Derby City Classic Poll

Do you think it is better to play 9 Ball or 10 Ball at the Derby City Classic?

  • 9-ball

    Votes: 16 45.7%
  • 10-ball

    Votes: 9 25.7%
  • Not sure

    Votes: 10 28.6%

  • Total voters
    35
9 ball. Save the 10 ball for the 10 ft. tables in the Fatboy Challenge. Maybe increase the no. of entries in the Fatboy event, if more players want in.

Agreed.

Especially if you're building this with amateurs...
 
I would prefer to keep it 9 ball. As others have said, there are a great deal of amateurs in the tourneys. Also, I really enjoy seeing the difference between the 9 ball and the 10 ball in the Fatboy tourney.

The Fatboy has become my favorite event of the week, because it is elite players in long races, and it feels special. Changing the 9 ball to 10 ball would take most of the specialness out of the Fatboy.
 
I'm no lover of rotations games regardless, but common sense says if you want to continue with high volume participants, and a successful DCC, you play the game that more levels of players will be competitive in and willing to enter because they think they may have a chance winning. That is clearly, and obviously 9 ball.
 
I apologize for my illogical poll question choices. We have not decided to change anything about the Derby City Classic. This poll was a matter of curiosity for us at Diamond. We have had a number of discussions about the future of pool and whether players still want to play 9 Ball. It is such a break oriented game and the rack is extremely important. To some extent, 10 Ball is a little less break oriented. The Derby City Classic is designed to be fun for amateurs. So, that is why we are asking this question to you here at AZ Billiards.

This year we will continue with the 10 Ball Challenge at the DCC. Fat Boy has elected not to participate this year. So, we will have the Diamond 10 Ball Challenge in its place. We will continue what we started in Tunica, MS. That is, the Diamond 10 Ball Challenge will be played on Diamond 5' x 10' Pro Ams. We are limited on space, so there will only be 4 of these tables to play our 10 Ball Challenge on. Therefore, we will continue to limit the field to 16 players.
 
Greg Sullivan and myself are always thinking of ways to make the Derby City Classic better. In our way of thinking, better is something that the players think is more fun or better. So, we are asking for your opinion.

Do you think it is better if we play 9 Ball or 10 Ball at the Derby City Classic?

9 Ball

10 Ball

Either is fine with me just make sure you keep Bank Pool and One Pocket and 14.1 would be good too.
 
...We have had a number of discussions about the future of pool and whether players still want to play 9 Ball. It is such a break oriented game and the rack is extremely important.....The Derby City Classic is designed to be fun for amateurs. So, that is why we are asking this question to you here at AZ Billiards.

First and foremost, I'd like to say that I like this approach a lot. What the pros want to play, in my opinion, is one of several factors you need to consider. As you note, how the countless participating amateurs feel about the competition matters a lot, too. Far too often, such players have no voice at all in the events, despite the fact that their presence is of fundamental importance to having a decent prize fund.

On another matter, although it may or may not be what you seek, you're also getting input here from some paying fans who attend as spectators. Including my hotel room, my reserved seats, the money I contribute to the 14.1 challenge, and other purchases I make within the hotel, I spend about $3,000 every year to attend the Derby and that's aside from the travel expenses I incur. It is sometimes overlooked that me and many like me also drive the revenue stream for the Derby, but like the amateur field fillers, paying fans are rarely afforded any input concerning what professional product they'd like to see/purchase as paying patrons.

Guess what I'm saying is that admire you for doing what amounts to market research in this thread, thereby affording so many who attend the Derby a chance to be heard.

Kudos to everyone at Diamond for this.
 
... Guess what I'm saying is that admire you for doing what amounts to market research in this thread, thereby affording so many who attend the Derby a chance to be heard.

Kudos to everyone at Diamond for this.

I agree, Stu, and I'll certainly continue to enjoy each event, whatever the game.
 
I would prefer 10-ball....but with TEXAS EXPRESS RULES.

Call shots, and especially call shots with the 'option' drags the game to
the level of 'bar rules' of the 70's.....
...what's next, a tournament where if a man plays too many two-way shots..
..they break his thumbs for being too clever?
 
Both games have merits, but I think you should base the decision on the old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".
 
For the top level, I think 10ball is a much better game.

In regards to the DCC, I think they should play whatever will get the most entries, which I believe is 9 ball. I have never heard anyone say "I won't play that event if its 9 ball" but you do hear people say that about 10 ball. As much as the pros may voice their preference of 10ball over 9, They are going to play ANY game where there is such a nice payout.

I say play whatever game gets the most entries and lets the dcc keep growing. IMO that is 9ball.

Ian
 
Greg Sullivan and myself are always thinking of ways to make the Derby City Classic better. In our way of thinking, better is something that the players think is more fun or better. So, we are asking for your opinion.

Do you think it is better if we play 9 Ball or 10 Ball at the Derby City Classic?

9 Ball

10 Ball

Ten ball is best for the better players, but you would lose quite a bit of entries switching from 9 ball, where a lesser player may still have a chance to win.
 
I am sure you know exactly what he means, as most of us do.

I guess I'm in the minority. I have no idea how to vote.

But, I'd vote to keep it at 9-ball for many of the reasons already mentioned.

Freddie <~~~ loves 10-ball
 
Well, the name Derby City Classic says it all to me. 9 ball is a more classic game than 10 ball, imo. They modeled the tourney after the original Johnston City events, so in order to be consistent with the spirit of that event and to be true the "classic" nature of the event, 9 ball it is, at least IMO...
 
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