Of course a 75x will crush a 55x. If I understand FR, a 200 point discrepancy means the higher skilled player will win 4:1 ratio. 7-5 is a joke. Would I play in that tournament? Yes, if the entry is $20 and I can play a few matches and racks for $20. If the entry is $150, hell no; I have almost no chance of cashing and why would I donate?
Pool has an extremely large spread of skill, commitment, and audience.
1. The casual player. Goes to the bar on a date and bangs some balls. Won't even beat an APA 4. Can't spell "Fargo". Doesn't even know what Fargo is.
2. The semi-serious player. APA 3, 4, 5. May or may not know what a Fargo Rate is. Might be 350-400 FR. Can run out once in a while in 2, maybe 3 innings. Might BnR once a year, if he/she is lucky and is "on".
3. The more serious player. APA 6-7. Could be a FR 450-500. The big fish in the small local hall pond. Make a mistake against such a player and sit and watch him/her run out. Is always a threat to BnR but doesn't do so regularly.
4. Mid-range APA7. FR 500-550. Can and does regularly BnR.
5. Super7. FR550-650. Don't miss against this guy/gal. You won't have another shot very often. May or may not play APA. Probably plays BCA.
6. Semi-Pro or ShortStop. Doesn't play APA. Might play BCA. FR650-750. Don't bother playing this guy/gal. You don't have a chance if you're an APA 5, 6, or "regular" 7.
7. FR750-850. Pro. You pay as a railbird to watch him/her play. No, you don't play this guy/gal for $ unless you are at least 700 yourself.
To compare it to other sports, would you try to corner an NFL receiver who can run 4.3 40's? Would you try to block a 280-lb linebacker running up the middle on a blitz with corners also blitzing? Would you try to open-field tackle a running back who can run 4.4 40s? Of course you wouldn't You'd get crushed.
Would you try to hit an MLB pitcher who can curve a ball two feet at 85 MPH? Or throw a fastball 98-102 MPH at your head? Of course not.
Would you play a pro golfer even and take your 80s game into a money match where the pro can shoot 60s? Of course not.
So let's not compare pro 9-ft tournaments to a local handicapped tournament on a 7-ft Diamond. It's not the same comparison. And no, don't lament that "ya gotta be able to play on a 9-footer and if you can't you should quit pool."
Is there a graduated path to grow professionals in the USA? Absolutely not. So let's not delude ourselves or denigrate the APA 4 who shows up week after week, has a good time, keeps the game alive by buying expensive cues, keeps the local hall open, and runs out from the 4 to the 9 once every 13-week session.
Too many levels for us to agree on the status of pool today. It's reality that pool is simply not a priority for the masses, and there's no pool little league to home-grow new pros.
