" in both professional and recreational settings; but today, in major tournament settings, it's respected and remains the dominant game. In recent years, nine-ball has become the game of choice in championship tournament matches in the United States, basically because a series of games (the "match") proceeds quickly, lends itself well to the time constraints of television coverage, and tends to keep the audience engaged. The sports network ESPN has been, for several years, a major catalyst for… (More on Nine-ball)