I watched a live stream of an 800 Fargo rate player, competing in a $20 weekly tournament, recently.

kingwang said:
Happens all the time in NYC! It's one of the nice things about living in a major metro area. They'll just randomly drop by and play our local tournaments, both handicapped and unhandicapped.

Francisco Bustamante just dropped by a couple weeks ago and took down one of the open ones. Here's me "beating" (aka shitting in the 9 ball a few times 😂) Moritz Neuhausen a couple years ago in a $80 handicapped tournament:

Just in the past two years, I've played 4 players that were rated 790+ just in these tournaments, and I don't even go to that many of them.
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I wouldnt say you were shitting in the 9. If anything, he was doing that more than you as he won about 3 games via that method. You however played some really great safeties.

Also, I wanted to say that videos like those are perfect examples of those players who want to elevate their game to world elite level. Neuhausen was running all over the east coast a few years back getting into anything he could to make himself better. So players of that caliber playing in handicapped tournaments have value for their own growth and what they wish to accomplish.
 
DieselPete said:
This is now off topic, but...

We do it the opposite. If you lose, you stay on the table and break the next game. Weaker players are out the door pretty quickly because they lose, and lose, and lose...

Yes, if you win you go back to the top of the list and do have to wait. You socialize. You watch matches. You know what you are in for when you choose to play. Then you get called to a table and immediately have to switch on for what is basically a hill-hill game. I think it is a real opportunity to test your game and your mental strength.

Finally, the tournament manager will rearrange the wait list to even out games, so there is no incentive to slow play. By the last few rounds (getting toward the money) everyone will have very close to equal games played.

It's not for everyone though.
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That's awesome! I pitched that idea to our TD about having the loser stay at the table. I don't see why a player who doesn't win one game should be in the tournament for hours. Let them go home and try again next time! Do you use a certain kind of software that evens out the games? Would you mind sending me any information you have on how they do that?
 
vintagecollectibles831 said:
That is really cool. I think I would hate Chip tournaments, unless they call you fairly quick, to play the next guy. If not, then you just play 1 game, then wait. Then play 1 game, and then wait again. Hard to get any kind of rhythm going, I imagine, if that makes any sense. With that being said, you played him 1 game, so it made your odds so much better, of winning, then if you had played him, a race to 3, for example.
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The chip tournaments that I ran, the winner stayed on the table. We had a couple people with over a 20 game winning streak
 
maha said:
the whole idea of a tournament is so anyone can play and have a chance. other wise it isnt a tournament but a takeoff for the best players.
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That seems strange to me... I like the idea of let the best player win. I am an average player and I have never won a non handicapped tournament. I have started asking the TD to set my handicap to the max. I don't play in the tournament for the money... That's what my day job is for.
maha said:
and a good t.d. can find a way to structure it so that all can have a chance to collect.
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I agree and I know this attracts more lower level players.
 
easy-e said:
That's awesome! I pitched that idea to our TD about having the loser stay at the table. I don't see why a player who doesn't win one game should be in the tournament for hours. Let them go home and try again next time! Do you use a certain kind of software that evens out the games? Would you mind sending me any information you have on how they do that?
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I'll ask about the software and post here when I find out.

I do believe that the leveling of total games played is manual. The software definitely shows how many chips you start with by showing how many are left (red) and how many you have lost (black). It also shows total games played and games won. From that, I believe the TD does a manual override to have you cut the line and get back into play sooner if you are coming up short on games played, compared to the remaining field.
 
maha said:
if it isnt handicapped fairly then anyone entering a tournament with 5 to 10 650 to 750 players in it has no chance at all of collecting. if he is less than that.

the whole idea of a tournament is so anyone can play and have a chance. other wise it isnt a tournament but a takeoff for the best players.

and a good t.d. can find a way to structure it so that all can have a chance to collect.
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I was a 615 and have beat up to 750 more than a couple times. Won my fair share of open tournaments over the years. Friday is race to 3, alternate break, double elimination. Race is short enough to make it interesting.

