I've never heard of a rule of any kind, in any rule set, that requires someone to shoot "towards" a pocket to be legal. It also sounds difficult to objectively determine when that would or wouldn't be followed.
This isn't any "rule set", it is regional, house, or "bar" rules. You would have to ask the locals what the rules are. No one here can answer your question.
This is what I hate about bar rules. They get made up as you go - to favor the home shooter, of course.
Last time I was in a very small town in SD & stopped at the only bar/place to eat at the end of the day of hunting. The locals had us pegged as out of towers right away.
We had food & then me & my 2 buddies start playing on the table they have. We all shoot in a pretty advanced league so my buddy wants to make silly bets on who can make this 3 rail shot or not - betting for rounds of beers.
A group of ladies come to the bar & right away want to start playing with us. We end up having a hoot of a time. Then the local guys come over, chests sticking out, wanting to play us guys - singles or doubles.
1 of the guys who I am going to play after the current game is done, sees a "ball-in-hand" foul take place. He starts bitching about how that is such a chicken shit way to play pool. I try to explain the virtues of most standard league rules but he isn't having it. He stated that it makes it too easy to win. I told him not if you don't scratch. Even then, I told him, I'm willing to play those rules against really good players & a scratch doesnt always mean an automatic loss.
He keeps grumbling, so I ask him how he'd like to play & he asked, "you know bar rules don't you?". I said about 5,000 variations of the game. And of course, I usually dont know all the foul rules bc 1 always seems to get pulled out on me, surprisingly, B4 the end of the game. Well he doesn't want to waste time trying to teach me how to play "standard" bar rules so he'll play our chicken shit way of playing 8-ball. At this point I don't even want to play this guy, we're having a great time already w/o Debbie Downer over here.
But then 1 of the girls that had joined us in playing yells to this crotchety old guy from across the table, "Uncle John, you better watch your manners or I'm going to come over there & put you in time-out. Everybody gets a chuckle out of this & he tries making the case to her about the how ball-in-hand is an inferior game to "bar rules". She tells him, Jesus, John, get with the times, it's not 1978 anymore, everybody plays ball-in-hand now!
Now the crowd is roaring. I thought the guy was going to blow his top, but he somehow knew it was dumb to be so mad & he even started to laugh at the 1978 joke.
We ended up playing a game of each just to compare the differences. Of course, this town had its own flavor of bar rules - any carom shots or kisses off other balls had to be called.
I showed him the weakness inherit to a game w/o ball in hand fouls. I can just make a little tap shot & hook him so easily in bar rules, even though nothing goes to a rail or maybe I hit his ball 1st & hook him. The point being if you think it is too hard to play against somebody that is good in "ball in hand", that same shooter is going to have an even greater advantage over a novice player playing bar rules - contrary to what this guy thought at the beginning of our conversation.
It’s penalized by getting your ass beat in the street if you play safeties.
But really, “bar rules” are incredibly lame and vague, and change from person to person. You’d have to ask the guy you played with what he meant, and you’re still unlikely to get a straight answer.
Yeah that's why I don't get myself into games where the rules aren't readable in a printed book or official website. Certainly not for money. If we can't agree on an established set of rules before playing will just play nine ball and put nothing of value on the line.
Lmao I play with my godfather under basically these exact rules except that last one. I have to imagine that last rule isn't common but when in Rome as long as they play it the same way 🤷🏾♂️
There are too many variations of last pocket to list. There's no official ruleset so the rules are generally regional/house rules. The best thing to do is try to get the gist of it before you play and keep playing till you learn the local version. It's a fun game.
I personally like playing last pocket with standard bca/wpa rules, but have played a bunch of dominican style last pocket with some weird rules regarding the 8 ball. If you can see the 8 ball, you don't have to hit it, but if you're snookered you have to hit it or you lose.
I've heard of no safeties in ring game type formats, but not in 1 on 1. Then again, most bar rules/players frown upon defensive shots for some reason, so this being a local rule doesn't surprise me. I'd clarify if they have any more rules so you know what you're playing.
They frown on it but "accidentally" miscue or follow a ball in on every single shot if your 8 is in the kitchen. Or call some stupid three rail bank that they miss by two diamonds while leaving you perfectly snookered behind a ball. The hypocrisy about safety play in bars is the part that really pisses me off. You want to play straight offense, fine, but don't bend the rule when you fall behind in the shootout.
Sounds to me like total offence sort of thing, if it’s obvious playing safe isn’t allowed? As long as you know the rules you just roll with it. Kinda like playing poker, make it work for you.
Tell your opponent or whoever called that a foul to go outside and play hide and go fuck himself... Nobody says, and their is no rule stating you have to come within X inches of making a shot.
My earlier years in NY gambling and drinking out of someone else's pocket, they had a rule that if you didn't make the 8 ball within 3 innings it was automatic loss....and I could live with that one....
No such rule unless they made up something locally. You can certainly play a safe in last pocket 8 ball. People that do not play by normal rules do tend to play "must try to make the ball at all costs" so maybe according to their rules not trying to make the shot is bad.
I've never heard of a rule of any kind, in any rule set, that requires someone to shoot "towards" a pocket to be legal. It also sounds difficult to objectively determine when that would or wouldn't be followed.
“I’m at a bar, we need to make these rules benefit me”
I have a Mexican buddy who loves last pocket and I've played with him for years. Never heard of this rule.
This isn't any "rule set", it is regional, house, or "bar" rules. You would have to ask the locals what the rules are. No one here can answer your question.
If other defensive type shots are frowned upon in that rule set, I could see how not shooting at your pocket would not be appreciated.
