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[anemone]

I've now figured out why I always see pool rules posted next to tables. People play very differently than the rules I learned, and they seem to be unaware that there are big differences. I was unaware only a few days ago, until I was shooting pool with someone from India, who assumed what I thought were novel rules. So, a poll

Comments

[lissie930]

I'm a lousy pool player with moments of non-suckiness. I lived in a house in college with a pool table, and we just called it pool, not 8 ball. IIRC (most of my pool playing was *ahem* under the influence so I could be wrong), there was never a ball in hand anywhere on the table, and the good players called where they were trying to sink the 8 ball.

[anemone]

My "some pocket" option really should have been "any called pocket".

The official rules do specify ball in hand anywhere on the table. Even though that's how I've usually played, I was sorta surprised to see it in the offical rules.

[sunnyhunny]

My "some pocket" option really should have been "any called pocket".

Yep, that was what I was going to say - we always called the pocket when we were going for the 8 ball. I haven't really played pool in years.

[popsbabypenguin]

Yes, that is what I was thinking when I selected other on the pocket for the 8 ball. Has to be the pocket you called.

[eisenbud]

I learned to play by what were supposedly international tournament rules at an old job, but have since found almost nobody who plays by them. Also, strictly, you have to call pocket regardless of whether it's the 8 ball, and you have to hit your one (any one) of your own balls first, and some other stuff. I forget. *mumble*. Anyway, this was the ball-in-hand anywhere for scratches, which I prefer because it makes it never advantageous for the other player to strategically scratch.

[anemone]

Also, strictly, you have to call pocket regardless of whether it's the 8 ball, and you have to hit your one (any one) of your own balls first, and some other stuff. I forget.

Yeah, this sort of stuff is no surprise to me--I kinda knew that. But when I start playing a game, and people tell me the eight ball must go in a corner pocket, that's a little weird. When they tell me that the eight ball has to go the pocket opposite the one where you sunk the last ball, and look at me like a bit foolish for not knowing that...I go write a livejournal poll.

[bopeepsheep]

8 ball (or black) - call the pocket, which must be down-table from the 'headstring' (which I'm assuming to be the same as the line/semicircle in UK pool).

[onelargecat]

the 8 ball has to go in the pocket you call. and i never called this game by a name....just "pool." heh.

just pool

[mcgook]

It's a shame when we run into people who know too much. When I learned to shoot pool (with sbtorpey and friends) the game was 8 ball, but we were just shooting, and I thought the rules I learned were the rules, dammit! (unless we were all having a bad day, or someone was kickin' everyone else's ass). Later on, I made the mistake of hangin' with tourney players. Call every blessed shot. "Pool" refers to "straight pool" which is what they played in The Color of Money, where you just count em up. There are different types of scratches. blah blah bleh. Gimme my cue and let me knock some balls around until the day's tension is gone, and I'm good!