How good were you?
- Thread starter CGM
- Start date
Well, I actually never played in a tournament. :wink:
I played around them. :thumbup:
My first thought for you is to tell you "go be you". Play your own game and don't worry so much about others.
It will be a learning experience for sure.
You will probably hear a variety of experiences. All have had the experience of screwing up and/or embarrassing themselves in some way. It's not about that.
Go play your game the best you know how. :thumbup:
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Good enough to win.
I never played a tournament until I entered the military. I always played for money. They had some tournaments in a place where I grew up, but I was never interested in them and the winner received a trophy, or a very minimal payout.
The first tournament I entered was in Air Force basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. I can't remember why I was off one day, but they were having a base tournament and I entered to break the monotony of marching around and doing military stuff.
I hadn't played for two months, but I was able to win. I can't remember what we played, but I'm sure it was probably 8-ball in short races.
I never played a tournament until I entered the military. I always played for money. They had some tournaments in a place where I grew up, but I was never interested in them and the winner received a trophy, or a very minimal payout.
The first tournament I entered was in Air Force basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. I can't remember why I was off one day, but they were having a base tournament and I entered to break the monotony of marching around and doing military stuff.
I hadn't played for two months, but I was able to win. I can't remember what we played, but I'm sure it was probably 8-ball in short races.
The older I get, the better I was. I'm 73 now, so not that many peers around to remember differently. 
Seriously, just play your game. Don't be intimidated, although that is easier said then done. You've paid the entry, so have as much right to be there as anybody else.
Most important? Have fun!
Seriously, just play your game. Don't be intimidated, although that is easier said then done. You've paid the entry, so have as much right to be there as anybody else.
Most important? Have fun!
I'm not all that good now and several, several years ago was worse. If I had to guess, at the time I was a C player maybe. Dr Cue has a tournament in Pueblo Colorado every year that often brings all the big guns from Albuquerque up to Fort Collins CO.
I knew I wasn't a great player but thought I could hold my own with many people (oh to be so naive again). I went 2 and out. I hadn't been around the scene all that much and didn't know anyone that didn't live near me. The two guys I played were absolute studs and I had no clue until afterwards when one of the very good players I knew asked how I did and I said I'm out. I told him who I played and he said "they're monsters man, can't feel bad about that!".
My buddy who is an APA 5 played in that same tourney this year. Obviously, he got lambasted. I told him before what they tourney is and the caliber of player. I said if you're willing to get in there you can learn a lot. He played and lost 5-1 and 4-1. He loved every minute of it and would do it again.
I knew I wasn't a great player but thought I could hold my own with many people (oh to be so naive again). I went 2 and out. I hadn't been around the scene all that much and didn't know anyone that didn't live near me. The two guys I played were absolute studs and I had no clue until afterwards when one of the very good players I knew asked how I did and I said I'm out. I told him who I played and he said "they're monsters man, can't feel bad about that!".
My buddy who is an APA 5 played in that same tourney this year. Obviously, he got lambasted. I told him before what they tourney is and the caliber of player. I said if you're willing to get in there you can learn a lot. He played and lost 5-1 and 4-1. He loved every minute of it and would do it again.
First tourney I entered was at my university, I finished middle of the pack.
First bar tourney I entered I took 3rd out of about 25.
First foosball tourney I entered was double-elimination race-to-three, 5pts to win a game. I didn't win a game...I didn't even score a point. Took me over a year of playing 2-3 tourneys a week before I placed in the money in a foosball tourney--even when a lot of those were random-dray doubles tourneys.
First bar tourney I entered I took 3rd out of about 25.
First foosball tourney I entered was double-elimination race-to-three, 5pts to win a game. I didn't win a game...I didn't even score a point. Took me over a year of playing 2-3 tourneys a week before I placed in the money in a foosball tourney--even when a lot of those were random-dray doubles tourneys.
I'm fairly new to the game. I think I entered my first little bar tournament maybe 5-6 years ago. That was 8-ball, race to 1, double elimination. Lots of bangers. I went two and out. And in fact, I went two and out at that tournament for the first few months of playing it. I could tell that my shotmaking ability was probably a little better than most guys in there, but it was a combination of nerves and not knowing what the hell I was doing with the cue ball that caused me issues. Slowly but surely I started to figure things out and then everything clicked after a few months and I realized I was one of the better players at that tournament and I had to really shit the bed to lose or not end up in the money. At that point I figured I ought to move up to the "big leagues" and play the weekly handicapped 9-ball tournament at the pool hall. WAY higher level of talent, way more gambling, and a lot of one pocket when people got knocked out. I still play that tournament and have fun with it but have become more of a one pocket aficionado more than anything.
