A Very Serious Question To The Group
- Thread starter ForumGhost516
- Start date
You know its funny because I know people like that, every time you say "straight" pool they think of straight stripes and solids.
lol lol
The short answer is yes, I would definitely consider playing in a stop on a straight pool tour.
Steve made an excellent point about the need for a handicap system of some kind. Unlike 9 Ball where a decent player has at least a chance against even a much better player, in straight pool if one guy is not at least a threat to run 40-50 balls any time he comes to the table he has zero chance against a player that does.
Of course, this brings up the potential for sandbagging. One good way to handle this is once the thing gets rolling only results from tour matches count in a player's handicap.
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The idea of a chess clock has some problems attached to it, but there does need to be some way to deal with slow play to make this successful.
Steve made an excellent point about the need for a handicap system of some kind. Unlike 9 Ball where a decent player has at least a chance against even a much better player, in straight pool if one guy is not at least a threat to run 40-50 balls any time he comes to the table he has zero chance against a player that does.
Of course, this brings up the potential for sandbagging. One good way to handle this is once the thing gets rolling only results from tour matches count in a player's handicap.
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The idea of a chess clock has some problems attached to it, but there does need to be some way to deal with slow play to make this successful.
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I have to agree with you on both counts I am now starting to think this tour should have perhaps an ABCD Handicap System. How we are going to work this out we will have to figure out in the beginning logistics for each player.
That being said, I also agree to your point of doing something in regards to slow play.
In the league that I run out of Cue Nine here in NY we have an hour and a half cap on all matches and whoever is closer to their handicap wins the match.
We have all seen some slow play in our time and I understand studying the rack but there has to be a middle ground.
How does this look for proposed handicaps.
Open Pro - 150
A- 120
B-90
C- 70
D - 50
Now the question becomes if this is going to be a points handicapped event do you tier the entry fee as well?
Open Pro - 150
A- 120
B-90
C- 70
D - 50
Now the question becomes if this is going to be a points handicapped event do you tier the entry fee as well?
I'll give some thought to the handicap idea, I haven't really examined it before. Your "closer to their handicap" idea is interesting. It kind of depends on how you look at it. For example, if you are looking at it in terms of the likelihood of a player getting out in X number of innings, I'm not sure how the 'caps you posted would work.
Take an Open/Pro playing a "D". The pro could get to 150 in one inning, more likely still in 2, and very likely in 3-4 innings, especially playing a "D". On the other hand, I'm not sure a "D" player is likely to get to 50 in even 4 innings, and probably would require significantly more than that.
I have some concerns about the chess clock idea, which has been discussed on the forum before. First off, what's the penalty for running out of time? Loss of game wouldn't work. Say the score is 95-15 going to 100. The guy with 95 runs out of time. Is it fair he should lose when the guy with 15 has been sitting in his chair the whole match? Another problem is what to do if both players have insufficient time to run out the game and one player's clock expires. Say the score is 60-50. The guy with 60 runs out of time but the guy with 50 points only has 3 minutes left on his clock. He couldn't get out no matter how fast he played. Then there is always the circus that would ensue as both players run low on time and the match turns into a speed pool event with one guy galloping back to his chair after a safety or a miss and the other guy bounding out of his chair with track shoes on, running at full speed to get to the table. This seems contrary to your idea of a proper event with codes of conduct and dress codes. The chess clock is just not the panacea that it appears at first. I've other concerns with it as well, but these are the most obvious ones. The idea of using a chess clock may have some merit but needs serious tweaking.
Take an Open/Pro playing a "D". The pro could get to 150 in one inning, more likely still in 2, and very likely in 3-4 innings, especially playing a "D". On the other hand, I'm not sure a "D" player is likely to get to 50 in even 4 innings, and probably would require significantly more than that.
I have some concerns about the chess clock idea, which has been discussed on the forum before. First off, what's the penalty for running out of time? Loss of game wouldn't work. Say the score is 95-15 going to 100. The guy with 95 runs out of time. Is it fair he should lose when the guy with 15 has been sitting in his chair the whole match? Another problem is what to do if both players have insufficient time to run out the game and one player's clock expires. Say the score is 60-50. The guy with 60 runs out of time but the guy with 50 points only has 3 minutes left on his clock. He couldn't get out no matter how fast he played. Then there is always the circus that would ensue as both players run low on time and the match turns into a speed pool event with one guy galloping back to his chair after a safety or a miss and the other guy bounding out of his chair with track shoes on, running at full speed to get to the table. This seems contrary to your idea of a proper event with codes of conduct and dress codes. The chess clock is just not the panacea that it appears at first. I've other concerns with it as well, but these are the most obvious ones. The idea of using a chess clock may have some merit but needs serious tweaking.
150
100
70
50
35
Something like that would be more fair.
I am against handicapping the match and the entry fee as I mentioned in a previous post. I understand that if it is a money making venture it will cater to the majority of players and those are the weaker ones but I simply won't play in a double handicap scenario.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
100
70
50
35
Something like that would be more fair.
I am against handicapping the match and the entry fee as I mentioned in a previous post. I understand that if it is a money making venture it will cater to the majority of players and those are the weaker ones but I simply won't play in a double handicap scenario.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Hey Chris at that point if we are putting in place handicaps like that I agree that its one or the other, money or weight.
Now that being said do you think we should separate the field into the open pro and A's on the top half of the bracket and the BCD on the low half?
I don't think it should be separated. It makes things difficult. What if you get 6 A and higher players and 20 players in the C range? Could easily happen.
I think the luck of the draw is an OK way to go here. The majority of the players will usually be C players or so and they will spread out enough that some of them will draw well and go deep. The ones that draw the higher players will at least learn more and at best get the satisfaction of beating a superior player.
Chime in guys. Always willing to hear opinions.
I think the luck of the draw is an OK way to go here. The majority of the players will usually be C players or so and they will spread out enough that some of them will draw well and go deep. The ones that draw the higher players will at least learn more and at best get the satisfaction of beating a superior player.
Chime in guys. Always willing to hear opinions.
straight pool
Hi, I would love the chance to play in something like this. However, you did not mention the northern virginia , Baltimore, area. Is that a possibility ? If so, let me know if I can help. My email is NLook37156@aol.com.
Norm
Hi, I would love the chance to play in something like this. However, you did not mention the northern virginia , Baltimore, area. Is that a possibility ? If so, let me know if I can help. My email is NLook37156@aol.com.
Norm
Hey I would definitely be interested in bringing a tour stop to Maryland especially Baltimore. I remember playing in the Maryland state straight pool championships at big daddy's Billiards and it was a fantastic event and it definitely seemednlike there was a large amount of 14.1 players there in the area and not just the ones that came in from out of town for the event.
West virginia is definitely a possibility as well especially with the opening of John schimidts room.
I will keep you posted.
What do you think of thie handicap system listed above by chris lynch and myself.
Let me know.
Hi Norm,
If you're in the Baltimore area, there is a straight pool league at Big Daddy's in Glen Burnie. The next session actually starts this week - so if you're interested call them and talk to Rick in the next day or so. Everything is generally set up before the first night of the league.
There are about 25 players and has been going on for several years. It is handicapped by weight only. This session will have an A and B bracket. Play is within your bracket only. We've found that a top player can beat a beginner even with huge weight. So all of your matches are mostly against reasonably similar caliber players.
Andy