Predator WPA World 8 Ball Championship 2023 (17-22 Oct 2023), Austria, Winner $75K

Badpenguin said:
Speaking from strictly an old and decrepit league 8 ball player's perspective here...

Seeing their patterns and how they handle clusters is educational and entertaining to me. I would also argue that there are many more league 8 ball players in the US than 9 ball players who might feel the same as me. Personally, I find 9 ball a bit brainless, but still love to watch the pros play that also.
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League 8ball and elite pro 8ball live in two different galaxies. These guys have the chops to make it too easy. Your average BCA/APA 8b player has to play safe more because they don't have the skill to run them off. Far more challenge for these guys to play 9b than 8b.
 
Badpenguin said:
Speaking from strictly an old and decrepit league 8 ball player's perspective here...

Seeing their patterns and how they handle clusters is educational and entertaining to me. I would also argue that there are many more league 8 ball players in the US than 9 ball players who might feel the same as me. Personally, I find 9 ball a bit brainless, but still love to watch the pros play that also.
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Right on. If eight ball is one's focus, this is a good learning opportunity. Similarly, if it's the game you most enjoy watching, that's great. You like what you like. Enjoy the show!
 
sjm said:
Eight ball on a nine-footer is so easy for the pros that it's a joke. Tell the nine/ten ball players that they can shoot the balls in any order they like, finishing with the money ball and see what the runout rate is.

To bring tactical warfare into eight ball, it needs to be played on the seven-footer.

The biggest joke of all, however, is that this tactically empty run-fest offers the biggest first prize of the year.

Happy for the players for this opportunity and wishing them all the best, but not too much entertainment value here.
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English pool is played on a 7 footer and, despite the smaller balls, it's a tougher game than "American" 8 ball at the pro level because of the rounded snooker-style pockets. It's still a run out game at the elite level and results depend heavily on the break. But these guys mostly don't even consider for a split second branching out into 9 or 10 ball.

Anyway, that aside anything that takes away from the purity of the game, including take what you make, has no place in pool for me because the rules should be the same for the pros and those who turn up in a bar asking what the rules are. Smaller pockets might be the answer.

A lot of players though haven't turned up for the biggest current prize in pool ($75k plus a World title and all that comes with it) - maybe 8 ball isn't as even chance for the top players as we might think
 
Swighey said:
English pool is played on a 7 footer and, despite the smaller balls, it's a tougher game than "American" 8 ball at the pro level because of the rounded snooker-style pockets. It's still a run out game at the elite level and results depend heavily on the break. But these guys mostly don't even consider for a split second branching out into 9 or 10 ball.

Anyway, that aside anything that takes away from the purity of the game, including take what you make, has no place in pool for me because the rules should be the same for the pros and those who turn up in a bar asking what the rules are. Smaller pockets might be the answer.

A lot of players though haven't turned up for the biggest current prize in pool ($75k plus a World title and all that comes with it) - maybe 8 ball isn't as even chance for the top players as we might think
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Yes, I've played English 8-ball and I agree that it's a much better game than American 8-ball on a 9-footer for the reason you offer. Shaw, Appleton, and Melling all have their roots in the more challenging game of English 8-ball, and that game made them very straight shooters and solid tacticians ready to succeed at 9ball.
 
What’s with the refs and the lag? Seoa vs. Sarac. Both players get down to lag. Neither has hit the ball yet. Ref stops them and declares Seoa’s ball is on the head string and awards Sarac the break without the players even attempting the lag.

www.youtube.com

Bojana Šarac vs Seo Seoa ▸ Predator WPA World 10-Ball Women's Championship 2023

🏆 ▸ Predator WPA World 10-Ball Women’s Championship 2023🗓 ▸ October 18-22, 2023💰 ▸ $150,000 ($50,000 for the champion)👤 ▸ 48 players📍 ▸ Sportpark Klagen...
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com

This is part of the rule. “The referee will place a ball on each side of the table behind the head string and near the head string. The players will shoot at about the same time to make each ball contact the foot cushion with the goal of returning the ball closer to the head cushion than the opponent.”

I wonder if it was actually that the player is not allowed to adjust their ball position at all and moving it is being treated as a foul.
 
MattPoland said:
What’s with the refs and the lag? Seoa vs. Sarac. Both players get down to lag. Neither has hit the ball yet. Ref stops them and declares Seoa’s ball is on the head string and awards Sarac the break without the players even attempting the lag.

www.youtube.com

Bojana Šarac vs Seo Seoa ▸ Predator WPA World 10-Ball Women's Championship 2023

🏆 ▸ Predator WPA World 10-Ball Women’s Championship 2023🗓 ▸ October 18-22, 2023💰 ▸ $150,000 ($50,000 for the champion)👤 ▸ 48 players📍 ▸ Sportpark Klagen...
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com

This is part of the rule. “The referee will place a ball on each side of the table behind the head string and near the head string. The players will shoot at about the same time to make each ball contact the foot cushion with the goal of returning the ball closer to the head cushion than the opponent.”

