Vacation Time and Tournaments

Jude Rosenstock

Jude Rosenstock

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I posted a thread a while ago about the very subject. As 2009 comes to a close, once again I get to sit here and figure out how I'm going to use my vacation time for the following year. What's more, my decision to attend Turning Stone this month is predicated primarily on the fact that I have 6 vacation days to burn.

I know events like Derby City Classic are very successful and probably a lot of fun but it's always such a tough call for someone like me because I hate the idea of using vacation time in January. On the flip side, hotel and air rates are probably cheaper than they would be in June.

I just wanted to know if others think about such things - if events might be more successful if they were held later in the year.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
I posted a thread a while ago about the very subject. As 2009 comes to a close, once again I get to sit here and figure out how I'm going to use my vacation time for the following year. What's more, my decision to attend Turning Stone this month is predicated primarily on the fact that I have 6 vacation days to burn.

I know events like Derby City Classic are very successful and probably a lot of fun but it's always such a tough call for someone like me because I hate the idea of using vacation time in January. On the flip side, hotel and air rates are probably cheaper than they would be in June.

I just wanted to know if others think about such things - if events might be more successful if they were held later in the year.
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There's a lot of individual components in this question. Hmmm, my advice, unless you work better than you play pool, take the vacation now, you may be laid off tomorrow. ;) J/K!

Seriously though, if you only get 6 vacation days for the 2010 calendar year, I think if you burn 'em all in January, that makes for a long year. I think I'd spread 'em out and take a few long weekends, or bookend them with holidays. Tough call with just 6 to play with.

Moving DCC is a diff question. After that horrific ice storm last year, I'm sure everyone involved would be all for better weather. But to move an event that is so intricate, wow, I can't comprehend all the logistics involved to move dates. But if the Germany Team event tourney sticks to its overlapping dates, maybe Greg will need to move.
 
KoolKat9Lives said:
There's a lot of individual components in this question. Hmmm, my advice, unless you work better than you play pool, take the vacation now, you may be laid off tomorrow. ;) J/K!

Seriously though, if you only get 6 vacation days for the 2010 calendar year, I think if you burn 'em all in January, that makes for a long year. I think I'd spread 'em out and take a few long weekends, or bookend them with holidays. Tough call with just 6 to play with.

Moving DCC is a diff question. After that horrific ice storm last year, I'm sure everyone involved would be all for better weather. But to move an event that is so intricate, wow, I can't comprehend all the logistics involved to move dates. But if the Germany Team event tourney sticks to its overlapping dates, maybe Greg will need to move.
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No no, I get 18 days a year. I have 6 left which I have to use by the end of December hence, I'm attending Turning Stone.

I just hate taking vacation in January. The weather sucks but more importantly, I never know what's in store for the rest of the year! I'm always afraid if I use them now, I'll regret it in June.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
No no, I get 18 days a year. I have 6 left which I have to use by the end of December hence, I'm attending Turning Stone.

I just hate taking vacation in January. The weather sucks but more importantly, I never know what's in store for the rest of the year! I'm always afraid if I use them now, I'll regret it in June.
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Do you normally dedicate all your vacation days to pool? Me, I need to see and get on and get under turquoise waters at least once a year for sanity sake.
 
It's a pretty easy choice, Jude. You will regret it if you never go to DCC.

Why don't you make a list of events/places that you WANT to go to during the next 5 years, and then visit them in the order you wish the most?

I've been to Philippines to play pool a couple of times, and it's been the best time I've ever had. Still, I had decided to go to USA for the US Open once, so even though I wanted to go back to Philippines I had already decided to go to USA.

When January 2009 came closer, I changed my mind and skipped the US Open in october 2009 and went to DCC instead.

I still want to go to US Open, but I've decided to put that on hold for a couple of years. I had so much fun at DCC this year, so I'm going back. Other events/pool-related trips I would love to go to the coming 5-10 years are All Japan Championship, Mosconi Cup, World Ten Ball Championship, World 8-ball, Qatar 9-ball Open, Eurotour Spain, US Bar Table Championship and atleast 1 WPBA event to cheer on my favourite girls :)

I think my next big trip will be in some other continent(s) than North America. I love Philippines, and consider it as my second home, so that will probably be my next vacation after DCC, perhaps World Ten Ball in 2010.

Perhaps I will go to USA again and the US Open in 2012, or if I can afford it, 2011. This will however probably be the last DCC I will go to in a couple of years, even though I love it there.

We can't make it to everything, so planning and priorities is the key.

I've had many great holidays:
several Eurotour's (wed-sat events)
3 European Championships
World 9-ball Championship (and played qualifier) Manila
Gambling-trip to Manila, played Efren many nights during 2 weeks
Villard Cup in Cebu as 1 of 2 foreigners in a field of 64, playing in front of 1000 people
Derby City Classic
and some other random 2-3-4 days event.

Yes, I do spend most of my vacation on pool-related stuff :D

Good luck with your choice.
 
