Cue Tips: Straight 8 or ball-in-hand
The discussion about which game is better, Straight 8-ball or Ball-inhand 8-ball, continues to draw support from each side of the debate. Recently a person, who had not played in years, was disappointed in the way that 8-ball is now played. They were referring to the newer Ballin-hand rules, of course. Those new rules seemed to spoil the game for them and opined that it made it too easy to win the match. The counter position was that they were completely wrong because Ball-inhand 8-ball is more difficult to play. With the ball in hand 8-ball, there are real consequences for not hitting your ball first, or hitting your ball first, but then failing to hit a rail after that contact. If you fail at either, you must give the cue ball to your opponent, who then puts it on the table where they choose. That may be one reason that Safety play has become a big part of modern 8-ball games. You shoot “safe” and hide the cue ball behind another ball or balls, and if your opponent fails to hit their ball first, you get the cue ball in hand and choose where on the table to place it.
The Straight 8 game was created in a different era, and modern players could exploit the game’s inherent weaknesses. After an exchange of opinions, they then played a few racks of both versions. Then, after not doing so well at either, I gave up trying to understand the new rules and decided that pool playing had changed for the worse and left. I hope they return and keep playing to learn about the new way of playing 8-ball. It is much more competitive and takes much more skill at cueball control. One big reason that new rules were made was to reduce arguments about what had occurred. In Straight 8, you must call any ball kiss or any rail contact as it goes to the pocket, it must go as called, and that is where the rub is. The opponent says your shot touched a tiny edge of the pocket, rail, or ball before going in and is therefore no good. You say it went cleanly, and the argument begins. In the modern version, you call the pocket, and it doesn’t matter what incidental contact it takes to get there. If it goes to the called pocket, it is legal, no arguments.
FOR TUESDAY, 11/09/2021 »
TEAM POSITION: TIP TOP
LOUNGE TEAM # 1 » 9 wins;Tip Top Team # 2: 5 wins; Angelina’s Grille & Bar Team # 2: 5 wins; Welcome Inn Team # 1: 8 wins; Angelina’s Grille & Bar Team # 1: 4 wins; Welcome Inn Team # 2: 3 wins.
TOP TEAM PLAYERS: ANGELINA’S
GRILLE & BAR TEAM #1» Joshua House; Angelina’s Grille & Bar Team # 2: Tony Matlick and Rosendo Padillo are tied; Tip Top Lounge Team # 1: Danny Casteel and Jubilee Placido are tied; Tip Top Lounge team # 2: Randy Gibson; Welcome Inn Team # 1: Ian Rubesch; Welcome Inn Team # 2: Omie Behrns.
TOP LEAGUE PLAYERS » Ian Rubesch, the top League player, has 17 wins. Dan Casteel and Jubilee Placido tied at 16 wins. Randy Gibson, Steve Jackson, and Bruce Silveria tied with 13 wins. Raphael Brisneo, Joshua House,Will Niemeyer, Tony Matlick, and Rosendo Padillo tied with 12 wins.
Visit Angelina’s Grille & Bar, Tip Top Lounge, or Welcome Inn: all maintain a calendar of play. Look to the list for someone you know and find where they play. You might join a team, meet new people, or watch the 8-ball games as they are played. League play starts at 7 pm and is over by 10 pm. Tournaments, if held, will take a couple of more hours to complete, and anyone can enter. If visiting Fort Bragg, test out your game with local players! Good company, food, and music, a full bar with Shuffleboard, Dice, and/or Dart games in addition to billiards for entertainment. Angelina’s Grill and Bar also features Karaoke Friday evenings. If you like a venue with an outdoor Patio, try Milano’s bar, friendly patrons, a full-service bar, and a patio to enjoy the outside air. Come and enjoy the day at Fort Bragg. Cue Tip: If a person you don’t know wants you to play a no-slop game, calling every ball-kiss or rail that is grazed, should you? Well, one thought that comes to mind is what J.B. once said. Because he is so much better than the average player, “when you take luck out of the equation, how can I possibly lose”? Contact me at mcbohanon@gmail.com.