World Championsips Need Too Change

[Island Drive]

As I have played 9-ball my whole life (and beat some of the best in match play) while watching the best players in the world on TVU I feel like an aspect of the game is missinig but what is it?

We talk about seeding, longer races, winner breaks, loser breaks, round robin, dbl elimination but are we complaining or saying something else, all the while trying to figure out what is best for the game?

What is 9-Ball? I've always thought of it as an Agressive, Fast Paced, Great Shot Making game with INCREDIBLE Cue Ball movement, SPIN and control.

What has happened.........its become TOO precise with minimal cue ball movement and its because the pockets are TOO SMALL FOR 9-BALL. When your out of line with extremely tight pockets you ""can't work the cue ball"". Also a casualty of this........you can't let your stroke out and catch another gear and RELAX and play better and better. The game now has slowed down WAY TOO MUCH.

I find it hard for me to enjoy 9-BALL as I think it should be played. The general public doesn't care if the pockets are extremely tight, they enjoy great shots, cue ball spin and ACTION. Its always the players wanting the conditions their way, the game itself of 9-ball needs the table set up for the 'sport' of 9-ball not precision BALL POCKETING, BORING.

The game thats before us....will not allow the 9-ball style of BUSTAMANTE TO BE SEEN
again, "AND THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR THE SPORT".

 

[Salamander]

With all due respect, I disagree. I like the tight pockets. They bring out the very best. With large pockets most any player can catch a gear and beat a superior player. I would like to see longer races however. Race to 15 on tight pockets...Alternate break. That's a good format IMO.

Regards,

Doug

 

[Unknown]

alternate breaks are terrible. fu just played a great rack to bring it to hill hill, but he does not get back to the table souquet now breaks and has all the advantage.

 

[jay helfert]

alternate breaks are terrible. fu just played a great rack to bring it to hill hill, but he does not get back to the table souquet now breaks and has all the advantage.

What ensues is one of the great final games in history. Absolutely superb stuff by both players.

 

[GADawg]

With all due respect, I disagree. I like the tight pockets. They bring out the very best. With large pockets most any player can catch a gear and beat a superior player. I would like to see longer races however. Race to 15 on tight pockets...Alternate break. That's a good format IMO.

Regards,

Doug

Agreed.

I would rather watch the precise play required with tight pockets. Give these guys buckets and they are all equal.

 

[ballball]

I like the tight pockets , i dont like alteranate breaks it feels lesser player given a certain handicap and hope they set shot clocks ...

A suggestion why dont World Pool Cahmpinoship change like US 9-ball format or ITP 8-ball championshi format..... it is less luck and pure talent will prevail !!

 

[Island Drive]

With all due respect, I disagree. I like the tight pockets. They bring out the very best. With large pockets most any player can catch a gear and beat a superior player. I would like to see longer races however. Race to 15 on tight pockets...Alternate break. That's a good format IMO.

Regards,

Doug

I am by no mean suggesting 'large' pockets. But in the interest of this particular game ""9-Ball"" with so much cue ball movement needed to get around the table there should be more than ONE area within the pocket to aim. Putting it simply, when your straight in (in the middle of the playfield, not when on the rail) the player should be able to (work the cue ball) aim for the left or right side of the pocket (not ALWAYS the center) and not be handcuffed to go only straight forward or straight back. If you make it too tight your giving the game to youth and great eyesight as a major factor. As we all know the greatest players have the greatest knowlege. I feel tables like such would have never developed a great swing/stroke such as Bustamantes and allot of others. The more stroke the more you can do in 9-ball and it becomes that more exciting. They're not too tight, they are too restrictive of playing this fast paced agressive game, now its designed more for the pool playing audience, not the game. Maybe they should make the cup on a putting green smaller? If they did the best at putting would win not the ones that can hit great drives, shoot out of the sand and rough with incredible accuracy, do you get my point? The game needs balance and the pocket size is upsetting 9-balls total game.

 

[worriedbeef]

island rive this is one of the most interesting suggestions i've heard in a good while - i'm not sure whether i agree or not tbh, but it's got me thinking!

