Ranking Players D to A

BWColeman said:

I have been on AZB for a while(2010) and I always see people talking about A players B players C players and so on

What do you consider the skill level of these different Rankings

Would a B player be considered a shortstop ( a good local player who routinely wins Local Tournaments )

And would an A Player be someone who routinely wins regional Tournaments

Just wondering what are people opinions and what would be a good way to test yourself if you are gauging your own speed

On a race to 10 against the ghost (9-ball)

Would an A player beat the ghost

B player lose to the Ghost say 10-8

C Player lose to the ghost 10-5 or lower

D player ( Banger ) no chance against the ghost

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BWColeman said:

I have been on AZB for a while(2010) and I always see people talking about A players B players C players and so on

What do you consider the skill level of these different Rankings

Would a B player be considered a shortstop ( a good local player who routinely wins Local Tournaments )

And would an A Player be someone who routinely wins regional Tournaments

Just wondering what are people opinions and what would be a good way to test yourself if you are gauging your own speed

On a race to 10 against the ghost (9-ball)

Would an A player beat the ghost

B player lose to the Ghost say 10-8

C Player lose to the ghost 10-5 or lower

D player ( Banger ) no chance against the ghost

Click to expand...

BWColeman said:

I have been on AZB for a while(2010) and I always see people talking about A players B players C players and so on

What do you consider the skill level of these different Rankings

Would a B player be considered a shortstop ( a good local player who routinely wins Local Tournaments )

And would an A Player be someone who routinely wins regional Tournaments

Just wondering what are people opinions and what would be a good way to test yourself if you are gauging your own speed

On a race to 10 against the ghost (9-ball)

Would an A player beat the ghost

B player lose to the Ghost say 10-8

C Player lose to the ghost 10-5 or lower

D player ( Banger ) no chance against the ghost

Click to expand...

BWColeman said:

I have been on AZB for a while(2010) and I always see people talking about A players B players C players and so on

What do you consider the skill level of these different Rankings

Click to expand...

BWColeman said:

I have been on AZB for a while(2010) and I always see people talking about A players B players C players and so on

What do you consider the skill level of these different Rankings

Would a B player be considered a shortstop ( a good local player who routinely wins Local Tournaments )

And would an A Player be someone who routinely wins regional Tournaments

Just wondering what are people opinions and what would be a good way to test yourself if you are gauging your own speed

On a race to 10 against the ghost (9-ball)

Would an A player beat the ghost

B player lose to the Ghost say 10-8

C Player lose to the ghost 10-5 or lower

D player ( Banger ) no chance against the ghost

Click to expand...

zpele said:

Personally I really believe this has to do with the area a person plays. Saying someone is an A player because they win regional tournaments in a region with mostly apa 5s doesn't mean much. Saying someone is an A player in a region packed with pros is something else entirely. In general a true A player can wipe the floor with most APA SL 7s.

I usually think of a B player as close to an APA SL 7 but C players are often near the level of APA 6s or low 7s. There are many different skill levels for SL 7s.

Then you have your barbox specialists whose game doesn't really translate over to 9footers. They may run packs consistently on a barbox and hold up skill wise to pros but struggle to run a single table on a 9foot.

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dr_dave said:

FYI, lots of info and resources related to this topic can be found here:

A-D player-rating-system resource page

Enjoy,
Dave

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bbb said:

dave
from your site i think this is a pretty good assessment of level
,,,,,
from Tom_In_Cincy:

9-Ball Tournament race to 7
(paraphrased from Dec.1997 "All About Pool" magazine article by Bob Cambell)

Handicap rankings

D- Player
will not run a rack
average run is about 3 balls
with ball in hand, will get out from the 7, one out of 3 times
rarely plays a successful safe

C-Player
will probably run one rack, but usually not more than one rack in a typical race to 7
avg. run is 3 to 5 balls
with ball in hand, will get out from the 7, two out of 3 times
mixed results when playing safe
inning ends due to botched position, missed shot or attempting a safe.

B-Player
Able to run 1 to 3 racks
avg. run is 5-7 balls
with ball in hand will get out form the 5, 2 out of 3 times
most of the time a "B" player will play a "safety" which maybe hit easily 2 out of 3 times
a typical inning will end with a missed shot, a fair safety, or a won game

A-Player
will string 2 to 3 racks
avg. ball run, 7-9
with ball in hand, will be out from the 3 ball, 2 out of 3 times
typical inning will end with a well executed safety or a win.

OPEN-Players
average 8+ balls
string racks together more than once in a match
is a threat to run out from every ball, from every position, every inning
typical inning will end in excellent safety or win

Mr. Cambell continues this article with a handicap chart for the 4 levels of each type of player. The chart would look like this;

Lowest handicap is D4, then D3, then D2 and so on until the highest would be OPEN 1

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Chuck Fields said:

Hard to use the ghost to rate anyone as it only gives a picture of offensive firepower and using local tournaments etc is problematic because it depends on the strength of the field.
This is a small look at how I clock people, and there is of course sub levels in each category based on other attributes

D players are bangers, they dont stand right, dont shoot right. Making a ball is usually more luck than skill.

