Player Ratings … How Good Do You Play?

dr_dave · Sep 12, 2020

FYI, I just posted a new video describing common rating and handicapping systems and drills used to characterize how well somebody plays. They include FargoRate, the ABCD system, league handicaps, the Billiard University (BU) Playing-Ability Exams, and the Runout Drill System (RDS). Check it out:

Player Ratings - How Good Do You Play?

Here's the direct YouTube video link.

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy,
Dave

hang-the-9 · Sep 12, 2020

I wish more people understood ratings based on absolute measurements, especially the ABCD rating, vs a league rating for a local player. 99% of the time players say they are a lower rank than they really are because they don't understand what they are measuring or how people should play. I saw a player that made it towards the end of a even race event and went hill hill with a known A player that said he was a "C" when the A player asked what his speed was.

Plus many league ratings are useless since so many game the system to cheat their handicap, I don't even bother asking what someone's APA rating is, I just estimate it based on how they play LOL

Average run in 9 ball is a great way to get a pretty accurate sense of skill, along with watching what shots and how the shots are played. A player running 5 balls with good speed and proper patterns is still a better player than someone that runs 5 balls mostly with luck.

pwd72s · Sep 12, 2020

Many thanks. I've always been curious over the various rating systems. You clarified much of my confusion.

9BallKY · Sep 12, 2020

I’ve found out that no matter what rating system I use I still suck at pool.

dr_dave · Sep 12, 2020

hang-the-9 said:
I wish more people understood ratings based on absolute measurements, especially the ABCD rating, vs a league rating for a local player. 99% of the time players say they are a lower rank than they really are because they don't understand what they are measuring or how people should play. I saw a player that made it towards the end of a even race event and went hill hill with a known A player that said he was a "C" when the A player asked what his speed was.

Plus many league ratings are useless since so many game the system to cheat their handicap, I don't even bother asking what someone's APA rating is, I just estimate it based on how they play LOL

Average run in 9 ball is a great way to get a pretty accurate sense of skill, along with watching what shots and how the shots are played. A player running 5 balls with good speed and proper patterns is still a better player than someone that runs 5 balls mostly with luck.

If everybody used FargoRate (including all league systems), everybody would know everybody's actual speed. I know ... I'm asking for too much. It would also be nice if everybody (including all league systems) used the same pool rules. I know ... I'm asking for too much again.

Regards,
Dave

dr_dave · Sep 12, 2020

pwd72s said:
Many thanks. I've always been curious over the various rating systems. You clarified much of my confusion.

You're welcome. I'm glad you found it helpful.

Regards,
Dave

dr_dave · Sep 12, 2020

9BallKY said:
I’ve found out that no matter what rating system I use I still suck at pool.

If I remember right, based on your recent RDS Challenge performance, your player level is much higher than "suck at pool." :grin-square:

Regards,
Dave

Black-Balled · Sep 12, 2020

dr_dave said:
If I remember right, based on your recent RDS Challenge performance, your player level is much higher than "suck at pool." :grin-square:

Regards,
Dave

So he just sucks?
Things are looking up!
Lol, join the club!

9BallKY · Sep 12, 2020

I would be nice if fargorate was used by everyone. Where I live absolutely nobody uses it.

Geosnooker · Sep 12, 2020

9BallKY said:
I would be nice if fargorate was used by everyone. Where I live absolutely nobody uses it.

I play with about 150 players in 3 unaffiliated leagues. Nobody ever mentions or cares about player rankings.

Teams are basically ‘John is a decent player so why don't you team up with Susie and I’ll take Bob. Then if Susie doesn’t want to play after a half dozen games we make up new pairings.

This is opposed to the formal ‘’league’ play where half the players don’t seem to actually have fun. It seems more stats and an underlying grumbling. I find it puzzling that anyone voluntarily plays a game that leaves them more stressed when they go home.

The irony is that 80% of the better players are in our informal league. However we trend to the older side so perhaps we are less ambitious.

gregcantrall · Sep 12, 2020

Thanks for the LOL

Your thread title reminded me of the good old days.

Whenever I was asked how good I played, I would take a careful gaze around the room, then reply, “I am the best player within a 3 foot radius.”

dr_dave · Sep 12, 2020

9BallKY said:
I would be nice if fargorate was used by everyone. Where I live absolutely nobody uses it.

I agree, per:

dr_dave said:
If everybody used FargoRate (including all league systems), everybody would know everybody's actual speed. I know ... I'm asking for too much. It would also be nice if everybody (including all league systems) used the same pool rules. I know ... I'm asking for too much again.

Player Ratings … How Good Do You Play?

dr_dave

Instructional Author

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member

pwd72s

recreational banger

9BallKY

AzB Silver Member

dr_dave

Instructional Author

dr_dave

Instructional Author

dr_dave

Instructional Author

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member

9BallKY

AzB Silver Member

Geosnooker

AzB Silver Member

gregcantrall

Center Ball

dr_dave

Instructional Author