Best statistic for billiards

justnum

Billiards Improvement Research Projects Associate
Silver Member
Fargorate is nice for player rankings.

How about creating a statistic for game performance, different than wins/losses?

Something for offense and something for defense.

What is challenging in offense is defining a term that decides if the player got position or not. Its similar to how quarterbacks can overthrow or underthrow a receiver.

In defense playing saves has a different problem. A safe on a D+ may not be as effective against a C. Which leads to the next problem.

Billiards latest innovation was a "new player rating" fargorate. Benchmarks in the billiards game have always been tournament oriented.

In basketball you need to be atleast 6'5 to be worth looking at. In baseball a minimum 90mph fastball. In football lineman need to fill in an entire doorway.

In billiards where is the key factor that best predict high success rate.
 
I was watching the French Open yesterday and the announcer stated Nadal had won 30+ sets in a row against opponents with one-half backhand.

I don't see an equivalent in pool, but it was very interesting.
 
http://www.accu-stats.com/AS-inst.pdf

The problem is that this isn’t Major League Baseball. There’s not enough ad revenue generating to afford staff to calculate this for every player in every major tournament.

Win/loss is easier to capture.


Respectfully, Matt
(I don’t take myself too seriously. I hope you can return the favor.)
 
I've practiced enough pool to know there are gaps in my game.
But finding where those finer points are is difficult.

Lately after coming of a win or loss, just saying "I want to be win by three racks" isn't really a specific goal. Its like saying "I want to be a better player."

I have been thinking about what exactly I need to get good at and what should I look for in matches to get better at.

I don't need stats from pro matches. I am curious how others viewed their billiards progress.

Banging balls or doing drills for practice just doesn't cut it for me anymore. My decision process during matches needs updating. Gauging my opponents skill level and my ability to stay in stroke during the match.




http://www.accu-stats.com/AS-inst.pdf

The problem is that this isn’t Major League Baseball. There’s not enough ad revenue generating to afford staff to calculate this for every player in every major tournament.

Win/loss is easier to capture.


Respectfully, Matt
(I don’t take myself too seriously. I hope you can return the favor.)
 
I've practiced enough pool to know there are gaps in my game.
But finding where those finer points are is difficult.

Lately after coming of a win or loss, just saying "I want to be win by three racks" isn't really a specific goal. Its like saying "I want to be a better player."

I have been thinking about what exactly I need to get good at and what should I look for in matches to get better at.

I don't need stats from pro matches. I am curious how others viewed their billiards progress.

Banging balls or doing drills for practice just doesn't cut it for me anymore. My decision process during matches needs updating. Gauging my opponents skill level and my ability to stay in stroke during the match.


If you’re focused on assessing your personal skill level, strengths and weaknesses objectively then I would check out Dr Dave.

http://www.billiarduniversity.org

I would also keep an eye on the Zero-X system and Tor Lowry. I believe they will plan on releasing something to that effect in the near-mid term.



Respectfully, Matt
(I don’t take myself too seriously. I hope you can return the favor.)
 
Great suggestion.

I will continue to develop something for statistics relating to decisions during a match.

Errors are standard in baseball. I think baseball situations relate to some layouts on the table. But almost every play in baseball can be based off a textbook.

In pool a player can go off the textbook and still play well. It is challenging to describe because I haven't fully developed it.

Looking for the best statistics, means I need to know what to keep track of during a match. Balls pocketed is easy, but there is a huge difference in the types of balls being pocketed.




If you’re focused on assessing your personal skill level, strengths and weaknesses objectively then I would check out Dr Dave.

http://www.billiarduniversity.org

I would also keep an eye on the Zero-X system and Tor Lowry. I believe they will plan on releasing something to that effect in the near-mid term.



Respectfully, Matt
(I don’t take myself too seriously. I hope you can return the favor.)
 
Pool is a war game....like chess.
Winning records is where the buck stops.
We all have different ways of doing...but the right shot is the winning shot.
 
Fargorate is nice for player rankings.

How about creating a statistic for game performance, different than wins/losses?

Something for offense and something for defense.

What is challenging in offense is defining a term that decides if the player got position or not. Its similar to how quarterbacks can overthrow or underthrow a receiver.

In defense playing saves has a different problem. A safe on a D+ may not be as effective against a C. Which leads to the next problem.

Billiards latest innovation was a "new player rating" fargorate. Benchmarks in the billiards game have always been tournament oriented.

In basketball you need to be atleast 6'5 to be worth looking at. In baseball a minimum 90mph fastball. In football lineman need to fill in an entire doorway.

In billiards where is the key factor that best predict high success rate.


The ability to hit the cueball where you want, without any flaws in the stroke and knowledge of position play is what is key in pool. Everything else builds on that.

I guess the core of pool would be "hit the cueball where you want to hit it and at the correct speed".

Outside of that, there is none, you just need to play good overall. You can't win just by making shots every game, you can't win by getting lucky every game, you can't win by good safes every game, you won't win more if you are tall or if you are short.

What you do need are solid mechanics and ability to match what the reality of the table is to what your eyes/hands/stance/stroke do.
 
I agree. In baseball a strong pitcher has at least an 85mph fastball over the plate.
Weak pitchers can have good mechanics but not have the fastball speed.

A pool stroke is similar to that. But since the only things people can count in pool is time to take a shot (which is recent), balls pocketed and fouls played, creating new measurements will be innovative.

Fargorate has some nice principles, but in terms of setting goals for players, it falls back on the same principle of winning more matches, winning by more and winning against tougher opponents.

In distance running a sub 6 min mile is considered strong. Running sub 5 min miles is pro and beyond that will be a major growth in the sport. But the limits are in body mechanics is it possible, likely but someone will have to have major genetic advantages for it to happen.

Pool the standard is just run racks, but running a rack is very different than running a 5 minute mile pace.

Each rack has different problems and challenges. Need more time before I can put a full presentation on.
But there is enough to get readers thinking.



The ability to hit the cueball where you want, without any flaws in the stroke and knowledge of position play is what is key in pool. Everything else builds on that.

I guess the core of pool would be "hit the cueball where you want to hit it and at the correct speed".

Outside of that, there is none, you just need to play good overall. You can't win just by making shots every game, you can't win by getting lucky every game, you can't win by good safes every game, you won't win more if you are tall or if you are short.

What you do need are solid mechanics and ability to match what the reality of the table is to what your eyes/hands/stance/stroke do.
 
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