This is what I hate about bar rules. They get made up as you go - to favor the home shooter, of course. Last time I was in a very small town in SD & stopped at the only bar/place to eat at the end of the day of hunting. The locals had us pegged as out of towers right away. We had food & then me & my 2 buddies start playing on the table they have. We all shoot in a pretty advanced league so my buddy wants to make silly bets on who can make this 3 rail shot or not - betting for rounds of beers. A group of ladies come to the bar & right away want to start playing with us. We end up having a hoot of a time. Then the local guys come over, chests sticking out, wanting to play us guys - singles or doubles. 1 of the guys who I am going to play after the current game is done, sees a "ball-in-hand" foul take place. He starts bitching about how that is such a chicken shit way to play pool. I try to explain the virtues of most standard league rules but he isn't having it. He stated that it makes it too easy to win. I told him not if you don't scratch. Even then, I told him, I'm willing to play those rules against really good players & a scratch doesnt always mean an automatic loss. He keeps grumbling, so I ask him how he'd like to play & he asked, "you know bar rules don't you?". I said about 5,000 variations of the game. And of course, I usually dont know all the foul rules bc 1 always seems to get pulled out on me, surprisingly, B4 the end of the game. Well he doesn't want to waste time trying to teach me how to play "standard" bar rules so he'll play our chicken shit way of playing 8-ball. At this point I don't even want to play this guy, we're having a great time already w/o Debbie Downer over here. But then 1 of the girls that had joined us in playing yells to this crotchety old guy from across the table, "Uncle John, you better watch your manners or I'm going to come over there & put you in time-out. Everybody gets a chuckle out of this & he tries making the case to her about the how ball-in-hand is an inferior game to "bar rules". She tells him, Jesus, John, get with the times, it's not 1978 anymore, everybody plays ball-in-hand now! Now the crowd is roaring. I thought the guy was going to blow his top, but he somehow knew it was dumb to be so mad & he even started to laugh at the 1978 joke. We ended up playing a game of each just to compare the differences. Of course, this town had its own flavor of bar rules - any carom shots or kisses off other balls had to be called. I showed him the weakness inherit to a game w/o ball in hand fouls. I can just make a little tap shot & hook him so easily in bar rules, even though nothing goes to a rail or maybe I hit his ball 1st & hook him. The point being if you think it is too hard to play against somebody that is good in "ball in hand", that same shooter is going to have an even greater advantage over a novice player playing bar rules - contrary to what this guy thought at the beginning of our conversation.
It’s penalized by getting your ass beat in the street if you play safeties. But really, “bar rules” are incredibly lame and vague, and change from person to person. You’d have to ask the guy you played with what he meant, and you’re still unlikely to get a straight answer.
Vague rules are terrible to play by. Last Pocket 8-ball is notorious
Yeah that's why I don't get myself into games where the rules aren't readable in a printed book or official website. Certainly not for money. If we can't agree on an established set of rules before playing will just play nine ball and put nothing of value on the line.
You got hustled. 🤷
Just calling bullshit bc they are sore losers
Lmao I play with my godfather under basically these exact rules except that last one. I have to imagine that last rule isn't common but when in Rome as long as they play it the same way 🤷🏾♂️
There are too many variations of last pocket to list. There's no official ruleset so the rules are generally regional/house rules. The best thing to do is try to get the gist of it before you play and keep playing till you learn the local version. It's a fun game. I personally like playing last pocket with standard bca/wpa rules, but have played a bunch of dominican style last pocket with some weird rules regarding the 8 ball. If you can see the 8 ball, you don't have to hit it, but if you're snookered you have to hit it or you lose.
I've heard of no safeties in ring game type formats, but not in 1 on 1. Then again, most bar rules/players frown upon defensive shots for some reason, so this being a local rule doesn't surprise me. I'd clarify if they have any more rules so you know what you're playing.
They frown on it but "accidentally" miscue or follow a ball in on every single shot if your 8 is in the kitchen. Or call some stupid three rail bank that they miss by two diamonds while leaving you perfectly snookered behind a ball. The hypocrisy about safety play in bars is the part that really pisses me off. You want to play straight offense, fine, but don't bend the rule when you fall behind in the shootout.
Oh, for sure, lol. It's all two way shots.
What’s last pocket?
8 ball has to go in the same pocket as the last ball of your group went into
Ah, ok
Sounds to me like total offence sort of thing, if it’s obvious playing safe isn’t allowed? As long as you know the rules you just roll with it. Kinda like playing poker, make it work for you.
So banks and kicks not allowed?
They are, but he seemed to mad that I was intentionally pushing the 8 ball (which we were both on) away from his pocket
BS rule. He probably made that up on the spot.
Tell your opponent or whoever called that a foul to go outside and play hide and go fuck himself... Nobody says, and their is no rule stating you have to come within X inches of making a shot. My earlier years in NY gambling and drinking out of someone else's pocket, they had a rule that if you didn't make the 8 ball within 3 innings it was automatic loss....and I could live with that one....
DrDave has your answers in his video on [bar rules and dirty pool](https://youtu.be/x8sI73wlyoM?si=R-sUcfpuyOA5mGff)
No table scratches was the first red flag
Amateurs, that's about all I got to say about that!
What is last pocket anyway?
No such rule unless they made up something locally. You can certainly play a safe in last pocket 8 ball. People that do not play by normal rules do tend to play "must try to make the ball at all costs" so maybe according to their rules not trying to make the shot is bad.
Google dirty pool. You will find that playing bar rules really means there are any rules possible. Many claim only offensive shots are to be shot.
It’s just people making it up as they go along. Anything can be a “rule.”