I wonder if it was actually that the player is not allowed to adjust their ball position at all and moving it is being treated as a foul.
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Similar thing happened in earlier Han Yu match when her opponent move the lag ball with her hand and lag was awarded to Han Yu

Some freak ruling by ref that player not supposed to touch the ball.
But I think from the rule you posted, ref interpret Seo touching/moving the ball as shooting first instead of "at about same time" so lag awarded to her opponent.

I have seen past match where a player shoot lag first before his opponent and was called out which is fine.
But in this case, ref penalising for just touching moving the ball without actually shooting is just plain silly:LOL:
 
spartan said:
Niels is the "sentimental favorite" to win. Was 2x runner up consecutively in this event about 10 years ago. Once lost hill hill to Karl Boyes and following year lost to Orcollo . :LOL:
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No shame in losing to Dennis.

Losing to Karl though . . . 😂
 
spartan said:
Similar thing happened in earlier Han Yu match when her opponent move the lag ball with her hand and lag was awarded to Han Yu

Some freak ruling by ref that player not supposed to touch the ball.
But I think from the rule you posted, ref interpret Seo touching/moving the ball as shooting first instead of "at about same time" so lag awarded to her opponent.

I have seen past match where a player shoot lag first before his opponent and was called out which is fine.
But in this case, ref penalising for just touching moving the ball without actually shooting is just plain silly:LOL:
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Here too. My eyes are rolling in my head pretty hard.

www.youtube.com

Wu Kun Lin vs Fabio Rizzi ▸ Predator WPA World 8-Ball Men's Championship 2023

🏆 ▸ Predator WPA World 8-Ball Men’s Championship 2023🗓 ▸ October 17-22, 2023💰 ▸ $250,000 ($75,000 for the champion)👤 ▸ 96 players📍 ▸ Sportpark Klagenfur...
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
 
spartan said:
Similar thing happened in earlier Han Yu match when her opponent move the lag ball with her hand and lag was awarded to Han Yu

Some freak ruling by ref that player not supposed to touch the ball.
But I think from the rule you posted, ref interpret Seo touching/moving the ball as shooting first instead of "at about same time" so lag awarded to her opponent.

I have seen past match where a player shoot lag first before his opponent and was called out which is fine.
But in this case, ref penalising for just touching moving the ball without actually shooting is just plain silly:LOL:
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That's a dumb rule. Why change something that has been customary and part of the game for decades, and has not caused any issues? Now this new "rule" is causing issues.

It's just like the IPT rule of can't move a BIH shot with the stick. And the Manny Pacquiao rule from 10-12 years ago where obvious 10 ball had to be called, even if hanging in the hole.
 
spartan said:
yes it is screwed up. That additional preliminary Round 1 before Winners Round 1 messed them up. Most likely Predator staffers not familiar with the cuescore software.
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I wonder if it's just a chart error, or the player's actually advanced the way the chart showed? I'm surprised the players are not complaining.
 
decent dennis said:
Who are the guys doing commentary on Shane-gutenbergr? I don’t think they have ever even played before
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I thought they were OK. At the end they announced themselves as Benjamin (de aw sin?) and Tim De Ruyter. I think they went through too many possible scenarios before each shot.

Yes, Shane won but it was nip and tuck at the end. Video:

 
iusedtoberich said:
I wonder if it's just a chart error, or the player's actually advanced the way the chart showed? I'm surprised the players are not complaining.
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It annoys the #$%#$ out of me that they do not publicly post a link to the bracket anywhere. Seems kind of fundamental to any world championship of any sport that a bracket would be front and center. Some random people from this forum have to dig it up and post it.

The final stage brackets will be here, by the way.
 
Swighey said:
English pool is played on a 7 footer and, despite the smaller balls, it's a tougher game than "American" 8 ball at the pro level because of the rounded snooker-style pockets. It's still a run out game at the elite level and results depend heavily on the break. But these guys mostly don't even consider for a split second branching out into 9 or 10 ball.

Anyway, that aside anything that takes away from the purity of the game, including take what you make, has no place in pool for me because the rules should be the same for the pros and those who turn up in a bar asking what the rules are. Smaller pockets might be the answer.

A lot of players though haven't turned up for the biggest current prize in pool ($75k plus a World title and all that comes with it) - maybe 8 ball isn't as even chance for the top players as we might think
Click to expand...
For the pros, keep the 9 footer. Simply increase the number of balls from 15 to 21. Not sure why pool can't evolve past the 15 ball max. Much easier than modifying the table.
 
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