Sooner32 said:

other than a spot if I am going to play someone for money

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Why do you need a spot to be competitive for money and they don't need a spot to be competitive in a league? That's all it is. It's handicapping based on points instead of games because games in 9-Ball is not a reliable reflection of the amount of "work" each player did. Only two for the nine seems low to some until they realize that it's not just two. It's two plus the break, meaning if you break and run 5 or 6 often it can be a 15-point swing in the match score when playing someone of equal ability - the 7 or 8 points you get plus the 7 or 8 your opponent didn't get. That's often overlooked by those who strategize strictly by point. When you play someone better or worse than you a single 9-Ball can make up the entire spot or double it, so who wins the games is still important.

straightline said:

Man you got a thick friggn ego. You know it's not uncommon for people to optimize and maximize certain aspects of their craft. Musicians do it all the time. In their world, those that turn nazi over their formula get pushed off the stage.

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I was contemplating whether to even respond. I didn't even look at this until going through the thread again this morning.

It's not EGO, it's frustration, not even necessarily with you. I don't know if you read it or not, but I was taught this by EFREN REYES and I was JUST like you. I thought he has to be compensating subconsciously, blah blah blah, etc, etc.

That's why I gave you such a detailed explanation so that it wouldn't be a, that doesn't make any sense, situation.

And I can understand saying, yeah ok, but I don't really want to do it. You're not doing that. You continuously question it without even giving it a fair shot.

But like I said, I'm not going to continue beating a dead horse. You can learn from my experience and doing the same thing you are doing, deny, deny, deny, or don't. I really don't care. I'm even contemplating putting you on ignore, would be only the second person on my ignore list and I've been on this forum for over 20 years.

Just don't want the headache...

measureman said:

Is there a list of players somewhere?

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SBC said:

130am China time on Sunday which is 130 pm Sunday for Eastern Standard Time.

Fedors guy that does his streams says he has permission to commentate on a broadcast of the Chinese.

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Having the finals at 1:30am local is kinda insane, no? That's something I would expect at the Derby City Classic, not the China Open.

Bob Jewett said:

The usual point of putting wax or silicone on the balls, in particular the cue ball, is to make them slip and slide on the cloth. That makes it like new cloth, which slips and slides and you can get amazing draw with little effort.

I guess some people use wax to make the balls shiny, but they still get the slip and slide.

Wax on the object balls also makes them slip/slide into the pockets, and take longer angles on bank shots.

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And that’s exactly why we don’t use it because it changes the consistency that everyone is used to. And most people have a little something on the games. We will polish them upon request which doesn’t happen very often.

Looks like this is a thing already.

I've been casually following the Sharks Billiards Association, a pro 9 ball league in the Philippines. There are teams, drafts, etc just like the NBA and NFL and other team sports. Quality of play is extremely high - quite a few established 800+ players, and the rest are close to that level.

I just noticed today that they always break from the head spot. Turns out it's an official rule: "9-ball is racked on the spot, and the cue ball must placed on center for break". From what I've seen, it looks like they're just smashing it straight on and hoping a ball falls.

Here's one of their broadcasts from last season's playoffs: Login to view embedded media
You'll see a few of familiar faces both on the table and in the crowd.