8-Ball is a billiard game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. It is arguably the most popular bar table pool game today. The balls numbered 1-7 are solid in color and are often referred to as “low balls” or “solids”. The balls numbered 9-15 are striped and are often referred to as “high balls” or “stripes”. The 8-Ball, though solid black, is not considered one of the solid balls. You begin a game by racking the balls into a triangle with the 8-ball placed in the center.
The balls are then broken apart using the solid white cue ball. Through this break, or by legally pocketing a “stripe” or “solid” ball after the break, that category of balls is assigned to the player. A legal shot consists of a player using a pool stick to drive the cue ball into one of their category of balls in an attempt to sink it into one of the 6 pockets. A player’s turn ends when they fail to do this or commit a foul, such as pocketing the cue ball. The object of the game is shoot in your category of balls, and then pocket the 8-ball before your opponent does the same.
A Night In An APA 8-Ball Pool League…
A coin flip determines which team picks a player to shoot the night’s first match. A player is chosen and announced to the opposing team. The opposing team then decides who on their team is best suited to play that player and the match is set.
Every APA player is assigned a “skill level”. This skill level lets the teams know the playing ability of each player on both team rosters. A player’s “Skill Level” also dictates the number of games that player must win in order to win their match. Teams use this information when picking a player to shoot a specific opponent. A handicap chart can be found on the scoresheet and is used to determine the number of games each player must win in a match.
Once both players are chosen, the match is started and the players race to be the first one to win their assigned number of games. The first player to win the assigned number of games claims the match for their team.
With the match decided, the process is repeated with teams alternating who puts up a player first in each of the remaining four matches.
Through the five matches played, the total skill levels of the 5 players (on each team) cannot total more than 23 points. This means that teams have to be diverse in the rankings of their players. It also allows the beginner and intermediate players to benefit from the experience of the stronger players on their team.
Teams try to win as many of the weekly matches as possible. One point is awarded for each match won. At the end of the session, those teams with the most points, plus one wildcard, advance to playoffs. The team that wins playoffs then advances to the 8-Ball Local Team Championship for that session for the chance to win $7,000 and a spot in the National Team Championships in Las Vegas.
How the Equalizer Works in APA 8-Ball!
In APA 8-Ball, you are required to win a certain number of games. During regular weekly session play, simply refer to the “GAMES MUST WIN” chart shown to the right. This chart is also printed on the scoresheet for your convenience. To read the chart, find your skill level along the left side of the chart. Then find your opponent’s skill level along the top of the chart. Now, track to the right from your skill level and down from your opponent’s skill level until the two tracks meet. In that block, the first number is the number you race to, and the second is the number your opponent races to. The two numbers involved should have the same differential as your skill levels do. For example, a SL-6 playing a SL-4 tracks to the block with 5/3 (circled) in it. The SL-6 races to 5 while the SL 4 races to 3. 5 to 3 is a differential of 2, just as 6 to 4 is a differential of 2.
| SKILL LEVELS |
YOUR OPPONENT | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ||
| Y O U |
2 | 2/2 | 2/3 | 2/4 | 2/5 | 2/6 | 2/7 |
| 3 | 3/2 | 2/2 | 2/3 | 2/4 | 2/5 | 2/6 | |
| 4 | 4/2 | 3/2 | 3/3 | 3/4 | 3/5 | 2/5 | |
| 5 | 5/2 | 4/2 | 4/3 | 4/4 | 4/5 | 3/5 | |
| 6 | 6/2 | 5/2 | 5/3 | 5/4 | 5/5 | 4/5 | |
| 7 | 7/2 | 6/2 | 5/2 | 5/3 | 5/4 | 5/5 | |
APA 8-Ball Divisions
| Division # | Night of Play | Area of Play |
|---|---|---|
| Monday In-House | Myrtle Beach | |
| Monday | Myrtle Beach | |
| Wednesday | Brunswick County | |
| Thursday | Wilmington | |
| Thursday In-House | Wilmington |