 

[Salamander]

I am by no mean suggesting 'large' pockets. But in the interest of this particular game ""9-Ball"" with so much cue ball movement needed to get around the table there should be more than ONE area within the pocket to aim. Putting it simply, when your straight in (in the middle of the playfield, not when on the rail) the player should be able to (work the cue ball) aim for the left or right side of the pocket (not ALWAYS the center) and not be handcuffed to go only straight forward or straight back. If you make it too tight your giving the game to youth and great eyesight as a major factor. As we all know the greatest players have the greatest knowlege. I feel tables like such would have never developed a great swing/stroke such as Bustamantes and allot of others. The more stroke the more you can do in 9-ball and it becomes that more exciting. They're not too tight, they are too restrictive of playing this fast paced agressive game, now its designed more for the pool playing audience, not the game. Maybe they should make the cup on a putting green smaller? If they did the best at putting would win not the ones that can hit great drives, shoot out of the sand and rough with incredible accuracy, do you get my point? The game needs balance and the pocket size is upsetting 9-balls total game.

I get your point, but I'm still a purist when it comes to this game. Give me tight pockets. For the general audience, then large pockets would definately be more entertaining...of course you risk an inferior player running out. If a good player is really on his game, then the tight pockets are not too much of an issue. A good player who is in stroke will not leave himself in such a position that it requires "cheating the pockets" or having to go 4 rails for shape. It is without a doubt "spectacular" to see the crazy shots, but I would much rather watch the surgical precision of a Ralph Souquet or the "slow death" of a Buddy Hall any day.

Just my opinion.

Regards,

Doug

 

[Island Drive]

I get your point, but I'm still a purist when it comes to this game. Give me tight pockets. For the general audience, then large pockets would definately be more entertaining...of course you risk an inferior player running out. If a good player is really on his game, then the tight pockets are not too much of an issue. A good player who is in stroke will not leave himself in such a position that it requires "cheating the pockets" or having to go 4 rails for shape. It is without a doubt "spectacular" to see the crazy shots, but I would much rather watch the surgical precision of a Ralph Souquet or the "slow death" of a Buddy Hall any day.

Just my opinion.

Regards,

Doug

I am by no means saying large pockets, just a compromise. With these conditions no one can catch a gear and play better and better and WOW us with relentless consistency. These conditions won't allow the players to totally relax and play through their small mistakes. You can't say you don't enjoy Busta or Earl catching a gear and smooting out. Hell in golf they are able to shoot out of incredible situations, but when your an inch off sometimes you can't be agressive, the game of 9-ball is agressive by its design. Its not one pocket or straight pool.

 

[predator]

The style of play has not changed though. Check WPC matches from 2004. on 5 inch pockets and the ones from 2005. in Taiwan where they had 4.25 inch pockets. Not much difference at all. Players were able to cheat 4.25 inch pockets when they had to, and also I haven't seen many flashy high spin 3 rail shots on 2004. 5 inch pockets either. They always went for simplest routes, even on big pockets from 2004.

Naturally, smaller pockets require better position play and more focus, but hey...they're all pro's and should be able to cope with it.

Minimum cue ball movement has always been the key to success. The players simply get used to pocket size and don't think about it. When they miss, it is usually because of lack of concentration or pressure.

 

[sniper]

I like the tight pockets, but I would prefer to see winner breaks with longer matches. The biggest problem I see with alternating breaks is that when one player falls far behind his opponent, it is very difficult to comeback. We have seen this in several matches so far and it's not very exciting to watch a match when you know it's not going to be close.

 

[ironman]

island rive this is one of the most interesting suggestions i've heard in a good while - i'm not sure whether i agree or not tbh, but it's got me thinking!

Exactly what worriedbeef said.

I do agree though, something is missing.