C players are figuring out how to stand and the importance of a good stroke. Theyre trying to play and can make a couple of balls here and there. If the balls are laying good they might get lucky and run out once in a blue moon

B players are a little more serious students of the game. Their fundamentals are usually consistent and their pocketing is better. Position play varies from rudimentary to knowing some of the safer routes to use. If the balls lay good they are a threat to run out 50% of those racks. A tough out takes some luck to get out of.

A players are gaining consistency. Their pocketing is good, their position play is good. They are expected to get out of an easy run most of the time, and the hard outs are getting consistently better but they lack the consistency of better players.

Short stops are player capable of pro speed play, but cant hit their gear at will. The short stop is usually the best A player in the area and is the shortstop based on consistency.

Pro level players have the knowledge and the skill set to get out most racks that are runnable, and are smart enough to know when not to push it. They have learned how to hit their top gear pretty much at will and are usually separated by consistency of hitting that gear. The top guys are "on" almost all the time, and when they are off the difference is usually only one or two shots a match.
Hope this helps
Chuck

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Chuck Fields said:

Hard to use the ghost to rate anyone as it only gives a picture of offensive firepower and using local tournaments etc is problematic because it depends on the strength of the field.
This is a small look at how I clock people, and there is of course sub levels in each category based on other attributes

D players are bangers, they dont stand right, dont shoot right. Making a ball is usually more luck than skill.

C players are figuring out how to stand and the importance of a good stroke. Theyre trying to play and can make a couple of balls here and there. If the balls are laying good they might get lucky and run out once in a blue moon

B players are a little more serious students of the game. Their fundamentals are usually consistent and their pocketing is better. Position play varies from rudimentary to knowing some of the safer routes to use. If the balls lay good they are a threat to run out 50% of those racks. A tough out takes some luck to get out of.

A players are gaining consistency. Their pocketing is good, their position play is good. They are expected to get out of an easy run most of the time, and the hard outs are getting consistently better but they lack the consistency of better players.

Short stops are player capable of pro speed play, but cant hit their gear at will. The short stop is usually the best A player in the area and is the shortstop based on consistency.

Pro level players have the knowledge and the skill set to get out most racks that are runnable, and are smart enough to know when not to push it. They have learned how to hit their top gear pretty much at will and are usually separated by consistency of hitting that gear. The top guys are "on" almost all the time, and when they are off the difference is usually only one or two shots a match.
Hope this helps
Chuck

Click to expand...

Chuck Fields said:

Hard to use the ghost to rate anyone as it only gives a picture of offensive firepower and using local tournaments etc is problematic because it depends on the strength of the field.
This is a small look at how I clock people, and there is of course sub levels in each category based on other attributes

D players are bangers, they dont stand right, dont shoot right. Making a ball is usually more luck than skill.

C players are figuring out how to stand and the importance of a good stroke. Theyre trying to play and can make a couple of balls here and there. If the balls are laying good they might get lucky and run out once in a blue moon

B players are a little more serious students of the game. Their fundamentals are usually consistent and their pocketing is better. Position play varies from rudimentary to knowing some of the safer routes to use. If the balls lay good they are a threat to run out 50% of those racks. A tough out takes some luck to get out of.

A players are gaining consistency. Their pocketing is good, their position play is good. They are expected to get out of an easy run most of the time, and the hard outs are getting consistently better but they lack the consistency of better players.

Short stops are player capable of pro speed play, but cant hit their gear at will. The short stop is usually the best A player in the area and is the shortstop based on consistency.

Pro level players have the knowledge and the skill set to get out most racks that are runnable, and are smart enough to know when not to push it. They have learned how to hit their top gear pretty much at will and are usually separated by consistency of hitting that gear. The top guys are "on" almost all the time, and when they are off the difference is usually only one or two shots a match.
Hope this helps
Chuck

Click to expand...

Chuck Fields said:

Hard to use the ghost to rate anyone as it only gives a picture of offensive firepower and using local tournaments etc is problematic because it depends on the strength of the field.
This is a small look at how I clock people, and there is of course sub levels in each category based on other attributes

D players are bangers, they dont stand right, dont shoot right. Making a ball is usually more luck than skill.

C players are figuring out how to stand and the importance of a good stroke. Theyre trying to play and can make a couple of balls here and there. If the balls are laying good they might get lucky and run out once in a blue moon

B players are a little more serious students of the game. Their fundamentals are usually consistent and their pocketing is better. Position play varies from rudimentary to knowing some of the safer routes to use. If the balls lay good they are a threat to run out 50% of those racks. A tough out takes some luck to get out of.

A players are gaining consistency. Their pocketing is good, their position play is good. They are expected to get out of an easy run most of the time, and the hard outs are getting consistently better but they lack the consistency of better players.

Short stops are player capable of pro speed play, but cant hit their gear at will. The short stop is usually the best A player in the area and is the shortstop based on consistency.

Pro level players have the knowledge and the skill set to get out most racks that are runnable, and are smart enough to know when not to push it. They have learned how to hit their top gear pretty much at will and are usually separated by consistency of hitting that gear. The top guys are "on" almost all the time, and when they are off the difference is usually only one or two shots a match.
Hope this helps
Chuck

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takeitdown said:

Many of you overestimate
C means can't run racks
A player's here might run a rack every 6th time
Talent and results move fast from there. AA1 can beat the ghost more often than not. AA it's close but in stroke they can beat ghost.

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