First impressions

[box3488]

What do people want when it comes to having a pool event. I know it's impossible to make everyone happy but what's the best format when having an amateur event ? Short races? Handicapped? How much will entry fees and added money effect the turn out? Location ? Specials?
What does it take?

 

[CreeDo]

a format that kept my attention and was kinda fun:

random draw to determine who shoots who, race to one or two, then once everyone's race is done, redraw for your next opponent. Three losses and you're out. Last man standing without 3 losses wins it all (or top 2 split it).

Very random but it's cheap fun among amateurs and doesn't feel as nerve-wracking as a 'real' tournament.

 

[Matt90]

Imho

I really have liked the tournaments I have been to that get people out at a reasonable time .If I want to stay till 2-3 am it's my choice but I sure hate waiting around all night for a match. I know the more people stay in the room the more $$ the room makes and it's a win for the rooms intake of $$.
The Jacoby stops in NC and the Seminole Pro tour stops were always first class about this , I can't remember being at either past midnight on a saturday and maybe 9 pm on a sunday /final day.:thumbup: I would probably play in more tournaments if they would at least make more of an effort to consider peoples TIME , I know it is VERY hard to do when you have a field of 80 or more but at least give it some consideration.

 

[Ghosst]

...what's the best format when having an amateur event ? Short races? Handicapped? How much will entry fees and added money effect the turn out? Location ? Specials?

Ours are:
- Double-elimination
- Race to 4 (5 in the finals)
- Handicapped
- Entry varies from $10 - $50
- Added varies from $0 to $1000
- Location is either our hall or the horse-track nearby for bigger events
- Specials - never seen any of those
- We do have a break contest $1/ticket get a chance to put the 9 in off the break for a pot. (I think right now it's at $150) Tickets are drawn at random, and the owner racks. It's a nice break in the middle of the tourney.

Other than that, I agree, the finish time is important. It's hard to stay focused while you're asleep.

 

[TheSneak]

I just played in a tournament this past weekend that was a new idea to me and caught my attention. It was kind of like playing the ghost. The format was 10 ball, but you had 5 racks to get the best "score" possible, where each ball (including the 10) was a point. You get ball in hand after the break, but if you scratch on the break you get -2 points but get to keep shooting.

Each round got progressively harder with a minimum score to get to the next round, starting at 7 and incrementing to the next lowest score of those who qualified. So once you qualified for the next round you could breathe easy and break soft in the next few racks. In the final round (with 3 left), the best scores for that round won, and that was your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.

I thought it was a lot of fun and a great format for amateurs, removing a lot of tournament stress about who your next draw will be. Didn't hurt that I won! :thumbup: