$2500 BU Playing-Ability-Exam Challenge

[dr_dave]

The Billiard University (BU) is offering $2500 to players who participate in and do well on the BU Playing-Ability Exams. Entries are being accepted now through the end of August, 2016. Please help spread the word so we can see how high the scores can be pushed. Hopefully, the financial incentive will help provide motivation. The Exams also provide an excellent pool workout for smart and focused practice.

For more information, see:

$2500 BU Playing-Ability-Exam Challenge

Good luck on the exams,
Dave

PS: There are two categories, based on Fargo Ratings, to provide incentive to both top pros and non-top pros.

 

[denzilla171]

This could be the most interesting pool competition of the year.

Hope you get a lot of participation.

 

[Break and One]

This is an awesome. Dr. Dave once again you are doing something great for pool.

 

[Icon of Sin]

This is pretty cool. Thank you for doing this.

 

[justinb386]

The Billiard University (BU) is offering $2500 to players who participate in and do well on the BU Playing-Ability Exams. Entries are being accepted now through the end of August, 2016. Please help spread the word so we can see how high the scores can be pushed. Hopefully, the financial incentive will help provide motivation. The Exams also provide an excellent pool workout for smart and focused practice.

For more information, see:

$2500 BU Playing-Ability-Exam Challenge

Good luck on the exams,
Dave

PS: There are two categories, based on Fargo Ratings, to provide incentive to both top pros and non-top pros.

Yeah, great incentive to get players (who may have quit the game) to start shooting again, and get competitive.

Would be even better (I think) if you could get a well known cue maker to build a cue for the winner (of the non touring pro challenge), instead of a cash prize. I am talking about a cue that has already been built, and it ready to be shipped to the winner of the challenge. Maybe an engraving could be added (to say something like "Champion of the Billiard University Playing Ability Challenge"). Sound like a good idea?

 

[TATE]

Dave,

How exciting. Is this going to be scaled using your table difficulty factor? I do hope it is.

 

[dr_dave]

This could be the most interesting pool competition of the year.

That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but thank you for the supportive comment.

Hope you get a lot of participation.

Me to.

To everybody: Please help spread the word and encourage top players to enter.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

Yeah, great incentive to get players (who may have quit the game) to start shooting again, and get competitive.

We hope $2500 is enough to get the competitive juices flowing.

Would be even better (I think) if you could get a well known cue maker to build a cue for the winner (of the non touring pro challenge), instead of a cash prize. I am talking about a cue that has already been built, and it ready to be shipped to the winner of the challenge. Maybe an engraving could be added (to say something like "Champion of the Billiard University Playing Ability Challenge"). Sound like a good idea?

This is a good idea. If somebody were to offer up such a thing, I would be more than happy to send it to the winner along with the cash.

Regards,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

How exciting. Is this going to be scaled using your table difficulty factor?

No, but the playing field is level. Anybody can use any table they want, within the size restrictions of the challenge.

Regards,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

The Billiard University (BU) is offering $2500 to players who participate in and do well on the BU Playing-Ability Exams. Entries are being accepted now through the end of August, 2016. Please help spread the word so we can see how high the scores can be pushed. Hopefully, the financial incentive will help provide motivation. The Exams also provide an excellent pool workout for smart and focused practice.

For more information, see:

$2500 BU Playing-Ability-Exam Challenge

Good luck on the exams,
Dave

PS: There are two categories, based on Fargo Ratings, to provide incentive to both top pros and non-top pros.

In case it is not clear to some people, we have committed to paying out every cent of the $2500. This is not like the $2000 Bank Bend Challenge, where Bob and I honestly doubt the top prize will be won (although, the $200 payout if guaranteed). With the $2500 BU Playing-Ability-Exam Challenge, all $2500 will be paid out regardless of the quality and quantity of the entries (unless nobody enters the Exam I and Exam II non-pro categories, which currently have no entries). Please consider giving it a try. You have nothing to lose, and the BU Exams are excellent practice (and they can help you diagnose weak areas in your game).

Good luck,
Dave

 

[Poolmanis]

I don't have FargoRate so I can only win 1k ... . /jk
Awesome. I definitely gonna participate this one. I actually bought tripod just couple days ago for teaching/better videos purpose.

 

[dr_dave]

I don't have FargoRate so I can only win 1k ... . /jk
Awesome. I definitely gonna participate this one. I actually bought tripod just couple days ago for teaching/better videos purpose.

Excellent. I look forward to seeing what you can do.

Regards,
Dave

 

[justinb386]

In case it is not clear to some people, we have committed to paying out every cent of the $2500. This is not like the $2000 Bank Bend Challenge, where Bob and I honestly doubt the top prize will be won (although, the $200 payout if guaranteed). With the $2500 BU Playing-Ability-Exam Challenge, all $2500 will be paid out regardless of the quality and quantity of the entries (unless nobody enters the Exam I and Exam II non-pro categories, which currently have no entries). Please consider giving it a try. You have nothing to lose, and the BU Exams are excellent practice (and they can help you diagnose weak areas in your game).

