50-50 on the poll maybe thats why the Derby is so popular.
Action vs. Tournaments
- Thread starter JAM
- Start date
If I was going to attend the event, I would prefer a tournament since I would get see a lot of different match ups and a lot of different top players. It appeases my 15 second attention span.
Im going to sayIMO a tournament match. The pressure of 2 pros within a tight structure having to win or pack your bags is very high. Its a highly disciplined format. In a cash game depending on your Bankroll you can afford to play looser or take more chances or come back another day. But in a race to, lets say 11 in a tourney, a pro cannot afford to make one mistake. For me this is the ultimate in sportsmanship.
Of course I, like many others, enjoy two opponents who are evenly match playing for the cash particularly if they are colorful characters. Always enjoyed watching RA, Keither, Efren, Alex P, etc. You couldnt get me to sit through Thorsten playing Mika for the cash but a tournament might be another thing.
Of course I, like many others, enjoy two opponents who are evenly match playing for the cash particularly if they are colorful characters. Always enjoyed watching RA, Keither, Efren, Alex P, etc. You couldnt get me to sit through Thorsten playing Mika for the cash but a tournament might be another thing.
Where have you been, Mr. Yobagua? I haven't read you in a while. Good to see you posting!
Looks like the "Action" is in the lead, at least at the time of this writing!
Tournaments are pulling out a wee bit at the time of this writing. However, it's looking like it will be neck and neck for a while.
I do believe there is a difference in watching pool LIVE and watching a RECORDED match, whether it is action or tournaments.
For some reason, watching it LIVE is more fun.
I have "On Demand" on my TV, and I can catch up on TV shows on the weekend if I am busy during the week with work, but it's not the same as watching it LIVE.
I do notice that when there are LIVE action matches happening, the participation on the MAIN FORUM is not as busy as it normally is, as most folks are sweating the ACTION threads live. :wink:
I do believe there is a difference in watching pool LIVE and watching a RECORDED match, whether it is action or tournaments.
For some reason, watching it LIVE is more fun.
I have "On Demand" on my TV, and I can catch up on TV shows on the weekend if I am busy during the week with work, but it's not the same as watching it LIVE.
I do notice that when there are LIVE action matches happening, the participation on the MAIN FORUM is not as busy as it normally is, as most folks are sweating the ACTION threads live. :wink:
Where have you been, Mr. Yobagua? I haven't read you in a while. Good to see you posting!
Looks like the "Action" is in the lead, at least at the time of this writing!
Hey JAM. Like you I was getting tired of all the animosity and bile. Not so much in others but what I was turning into. I met a lot of good people and wanted to emulate them so I thought Id stay away for a while. But your thought provoking question made me want to answer. Thanks.
I enjoy good Tournament play more than gambling sessions.
I normally stay 2-3 nights during large Tournaments and really enjoy speculating
on upcoming matches between my favorite players.
I'm too old, fat, blind, crippled, and crazy to gamble serious money anymore, but
the "old dayz" hold a host of fond memories for me.
I normally stay 2-3 nights during large Tournaments and really enjoy speculating
on upcoming matches between my favorite players.
I'm too old, fat, blind, crippled, and crazy to gamble serious money anymore, but
the "old dayz" hold a host of fond memories for me.
Yeah, yeah, ten percent of what he bets. 20% is way too much for a walking stick for high stake pool, imo.
JoeyA
One tournament at Q-Masters in Norfolk -- the year was 2002, I think -- was called the Spring Open or something like that. Keith was playing excellent in the tournament, staying in the winner's bracket all the way to the finals. All the best players, many of whom I did not know at that time, were in the house.
One shot I will NEVER forget, Keith was playing against a tall player named Ron Parks on the winner's side for the hot seat, I think it was. It was hill-hill, and Keith missed the 8-rock, leaving Ron a straight-in shot on the 8. The cueball was about 5 inches behind the 8, and both of them were frozen on the rail. I was standing with Billy Stephens, a well-known Virginia player. I told Billy that I knew we were going to lose, staring at that easy duck, but Billy said, "Not so fast, Jennie. This is not as easy as it looks. He could miss it," and much to my surprise, Ron Parks did miss it, leaving Keith an easy out.
