What skill level am I ?

Dunnn51 · Jan 30, 2018

qbilder said:
Skill is relative. IMO, learning to win is as important as learning to pocket balls, playing shape, etc. Chris Bartrum comes to mind. He was never what anybody would compare to the elite players in terms of awe inspiring skill at the table, but the guy dropped champion after champion the way David dropped Goliath. He was simply more skilled at winning. The man simply had an innate ability to win.

Very wise! I agree wholeheartedly .

Cornerman said:
I think of all the people here, I'd understand exactly what you were talking about.

You were playing APA 9-ball and were on a ball count. You are stoked about playing a half massé and running five balls.

You're an SL 5 who just played like an SL 6 in APA 9-ball. If you were higher ranked, your story might read:

"I need to win the lag and hit him with a package before he steps up to the table. And none of this loose ducking $hit. I'm going to put him in jail if I'm leaving the table."

Freddie

Good read ! I haven't played in a few months and got my Azz handed to me in opening of league, Got knocked down Baaaad ! The Intent of this post was to gauge the general ability of "me", the person who beat you in a ficticious match by performing the skill of play mentioned. I was trying to get a general assessment of what speed/skill a player like that would be in a league or room in your particular part of the country.
Freddie, I will say "jammed" and "in jail" are the same thing. Growing up as a teen playing with older mature men, I am sure they were respectful and used a different term.

hang-the-9 said:
Pretty simple to estimate, with ball in hand, how many balls would you run out on average in 10 racks of 9 ball? If you had to play safe this many times it was either a messy rack or you got out of shape a lot and had to duck.

Games in my 9-ball match are usually 2-3 innings with safety play as a must. I did miss twice in the match: I over cut a hard angle 6 ball 2 diamonds away on the long rail, and I did rattle a 9-ball. (for shame!)

If I get a turn at the table ppl know I have a good chance of running out, so they bury me with a good safe shot. I am usually jammed with the CB less than a balls length away from a neutral(in 9-ball non-playable) ball. It comes down to who executes better: them at applying the safety, or me kicking out of the safety and not selling out.

Renegade_56 · Jan 30, 2018

OK, you're a 7. Happy?

gregoryda · Jan 30, 2018

Cornerman said:
"I need to win the lag and hit him with a package before he steps up to the table. And none of this loose ducking $hit. I'm going to put him in jail if I'm leaving the table."

Freddie

Love it! That's a great mantra to say every time you start a match! I'm going to say the last sentence every time I have a low percentage shot.

hang-the-9 · Jan 31, 2018

Dunnn51 said:
Games in my 9-ball match are usually 2-3 innings with safety play as a must. I did miss twice in the match: I over cut a hard angle 6 ball 2 diamonds away on the long rail, and I did rattle a 9-ball. (for shame!)

Forget about league matches, break a 9 ball rack, take ball in hand, how many can you run out on average over 10, 20 racks? On a 9 foot table.

dr9ball · Feb 1, 2018

Dunnn51 said:
You are in a pool League, and just finished playing me. You played well, but not your best. I had you blocked /jammed behind a ball 75% of the time you came to the table. The other 25% of the time, I left you hard.The match was close, (you were beating me by a few balls but not enough to cover the handicap ),. I closed the match by running a table length masse' around your safety at 1/2table. Then I ran the next 5 balls in position for the out (win).
By the way, you are playing on a standard 9ft table, and playing 8ball.

Based on your description above. You're at least an APA 4 possibly a 5 that had a lesson on masse.

Zphix · Feb 1, 2018

ChrisinNC said:
Where I come from, "shortstop" is considered a very strong local player, who, playing in his own poolroom, is a tough match for any traveling road player that has less than "pro" level skills.

From the brief description given in the initial thread, of one game, there is no way to rate the skill level of that player.

Did you not understand he was being sarcastic?

Zphix · Feb 1, 2018

I'd say you're about a 5.

WoodyMPW · Feb 1, 2018

Depends on which brand of cue/shaft you have.

Koop · Feb 1, 2018

I would guess a D player who lucked out since anything above a straight C wouldn't even ask :thumbup:

lorider · Feb 1, 2018

I don't worry about what my skill level is. I just play my best and let whatever handicapping system in whatever league do its job.

Dunnn51 · Feb 1, 2018

hang-the-9 said:
Forget about league matches, break a 9 ball rack, take ball in hand, how many can you run out on average over 10, 20 racks? On a 9 foot table.

I think you are right. I do this in practice and i'm out 4/10 times. there is always that 1 time around the 6 or 7-ball that I get out of position. That or I successfully break out a cluster only to have the ball I want run off to "hide" behind another ball. I play 7-ball regularly and I'm out more often.

Seems there is more pressure on me(put on by myself) playing leagues than in regular play. I almost never open,(except in LTC's/city's) ,and often play 3rd position in the match which seems pivotal.

Dunnn51 · Feb 1, 2018

WoodyMPW said:
Depends on which brand of cue/shaft you have.

Dude, you live where I used to in the 90's. Lived in both Hatfield, and Lansdale.

Koop said:
I would guess a D player who lucked out since anything above a straight C wouldn't even ask :thumbup:

There is a reason for why I asked/posted this thread.

lorider said:
I don't worry about what my skill level is. I just play my best and let whatever handicapping system in whatever league do its job.

