12th US Open One Pocket Championship - Who should be invited?

[Testa]

You all have not seen one pocket played until you've seen Chris testa play the game. He should def get an invite, and if you want the tournament competitive, Gabe and Alex should ask for at least one and the break. I'll take any and all action from any of you nits. Let me know where to send the entry fee you non playing, non betting, bunch of donks, I can't believe we haven't yet recv'd our invite....on second thought maybe we need some weight .... I'm a little drunk and on tilt .....

Dont mind him he had the Jets - Enough said...

 

[ironman]

Scott Frost
Silver Ochoa
Efren Reyes
Rapheal Martinez
Gabe Owen
Corey Deuel
Jeremy Jones


I am sure i spelled someones name wrong, sorry for that. Thats a good starting list for you though

Cliff Joyner
Danny Smith
Danny Harriman
Billy Palmer
joey Gray
Jimmy Wetch

Just to add a few

 

[ironman]

Lou, we did it 4 times - twice at Plaza, twice in Louisville.

I agree the event will build as it becomes known as an annual event. That is the plan.

We originally were going to go to 4 on winners and losers side. But if we get over 32 players we have to go to 3 on the loser side. We gave 4 hours for a race to 4 match.

This is all in trying to get it done in a weekend. If we get towards the 48 players, we will have to have the last couple of matches on Monday.

We will not 'chase' a bunch of players down, but we owe them the courtesy of contacting them and giving the top players an opportuinty to play. We will have all of the ground rules up by early January. In the meantime, we thought it would be nice to get the AZ community (and One Pocket.org) a chance to suggest who whould be good matches. One Pocket does not have any real ranking system and this will just help us avoid missing a deserving player.

We will address the 'waiting list' and similar things in early January.

This year we cannot handle more than 8 tables. We also reduced the the 10-Ball field to 96 players (last year filled a 128 field). We think we might be able to address this better in the future. But we gotta start somewhere.

I originally wanted to have a $500 entry - but honestly thought it would stop a lot of mid-speed players from playing.

I appreciate all the comments. As long as constructive, they will be taken to heart.

Also, one last thing. The criteria mentioned are 'subject to change'. That is why I do want the comments.

Mark Griffin

I understand your concern for times and the nightmarish vision of Monday finishes. Sometimes doing one pocket tournaments you have to go with what you can manage and match lengths can be so very unpredictable.
I think your instinct to have a $500 entry is a good one. It may cost a few players, but you are aiming at a manageable number anyway. I believe the larger entry would definitely dissuade many and help you ,more than hurt you.
I fully understand you have to begin somewhere and this is a great start and I doubt 48 is going to be a problem at all. In today's world though, not much does surprise me though!

 

[ironman]

Hey JoeyA-
Thanks for all your interest. The first event we did had $5,000 added (limited to 32) - don't remember the 2nd one.

2006 (Louisville) was $10,000 basedon 64 - we got 54 or so at $200 entry. Also did a bank event - in the middle of bank country!

Gulfport Doc was there.

This event will probably fill up - but I don't think it would if 64 and we could not fit in 64 the first year of the return. We have a few 'tricks for next year if this one turns out good.

In fact - I got something that everyone will really like but cannot confirm it for several more months.

Anyway - thanks everyone for your input.

Mark Griffin

Ah go ahead and tell! You know a secret is safe around here!!LOL!

 

[ironman]

I would share this privately with Mark if he asked, but for the time being I want to make it public. The big problem with holding One Pocket tournaments is the possibility of games taking over one hour to play. I won't go into the reasons why or how this can happen, but believe me it is a real problem in scheduling.

We have found a way to successfully avert this from happening. we call it the "four ball" rule. As soon as four balls are down table inside the head string, the next ball(s) that goes up table will result in a ball(s) being spotted. I prefer spotting the ball(s) closest to the end rail. Some people (TD's) like to spot the ball(s) closest to the head string. Either way will work. With this rule, at no time will more than four balls be inside the head string.

It really does not materially change the game of One Pocket, only introducing one more piece of strategy. The best players will still win with this rule. What it does do is put a stop to the ultra long games that plague tournament scheduling. Enough said.

This is a good idea and I like spotting the ball nearest the end rail to leaving the balls closer the the headstring in play. I think Jay is dead right here in making it far more manageable and avoiding those grueling 1 1/2 hour games. He is right again as they do and surely will happen and often from the most unsuspecting!

 

[suprnva]

So I know of at least one person that received an invite to this. Is there a list somewhere of everyone that got one? How many total invites were given?

 

[sjm]

Scott Frost
Gabe Owen
Sylver Ochoa
Efren Reyes
Jose Parica
Jeremy Jones
Shannon Daulton

 

[Mark Griffin]

US Open One Pocket

We are waiting for the invitees to get back to us. I will probably put up the list of those invited and those that did or did not accept.

Just to let the pool playing audience know what was our process.

There are 4-5 people that we do NOT know how to get ahold of, but thinking some of them will be at Derby.

We would like contact info for: Cliff Joyner, Jaosn Miller, John Hager, Jr., Leil Gay, Marco Marquis, and Nick Vita.

All of these guys came in 1st or 2nd oin the events we used as the criteria for invite.

The actual number of players invited will probably be around 35 or so. But I think a dozen are going to say no.

If you want on the 'standby list' PLEASE contact: Holly@playcsipool.com.

To add confusion to the situation, after we were underway, the World 10-Ball in Philippines got scheduled on top of the One Pocket. I have 'heard' the money must be pre-posted for the event to happen.

What happens if the event is cancelled at the last minute - no we really could have a 'mess!' (I hope it goes on without a hitch - pool players need more events).

This will probably make several of our invited players say 'no' to our event. I am assuming Cordy Deuel, SVB, Darren Appleton, Busty, Efren and possibly others will be in Manila.

We will know a lot more after the DCC.

Mark Griffin, CEO
CSI - BCAPL - USAPL

 

[JoeyA]

How well are we rolling?

Can we get a status update on this event?

I had trouble finding a thread concerning the 2011 U.S. OPen One Pocket Championship in the TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCEMENT forum. In fact I missed it entirely.

JoeyA