Pool changed the entire course of my life. I walked away from everything and joined the Air Force on a spur of the moment decision, simply because I couldn't stay out of the pool room.Let’s just say pool cost me an extra year and half of college, being late to work and missing many days when I was an intern, and many arguments with the family. I still donkey off work 25 years later for anything pool
My Fargorate progression
- Thread starter iusedtoberich
- Start date
I used to want to play everyday, but the last 10 months or so I just haven’t had the desire to hardly hit a ball. There’s very few good tournaments close to where I live, only a weekly 8 ball race to 2 loser break about an hr from me. I think I have played it 3 times since February and I won 2 of them. It doesn’t even report to Fargo.
I think I have practiced 2 times since the first of October. After thanksgiving I am going to try and get in gear and maybe by the Derby I can at least lower the embarrassment level a little. The good thing is few people there know me so they can laugh all they want it doesn’t bother me.
I played in a big chip tournament last night in PA, the same one I played in on post #141. It's not Fargo reported. $60 entry, full 64 player field, a big calcutta, and many female players. First place pays about $5K total.
I was with my two good buddies while the calcutta started. The first blind bid went to a player with a 670 rating that was new to the tournament, and the TD hyped him up when he went down the list of names before bidding began. The second blind bid ended at $360. The winner said: "I want the guy in the white shirt". That was me! My two buddies and I were in disbelief. One said "what just happened?" This guy saw me playing very well the last event and remembered me. I thanked him for the confidence, and bought half of myself. My ego was quite inflated, and I didn't let my two buddies forget I was the second blind bid. ha ha ha.
Now to the matches, I laid the biggest egg in my pool career! I started with 5 chips, and only won 2 games, losing 7. The last event I think I won 17 or so games with 5 chips.
I've been eyeing up a new cue to replaced my battered cue I've had in Philly for years. I was asking my buddies which of two they liked better during the tournament downtime. After I was knocked out, I said to them "I don't deserve a new cue. I should light this one on fire and quit."
Alas, I can laugh about it now, and I did get that blind bid
. First place pays about $5K total.I was with my two good buddies while the calcutta started. The first blind bid went to a player with a 670 rating that was new to the tournament, and the TD hyped him up when he went down the list of names before bidding began. The second blind bid ended at $360. The winner said: "I want the guy in the white shirt". That was me! My two buddies and I were in disbelief. One said "what just happened?" This guy saw me playing very well the last event and remembered me. I thanked him for the confidence, and bought half of myself. My ego was quite inflated, and I didn't let my two buddies forget I was the second blind bid. ha ha ha.
Now to the matches, I laid the biggest egg in my pool career! I started with 5 chips, and only won 2 games, losing 7. The last event I think I won 17 or so games with 5 chips.
I've been eyeing up a new cue to replaced my battered cue I've had in Philly for years. I was asking my buddies which of two they liked better during the tournament downtime. After I was knocked out, I said to them "I don't deserve a new cue. I should light this one on fire and quit."
Alas, I can laugh about it now, and I did get that blind bid
Raised expectations can be a heavy load, been there, done that
A fool and his moneyI played in a big chip tournament last night in PA, the same one I played in on post #141. It's not Fargo reported. $60 entry, full 64 player field, a big calcutta, and many female players
I was with my two good buddies while the calcutta started. The first blind bid went to a player with a 670 rating that was new to the tournament, and the TD hyped him up when he went down the list of names before bidding began. The second blind bid ended at $360. The winner said: "I want the guy in the white shirt". That was me! My two buddies and I were in disbelief. One said "what just happened?" This guy saw me playing very well the last event and remembered me. I thanked him for the confidence, and bought half of myself. My ego was quite inflated, and I didn't let my two buddies forget I was the second blind bid. ha ha ha.
Alas, I can laugh about it now, and I did get that blind bid
No I fully believe it is their money however they want to spend it. I watched a lady get first bid in a local trnmnt and pick a very likeable guy who had no chance of placing let alone winning. But she was happy she won the bid.
This chip tournament had about 10 players my speed or better, and the other of the 64 significantly weaker. The chip spread was only 2. The 10 good players all had 5 chips. The weakest players had 7 chips. The way the chip structure is formatted, the weaker players have a much better chance. This is good for participation, and everyone bids themselves up in the calcutta. Unfortunately, for the better players, it's a tough hill to climb. Because its winner stays on the table until they lose, in order to make up a one chip starting deficit, the better player has to basically lap the whole field.
For example, my buddy, who was the first or second best player in the field won a ton of games, whereas I won 2. We both started with 5 chips, yet ended up eliminated within a few minutes of each other, since he didn't "lap the field" with all his wins.
In the first time I played this, the final 12 (12 paid spots) had 2 of the good players. This second time it had only 1 of the good players.
The tournament is a good time for sure, but does no favors to the stronger group of players.
For example, my buddy, who was the first or second best player in the field won a ton of games, whereas I won 2. We both started with 5 chips, yet ended up eliminated within a few minutes of each other, since he didn't "lap the field" with all his wins.
