Opinions regarding a former top pro playing in and dominating a Poolroom‘s weekly handicapped tournament?

it doesnt make sense in life to work a job you dont like since jobs take about half of your awake time in life.

hustling [pool doesnt make much money for sure but at least they are free to do what they like. except for having the money to do much of it.

but almost ever thing you do in life has a base in math. the less you understand the weaker your decisions are.
 
ChrisinNC said:
FYI, the player in question did not play this week after playing the previous 4 weeks and winning 3/4. Whether or not the TD had a word with him/her or if it was just a coincidence, is unknown.
Click to expand...
It’s a fine line, winning vs killing a tournament. Especially if it’s handicapped.

They could just put rules in play to protect the tournament and the core players that make up the tournament.
When I was playing more 25 years ago, I happened through Ohio and there was basically a tournament every night of the week between the pool halls, and the bars. Whatever town I was in.
Almost every place had the rule, if you win this week, you are barred from playing the next week or the next 2 weeks.
These were all scratch tournaments btw.
Locally, I have heard of some Fargo league tournaments have a rule where if you win, you can’t play for a month or something to that effect. Those are all Fargo rated handicap tournaments that I have never played in, but overheard the discussion about “when am I allowed to play again“ when someone who won, was asking if he could show up, and was he going to make the drive just to get banned day of.
Much in the same way when some new person showed up to the weekly handicap at the local room that no one knew, they wouldn’t just believe the guy. They would have him at a rating and WATCH how they played and adjust the rating accordingly.
All to protect the locals who played every week.

At the same time, a top player should know the saying, ”You can shear a sheep many times, but only skin it once”

Greed is a killer. Especially when pool players think a tournament is their personal ATM.

Those types of guys arent the brightest.
 
ShootingArts said:
His soft and lazy comment is ridiculous. If I had to pick the flaws for the American players in the cup it would be that the US players have a much stronger spirit of individualism. When a gambling match cost you tens of thousands it is hard to embrace the winner as a teammate a few months later.
Click to expand...
Wow... I'm just catching up on this thread. Are you in politics..? That's the best spin doctored way to say that they "play shitty as a team" that could have been penned.

Well done
 
maha said:
anytime you run any kind of business you should be open to suggestions on improvements. you dont have to take them, but listen to them. customers often have better ideas than the owner.
Click to expand...
You had me agreeing with you until you said "often have better ideas than the owner". If you had said "sometimes" I'd be in full agreement. :) Should definitely listen 100% of the time and keep an open mind.

Important to realize that customer's ideas are most often self serving and 99/100 of them don't account for financial impact of their bright ideas at all. An idea can be incredible on the surface but if it's too expensive for the business to sustain it's not worth the words used to convey it.
 
complaints and suggestions are two different things. usually those that give suggestions have good ideas.
and imho most pool room owners need a lot of help running their business as few are really qualified to be owners.
hence, the high rate of closures.
 
boogieman said:
I understand that for some playing a stronger player can be daunting or get them nervous, but I find it exciting.

I play my absolute best against strong players. It's like there's no pressure for me to win so I figure I'll let my stroke out. I'm meant to lose, might as well have some fun. And then I think things like "wouldn't it be funny if I won?" Then sometimes I do, or at least give them a game where they have to buckle down.

Some strong players, can really get thrown off their game if they sense you aren't starstruck. The human mind is a funny thing and people watching can be fun in pool. :) We have a local very good player who gives lessons and such, has students, well known. He's really good, but if you don't seem starstruck or nervous about playing him, he really struggles. He usually pulls out the win, but the dynamic is a fun one to try to figure out.

I'm currently trying to fix a mental error in my game. I play great against really good players, but against people at my level or below I find it hard to focus and usually play badly.
Click to expand...
Many players share those same thoughts and I respect that mental side. But I was always trained to "play the table, not the opponent." So I fear absolutely no one. I stick with this mentality and it even payed off when playing Earl the Pearl in a 3 set. I have also been beaten by lesser players when thinking they "feared" me. Talk about being humbled. But I guess we've all been there.
 
you have to play the opponent. the table layout takes care of itself it doesn't move.

against every different opponent you play differently. some to more safes . some you may have to shoot at less makeable shots.

some to speed up the tempo and some to slow it down. some to talk to. some to ignore. some to shark, and some not to.
 
The_JV said:
Wow... I'm just catching up on this thread. Are you in politics..? That's the best spin doctored way to say that they "play shitty as a team" that could have been penned.

Well done
Click to expand...

The Americans don't seem to get the team thing. That suit you better? I can say it seven different ways it will still mean the same. In your eloquent words, they "play shitty as a team".

Hu
 
maha said:
you have to play the opponent. the table layout takes care of itself it doesn't move.

against every different opponent you play differently. some to more safes . some you may have to shoot at less makeable shots.

some to speed up the tempo and some to slow it down. some to talk to. some to ignore. some to shark, and some not to.
Click to expand...
Completely disagree. My game is the same whether it be with a Fargo 400 or a Fargo 730. I play my best. I am there to win. My pre-shot routine doesn't change, my ability doesn't change, I lock up my opponent regardless and shoot into the line with position and with as much skill as I possess. I practice long and train hard solely for this purpose. I don't give two shits about who I am facing. I play my game. If they beat me (in say, a race to 7), they are the better player. At least on that occasion. And that's that.
 
maha said:
you have to play the opponent. the table layout takes care of itself it doesn't move.

against every different opponent you play differently. some to more safes . some you may have to shoot at less makeable shots.

some to speed up the tempo and some to slow it down. some to talk to. some to ignore. some to shark, and some not to.
Click to expand...
just wow
 
Something I've been wondering, is this a hypothetical or was the top pro named?

I've been curious about this since the beginning of this thread.
 
quote "Completely disagree. My game is the same whether it be with a Fargo 400 or a Fargo 730."
skier then
tell me then what sport (other than maybe an exception or so) do you not play the player. or at least should.

and anyone on here can give you examples where you change what you normally might do to a different player.
you should open your mind up and not be so hard fasted if you are putting so much work into improving.
 
Generally we play the table and the player if we know them. I am not going to crush a date or friend like someone I don't particularly like. When I held a challenge table ten or twelve hours straight part of it was clocking the other players. Most couldn't make a ball in the ocean and that let me rest between decent players. Kept them all at the table too because the better players kept waiting on the opportunities I gave the bangers.

Gamblers have to put a little chum in the water and even tournament players usually move up and down a little. I don't run wide open like a crazy man forty or fifty hours a week on my day job, never saw any reason to shooting pool.

Hu
 
ShootingArts said:
Generally we play the table and the player if we know them. I am not going to crush a date or friend like someone I don't particularly like. When I held a challenge table ten or twelve hours straight part of it was clocking the other players. Most couldn't make a ball in the ocean and that let me rest between decent players. Kept them all at the table too because the better players kept waiting on the opportunities I gave the bangers.

Gamblers have to put a little chum in the water and even tournament players usually move up and down a little. I don't run wide open like a crazy man forty or fifty hours a week on my day job, never saw any reason to shooting pool.

Hu
Click to expand...
There was an old player/stakehorse that once said "You can shear a sheep a thousand times but you can only skin it once" You beat somebody's brains in they quit but if you make 'em think they have a chance its like having your own atm machine.
 
maha said:
quote "Completely disagree. My game is the same whether it be with a Fargo 400 or a Fargo 730."
skier then
tell me then what sport (other than maybe an exception or so) do you not play the player. or at least should.

and anyone on here can give you examples where you change what you normally might do to a different player.
you should open your mind up and not be so hard fasted if you are putting so much work into improving.
Click to expand...
Again, because I don't think or agree with YOU doesn't matter one bit. I have played other sports including one at the professional level. There ARE sports where you do play differently against a player. In baseball, a pitcher vs a certain batter, etc. But pool, I disagree. In other sports, such as pool, bowling, golf, etc., one is playing the table, alley, course, etc., respectively. Does Tiger Woods hit his shot differently off the tee because he is with his friend? I doubt it. What is the difference whether you are playing a Fargo 730 or a 400 if the nine is near a pocket and the eight is on the opposite short rail bank and your cue ball is next to the nine? Answer: Not a f**king thing. Are you saying you'd play the shot a little differently? I highly doubt it.

Again, in a competitive or tournament situation, I play to lock you up when I can and make shots with position when I can. All to the best of my current abilities and skill-set that I have trained so hard for. The other person is of no importance to me. It could be Joshua Filler or Fedor Gorst. I don't give a shit. A ball-banger could leave me the exact same table layout after a break as both of those guys, and you know it. It's up to YOU to figure out the table, the pattern, the roadmap-to-runout, or defensive play. There should be nothing else in your brain during that match. Nothing.

Now, if you're talking about playing your 9 year old grandson in the basement for "winner gets an ice cream," or the gal on your 2nd date, or a family member visiting for the holidays, then maybe you're right. You can earn one point on this post. The abovementioned is for very competitive situations.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top