Good luck,
Dave

Hi Dave, I assume that you created these drills and this exam? I am curious if you ever thought about adding to the exam with more drills? They are extremely difficult, but do you think that a combination shot drill would be a good idea? I was never good at combo shots, and they are honestly something that I never wanted to practice (because they are so difficult). Maybe not a good idea to have a combo shot drill, because they are just too difficult of a drill to practice, but I think that getting good at combo shots is an important thing. This is something that maybe even the most elite pro players are not good at. Sorry for going off topic. I like the exam, but I think that new much more difficult drills could be created (for the more advanced players). Just a few thoughts that came to mind about the exam.

 

[justinb386]

I don't have FargoRate so I can only win 1k ... . /jk
Awesome. I definitely gonna participate this one. I actually bought tripod just couple days ago for teaching/better videos purpose.

Actually, it appears that the most you can win is $500 (if you are not a touring pro, and you do not have a fargo rate of a pro level player). 1st place pays $500 I think.

 

[denzilla171]

Well, I did the exams today and I'm pretty darn sure that I am no threat to the prize pool at all! lol.

I did however score 5 out of 5 on the jump shot drill, so I beat SVB at that one

 

[dr_dave]

Hi Dave, I assume that you created these drills and this exam?

Yes, with help and input from many people, including all of the BU founding professors.

I am curious if you ever thought about adding to the exam with more drills?

We went through a period in the early years where we made several revisions and changes to the exams, but we have no plans to make any more changes in the future (unless the rules of the game change radically).

They are extremely difficult, but do you think that a combination shot drill would be a good idea? I was never good at combo shots, and they are honestly something that I never wanted to practice (because they are so difficult). Maybe not a good idea to have a combo shot drill, because they are just too difficult of a drill to practice, but I think that getting good at combo shots is an important thing. This is something that maybe even the most elite pro players are not good at. Sorry for going off topic. I like the exam, but I think that new much more difficult drills could be created (for the more advanced players). Just a few thoughts that came to mind about the exam.

There are several specialty shots that would be interesting to add like combos, frozen-ball throw shots, spin-transfer shots, etc.; but again, the exams have been stable for a while now, and we don't plan to change them.

Thank you for the suggestions anyway,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

Actually, it appears that the most you can win is $500 (if you are not a touring pro, and you do not have a fargo rate of a pro level player). 1st place pays $500 I think.

That's not true. Both the Exam I ($500) and Exam II ($500) prizes are open to anyone with a Fargo rating less than 700 (or nonexistent). Therefore, a non-top-pro can win a total of $1000.

Only the top-pro $1500 total-BU-score prize is limited to players with Fargo ratings of 700 or higher.

Regards,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

Well, I did the exams today and I'm pretty darn sure that I am no threat to the prize pool at all! lol.

Please consider posting your scores (and videos if available) on the AZB BU sticky thread, as many other AZB members have.

I did however score 5 out of 5 on the jump shot drill, so I beat SVB at that one

I know you are joking a bit here, but: Actually, Shane qualified for the Doctorate version of Exam II, which includes 7 attempts of a much tougher jump, instead of just 5 as on the Masters version of Exam II. He missed 2 (which he was no happy about), but he still got a score of 5 for that part of the exam. So you didn't really "beat" him on drill S9, did you?

Now, if you can score higher on Exam I and then make more than 5 out of 7 on S9, then you can say you beat Shane's first attempt.

Regards,
Dave

 

[dr_dave]

Who's going to be the first non-pro to enter? Nobody other than SVB has entered yet, so the non-pro $1000 is still totally up for grabs.

I didn't realize how difficult it was to give away free money. I thought I might do more challenges like this in the future; but if the participation rate is this poor, I probably won't.

Anybody out there plan to enter?

Good luck,
Dave

The Billiard University (BU) is offering $2500 to players who participate in and do well on the BU Playing-Ability Exams. Entries are being accepted now through the end of August, 2016. Please help spread the word so we can see how high the scores can be pushed. Hopefully, the financial incentive will help provide motivation. The Exams also provide an excellent pool workout for smart and focused practice.

For more information, see:

$2500 BU Playing-Ability-Exam Challenge

Good luck on the exams,
Dave

PS: There are two categories, based on Fargo Ratings, to provide incentive to both top pros and non-top pros.

 

[justinb386]

We hope $2500 is enough to get the competitive juices flowing.

This is a good idea. If somebody were to offer up such a thing, I would be more than happy to send it to the winner along with the cash.

Regards,
Dave

I actually meant that maybe it would be a good idea to have a cue prize instead of a cash prize. To use the money for a custom cue build of a special one of a kind cue prize. Just an idea, but I assume that the players might rather compete for the cash. The cue could be like a trophy and a great player at the same time. Maybe a cue maker like Mike Durbin would be interested in building a specially ingraved cue for a future challenge. That might get a lot more interest then a cash prize would. Just a thought. Just dreaming, sorry.