How to assess your skill level?

B

Buckster_uk

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi

I was just wondering if there are any drills / practice routines which you can use to assess your skill level presumably using some kind of point system which relate to various ranks of level? We do not have anything in the UK but I am guessing it might be different in the US (with the APA or the BCA).

Thanks
 
Setup a 14.1 breakshot and see how many you can run. That's the ultimate test. Playing the 9-ball ghost is prob 2nd best.
 
Buckster_uk said:
Hi

I was just wondering if there are any drills / practice routines which you can use to assess your skill level presumably using some kind of point system which relate to various ranks of level? We do not have anything in the UK but I am guessing it might be different in the US (with the APA or the BCA).

Thanks
Click to expand...

Allen Hopkins (american pro player) devised the Q Skill test several years ago for this very purpose. It includes a ranking system (see below) that's supposed to tell you whether you're a "recreational player", "intermediate player", "advanced player", etc., all the way up to "touring pro".

Here's Hopkins' website about it (apparently now called the Pro Rating System): http://www.proratingsystem.com/

Here's a 2006 post by Williebetmore that describes it:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=45710

Official Rules for the Hopkins Q Skill Challenge - 11-07-2006, 07:22 PM

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At risk of tearing people away from the endless soap opera that is the IPT; HERE ARE THE RULES, LETS PLAY SOME POOL!!!!!!!

We recommend that for each session, you play 1 rack to warm-up, then play 10 more racks for your official score. Cheater's will be scorned (or placed on breakup's official $hit List...and trust me, you do NOT want a place on this list).


1. Rack fifteen balls on the Foot Spot, in any order, and place the cue ball ON the Head Spot. Break the balls. If you miscue or miss the cue ball completely, it is a foul. Re-Rack, break again and subtract one from your score. If you miscue and contact the rack, you may choose to continue shooting, leaving the balls where they lie and not take a foul.

2. If you scratch on the break, it is a minus 1, unless the cue ball goes off the table, then it is a minus 2. After a scratch on the break, you may place the cue ball on either the Head Spot of Foot Spot and shoot any ball on the table, or place the cue ball anywhere behind the Head String and shoot any ball above the Head String. On the break, if you scratch or the cue ball goes off the table, all balls made on the break stay down but do not count as points. If you do not scratch on the break, then all balls made on the break count as one point each.

3. After the break, if you do not have a shot or do not like the shot you have, you may choose one of three options. (a) Place the cue ball anywhere behind the Head String and shoot any ball above the Head String. (b) Place the cue ball on either the Head Spot or the Foot Spot and shoot any ball.
(c) Place the rack over the cue ball (where it lies) and move the cue ball anywhere inside the rack and shoot any ball. All of the options noted above are a penalty and incur a minus 1.

4. After the break, whether you made a ball or not, proceed to shoot, calling each shot. Try to run the table, shoting the ball in any order UNTIL THERE ARE FIVE BALLS REMAINING. If you do pocket ten balls, then the last five balls must be shot IN ROTATION (in numerical order starting with the lowest number ball). If you MISS A SHOT, the rack is OVER. There are no second chances or mulligans! The first ten balls score 1 point each, and the last five balls score 2 points each. On each rack you can score a MAXIMUM of 20 points.

5. When there are six balls on the table and you pocket two or more balls in one shot, they all stay down and are each worth 1 point. Shoot the remaining balls in rotation, in which each ball is worth 2 points each.

6. Ten racks comprise a session. In one session you can score a maximum of 200 points. The score from FIVE SESSIONS (50 racks) determines your Official Rating. The highest possible Official Rating is a perfect score of 1000 points.

Here is the Rating System:

0-150 - Recreational Player
151-300 - Intermediate Player
301-450 - Advanced Player
451-600- Developing Pro
601-800 - Semi-Pro
801-900 - Pro
901-1000 - Touring Pro
Click to expand...

pj
chgo
 
As stated earlier. Straight Pool is probably the best measuring stick out there. My high run is 84 balls. See how many you can run. Some top pros have 150-250 ball runs. Playing the ghost is also a good one. gl
 
Ratta said:
Hi,

have a look at www.pat-billard.com

have fun
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That's what I was going to suggest, it has the most structure and has tests to keep track of your score with different levels and exercises to help round out your game. Add that to playing the ghost, one pocket and straight pool drills along with having an instructor keep track of your progress and I think you will have what you are looking for.
 