In the first time I played this, the final 12 (12 paid spots) had 2 of the good players. This second time it had only 1 of the good players.
The tournament is a good time for sure, but does no favors to the stronger group of players.
tomatoshooter
Well-known member
Is a tricky balance between letting weaker players compete and have fun to grow the sport, and letting accomplished players enjoy the advantage they worked so hard for. I'm not terribly interested in playing in a tournament where I'm sure to get smoked in the first round, but I have sympathy the A players that aren't allowed to compete.
I like the idea of tiered entry fees. Everybody plays straight up but the weaker players aren't paying so much to get blown out.
Each game is one chip, set by the TD. Last player standing wins.
Some chip tournaments each player plays an equal amount of games (until they are out). So after every game, it's a redraw for the next round. In a format like this, the better players might have 4 chips, and the weaker players 10 or more chips. Win or lose, you play your next match immediately (assuming table availability).
This format from yesterday the winner stays at the table until they lose their chip. Then they go to the back of the line of the other 64 players, to wait for their next match to come up, in which case they will play one of the winners still on the table. This format requires "lapping" the whole field to make up for starting with fewer chips. So the spread from best to worse player is only 5 chips vs 7 chips. The longer you stay on the table winning, the rest of the field keeps losing, and the player's list scrolls by. And when you finally lose and get placed back in the line, you would have moved up however many spots the time on the table afforded.
I've played both types, both are fun. I think the first type is more fair for all skill levels, the second type favors the players with the most chips, regardless of them being a much lower skill level.
No. The "chips" are counted on the computer chart. No physical chips in hand. 1 chip simply means one loss.
If you play dbl Elim race to 3 you play at least 6 games.
Just sayin
It's all computerized. The TD announced if any player has 2 games over 10 min, they get a warning. Next game over 10 min they lose the game. A 64 player event took about 12 hrs to complete. Way quicker than regular brackets. But each "match" is a single game, not a race.
I had my first decline since the third entry, from 547 to 540. I went to Sarasota, Florida for a Dr visit, and scheduled it around a Friday night Fargo tournament. I had a great time, met a super nice AZB member, chatted with the owner and his staff, borrowed his cue for a gambling set, and got along well with locals. I lost both tournament matches. I lost 2-4 to a 698, and 1-4 to a 650. Both sets were handicapped and I only had to win 3 games to advance. I was playing with a house cue, which for me is very difficult as I've been playing Predator shafts exclusively since about 1999 or 2000. The aim is a mile different.
I actually payed extra for checked baggage both ways and bought a duffle bag to put my cue in. (No clothes, I was just staying one night, and my personal item carryon bag was enough). I normally take Uber to the airport, and this time since it was just a one day trip, my sister suggested I park at the airport instead. I did that, and I donkeyed the whole thing. I could not find the long term parking lot, the signs were so bad, and I'm stupid with directions. Short term did not allow overnight parking. I ended up circling the airport a few times. The GPS also failed me as it took me to a closed entrance to the lot. By the time I found it, I knew there was zero chance I was going to make the plane if I had to check a bag. So I left my cue and its new duffle bag in the trunk. The shuttle came to pick me up, and I ran the entire way through the airport and barely made it before they closed the gate door. Lesson learned, I will never NOT take Uber again. ha ha.
After the tournament, I asked the 650 to play, we played races to 7. The first set he won 7-2. He asked to play a second set, I said not unless you find me a Predator shaft. The owner had a Meucci CF shaft he loaned to me. It played close to the Predator, and this set was much closer. I lost 7-5.
Then I went back to Philly and played a weekly local tournament there. I can't remember what happened, but I must have stunk that one up. ha ha. Edit, I found the bracket. It was actually the week before Florida. It was 8 ball. I won 3 matches and lost 2 matches.
This update has 2 tournaments, I think they both posted in the same day, so I don't know the contribution of each.
Florida: https://digitalpool.com/tournaments/9ball-friday-night-tournament
Philly: https://digitalpool.com/tournaments...-112423-eight-ball-last-friday-of-every-month
Being Friday and all....I recommend that you just focus on the orange line!
Willowbrook Wolfy
Going pro
Sometimes fargorates don’t mean squat. Mine is listed at 463 with 300 games in but when I play a fargorate tournament around here they make me play as a 600-650 based on “known ability”. I have a bad habit of overdoing it on the drinks during the fargorated tournaments though too.
They use digital pool for the brackets. You would think that me having to go 5-3 or 6-3 against another “460” would cause my fargorate to get flagged and increased but it never does.
They use digital pool for the brackets. You would think that me having to go 5-3 or 6-3 against another “460” would cause my fargorate to get flagged and increased but it never does.
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You must really be putting down the sauce
200 points off with 300 games is a lot.
Willowbrook Wolfy
Going pro
In reference to what I just wrote. All the tournaments I play are usually alternating break which gives a lesser player more chances at the table. Plus I have 100 games on Salotto with another player who is also underrated. That could be messing up the numbers
My win/loss against 680+s is better than against 500’s.
My win/loss against 680+s is better than against 500’s.