Patrick Johnson
Verified Member
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2008
- Messages
- 1,447
At the tourney in Bellflower today (thanks POV) they're using the "four ball" rule: maximum 4 balls in the kitchen, spot extras nearest the line.
In the match I was watching (King Kong vs. Jude _____) the rule changed the course of the game a couple of times, usually when a player forgot a ball would be spotted and left a shot as a result. But it also changed the game dynamic by constantly "churning" the balls that otherwise would have accumulated uptable. I guess the point is to keep balls in play and keep matches reasonably short, but it didn't work that way in this match - instead, the "OB uptable - CB on bottom cushion" phase just went on and on, like a loop tape - until somebody forgot a ball would be spotted and sold out a few balls.
I kinda like eliminating uptable congestion, but maybe that's because I don't get that part of the game yet. Is this rule a good way to keep games moving? Does it work? And even if it does work, should the venerable uptable game be sacrificed for expediency?
What other ways does the Four Ball Rule change the game? In whose favor?
pj
chgo
In the match I was watching (King Kong vs. Jude _____) the rule changed the course of the game a couple of times, usually when a player forgot a ball would be spotted and left a shot as a result. But it also changed the game dynamic by constantly "churning" the balls that otherwise would have accumulated uptable. I guess the point is to keep balls in play and keep matches reasonably short, but it didn't work that way in this match - instead, the "OB uptable - CB on bottom cushion" phase just went on and on, like a loop tape - until somebody forgot a ball would be spotted and sold out a few balls.
I kinda like eliminating uptable congestion, but maybe that's because I don't get that part of the game yet. Is this rule a good way to keep games moving? Does it work? And even if it does work, should the venerable uptable game be sacrificed for expediency?
What other ways does the Four Ball Rule change the game? In whose favor?
pj
chgo
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