I used to run a weekly handicapped 9 ball tournament. $10 to get in, 100% returned that night as prizes. If you do something like that, use Fargorate and the handicapping tables they provide. FR adjusts the ratings automatically.

The FR handicapping tables give some edge to the better player. I used 100% handicaps and that was OK with most of the players.

In my experience, it was possible to play as the TD. With the ratings and handicaps available to all, the players figured out pretty quickly how to set up their own matches. "Hey, Bob, me and Fred are playing 3 to 5 on table 7. OK?"

You need to know the rules. That's hard. You need to work from a written set, not what you remember that your Uncle Zeke told you 20 years ago. You may have to make calls.

now I want a slip-on break tip !

iusedtoberich said:

I watched a few matches, including all of the Women's final. That was a fun match, Emily and Ashley both banked a bunch of balls, including Emily's final match winning 8 ball.

I think Ultimate Pool has a winning format. I absolutely despise both playing and watching "normal 8 ball", but am super enjoying watching this format. I will go so far as to say I think its more fun than watching the MR majors.

This might legit be the future of pool in the USA. I don't think I'd mind that.

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Agree. I do not like watching 8-ball much, but enjoyed this event. I still have reservations about turning pool into essentially speed-pool, and think the 6ball shootout should just be one more rack of actual pool, but the event did keep my attention for the duration which no 8-ball event before has done, so I can't complain too much.

Positively Ralf said:

Also, anyone notice how Mike DeChaine didn't even look at Shane when they shook hands after Shane beat him just now?

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Well they don't exactly have a great past.

Yeah I watched a tournament I thought was being played on a Diamond table, but no BIG Diamond logo, just Yalin

easy-e said:

Thank you! I was feeling confident!

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I watched a couple of your matches and did not realize I was watching a fellow AZB'er. Congratulations! Great showing!

Bump for lower price

wilichichi said:

I like the Ultimate pool format but... what is the difference between the shootout and the Open event? Also, what are the payouts for these events?

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I would like to know these answers, as well.

Edit: ok I see the answers above. Would be nice if the stream included this information at some point or periodically because I watched quite a bit and never heard/saw an answer.

datnodude said:

Maybe I don't understand the definition of berate

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Yeah, if anything that might have been his version of a compliment to her, rating her higher than other partners he's had. "See everyone else? Do what I say and we will win!"

Badpenguin said:

Yeah I'm picking up that SVB either has an extremely tone deaf sense of humor, is a misogynist, or just an extreme a-hole when it comes to women. He really needed to just shut up and let her shoot, I think she made less mistakes than him.

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I'll grant tone-deaf and can come across as an a-hole, but from my observation he treats his male and female doubles partners the same way (for better or for worse). He is just laser-focused on winning and playing the correct way and that comes across in directing his partners to a somewhat micromanaging degree. Such a mindset, which I agree can be off-putting, is how you become the #1 player in the world and stay there for a dozen or so years.

TheGrandWazoo said:

Got home from getting my ass kicked 4-1 in a race to 4 it was a Salatto match and decided to start pulling staples. To my delight this is what I found! I knew the rubber felt good and now I know why.

View attachment 832860

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I believe that is oem for that diamond.

I think the benefit from this product would be the time saved factor. How long does it take you to gather the balls up and re-rack. How much of your back do you use and make sore bending over racking? If you could take 20 swings in just a few minutes as comparted to 20 swings in 30-40 minutes, what could you do with that extra time in your life? Take your hourly worth, divide the $500 bucks by your hourly worth and see the payback period on this thing...

YES! I watched a guy who should have won a tournament have to bow out because of his bad back. He damn near jumped higher than the table trying to break. This was on 8 foot tables. His break was fantastic! It was at that time, I started breaking only using my wrist and a bit of arm swing cause I realized something....

No matter how hard that guy hit the ball, no ball was more than 8 feet from each other.

They may have smashed into each other and bounced around the table more, my balls may have only made it back up table once, but after they stopped you could not tell which break was hard and which was softer....

DynoDan said:

Severe ‘tennis elbow’ sort of ended my break practice sessions years ago, but I’m wondering: even with the template rack, is there ever a ‘diminishing returns’ issue with breaking force

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What does a good stroke feel like?​

When a player gains control of his cue ball speed.

If you have trnmnts take the slooow players aside and tell them slow play will not be tolerated.

sjm said:

Alex Bausch is a solid under-the-radar player. I was present when he ran a six pack against Jayson Shaw at Turning Stone in 2023.

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Very humble and genuine as well. Helluva player