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

nine_ball6970 said:
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.
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May the 'Rolls' be with you. 😉
Good luck Friday.
 
HawaiianEye said:
I am not playing in any tournament that is 9-ball, race to 2.

It's a crap shoot, especially with handicaps.
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vintagecollectibles831 said:
On the other hand, imagine playing a race to 2, and having to give up the 6 out? Lol.
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It's $20 on a Wednesday night. It isn't the most serious tournament on the planet. And the $20 gets about 90 minutes of warm-up time before the tournament even starts, if players show up and take advantage of it.

And the guy giving up the six-out is a professional-level player against a 450.
 
DieselPete said:
It's $20 on a Wednesday night. It isn't the most serious tournament on the planet. And the $20 gets about 90 minutes of warm-up time before the tournament even starts, if players show up and take advantage of it.

And the guy giving up the six-out is a professional-level player against a 450.
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$20 is a good deal for that if it includes 90 minutes of table time.
 
DieselPete said:
It's $20 on a Wednesday night. It isn't the most serious tournament on the planet. And the $20 gets about 90 minutes of warm-up time before the tournament even starts, if players show up and take advantage of it.

And the guy giving up the six-out is a professional-level player against a 450.
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Kinda figured.
 
Mensabum said:
Not in this lifetime. 😂
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Seriously though, you might have to give up the 6 out to some players? Even if you were just a really strong B player, for example. It just should not be in a race to 2 game tournament. Not even a race to 3, in my opinion. Going to at least 5 games should be minimum, if the players must give or get ball spots. If they are very short races, like to 3 games, then there really should not be any handicaps, unless some of the players are not even good enough to run 3 or 4 balls. In that case, I think Game spots are the way to go. Make the better player go to 4, or 5 games, and the weak player go to 2 games.
 
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I'm trying to figure out why people that aren't involved are trying to alter a tournament that had 51 happy players come out on a Wednesday night.

The things you are suggesting are on other Wednesday nights. There's a rotation.
 
vintagecollectibles831 said:
Seriously though, you might have to give up the 6 out to some players? Even if you were just a really strong B player, for example. It just should not be in a race to 2 game tournament. Not even a race to 3, in my opinion. Going to at least 5 games should be minimum, if the players must give or get ball spots. If they are very short races, like to 3 games, then there really should not be any handicaps, unless some of the players are not even good enough to run 3 or 4 balls. In that case, I think Game spots are the way to go. Make the better player go to 4, or 5 games, and the weak player go to 2 games.
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Agree.
 
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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The software is Ingen Pool, which is available on budtour.com
 
Gerson Martinez was in San Antonio recently. Very nice guy and he was always at the pool hall, practicing almost every day. He played some guys some cheap one pocket hundred dollar races to three and I’m more than sure he would’ve played some cheap short $50 sets of 9 or 10 ball. I mean, it’s just practice and lunch money for him. He’s gonna be there hitting balls anyway. Plus, I think he really loves to just play.
 
Magictrat007 said:
Gerson Martinez was in San Antonio recently. Very nice guy and he was always at the pool hall, practicing almost every day. He played some guys some cheap one pocket hundred dollar races to three and I’m more than sure he would’ve played some cheap short $50 sets of 9 or 10 ball. I mean, it’s just practice and lunch money for him. He’s gonna be there hitting balls anyway. Plus, I think he really loves to just play.
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is he as jumpy in practice/sparring as he is on a tournament tv table? it's quite entertaining to watch, he can make some sick shots too. very talented player
 
skogstokig said:
is he as jumpy in practice/sparring as he is on a tournament tv table? it's quite entertaining to watch, he can make some sick shots too. very talented player
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It’s not as bad as it was a few years ago. But yes, he does have movement in the middle of his delivery. Which is crazy that he’s moving his head and his body as he hits the ball dead center of the hole. It doesn’t seem to slow him down though. I didn’t ask him about it, but I believe he has tried to take that out of his game because he doesn’t do it nearly as much as he used to.
 
Magictrat007 said:
Gerson Martinez was in San Antonio recently. Very nice guy and he was always at the pool hall, practicing almost every day. He played some guys some cheap one pocket hundred dollar races to three and I’m more than sure he would’ve played some cheap short $50 sets of 9 or 10 ball. I mean, it’s just practice and lunch money for him. He’s gonna be there hitting balls anyway. Plus, I think he really loves to just play.
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I'm surprised more pros don't do that as a way to make money and gain fans. I guarantee that if they announced they were coming to Phoenix, they could line up $50 races to 7 and be booked all day for a week. They'll rarely lose the sets and should easily make $500+ per day. They may even be able to do $100 races to 9 and make more money. Lots of people would come watch them too, so they could network a bit for lessons or whatever else.
 
easy-e said:
I'm surprised more pros don't do that as a way to make money and gain fans. I guarantee that if they announced they were coming to Phoenix, they could line up $50 races to 7 and be booked all day for a week. They'll rarely lose the sets and should easily make $500+ per day. They may even be able to do $100 races to 9 and make more money. Lots of people would come watch them too, so they could network a bit for lessons or whatever else.
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Pretty good idea and I would love to see that happen, but I think it doesn't simply because there are better alternatives. I think the caliber of pro that would draw lines for $50 sets can do other, easier things, like give lessons or do those bullshit risk-free "challenge matches".
 
kingwang said:
Pretty good idea and I would love to see that happen, but I think it doesn't simply because there are better alternatives. I think the caliber of pro that would draw lines for $50 sets can do other, easier things, like give lessons or do those bullshit risk-free "challenge matches".
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Yeah, we have a great lineup of pros that come to Classic Billiards in Lauderhill, FL and they will play people for hours on end, but it isn't a true race. People pay something like $50 for the opportunity to play them (call it a fee) for one or a few games. I have many friends that talk about the time they played Gorst, or the Fillers, or SVB. Sometimes they have it recorded on their phones and shared it on social media. Sometimes they win a game. It's something that brings them a little closer to the stars of the game, and is zero risk for the pro.
 
DieselPete said:
Yeah, we have a great lineup of pros that come to Classic Billiards in Lauderhill, FL and they will play people for hours on end, but it isn't a true race. People pay something like $50 for the opportunity to play them (call it a fee) for one or a few games. I have many friends that talk about the time they played Gorst, or the Fillers, or SVB. Sometimes they have it recorded on their phones and shared it on social media. Sometimes they win a game. It's something that brings them a little closer to the stars of the game, and is zero risk for the pro.
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I love Classic Billiards!
 
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