Agreed, Lorider. The league I am in has players that play alllllll week long. No recreational players here,, and part of the reason for this thread. I feel that at any given level of player in my league that they are typically 1 level higher than the average league. (A skill level 5 here would be a SL-6 in most other places. This isn't just my conjecture. I have noticed this upon playing in tournaments in other areas, cities/states. ) If memory serves me, you are a pretty sporty player yourself,
yet rate a Sl5 or SL6. I am sure you give 7's and 8's all they can handle on occasion. :thumbup:

lorider · Feb 1, 2018

Dunnn51 said:
Dude, you live where I used to in the 90's. Lived in both Hatfield, and Lansdale.

There is a reason for why I asked/posted this thread.

Agreed, Lorider. The league I am in has players that play alllllll week long. No recreational players here,, and part of the reason for this thread. I feel that at any given level of player in my league that they are typically 1 level higher than the average league. (A skill level 5 here would be a SL-6 in most other places. This isn't just my conjecture. I have noticed this upon playing in tournaments in other areas, cities/states. ) If memory serves me, you are a pretty sporty player yourself,
yet rate a Sl5 or SL6. I am sure you give 7's and 8's all they can handle on occasion. :thumbup:

Your comment about recreational players vs players that play several nights a week is spot on.

I started a thread some time back about new players that move to my area seemed to not be as strong as players in my area with the same handicap. Once I started digging into those out of town players I found that most had only played one night a week. I would venture to say that 70 % of local players play 2-3 nights a week like myself. I know of quite a few that play 5 nights a week.

Yea ...i have had a few 6's and 7's complain about me. :wink:

stevenw00d · Feb 1, 2018

I hope you guys don't mind a slight derailment, but all the talk about skill levels and A, B, C and 2, 3, 4... I know the APA ratings and similar, so numbered ratings (as long as I know the range) I can guess at. Does C, B, A (in whatever league might use that) really break down to 2-3, 4-5, and 6-7 in APA 8-ball? I always assumed it did, but have seen several comments where someone says something about C players and I think, "I don't know a single C (APA 2-3) that could do that."

michael4 · Feb 1, 2018

I think you're talking about the "other guy" who ran out on you, and you now question his rating.....

If he was rated a SL4 (or lower) he was sandbagging......

lorider · Feb 1, 2018

stevenw00d said:
I hope you guys don't mind a slight derailment, but all the talk about skill levels and A, B, C and 2, 3, 4... I know the APA ratings and similar, so numbered ratings (as long as I know the range) I can guess at. Does C, B, A (in whatever league might use that) really break down to 2-3, 4-5, and 6-7 in APA 8-ball? I always assumed it did, but have seen several comments where someone says something about C players and I think, "I don't know a single C (APA 2-3) that could do that."

Comparing letter ratings to number ratings has been debated in here several times. I believe it may be Joe tucker who had posted on his site rating comparisons...may be wrong about that though. I do recall reading up on it and I may be off a little.

D player...apa 3/4
C player ... Apa 5
B player ...apa 6
A player ...apa 7

Just as a cross reference if you are familiar with Fargo rate.

I am an apa 5 with a Fargo rating of 511...albeit not established yet . I only have 165 games in the system so far. Btw....so far usapl is the only league I have played in where I have not been called a sandbagger lol. Guess there is still time for that since I am not established yet lol.

easy-e · Feb 1, 2018

lorider said:
Comparing letter ratings to number ratings has been debated in here several times. I believe it may be Joe tucker who had posted on his site rating comparisons...may be wrong about that though. I do recall reading up on it and I may be off a little.

D player...apa 3/4
C player ... Apa 5
B player ...apa 6
A player ...apa 7

Just as a cross reference if you are familiar with Fargo rate.

I am an apa 5 with a Fargo rating of 511...albeit not established yet . I only have 165 games in the system so far. Btw....so far usapl is the only league I have played in where I have not been called a sandbagger lol. Guess there is still time for that since I am not established yet lol.

I'm no handicapping expert, but I've met a butt load of APA7's that wouldn't be 550 Fargo. There is a vast range of skill levels that fall under the umbrella of APA 7, Some are great, others not so much.

lorider · Feb 1, 2018

easy-e said:
I'm no handicapping expert, but I've met a butt load of APA7's that wouldn't be 550 Fargo. There is a vast range of skill levels that fall under the umbrella of APA 7, Some are great, others not so much.

Well we have a couple here the are not 550 either. We do happen to have a few 600 or higher also.

It seems like you are pretty familiar with Fargo.. Does an apa 5 rated at 511 sound out of line ?

Cornerman · Feb 1, 2018

lorider said:
Comparing letter ratings to number ratings has been debated in here several times. I believe it may be Joe tucker who had posted on his site rating comparisons...may be wrong about that though. I do recall reading up on it and I may be off a little.

D player...apa 3/4
C player ... Apa 5
B player ...apa 6
A player ...apa 7

Just as a cross reference if you are familiar with Fargo rate.

I am an apa 5 with a Fargo rating of 511...albeit not established yet . I only have 165 games in the system so far. Btw....so far usapl is the only league I have played in where I have not been called a sandbagger lol. Guess there is still time for that since I am not established yet lol.

I'd say that today, half of the APA SL-6s are C players. And half of the APA SL-7s are B players.

But, that's one man's observation.

Freddie <~~~ H player

easy-e · Feb 1, 2018

lorider said:
Well we have a couple here the are not 550 either. We do happen to have a few 600 or higher also.

It seems like you are pretty familiar with Fargo.. Does an apa 5 rated at 511 sound out of line ?

I'm pretty familiar with Fargo, but not with APA. Wish I could help.

What skill level am I ?

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