Earlier in the tournament, Keith defeated a North Carolinian named Michael Coltrain, knocking him to the B side of the chart. Then Michael fought his way to the finals, only to face Keith again. This was the first time I was introduced to an extended race for the finals as opposed to the "true" double elimination format where the B-side player has to beat the A-side player twice. Coltrain won. I was happy to see Keith come in second, but I have to admit that I was bummed to learn the reality of this one-extended-match format for a double-elmination tournament. :angry:
Late that night, Keith was feeling absolutely no pain, enjoying the pool room. We were sweating the action, and Keith, though I did not know it, was hoping to catch him some action. :wink:
He and another North Carolinian named Sam Monday started barking, and Sam had a whole committee of backers, to include Michael Coltrain. They wanted to play for 2 dimes: a 12-ahead game with Keith spotting Sam the wild 8 in 9-ball. Keith then came and asked me to give him back his tournament winnings, which was snugged safely in my purse, so that he could gamble with this Sam Monday. I didn't want to give it up. We were stuck for the trip, entry fee, hotel, travel, food, et cetera.
The game began, and at one point, that coin on the table moved only in one direction, with Sam Monday 10 games ahead. It was late, like 3:00 in the morning. All of his committee backers were hooping and hollering, rooting him in. And the only cheerleader Keith had was me. I saw the writing on the wall and realized we were 2 games away from losing our dough. I thought, heck, why not enjoy myself. :grin-square:
Every time Keith made a good job, like Sam Monday's backers, I began to cheer, "Good shot, Keith. Way to go. What a shooter, what a guy." I was actually beginning to have fun, even though we were stuck. And then it happened. It was like the stuff you see only once in a blue moon. Keith caught a gear, and he began to win game after game after game, one right after the other. He not only got back to even, but he defeated Sam Monday 12 games in no time. It was a 22-game swing.
I was so excited, but at this time, Sam had a long face, unscrewd his stick, and went into the bathroom. Coltrain gave Keith the cheese, and Keith then went into the bathroom. When he came out of the bathroom, Keith handed me the dough to tuck away safely in my purse. I counted it and said, "Hey, wait a minute. We're $200 short. There's $200 missing, Keith." He said, "I know. I gave Sam a walking stick. If it wasn't for Sam, I wouldn't have gotten any action. Jennie, you're never supposed to leave a pool player broke."
Today, I understand the jelly roll concept, but not all players do that today. In fact, Keith has given away more walking sticks than he's received since I've been with him! Maybe that's good thing. They call it paying it forward, and what goes around may, indeed, come back.
Picture of Sam Monday!
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Another great story. I enjoy your posts about the game.
As far as the posts, for watching -- I must say -- Now that Iowa seems to be hopping in the last week or two, I like watching the ACTION.
For playing, I must like tournament play. For the entry fee you can play the same players that I couldn't afford to match up with. Good for my game, easy on the pocketbook.
So, for me, Action for watching (my vote) and Tourny for playing.
As far as the posts, for watching -- I must say -- Now that Iowa seems to be hopping in the last week or two, I like watching the ACTION.
For playing, I must like tournament play. For the entry fee you can play the same players that I couldn't afford to match up with. Good for my game, easy on the pocketbook.
So, for me, Action for watching (my vote) and Tourny for playing.
I'll bet you there's a lot of players out there who feel exactly like you do.
I love Iowa. If I ever move, that is one State that I would consider moving to. The genuinely nice people, the breaktaking landscape with those blue skies and pristine green corn fields, there ain't nothing better. I could retire in Iowa and live happily ever after, I tell you. And if there's pool action going on, then that's all the better! :thumbup:
Watching anything LIVE seems to be the best for me. I really enjoy the Orioles in baseball, and when I'm watching them play live, it is so exciting. I don't think I would get the same satisfaction watching an Orioles baseball game that was pre-recorded.
Pre-recorded tournament matches, however, that Accu-Stats offers are fun. Even though I know the outcome, I can pick and choose which match I want to watch, as opposed to watching a kazillion hours of tournament matches.
Today, people -- well, most people -- don't have an extra four, five, six, or seven hours to watch pool on TV. However, that said, I'd still watch pool four, five, six, or seven ours LIVE if it was an action match in my local pool room!
In other words, I think I would be more prone to watching LIVE pool if I was there in person, up front and close, than I would a live pool match on TV.