 

[dainese919]

I get your point, but I'm still a purist when it comes to this game. Give me tight pockets. For the general audience, then large pockets would definately be more entertaining...of course you risk an inferior player running out. If a good player is really on his game, then the tight pockets are not too much of an issue. A good player who is in stroke will not leave himself in such a position that it requires "cheating the pockets" or having to go 4 rails for shape. It is without a doubt "spectacular" to see the crazy shots, but I would much rather watch the surgical precision of a Ralph Souquet or the "slow death" of a Buddy Hall any day.

Just my opinion.

Regards,

Doug

couldn't be more agreed!

 

[Nostroke]

I like the tight pockets, but I would prefer to see winner breaks with longer matches. The biggest problem I see with alternating breaks is that when one player falls far behind his opponent, it is very difficult to comeback. We have seen this in several matches so far and it's not very exciting to watch a match when you know it's not going to be close.

Everyone says that but they can come back the same way the other guy got ahead. Allen Hopkins had Efren 10-1 in Vegas this year-Alternate breaks- The winner Efren Reyes 11-10

Still- I would prefer to see winner breaks though I wish that wing ball wasn't so damn guaranteed. How about winner breaks and a random 6 year old kid racks!!

 

[efirkey]

Make the races longer with winner breaks and the best players will win. This would help take luck out as a factor, but luck makes it more interesting.


I think they should change the table conditions every round to see who the best player is and not who plays the best under current conditions. First round, fast tables with tight pockets, then the next round mix it up by having slow tables with tight pockets and keep mixing it up. You would then start seeing some of the best players in the world messing up

 

[icem3n]

As I have played 9-ball my whole life (and beat some of the best in match play) while watching the best players in the world on TVU I feel like an aspect of the game is missinig but what is it?

We talk about seeding, longer races, winner breaks, loser breaks, round robin, dbl elimination but are we complaining or saying something else, all the while trying to figure out what is best for the game?

What is 9-Ball? I've always thought of it as an Agressive, Fast Paced, Great Shot Making game with INCREDIBLE Cue Ball movement, SPIN and control.

What has happened.........its become TOO precise with minimal cue ball movement and its because the pockets are TOO SMALL FOR 9-BALL. When your out of line with extremely tight pockets you ""can't work the cue ball"". Also a casualty of this........you can't let your stroke out and catch another gear and RELAX and play better and better. The game now has slowed down WAY TOO MUCH.

I find it hard for me to enjoy 9-BALL as I think it should be played. The general public doesn't care if the pockets are extremely tight, they enjoy great shots, cue ball spin and ACTION. Its always the players wanting the conditions their way, the game itself of 9-ball needs the table set up for the 'sport' of 9-ball not precision BALL POCKETING, BORING.

The game thats before us....will not allow the 9-ball style of BUSTAMANTE TO BE SEEN
again, "AND THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR THE SPORT".

Yes I agree. The pockets size was reduced to 1.8 ball size. Normally you can fit in 2balls in the pocket.

 

[thoffen]

How about we make it 10-ball with buckets. Then you'll get a crowd pleaser. Lots of really wicked strokes, people pounding the sh*t out of the balls on the break, and no lesser players making it through.

I prefer the tables they use in the US Open now. Those tables play a lot more honestly and don't reject some good shots that catch the rails at the wrong angles but still require a precise game because of the deep shelf. Favors accuracy to pocket speed.

 

[Island Drive]

How about we make it 10-ball with buckets. Then you'll get a crowd pleaser. Lots of really wicked strokes, people pounding the sh*t out of the balls on the break, and no lesser players making it through.

I prefer the tables they use in the US Open now. Those tables play a lot more honestly and don't reject some good shots that catch the rails at the wrong angles but still require a precise game because of the deep shelf. Favors accuracy to pocket speed.

I'm not talking about buckets............

 

[Unknown]

What ensues is one of the great final games in history. Absolutely superb stuff by both players.

agreed it was a great game. a game that may have had a different outcome or not occurred at all in a winner breaks format. all im saying is you have to feel for fu who just played a good rack of nine ball to bring it to hill hill only to lose ALL control in an extremely important situation. his tournament life was in souquets hands and that is just something i would rather not see.