Bobble Ball - The Game
What is all of the babble about Bobble Ball? Bobble Ball is a unique new game which deviates from the "accepted" format of playing traditional billiard games and yet utilizes the basic concepts of billiards in such a manner that more people will be comfortable in approaching and playing at a pool table. As a general rule, non pool players are intimidated by the game of pool. Unless there is a desire to learn, the average person does not want to demonstrate his or her lack of skills in the presence of others and it is the rare occasion that a person can practice in privacy. In addition, billiards is a game incorporating the sciences of physics and mathematics which are concepts not so easily grasped by many people even though we all unknowingly and unwittingly use these principles daily as a matter of routine.
Bobble Ball is designed to bring to a pool table the concepts of a variety of sports with which people are familiar and enjoy playing. Just as billiards has evolved from the game of croquet which used a mallet to hit a ball to a hoop, the sport of Bobble Ball Hand Billiard Bowling has evolved from the game concepts of shuffleboard, bocce ball, billiards, and bowling. When playing Bobble Ball, players use their hand to roll a ball toward the intended target of Bobble Ball rather than a cue stick as is used in billiards.
The concept of using one's hand or a non-spherical billiard ball is foreign to the game of billiards and has been perceived through the years as being unique and unacceptable. Two examples can be sighted. The first example occurred in 1878. A famous exhibition player, Yank Adams, placed odds and challenged his opponent to a carom game where Yank Adams would use his hands and his opponent could use his cue stick to move the cue ball. The fact that this was so uncommon and that Yank Adams won the match (and the bet by the way) resulted in the local newspaper reporting the story. The second example references a quote from the works of W.S. Gilbert where he speaks of a billiard shark who was condemned to play "on a cloth untrue, with a twisted cue, and elliptical billiard balls." Using faulty equipment is considered a curse to the skilled billiard player and yet, Bobble Ball intentionally incorporates these "unacceptable" billiard concepts into an enjoyable game played on a pool table for people of all skill levels.
Rolling a billiard ball by hand ("a twisted cue") is not a new concept. Children naturally enjoy rolling the balls on a billiard table since they are usually not trusted with a cue stick due to the damage that they could cause to the table or others. Adults also naturally enjoy rolling billiard balls with their hand when removing the balls from pockets and rolling toward the rack or when finishing a game and rolling balls toward the pockets in an effort to clear the table. Bobble Ball is unique in that it has taken natural activities (rolling by hand) and unacceptable equipment (a nonspherical billiard ball) and incorporated them into a fun game designed with structure and rules.
Most pool players and table owners are increasingly aware of the limitations of the most popular billiard games. Friends and guests are hesitant to play due to a lack of confidence while the intense individuality of the game counteracts the social setting of why friends and guests were invited over in the first place. Therefore, Bobble Ball is a game which incorporates skill and luck together in an effort to allow people to interact happily and competitively in a social setting around a pool table. Bobble Ball may be played within the home environment, club environment, tournament environment or within a league environment and has been designed so that people from all ages can compete, have fun, and be rewarded for their increasing skill level. Bobble Ball is not strenuous for the active adult who desires social companionship or competitive challenge and yet simple enough for children who are generally speaking, not skilled enough to handle the disciplined rules of traditional billiards. And yet the game appeals to players of all ages and at all skill levels allowing families, friends, and even strangers to participate together without the prerequisite of prior game experience. Bobble Ball acts as a stepping stone for people to become interested in playing billiards, acts as a game of practice drills for the experienced billiard player, and always acts as a game of learning, fun, and mental gymnastics resulting in the successful play of Bobble Ball and improved skills of traditional billiard games.
Both Bobble Ball and billiards further a player's scientific understanding of physics and mathematics. People just beginning to learn how to play billiards are many times overwhelmed. The game is easily watched, but more difficult to actually put into practice. The basics of the game need to be developed simultaneously with an acceptable execution of the game. Beginning players (as well as seasoned players) must learn the cause and effect of ball speed, contact, friction, and angles. A new player in traditional billiards struggles until these basic elements are first learned and then implemented. Bobble Ball provides the introduction to all of these billiard elements in a manner which is fun, yet challenging. The necessity and knowledge of handling a cue is not initially necessary in order to begin learning the effects of speed, contact, friction, and angles among billiard balls. In addition, the increased ingredient of luck due to the random Bobble Ball movements removes pressure from the new player as his skills are developing. However, at the same time, Bobble Ball challenges even the most advanced billiard player because he has the opportunity to execute a precision shot at every roll. This opportunity broadens both the player's thinking and skill level because he may chose only one of the many varying strategies that could be implemented.
As you have just read:
Bobble Ball is unique.
Bobble Ball is different.
Bobble Ball is fun.
Bobble Ball is challenging.
So why are you still reading this tiresome dissertation?
GO PLAY BOBBLE BALL !!!!
© Copyright 2007 by D. Robledo - Used by Permission
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