Agreed, anyone can win a race to seven.
Is table time that expensive where that can't afford a race to 11? What's the big hurry?
2022 World Pool Masters (May 5-8)
- Thread starter BeiberLvr
- Start date
Is table time that expensive where that can't afford a race to 11? What's the big hurry?
"anyone can win a race to seven" Did you forget the "At That Level" disclaimer?
You're right, of course, but let me invite you to look at the bigger picture.
The Matchroom invitationals (Premier League Pool, World Pool Masters, World Cup of Pool, Mosconi Cup) are short and sweet, but the invitations, which are based on merit, are a reward for elite play. Yes, they all have short-race formats and, in the interest of fairness, they are non-ranking events.
In these four events, Matchroom pays out about $700,000 in total, and with these events, they are making pool a very good career for the most elite players. Generally, even if you don't win a single match, you get paid. At the World Pool Masters, first round losers are making $1,750.
There are no such invitational events offered by event producers in America. Rather than bemoan the short-race format, understand what Matchroom is adding to our sport by hosting these big-money invitational events.
In truth, not anyone can win, because the Matchroom invitational events are the exclusive domain of the most elite players, while, with few exceptions, every event in America is "sign up and you get to play regardless of your skill level."
Hence, the question is not why Matchroom invitationals have short race formats, but why nobody but Matchroom rewards the game's most elite players by staging high-paying invitationals. Speaking as a fan, I like these events that have almost no dead money in them.
At present, Matchroom is the pillar on which pro pool is built and, at least in my opinion, thank the lord for that, for nobody is doing more to make pool a good career than Matchroom.
Thank you, Matchroom!
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To each his own. I greatly enjoy short race formats. The race-to-five Mosconi matches are, to me, the most exciting of the year. The fans are on the edge of their seats in short races. Of course, I'm with you on the point that, on average, the more pool we get the better.
That said, I'm sure we agree that the Matchroom majors (the US Open, the World Pool Championship, the UK Open and the European Open) should be decided in a longer race format, and they are, but why is there a need for non-ranking invitational events to be contested in the same way?
Remember, these invitational events usually have just one table (two at the PLP) so fans don't miss a single match. You'd have to scrap that format and switch to bigger arenas to do long race formats.
A case can be made to lengthen the races in every event on the world pool calendar but doing so adds days to these events. The majors typically take six days to complete, and that's OK as they are majors. Not every event needs to be contested this way, and event producers would be hard pressed to make financial ends meet if things evolved in this way.
PS I believe that the last rounds of the current World Pool Masters will be races to 9.
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alex better run the set out from here. damn it must be stressful playing against dennis in this format
14-0 now for Dennis. Will he go 162-0?
I'm enjoying the format. Everyone that's lost had opportunities. They've missed balls and they didn't get the better end of a safety battle. I like that this one specific event requires you to get in, perform, or get out. Lights, camera, action! This event is not for the coddling. No alternate break. No second chances. Nobody is winning it that didn't earn it. It's not about determining who is best. It's about determining who will rise to this one moment. Do I like Kazakis? Absolutely. Do I feel bad for him? Not one bit. Do I think he deserved a longer race to have a chance to get into it? Nope. If this was the US Open, UK Open, European Open, or World 9-ball Championship then I'd feel different.
Probably so
Shocking high upset % in preliminary stage
4 out of 8 matches are upsets i.e. 50% upset.
Actually only 5 matches feature favorite vs underdog matches (Other 3 matches are within 10 Fargo points which is about even matchup)
So 80% of favorite-underdog matches won by underdog
I may be wrong but I don't recall any recent event with such high upset%
Dennis is on fire. His TPA is around 980 ?
4 out of 8 matches are upsets i.e. 50% upset.
Actually only 5 matches feature favorite vs underdog matches (Other 3 matches are within 10 Fargo points which is about even matchup)
So 80% of favorite-underdog matches won by underdog
I may be wrong but I don't recall any recent event with such high upset%
Dennis is on fire. His TPA is around 980 ?
Even with the missed balls, it's been some high quality pool with a high quality production. Aside from having the wrong ball colors, this is as good as professional pool has ever been. I'm loving it, too.
Shocking high upset % in preliminary stage
4 out of 8 matches are upsets i.e. 50% upset.
Actually only 5 matches feature favorite vs underdog matches (Other 3 matches are within 10 Fargo points which is about even matchup)
So 80% of favorite-underdog matches won by underdog
I may be wrong but I don't recall any recent event with such high upset%
View attachment 640753
Dennis is on fire. His TPA is around 980 ?
View attachment 640756
grabe-o favorite? what's the fargo on the chinese guy? i think loho can grow into big stage pool.
orcullo is playing fantastic. looks destined for another WPM title
I think you might be right.
confused me a bit too. the safety going below the right middle wasnt hard? maybe worried about the speed on the 2-ball
He was definitely leaving it a bit to chance whether he got on the 4 or not. Having to hit the 2 pretty hard in order to get around the table after running into the 5 makes it very hard to tell how much of the 5 the cue ball is going to hit, what angle it's coming off at, and whether you can get far enough down table going three cushions to get a shot on the 4. I guess he decided being aggressive and going on offense was worth the risk. Missing the kick on the 4 on the next shot of course is what spelled his doom.