But I will say, starting to play those two tournaments, as well as starting to gamble a little on one pocket, all resulted in the biggest jumps in my game. With that disparity in skill levels and that amount of competition, you can't help but get better.
But I will say, starting to play those two tournaments, as well as starting to gamble a little on one pocket, all resulted in the biggest jumps in my game. With that disparity in skill levels and that amount of competition, you can't help but get better.
My first tournament was at the rec center in college. I wasn't very good but luckily nobody else was either I played the best I had played to that point and managed to win $20. I don't even remember if that was first place money or second place. I remember that it was $20 because it was enough for a sixpack and a pizza...In those days.
Then later I started playing bar tournaments and even though I played (made balls + position) about as good as the better players it took me a long time to figure out how to win and then once I did I won a lot of bar tournaments. I went two and out a lot. I lost matches to people I wasn't supposed to lose to. I did all the wrong things. It was tough for a while.
The thing is, playing tournaments is just practicing playing tournaments. You have to adjust your game a little and find what works for you. The biggest thing is not to get discouraged. Everybody loses, everybody wins. No big deal. Nobody but you will remember how you did unless you win.
Before I started winning I got second place a lot. Lost the finals. I probably lost the finals 5 times before I won. It's easy to start thinking that you just don't have it. You just can't win. etc... I did that after a couple but then I realized I was practicing winning the tournament and the more times I put myself in the finals the more practice I would get and the better I would get at winning.
And sure enough, I broke through and won. And then I won again, and again. Pretty soon I was the player everyone hated to play in the finals because I almost always won if I got to the finals.
I played the best I had played to that point and managed to win $20. I don't even remember if that was first place money or second place. I remember that it was $20 because it was enough for a sixpack and a pizza...In those days.Then later I started playing bar tournaments and even though I played (made balls + position) about as good as the better players it took me a long time to figure out how to win and then once I did I won a lot of bar tournaments. I went two and out a lot. I lost matches to people I wasn't supposed to lose to. I did all the wrong things. It was tough for a while.
The thing is, playing tournaments is just practicing playing tournaments. You have to adjust your game a little and find what works for you. The biggest thing is not to get discouraged. Everybody loses, everybody wins. No big deal. Nobody but you will remember how you did unless you win.
Before I started winning I got second place a lot. Lost the finals. I probably lost the finals 5 times before I won. It's easy to start thinking that you just don't have it. You just can't win. etc... I did that after a couple but then I realized I was practicing winning the tournament and the more times I put myself in the finals the more practice I would get and the better I would get at winning.
And sure enough, I broke through and won. And then I won again, and again. Pretty soon I was the player everyone hated to play in the finals because I almost always won if I got to the finals.
I've been to that tournament. Do you live in Pueblo? I'm there at least a couple times a year.
Good question. I actually started off small like playing in the local bar tournament race to to 2. I think i got third i was an APA 6 at the the time to give you scope.
I guess the first time I played in a "big" tournament was the Midwest 9 ball and I won 2 and lost 2, I was pleased as I was next to stream table where danny smith and bergman were playing so was a lot of people watching their match but mien by default so was really nervous.
Regardless if you win it or go out in two just need to keep playing in them to get experience. No substitute for experience.
Amen to that. :thumbup:
And playing experience is not the same as gambling experience which is not the same as tournament experience. The pressures are different, the psychology is different. Growing through experience has no substitute.
I highly doubt I ever had what it takes to be a great tournament player. Though with practice and experience, who knows?
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I live in Colorado Springs just north of Pueblo. Almost always fills up to 128. It's played on 12 tables I think. Every year I swear I won't go again cause it takes so long but almost every year I still go.
I lived in Springs for a while. I miss living in Colorado. I enjoyed it more than anywhere else I've lived. I grew up in Alamosa.
I went to college in Gunnison! Alamosa was our arch rival! LOL I miss CO too! Actually headed up to Gunnison this week for a couple of days, on my way to Vegas. I'd be willing to bet that Karl Koffee won that Pueblo tournament a time or two.
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
Yep. Big rivalry there. Adams State vs. Western State.
Gunnison used to be colder than Alamosa sometimes but then they took the weather station out because they thought it was bad press - so Alamosa was always the coldest spot in the nation. lol.