Joe Tucker has a drill for rating students. Ten ball ghost. Rack and break ten ball. When you miss or scratch you're done. Do it ten times, keeping a total of balls made. He ranks final scores as follows:

Pro 70+
S.S 60-69
A's 50-59
B's 40-49
C's 30-39
D's 20-29

To get an average, you do the drill ten times and average the ten scores. He says people always fall into the proper category. I was surprised the first time I did it. It put things into perspective.
 
I realize this isn't what is being asked but, I think the only real way to assess your skill level is by how you do against actual competition.

The ghost is great but it's entirely offensive. You can beat the ghost consistently but have a weak safety game, which means when the games get scrappy your the underdog.

As for the PAT test, I can't really comment as I don't know much about it. FWIW I've know people that are very good with drills and various different specialty shots but can't put it together very well in game situations.

I'm probably rambling a bit at this point, I guess my point is that these drills only illustrate how well you play in practice, but none of that matters really. It's all about how you do against competition. I've seen guys who can run lots balls on a daily basis in 14.1 but can't seem to bring that to the match table.

FYI I didn't get a poor score on one of these drills if anyone is wondering. Quite the opposite I have a tough time bringing my practice game to the match table as much as I would like. Working on it though, just need to re-prioritize some stuff so I can get out there and compete:wink:. Once I quit school I'll be good to go. J/K.
 
qghunter said:
Joe Tucker has a drill for rating students. Ten ball ghost. Rack and break ten ball. When you miss or scratch you're done. Do it ten times, keeping a total of balls made. He ranks final scores as follows:

Pro 70+
S.S 60-69
A's 50-59
B's 40-49
C's 30-39
D's 20-29

To get an average, you do the drill ten times and average the ten scores. He says people always fall into the proper category. I was surprised the first time I did it. It put things into perspective.
Click to expand...


So, do you have to pocket a ball on the break? Also, do you shoot from where the cue ball stops after the break, or do you take ball in hand?

Thanks for clearing this up for the noob
 
SpiderWebComm said:
Setup a 14.1 breakshot and see how many you can run. That's the ultimate test. Playing the 9-ball ghost is prob 2nd best.
Click to expand...
I agree with you about 14.1.
How close are we in agreement about the following subjective ratings for a provisional handicap based on running balls a la 14.1?
4-6 balls--C
7 balls consistently--C+
14 occasionally--b-
rack+a few------b
rack+10---------b+
2 racks +a few--A-
2-3 racks--------A
3-5 racks--------AA
100 balls--------AAA
 
qghunter said:
Joe Tucker has a drill for rating students. Ten ball ghost. Rack and break ten ball. When you miss or scratch you're done. Do it ten times, keeping a total of balls made. He ranks final scores as follows:

Pro 70+
S.S 60-69
A's 50-59
B's 40-49
C's 30-39
D's 20-29

To get an average, you do the drill ten times and average the ten scores. He says people always fall into the proper category. I was surprised the first time I did it. It put things into perspective.
Click to expand...

do you take ball in hand after the break? i ask because i have seen some people do it and some not.
 
Buckster_uk said:
Hi

I was just wondering if there are any drills / practice routines which you can use to assess your skill level presumably using some kind of point system which relate to various ranks of level? We do not have anything in the UK but I am guessing it might be different in the US (with the APA or the BCA).

Thanks
Click to expand...
Many of the common rating systems, along with drills for assessment, can be found here:


Regards,
Dave
 
I believe in keeping things simiple.

I place all 15 balls in random patterns on the table and run balls until I miss. When I miss I start over and keep track of the number of balls I made before I missed. When I miss, I keep track of why/what type of shot it was I missed.

I found out real quick what my average ball run is and what type shots give me problems.

I also started seeing patterns better.

Then I do the same thing except I play 8 ball instead of being able to make any ball.
 
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