How does one get pro status?

Brizzle

Registered
What makes a player pro player?
Semi pro?

Trying to understand how pool leagues and tournments and becomming professinal works.

Big money tournments invite only.
Do you pay for entry if amateur?

I assume multiple leagues and tournments all over different levels of pay out.

Do you have to join a league?

I understand vague question?
Just want to understand how it all works.

Thank you
 

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
-You are the best player in your local room, by far.

-You frequently win and place top 3 in regional events.

-You cash in national events.

Then you are a pro pool player.
 

jimmyg

Mook! What's a Mook?
Silver Member
The old "joke"...

A visitor to NYC asks a stranger in the street: "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?".... Man replies: "practice, practice, practice". :)
 

RiverCity

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The only prerequisite to being a 'pro player' in a lot of peoples minds, is to pay entry into a 'pro tournament'. The you can call yourself whatever you wish.

Just bear in mind, that while you call yourself a pro, others will just call you dead money. :thumbup:
 

Brizzle

Registered
The only prerequisite to being a 'pro player' in a lot of peoples minds, is to pay entry into a 'pro tournament'. The you can call yourself whatever you wish.

Just bear in mind, that while you call yourself a pro, others will just call you dead money. :thumbup:

I argree. I never shot in tournments or leagues for this reason in my younger days. I could grind out in a 6 hour radius to local rooms. Back then i could pay my bills and did just find. But i was single. I know i could not make my salary now.

Im more interested now in competing and improvement of my game.

Im considering trying out derby city classic in few months.
 

JazzyJeff87

AzB Plutonium Member
Silver Member
I argree. I never shot in tournments or leagues for this reason in my younger days. I could grind out in a 6 hour radius to local rooms. Back then i could pay my bills and did just find. But i was single. I know i could not make my salary now.

Im more interested now in competing and improvement of my game.

Im considering trying out derby city classic in few months.

Definitely get in the derby. What’s your game?

By playing in any tourney you get your pass for the event included in the cost and you can hang out. I’m hoping I can work it out to get there this year.


In the us of a there isn’t a real pro tour or anything. No pro card. Some leagues have good players. Bca has plenty, but not all are killers by any means. I had the same notion of leagues until I joined one and was smokin fools :) none of the leagues feed into any kind of pro situation, you just have to be good enough to support yourself and if you get on streams a lot, win some events etc, you can talk to companies about sponsorship and such.
 

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just curious if i have to join a league and get ranked.

No. You literally just pay your entry, and can play in almost any event in the world. The only exception is something like the WPA World Championship.

DCC is a great experience. You will mix it up with top amateurs, and pros alike. If you cash there, you can play a little:) And if you lose all your matches, you can watch the best players in the world with your free time.
 

jrctherake

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What makes a player pro player?
Semi pro?

Trying to understand how pool leagues and tournments and becomming professinal works.

Big money tournments invite only.
Do you pay for entry if amateur?

I assume multiple leagues and tournments all over different levels of pay out.

Do you have to join a league?

I understand vague question?
Just want to understand how it all works.

Thank you

If you want to see how you stack up against a true pro, do what I've always done to see if my speed has changed from time ro time.

I do some research and find out when and where the tournaments are gonna be. Then, I try to find out who will be there. I don't normally play in the tournaments. However, I do keep a check on which pros have been two-and-out. By doing that, I know which pros are more than likely to want/need to play sets a little cheaper than they normally would.

It gets expensive cor some pros and when an amateur agrees to play them even, they usually jump all over it. Playing them even will encourage them to play you, rather than play some other amateur thats asking for a ton of weight for not much more cash.

To me, it's a win-win, regardless if I win or lose.

It's fun, depending on your level of play.

Jeff
 

Brizzle

Registered
Definitely get in the derby. What’s your game?

By playing in any tourney you get your pass for the event included in the cost and you can hang out. I’m hoping I can work it out to get there this year.


In the us of a there isn’t a real pro tour or anything. No pro card. Some leagues have good players. Bca has plenty, but not all are killers by any means. I had the same notion of leagues until I joined one and was smokin fools :) none of the leagues feed into any kind of pro situation, you just have to be good enough to support yourself and if you get on streams a lot, win some events etc, you can talk to companies about sponsorship and such.

I mostly play 9 or 10 ball.
I play 8 ball with friends and family.
One pocket is my favorite. But its such long chess match type of game. Most skilled players only want to gamble and one pocket is to slow to make fast money.
Bank is ok. I struggle most with position bank game.
Never was fan of 14.1 continuous.
 

7forlife

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
From what I understand, you take one of those skill test let’s say the BU and if you score at the top then BOOM! You’re a pro and can even get a piece of paper to prove it
 

deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
just pay your entry fee
and like Dante's inferno

"all who enter here abandon hope"
 

Brizzle

Registered
If you want to see how you stack up against a true pro, do what I've always done to see if my speed has changed from time ro time.

I do some research and find out when and where the tournaments are gonna be. Then, I try to find out who will be there. I don't normally play in the tournaments. However, I do keep a check on which pros have been two-and-out. By doing that, I know which pros are more than likely to want/need to play sets a little cheaper than they normally would.

It gets expensive cor some pros and when an amateur agrees to play them even, they usually jump all over it. Playing them even will encourage them to play you, rather than play some other amateur thats asking for a ton of weight for not much more cash.

To me, it's a win-win, regardless if I win or lose.

It's fun, depending on your level of play.

Jeff

Good stragey.
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
I mostly play 9 or 10 ball.
I play 8 ball with friends and family.
One pocket is my favorite. But its such long chess match type of game. Most skilled players only want to gamble and one pocket is to slow to make fast money.
Bank is ok. I struggle most with position bank game.
Never was fan of 14.1 continuous.

Click on this link for what you need to know about the Derby City Classic
https://derbycityclassic.com/
Very close to Louisville
 

Brizzle

Registered
From what I understand, you take one of those skill test let’s say the BU and if you score at the top then BOOM! You’re a pro and can even get a piece of paper to prove it

I watch some of his videos on you tube.
I might have to try it.

I use the playing ghost in 10 ball to see where I stand.
 

jrctherake

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I watch some of his videos on you tube.
I might have to try it.

I use the playing ghost in 10 ball to see where I stand.

IMO, of all rotation games, 10 ball is the best one to measure your skill at ghost play because it's break changes everything, unlike 9 ball where your just about guaranteed 1 or 2 balls on every break. Then, your only playing 6, 7 or 8 balls. And with ball in hand, thats not much of a test for intermediate to advanced players.

Don't know your level of play but, I would start with 10 ball and BIH.

BTW, have you ever played ghost play? When I first joined AZB, I had no idea what playing the ghost meant.

Also, there is a ghost challenge section where everyone records their ghost sets and posts them in the thread.

It's fun, give it a whirl.

Jeff
 

Brizzle

Registered
The way i play ghost may not be correct. Just what more advanced player told me to do to measure skill.
I rack 10 racks of 10 ball. Break give my self ball in hand. run to i miss. Assume ghost will not miss you lose. Count balls ran in 10 racks. Last gauge was around 60%. I was told pros shot 90%
After reading on bu last night. I need try balls pocket vs errors. It sounded like if run to 6 miss finish rack. How many attempts it takes run rack.
I will look for forums gauge on playing ghost.
 
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