I stand corrected. The Kremlin cup wasn't a major. I was able to find the list of players entered and it didn't include the top Asian players. I think I jumped to conclusions when I saw Filler, SVB, Kaci, Albin, and a number of other top players from the US and Europe. So it wasn't a major. But it was a heck of a tournament and was outside US soil.
This wasn't meant to say he is out of Chris's league. I was just replying to Jay's comment that he hasn't improved much in two years and needs to put more work into his game. I was building the case that he has been working hard and playing great.
Now, I also happen to believe he is a better player than Chris and has put more into the game (both in terms of practice and travelling to tournaments, I didn't see Chris's name on the Kremlin Cup). So I did find it odd that Chris was picked. But it's not a black and white issue.
In the end I hate judge's decisions and popularity contests. The entire reason I play pool competitively is because I loved that the results are the results. Others can have more bluster or bravado, may be bigger, may be more confident, may shoot straight, may have flashy strokes, may make amazing trick shots, etc. But if I find a way to get the balls to go in then I win. Doesn't matter if people don't like my style, or think I play slow, or don't want to buy me in a calcutta, or want to back someone else against me, or think I'm overrated. Doesn't matter. A win is a win is a win, and nothing else matters. Results are paramount.
So I'm a results guy, and when I see judge's decisions that don't make sense to me it reminds me why I am better off sticking to pure contests of skill and not to get emotionally invested in subjective political arenas.