Nine-ball: Difference between revisions

The game is currently governed by the [[World Pool-Billiard Association]] (WPA), with multiple regional tours. The most prestigious nine-ball tournaments are the [[WPA World Nine-ball Championship]] and the [[U.S. Open Nine-ball Championships]]. Notable 9-Ball players in the game include [[Luther Lassiter]], [[Buddy Hall]], [[Efren Reyes]], [[Earl Strickland]] and [[Shane Van Boening]]. The game is often associated with [[hustling]] and [[gambling]], with tournaments often having a "buy-in" amount to become a participant. The sport has featured in popular culture, notably in the 1961 film ''[[The Hustler]]'' and its 1986 sequel ''[[The Color of Money]]''.

The game was established in America by 1920,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cuecare.com/history.html |title=The History of Billiards |access-date=10 November 2006 |website=cuecare.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070209104931/http://www.cuecare.com/history.html |archive-date=9 February 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hickoksports.com/history/billiard.shtml |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20020223060649/http://www.hickoksports.com/history/billiard.shtml |title=Sports history – Billiards |archive-date=23 February 2002 |author=Hikock, Ralph |website=hickorysports.com}}</ref> although theits exact origins are unknown.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Billiards: The Official Rules and Records Book |edition=50th Anniversary Commemorative |year=1998 |location=[[Coralville, IA]] |publisher=Billiard Congress of America (BCA) |page=26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Ralph |last=Hickok |year=2001 |url=http://www.hickoksports.com/history/billiard.shtml |title=Sports History: Pocket Billiards |access-date=13 December 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061205013523/http://www.hickoksports.com/history/billiard.shtml |archive-date=5 December 2006 |website=hickorysports.com}}</ref> Nine-ball is played with the same equipment as [[eight-ball]] and other pool games.

Nine-ball events worldwide are run at the highest level by the WPA. The [[WPA World Nine-ball Championship]] has events for men, women and junior players. Events are generally open to any player who can pay the entry fee, however, some events are based on qualification. The WPA hosts a world ranking schedule based on WPA events, with other ranking systems also operated by the APA and the EPBF.<ref>{{Cite web |title=European Pool Rankings |work=europeanpocketbilliardfederation.com |access-date=6 January 2020 |url=http://europeanpocketbilliardfederation.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/EPBF-Sanctioned-Events-Ranking-2019.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=WPA Ranking |work=WPA Pool |access-date=6 January 2020 |url=https://wpapool.com/ranking/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923130458/http://www.wpa-pool.com/web/rankings |archive-date=23 September 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> Other major events held by the WPA include the [[U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship]], [[China Open (pool)|China Open 9-Ball Championship]] and the [[International Open (pool)|International 9-Ball Open]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.azbilliards.com/2000storya.php?storynum=8892 |title=Statement From Barry Behrman and Shannon Berhman Paschall-Exclusive to AZB |date=7 July 2011 |access-date=15 July 2011 |first=Barry | last=Behrman |publisher=AzBilliards.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716070132/http://www.azbilliards.com/2000storya.php?storynum=8892 |archive-date=16 July 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In addition, [[Matchroom Sport]] runs major eventsinternational suchcompetitions asincluding the [[Mosconi Cup]], [[World Cup of Pool]] and [[World Pool Masters]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pool |work=Matchroom Sport |access-date=6 January 2020 |url=http://www.matchroomsport.com/our-events/pool/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224072636/http://www.matchroomsport.com/our-events/pool/ |archive-date=24 December 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Seven-ball]] is also similar to nine-ball, though it differs in two key ways: the game uses only seven object balls, which are racked in a hexagon, and players are restricted to pocketing the money ball on their designated side of the table. William D. Clayton is credited with the game's invention in the early 1980s.<ref>{{cite book |last=Shamos |first=Michael Ian |year=1993 |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Billiards |publisher=Lyons & Burford |location=[[Manhattan|New York, NY]] |pages=[https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000sham/page/206 206] |isbn=1-55821-219-1 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000sham/page/206}}</ref> While not a common game, it was featured on television broadcaster [[ESPN]]'s ''[[Sudden Death Seven-ball]]'' which aired in the early 2000s.<ref name="Shamos 1999_JXJy2" />

The sport has featured in popular culture, most notably in the 19561959 novel ''[[The Hustler (novel)|The Hustler]]'' and its [[The Hustler|1961 film adaptation]],<ref>Rossen, Robert (1972). Three Screenplays: All the Kings Men, The Hustler, and Lilith. New York, Anchor Doubleday Books. LCCN 70-175418.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Review: Hustler, The |work=preview.reelviews.net |access-date=7 January 2020 |url=http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/h/hustler.html}}</ref> and the 1984 novel sequel ''[[The Color of Money (novel)|The Color of Money]]'' and subsequent [[The Color of Money|film]].<ref>{{Cite web |title='The Color of Money': Three Men and a Sequel |work=The New York Times |access-date=7 January 2020 |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/98/06/07/specials/price-color.html}}</ref> In ''[[Endless Ocean: Blue World]]'', Nineball Island, which serves as the player's home base, is won through a game of nine-ball.