There is a wide range of skill levels that play. Most are doing it because they enjoy the competition. Not for the money. Just cashing might be a goal for some. These tournaments are always full without there being handicaps. Sure the 700+ win most of the money over time but they aren't a lock every week.
 
easy-e said:
I don't care much for chip tournaments. As long as you keep winning, you get to keep playing. I've played in some where you have to wait over 30 minutes to get called up again after a loss. Players have won this tournament with a record of like 8 wins/6 losses. I may go 35-3 and not cash. They're brutal, especially when you see players going as slow as they can get away with just to have to win less games.
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These go to the players who can bring it cold. If you're a player that needs to 'warm up', hit a few balls B4 getting in stroke, chips ain't for ya.
 
kingwang said:
Happens all the time in NYC! It's one of the nice things about living in a major metro area. They'll just randomly drop by and play our local tournaments, both handicapped and unhandicapped.

Francisco Bustamante just dropped by a couple weeks ago and took down one of the open ones. Here's me "beating" (aka shitting in the 9 ball a few times 😂) Moritz Neuhausen a couple years ago in a $80 handicapped tournament:

Just in the past two years, I've played 4 players that were rated 790+ just in these tournaments, and I don't even go to that many of them.
Click to expand...
Only reason you beat him... he wasn't placing his chalk on the diamonds...
 
DieselPete said:
To that point, Julio Burgos (747) plays in some $20 Wednesday night tournaments at Beyond Billiards in South Florida.
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Replying to myself to add that Julio Burgos (747) won the $20 Wednesday night tourney last night. The format was short race (race to 2) 9-ball, with ball weight.

51 players showed up (always in part because there is a huge break-and-run, 10-ball pot/raffle). Fargo Rating of the 8 players that cashed.

1: 747
2: 507
3/4: 530/455
5-8: 459/509/681/Can't find

Ball weight seemed to create a good mix of players getting through to the money.
 
DieselPete said:
Replying to myself to add that Julio Burgos (747) won the $20 Wednesday night tourney last night. The format was short race (race to 2) 9-ball, with ball weight.

51 players showed up (always in part because there is a huge break-and-run, 10-ball pot/raffle). Fargo Rating of the 8 players that cashed.

1: 747
2: 507
3/4: 530/455
5-8: 459/509/681/Can't find

Ball weight seemed to create a good mix of players getting through to the money.
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Curious, what does Ball Weight mean? And, wow, Race to 2, 9 ball, is very short.
 
vintagecollectibles831 said:
Curious, what does Ball Weight mean? And, wow, Race to 2, 9 ball, is very short.
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Sorry, yeah, could have explained that.

First, they have to do race to 2 to get through 51 players on a weeknight, double elimination.

Ball weight is the weaker player getting to win on the 9 ball, but also the 8. Or the 9, 8 and 7, etc.

Julio was definitely playing some games that he would lose if the other person made anything from 6 to 9, and all of them count if they are slopped in (not on the break though). It's a tough road for a player like him.
 
DieselPete said:
Sorry, yeah, could have explained that.

First, they have to do race to 2 to get through 51 players on a weeknight, double elimination.

Ball weight is the weaker player getting to win on the 9 ball, but also the 8. Or the 9, 8 and 7, etc.

Julio was definitely playing some games that he would lose if the other person made anything from 6 to 9, and all of them count if they are slopped in (not on the break though). It's a tough road for a player like him.
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Okay, lol, I understand ball weight now. Very surprised that you would do Ball Weight in such a short race 9 ball tournament. Ball weight tournaments should be much longer races, like at the very least, going to 5 games, I think. There should be no Ball Weight handicaps, in a race to 2, 9 ball tournament. That is just nuts, lol. Kind of shocked that even he won the event, lol, with all that going on.
 
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