2024 World Pool Championship

This argument that tighter pockets help lesser players puzzles me. I have heard a handful of top players, including SVB and Gorst, contend that tighter pockets favor better players. And why not. One would think they shoot straighter, are more accurate, get better position ...
A significant part of American pool has always been cheating pockets to help get shape. How you have top players missing more shots that they would normally make, along with not being able to cheat pockets to get shape like they normally would, and not being able to break and run like they used to. These tight pockets and the tweaks to the break have fundamentally changed the game. It is no longer American 9 ball. It is more like snooker or english 8 ball.

I am convinced you are correct, the tighter pockets are penalizing the traditional American 9 ball players.
 
One can take many views of an unforgettable Round of 64 in which FSR lost and in which Filler and Gorst had to come from behind to win. After all, based on Fargo, they are the world's three best players. From everything I see, the tables are excellent, and the playing conditions befit a world championship.

My slant on all this is that the world is catching up. Unknown yet capable cueists are popping up in every corner of the globe right now and I, for one, believe it is very good for our sport.

At the root of it is the recognition of pool as an Olympic sport over 20 years ago. Even though the Olympic dream was never realized, a lot of money came to our sport through federations financed, at least in part, by IOC/WPA money.

Just as important in motivating players worldwide is the way Matchroom has run with globalization of pool since the beginning of its tour in 2022, bringing major events to places like Poland, Spain, Morocco, Colombia, Vietnam, and now Saudi Arabia. They have also produced junior events in conjunction with the Matchroom majors.

WPA is doing its part, too, bringing pool to places like Puerto Rico and New Zealand, and building bridges between amateur and pro pool.

As a fan, I celebrate the globalization of the sport and know that it is a sign of good things to come for those choosing pro pool as a career.
well said Stu.
 
The logic is that the better players will miss more than they would on larger pockets, thus giving the weaker player more opportunities.

No idea if the data actually backs it up though. My guess is it's a wash and better players still win more against weaker players regardless of pocket size.
If better players would miss more on smaller pockets, why wouldn't lesser players also miss more on tighter pockets. Thereby giving better players more opportunities too.

Doesn't make any sense to me.
 
Wait, wasn't this guy 0 to 7 down????? how did he pull it off, I wish that was on one of the three TV tables!!! WHAT A CHAMP.

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Howwwwwwwwwww? anyone seen it? tell me the story <3
 
If better players would miss more on smaller pockets, why wouldn't lesser players also miss more on tighter pockets. Thereby giving better players more opportunities too.

Doesn't make any sense to me.
I think the idea is that super tight pockets sort of randomize the results a bit. The 820+ Fargo guys still have a better chance to go deep than the 775-800ish guys, but they become a little more susceptible to bad rolls and are unable to string racks together as easily or often.

Most of the 775-800ish guys are going to see their games suffer just as much as the world-class players, but the slight added randomness opens the door to the ones who have caught a gear and get a little luck on their side.

I have no idea if any of this actually bears out on paper, though. However, I could see something like this playing out if the pockets were absurdly tight, like 3.5". As a consummate amateur, I would rather play Filler on 3.5" pockets than 4.5". I know he's going to curb stomp me on 4.5" pockets, and while I'm going to miss a ton on 3.5" pockets, I will at least get more turns at the table (and still lose badly, of course, but at least I'll get to participate a little more).
 
could you please inform mr soufi that this game is too hard and the pockets too tight, cuz he doesn't seem to know it yet
The moment I turned on the stream he missed a straight simple 4 ball, then world of randomness took over! this time laid perfect to the next player in this case (badeR) with easy 4ball shot. If the world of randomness madde it safe or hook after soufi missed the 4ball which was straight and he missed it, then add more into the randomness of the game because you dont know what happens after the kick, then after kick, then after another kick, this goes unnnnnnnnntil one player gets a good roll and can shoot an easy shot.

This what I'm telling you is a scenario which happens often in pool but happens more often with tighter pocket, you will see it more and more and more, thats how smaller pockets helps the weaker player which makes more ranndomness, more rolls, more things come into play.

In a perfect world i would want to play any pro in a very very tight pockets, and very very short race!! that will boost my chances of winning by aloooooooot.
 
Your words, not mine. All I said was it was a preliminary rating and it doesn’t seem too far fetched based on his performance in this tournament.

Either way, Fedor Gorst and Joshua Filler are champions for a reason, and it looks like they’ve grinded their way back in their matches.
It doesnt seem far fetched?
did he win it?
is anyone in the final rounds over 850?
 
It was definitely tactics. Unquestionably. You should watch the entire match. He was heated, so nerves aren't it either. From what I saw in real time, it was pure aggravation.
I just ripped through it, and I honestly don't see the "heat". Jonas whined about Ignacio supposedly greasing up the rails with talc, and then Ignacio asking about a possible touch foul during the last rack. Which it looks as though he was blind to from the chair.

Jonas was certainly animated when he saw the set slipping away from him, but not much more than that. Maybe if the audio was stronger, I may have heard something more than what was caught by video.
 
Maybe this has been discussed somewhere in this thread, but does Matchroom have any of their female employees at this event? The matches have happened while I’ve been working, so I’m only able to track the scores and catch the occasional rack here and there, but I’ve not seen Emily or any of the ladies they generally have doing the interviews. I’ve also not seen the female referee who I feel like officiates a good portion of the TV table matches.
 
I just ripped through it, and I honestly don't see the "heat". Jonas whined about Ignacio supposedly greasing up the rails with talc, and then Ignacio asking about a possible touch foul during the last rack. Which it looks as though he was blind to from the chair.

Jonas was certainly animated when he saw the set slipping away from him, but not much more than that. Maybe if the audio was stronger, I may have heard something more than what was caught by vidI'm not here to change anyones mind
Cool, not here to change your mind, bud:sneaky:
 
It doesnt seem far fetched?
did he win it?
is anyone in the final rounds over 850?
Are you being intentionally dense? The point is clearly this: when you see someone like Fedor Gorst down 6-0 to someone you’ve never heard of, you might assume something fluky is going on or that Fedor is dogging it badly. The data point that his Fargo is 860 with 90 games in the system does not mean he’s the best player in the world. It means that he’s shown the ability to beat very high quality opponents. Particularly once you combine that with the fact that he’s convincingly beat Alex and Max in this event. Is he a true 859 Fargo? Probably not. Is he clearly a VERY good player that is capable of beating Fedor…yes.
 
Are you being intentionally dense? The point is clearly this: when you see someone like Fedor Gorst down 6-0 to someone you’ve never heard of, you might assume something fluky is going on or that Fedor is dogging it badly. The data point that his Fargo is 860 with 90 games in the system does not mean he’s the best player in the world. It means that he’s shown the ability to beat very high quality opponents. Particularly once you combine that with the fact that he’s convincingly beat Alex and Max in this event. Is he a true 859 Fargo? Probably not. Is he clearly a VERY good player that is capable of beating Fedor…yes.
something flukey probably was going on combined with fedors admitted struggling currently most likely as well as being a great player

just not really a 879 DUH

its 9 ball where people catch a rythm and run lol
 
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