Of course, and that's the problem. You don't get to really play. Sure there's some entertainment to playing tight but overall there's more to this game then thinking duck before being aggressive.
Should All Skill Levels Have an Equal Chance to Win a Weekly 9-Ball Handicapped Tournament?
- Thread starter ChrisinNC
- Start date
DeeDeeCues
Well-known member
In most bowling leagues they figure the handicap by subtracting the lower average from the higher and multiply by less than one (often .70), then add that to the lower. So if you have a 150 bowler playing a 250, the lower gets 70 points. This means that the higher bowler can play his average and the lower will have to play 31 points over his to win.
So, no, handicapping is not usually meant to make it an even competition... Because then it isn't a competition, it's a jerk-off coin flip.
dquarasr
Registered
As soon as a Very Strong Player loses a match due to a single fluked rack, you’ve probably lost him/her. If low skill players are winning their 1 rack match 23% of the time, you’d lose a lot of higher skilled participants. At least I would think so.
DeeDeeCues
Well-known member
For the same $20 as a weekly tourney, they could go to the newest adam sandler poo-poo, pee-pee comedy.
Tournaments are not about winning money if you are a low-ranked player. They should be about enjoyment, testing oneself, and improvement. Unfortunately, those are traits than pool and or society sees as negatives.
It's like being on the track team in highschool. It costs money. Basically nobody is going to get rich in the sport, ever. So, why do it? Why not demand an eleven second head start in the 100m against the state best?
If you value money over the competition and enjoyment of playing pool tournaments, work overtime or get a second job--that will pay most people way better than pool ever will.
Yeah, that kind of spot is not for all. But it does make the match more even. Most players that far down the pecking order have not figured out combinations or carom shots yet.
But they know the concept of riding the cheese.
DeeDeeCues
Well-known member
We are talking about weekly tourneys. Keep up.
As I said before it's all we have, but none of us are pros or think we will be. If we want money we have jobs and companies for that. I and everyone I've asked goes for enjoyment, some socializing, and playing pool. As far as pool goes it's a a pretty cheap hobby,I play 4-6 nights a week, around 20 euros a week on entry fees, 200 a year for my table time subscription, 30 an hour for a lesson with a mosconi cup player once a month or so, not many cheaper activities.
Do you really only do hobbies that are profitable?
DeeDeeCues
Well-known member
I keep saying it. I have seen very successful, long lasting weekly tourneys with a wide range of skill levels. The atmosphere is key.
From what you say, you don't gamble, you take money from suckers, which means you spend a lot of time around... suckers.
well I know in apa they tout that the equalizer should bring every game down to a final rack with both players having a chance to win
I see the issue, you look at five or ten entry fee as a gamble. Most that i know, myself included look at it like the cost of using the tables for the evening.
Just the cost of participating in the hobby basically, same as greens fees, court fees or what a racing bicycle costs in wear, tear and consumables everytime you take it out of the house.
Well said.
Can't agree... a match is meant to be a contest of skill. A race to 1 isn't about that one rack where they pulled it together and ran a few balls. It's turns into waiting for an opportunity to splash the balls and hoping for a fortunate outcome.
I do... I'm in a deadmoney zone based on my skill and consistency. I'm forced to play open events that if I do pull it all together and dodge the monsters in the draw, I may earn my money back.
Such is life.
Tournaments vs gambling (aka: money matches) are different animals.
I can't imagine finding a tournament wherein I feel that I'm getting the best of it throughout the whole unknown draw.
Consider the case or the newbie, who can make only balls within 2 inches of the pocket when the CB is merely 3" from OB {Fargo rating of an actual 3}, that enters the tournament. You could make the judgement that he has to make only 2 balls (not games) and the SL7 has to make 6 games before he makes those 2 balls. He is still going to lose 90%+ of the time.
Thus the premise is ill-founded. You cannot make a tournament fair to all entrants and follow <whatever> rules of pool; unless you restrict the lower end of the player pool above a certain capability level.
5 or 10 bucks for a tournament is of course not gambling but entertainment.
still most want to have a chance or the entertainment value suffers.
but the top players in the area may be looking at it as an easy smaller payday. so why accommodate them for that as most or none hang out there and spend money normally if its a bar rather than a pool room.
still most want to have a chance or the entertainment value suffers.
but the top players in the area may be looking at it as an easy smaller payday. so why accommodate them for that as most or none hang out there and spend money normally if its a bar rather than a pool room.