Definition of "rotation" does not automatically include "Texas Express"
Thank you for the reply. I hope the BCA continues to search for ways to elevate the game - which does appear to be their goal. I'm not quite sure I understand why a player illegally pocketing a ball initiates the option to refuse a shot but failure to pocket a called ball and leaving an opponent a hooked ball, does not. I guess it's a start.
Sports do inherently involve luck. As unknownpro above pointed out above, unless we call every detail of a shot, luck will factor in. But many of the pros would agree that steps to eliminate the majority of luck would be a relief.
Perhaps BCAPL will continue to monitor the Predator Tour's progress and request player feedback on the format to help support their decisions for future events of 10-ball. Let a democracy of the pros be a voice in the board.
Gail:
First, I want to cordially thank you for the great hospitality that you and Tony showed me at this past weekend's Predator Open/Pro 10-ball event. It was GREAT seeing you guys again! And, though it was "interesting" (to say the least, perhaps karma?) that I ended up drawing Tony as my very first match, he and I had
one heck of a match, didn't we? I guess Tony loves to live on the edge with repeat hill-hill matches, one right after the other, making for many heart attack moments, eh?
I guess that 5-ball "had it out for me" in costing me the match; I must have some subliminal "issue" with the color orange or something -- perhaps a NYer's anger towards "construction crew orange" or something.
It's healing to be able to laugh-off a missed shot, though.
Anyway, as someone who played in the Predator Open/Pro 10-ball event, I can tell you that I GENUINELY LOVED these new rules!! I absolutely enjoyed myself, enjoyed the competition in all my matches, and most of all, I enjoyed the player interaction that occurred
precisely because of these rules (e.g. players looking over to and talking with the other, after a missed shot, or a safety that ended up pocketing a ball). There was no "blind animosity" that occurs when two players don't have to say a word to each other in the entire match of, say, a Texas Express 9-ball match, when the only spoken word between the two players might be a "push" call. In Tony's rules, the players
have to interact with each other, none of this "silently going back to your seat" from a missed shot or whatever.
I can tell the readership that the "talk of the room" at Raxx Billiards, while the Open 10-ball event was going on, were the rules -- and it was all positive. I didn't hear one negative thing --
not a single one(!) -- mentioned about the "downfalls" or "pitfalls" of these call-shot/call-safety/reshoot-a-missed-shot-option. In fact, many of the players of the A/B/C/D 9-ball event that I talked to were actually envious of these rules -- including those that were coming off [W]ins in their 9-ball matches! (I.e. it was not it was listening to "sour grapes" from players that lost their matches due to fluked-in 9-balls or whatever. It was definitely unanimous all around that Tony's rules were the way to go. Many players in the A/B/C/D 9-ball event even wanted to see the rules amended to have the 9-ball called!)
I have some thoughts about some things that were recently posted in this thread:
1.
"...a rule that allows an opponent to turn down the table just because the shooter got a lucky roll after an ordinary missed shot with no ball pocketed simply will not fly..."
I disagree. Two things this rule does do, is eliminate two-way shots, for the purposes of trying to get ball-in-hand, as well as for the incoming shooter not to have to "pay" for the previous shooter's misfortune. The player who misses the shot should have to pay the price, not the incoming player!
2.
"It complicated the rules and made players call balls they never intended to pocket making them look stupid to fans in the stands."
I disagree. Not once did I see this happen during the entire event! Only an amateur would do this -- i.e. call a silly shot when he/she has the called safety in his/her arsenal. If there wasn't an obvious pocketable ball, the player simply called "safe" and executed one. As long as that player didn't pocket a ball in the execution of the safety, the incoming player had to accept the table as-is, and shoot from there. I saw some of the most spectacular kick-safeties executed, when that player had to accept the table from a called safety, called "safe" him/herself, lined it up, and executed a kick (with a good hit) that resulted in a snooker. Taps and cheers abounded! This rule actually forced players to show they knew what they were doing, instead of "getting lucky."
In summary, I know we have a lot of Texas Express advocates out there, but I don't think Tony is trying to "eliminate Texas Express" itself. Although several tours in the past (e.g. the previously mentioned Camel tour) probably played 10-ball as Texas Express, that method of playing 10-ball is a customization, not the norm. Who says all rotation games "have to be" Texas Express? Why, because of that "rotation" word -- i.e. the word "rotation" implies that Texas Express is bolted to its hip? I disagree. It's refreshing to have a rotation game with called-shot/called-safety/player-is-forced-to-reshoot-a-missed-shot option. This was probably the most fun I had in a tournament in a long, l-o-n-g time!
My sincere appreciation and cue taps to Tony, Gail, and the rest of the Predator Open 10-ball tour for taking a stand for making sure an event is an exhibition of skill, not luck.
-Sean