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Thurs-Sunday March 18-21, 2010...Super Billiard Expo 2days vacation

Wednesday Jan 27-Saturday Jan 30th DCC 9ball event and you get to watch 1p finals. Fly in Tues night of course. 3 days vacation

heres one thats a bit off the wall but interesting

White Diamond Billiards 1k added event. Barbox 9ball. fly in fri afternoon, flyout mon morning from New Orleans. Have to rent a car which is a negative.
why go to this tournament since its barbox and 1k added? It might be the single largest calcutta event in the USA. 25-35k payout is what I have heard they expect for the event this January. 1/2 day fri + 1/2 day mon

6 days vacation right there
 
uwate said:
Thurs-Sunday March 18-21, 2010...Super Billiard Expo 2days vacation

Wednesday Jan 27-Saturday Jan 30th DCC 9ball event and you get to watch 1p finals. Fly in Tues night of course. 3 days vacation

heres one thats a bit off the wall but interesting

White Diamond Billiards 1k added event. Barbox 9ball. fly in fri afternoon, flyout mon morning from New Orleans. Have to rent a car which is a negative.
why go to this tournament since its barbox and 1k added? It might be the single largest calcutta event in the USA. 25-35k payout is what I have heard they expect for the event this January. 1/2 day fri + 1/2 day mon

6 days vacation right there
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LOL, I have 6 days LEFT this year. I get 18 a year and I wouldn't use one for SBE. Historically, it just doesn't pay enough to go given the level of talent that usually plays. Besides, there are far more pleasant places in the country to play barbox. I mean, it's not exactly Vegas.
 
Pool being an indoor thing, it's only natural that bigger events get scheduled in the colder months in colder places. It's also less expensive.

Personally, if I'm taking time off to travel to a location with good weather, I'm probably not going to want to hang out indoors all day either whether it's to play or watch pool.

Now a semi outdoor event in dependably good weather would be extremely cool! :D
 
I don't think having events later in the year would make a big difference for me. If anything, saving a few days for "just in case" should be more than plenty. I mean, there are only so many "big" Pool events (DCC, VF, BCA/Vegas, US Open, etc) in the States, it's pretty easy to earmark a few, then leave the others up in the air.

The flip side is that you can become self employed and take all the vacation days you want :o


Eric >unpaid vacation days
 
Eric. said:
The flip side is that you can become self employed and take all the vacation days you want :o
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I work freelance. So I can plan a vacation and it gets ruined by a large paying job. Or sometimes you get a vacation when you don't want one.

I normally don't plan in much advance to attend anything, though Im sure I'll make it to the US Open, SBE and possibly DCC this year. If I make it to all three, I'll be happy.
 
ive never been to the Super Billiard Expo and I have heard its a fun experience so that makes me put that tournament on the short list of potential pool vacations. I agree though that paying 64 players in a 1024 man bracket for an "Amateur Open" event that was won last year by Larry Price who is a two time world champion at bank pool is a bit troubling.

If cost vs reward is in your analysis that much, how about the US Bartable Championship? 3 tournaments, all with added money and good payouts, low entry fees, dirt cheap hotel rooms on site at the Sands and cheap food plentiful among the Reno casinos.
 
uwate said:
ive never been to the Super Billiard Expo and I have heard its a fun experience so that makes me put that tournament on the short list of potential pool vacations. I agree though that paying 64 players in a 1024 man bracket for an "Amateur Open" event that was won last year by Larry Price who is a two time world champion at bank pool is a bit troubling.

If cost vs reward is in your analysis that much, how about the US Bartable Championship? 3 tournaments, all with added money and good payouts, low entry fees, dirt cheap hotel rooms on site at the Sands and cheap food plentiful among the Reno casinos.
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Actually, when it comes to amateur events, I prefer HIGH entry fees. The way I see it, I have a reasonable expectation of cashing so if I'm going to pay for travel & hotel, I want the opportunity to make the trip profitable. SBE has (at least, from my recollection) a low entry fee which only makes the prize fund relatively small. If they're only paying top 64 in a 1024 field, that's even more reason not to go. You're also right about class of play, though that's somewhat unavoidable. In BCA Vegas, there can be some serious talent in the Open Singles but you rely on the fact that the field is very diluted. Paying top 25% means you really only have to win a few matches on the winners' side to start making money and the money gets good fast.
 
I have been thinking alot about this recently.

I have been suing most all of my vacation time doing pool realted things like BCA Nationals, APA Nationals, attending Pro Events etc and I think
this year I am going to make sure I take a true vacation.

While I have a great time usually doing these things its hardly a vacation.

Also having only 10 days of vacation does help anything. Moving from the south to SoCal means going back 2100 for visits which adds time.

I would love to attend the Derby one year but the timing is horrible. New year just starting at work and right after Xmas. Also a long event making it hard to attend for a few days and really catch most of the action.


I have penciled in the US BarBox Championships upcoming. Its relatively close and the hotel prices make it unbelieveably reasonable to attend. It also always has good talent there and some action.

Have you ever been to the US Barbox Championships? Flights to Reno and hotel are great that time of year.
 
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