players are introduced to first instead of any other game.
 
The Renfro

The Renfro

Outsville.com
Silver Member
Neil said:
If 9 ball is broken,if the break in 9 is the most important shot, and so many have it figured out, why aren't we seeing more sets being run out?

My answer is that it's not broken, the break is far from figured out, and if people hear something enough times, whether true or not, they tend to believe it.
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Been awhile since I could agree with you Neil but this time I have no choice....

I am out of the circulation these days but in the last 2 tournaments I played in in 2011 I opened with a 5pack in a match first round of both... I won 1 and lost 1.. the winner was in a race to 11 and the loser was to 9..... The break only matters when you are breaking.. Once you lose it you are subject to whatever the other guy does and it doesn't mean you have to run out it just means you have to never relinquish control....

Chris
 
SMG

SMG

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Neil said:
O.K., I'll give you that part. A tight racks gives you the wing ball and head ball. Always has. Nothing actually new there unless you count the fact that you get an actually tight rack every rack.

My question to you then, since that makes 9 ball broken, and so easy, how many of those guys in your room are running out sets?? If the game is all about the break, and they can reliably make a ball or two on the break, what is holding them back?

So, since not many if any are consistently running sets, then one would have to logically come to the conclusion that while the break is an important shot, it is not the most important, nor is it broken.

My point is, 9 ball is not broken, nothing the matter with making the wing ball or the head ball. That has always happened. I believe it's just a matter of two things- 1. People keep saying it's broken, and if you hear something enough times, people tend to believe it without giving it any real thought. And 2. People feel that since the break is supposedly so easy to make a ball, then to not conflict with the statement that the break "breaks" 9 ball, they should run out all the time. But, in reality, they can't. To cover that little fact, they then want a harder game to run out in. Hence, going to 10 ball.

First thing I always ask someone face to face that tells me 9 ball is broken is this- "When was the last time you ran a 6 pack playing 9 ball?". Not surprising, most of them say "never". Well, it's not really broken then, is it??
Click to expand...

Case closed :thumbup:
 
I

ironman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Straightpool_99 said:
Look at my name. Why would you assume that? 14.1 is by far the superior game of all pool games imo, but as far as determining who is the strongest player in the world there are just too few tournaments of14.1. A few enthusiasts are keeping it alive in the US, its doing better here in Europe, but what about Asia?

In my local poolhall it's getting harder to get a game of 9 ball every day. The good players have all realized that 10 ball does most things better in terms of rotation pool. In a short race, and lets face it most tournaments will have short races, 10 ball gives the best player a better chance to come out on top. Not just because of the break, but the call shot rules and one extra ball both contribute to this as well.
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I cant remember the lsattime I saw someone put a 6 pack on someone.
I was informed last year at the texas open which is stlill winnver break he he run a 7 pack and askeIf I had seen it. I replied I had too busy to observe, He then asked if i had heard about and knew where we were headed and replied no.
He asked then what was the best package ever put together in the Texas Open. I replied it was a race to 9 so the answer was 9. It had not been equalled since 191. He got pissed and walked away.
 
E

ed2000

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
9 ball isnt broken

using a magic rack i think i break 10 ball better then 9 ball as fare as balls pocketed..trust me if you practice breaking 10 for awhile. you will see 1 to 4 balls falling alot..lol watch SVB so basely 10 ball isn't no bettter then 9 ball..and anther thing after you learn to break 10 it is easier to break the balls since your breaking from close to the center of the table all the time..easier to hit the center of the rack to get more power and control..im not saying 10 breaking is easier to learn over 9 ball.. but on a pro level it doesn't make alot of difference
 
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E

ed2000

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i would almost bet a person can make more balls on the break with 10 then you can with 9. with a magic rack
 
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