8-Ball Rules Supreme
Donny And Matt's 8-Ball Debates
Question: Why are there so many different sets of 8-Ball rules?
Donny Lutz: Changing rules is a natural part of the evolution of pool. When I began to play, way back in the last century, there were no "official" rules.
The general rules were shoot your group of balls in first, no defensive shots ("dirty pool!"), and call every shot. The first 8-ball league rules I became aware of were those used by the National Pocket Billiard Association, which began in 1964.
The NPBA rules were similar to current World Standardized Rules, with one glaring exception-you could push out on any shot! Your opponent had the option of taking the shot or giving it back.
Made for a fascinating defensive game, but a match could last forever!
Matt Sherman: My About.com GuideSite alerts gamblers to assess local rules and to love a poolroom that posts their rules in plain sight. I've gambled beneath a busted tin roof in the rain, where local rules matched the rules of golf. I could lift my ball from incidental water without penalty!
Yet I'd swim those pool tables again to install a universal set of 8-Ball rules, covering all players everywhere.
Donny: The Valley National Eight-Ball Association (VNEA) and the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) have had nearly identical rules since their inception some thirty years ago. They have tweaked their rules occasionally to eliminate some of the luck factors, such as making the 8-ball on the break being always a win or a loss.
Along with the American Cue Sports Alliance, they now use the World Standardized Rules. The American Poolplayers Association (APA), wanting to be uniquely designed for beginner and novice players, created their own set of rules which re-introduced "luck factors" into the game such including "slop" or no-call necessary on any shot except for the 8-ball.
I totally agree that poolroom owners would be wise to post the "house rules" in plain sight. If it were up to me, I'd post the World Standardized rules, the APA rules, and any other rules used in league or tournament play.
Matt: It gets interesting, does it not? You cannot call shots in any case using "reds and yellows" for 8-Ball in Europe, and the pros can use slop to play 9-Ball for $50,000 on TV, but we can't slop in 8-Ball leagues!
Slop allows the weaker player an added chance to even the odds against a strong shooter… And we also have, as you explained, up to three sets of rules at once. Why not take APA rules only and make them the international standard?
Donny: Because not all players are weak players. Those of us who've played league pool for many decades, would like to think that we've put in the time, and shouldn't have to give every possible advantage to the novice. The APA is especially good for inexperienced players; you can theoretically win a national title having played pool only a handful of times.
APA also offers the possibility of winning the paid trip to Las Vegas. More experienced players tend to like the BCA, VNEA, APS, etc., where you are rewarded a bit more for your skill and not so much for your luck.
Having said all that, there's not much worse than, after a great match, losing on a slop shot.
Matt: But punishing crime when the eight finds an uncalled pocket, for example, makes 8-Ball fun for spectators who like a little luck in the mix. And higher-ranked players take a psychological edge in matches, so slop evens the odds, makes hustlers "lucky," and adds dash to the game.
If players shoot softly to block pockets on a miss as they ought to, there would be less slop, so may all my opponents slap 'em as hard as they like…
…BCA rules are superb for universal adaptation, and APA leagues also represent thousands of players who want consistent rules going forward. I'm tired of hiring Crane, Poole & Schmidt to mediate rule disputes.
Adapting universal rules could also help the World Confederation of Billiards Sports add 8-Ball to future Olympic Games. General rules of pool only should change, and for new equipment only, such as stick technology limits or limiting cue ball position on the break where needed.
Donny: The biggest complaint I hear from players, including APA players, is that they don't like slop. BCA, VNEA and ACS players (currently about 176,000) also put money into the game, but the financial part is another issue. I have a hunch that a referendum among all league players would favor the World Standardized Rules.
Matt: As I said, BCA or APA, pick something and build consistency worldwide. But real men eat slop if not quiche.
When playing races-to-three or even five in 8-Ball, (another change I'd like to see) slop is of negligible effect, and tightening rules allows longer races to be played efficiently. League formats and scoring systems are another matter, which we will tackle in another debate soon!
--Watch for further debates soon here at About.com and visit our past debates also at the links below
The 8-Ball Debates:Run Or Not Debate
Straight Cue Sticks Debate
8-Ball Or 9-Ball Debate
Bar Pool Tables Debate
Practice Methods Debate
Time Outs Debate
8-Ball Point Of No Return Debate
Break And Run Or Safety Debate
8-Ball Rules Debate
Break In 8-Ball Debate
Fantasy League Debate
