Alex P vs Mick Hill in the Finals of a Chinese table 9 ball tournament

[Flakeandrun]

It’s the same for everybody….so the best player still wins.

Yes, but the seeding and matchups in the early stages often see the 'elite' cake walk through. Where as a lot of the top international, and TW contingent get pushed against each other early doors.
Though, I guess there is always room for upsets e.g. Zheng Yubo v Yang Fan

 

[Bob Jewett]

They existed before, just not marketed or played in the same way it is now.

Do you know the approximate year when those tables were introduced in China? They seem to have gotten out of China only in the past 10 years or so.

 

[Flakeandrun]

Do you know the approximate year when those tables were introduced in China? They seem to have gotten out of China only in the past 10 years or so.

I'll ask around. I have seen pictures that are like 50years or so old. I can ask someone and get a more definitive answer. Some of my favourite photos are late 80s/early90s outdoor tables with many people playing.

EDIT:
So the 50 years or so is right to some degree, but this would not have been pool. Most likely English billiards brought across by the British.

Wang Dashi, who was the director of Beijing Haiyan Billiard Table Factory in 1984 manufactured the first international standard snooker table. After that, he began the research and manufacture of American pool table in 1985. Lacking proper reference, he manufactured his imaginary “American pool table,” derived from snooker table structure and size of carom table. It was considered a miniature snooker table. Consequently, there came into being a new billiard discipline, and that was playing American pool games on a small-sized snooker table. Which is where the table comes from, and lines up with the outdoor pool table photos I have seen

If I find those photos, I will post them because they are incredibly bad ass!

DOUBLE EDIT:
I have pulled an all-nighter at work... So for some reason my melted brain put 50 years ago at 1950s.... So, I was right in my initial comments, they are about 50years old... But billiards has been played in China since the early 1900s, brought across by the British.

 

[Flakeandrun]

I can't find the ones I wanted to find. This one is in Qinghai 1999. There were some much cooler ones in northern China a little earlier. Will post them if I come across them again.

 

[pt109]

I can't find the ones I wanted to find. This one is in Qinghai 1999. There were some much cooler ones in northern China a little earlier. Will post them if I come across them again.

View attachment 829801

The man looks like a player.

 

[Flakeandrun]

The man looks like a player.

True that!
The ones I want to find are in Nei Monguo, and Heilongjiang. There is a row of outdoor tables, and lots of cash on the rails. Hustle and bustle. They are fantastic.

 

[skogstokig]

1999 is not old.. the balls look white, some version of piramid?

 

[Positively Ralf]

So apparently, Alex just finished a money match against the top money player in China on these tables. It took 4 hours or so to play. From what I saw of it, they were using the rules like the tournament had. Also, the guy he was playing, Yu Delu, was making it look a bit easy. Alex also looked like he felt more comfortable playing 9 ball on these tables.

Link is still up if anyone wants to take a look -->

 

[skogstokig]

So apparently, Alex just finished a money match against the top money player in China on these tables. It took 4 hours or so to play. From what I saw of it, they were using the rules like the tournament had. Also, the guy he was playing, Yu Delu, was making it look a bit easy. Alex also looked like he felt more comfortable playing 9 ball on these tables.

Link is still up if anyone wants to take a look -->

yu delu should play him a set of one pocket..

 

[Flakeandrun]

So apparently, Alex just finished a money match against the top money player in China on these tables. It took 4 hours or so to play. From what I saw of it, they were using the rules like the tournament had. Also, the guy he was playing, Yu Delu, was making it look a bit easy. Alex also looked like he felt more comfortable playing 9 ball on these tables.

Link is still up if anyone wants to take a look -->

I am curious if he actually is the best money player in China. I am going to ask around. I didn't think he was, but I could be wrong. There are a fair few others I would have put above him.

 

[Flakeandrun]

So apparently, Alex just finished a money match against the top money player in China on these tables. It took 4 hours or so to play. From what I saw of it, they were using the rules like the tournament had. Also, the guy he was playing, Yu Delu, was making it look a bit easy. Alex also looked like he felt more comfortable playing 9 ball on these tables.

Link is still up if anyone wants to take a look -->

No safety is par for the course. If you hook someone, they turn it back to you. Pretty standard for the format, and it's how most people gamble here. You can play these rules for anything from 4ball to 9ball.

 

[straightline]

I am curious if he actually is the best money player in China. I am going to ask around. I didn't think he was, but I could be wrong. There are a fair few others I would have put above him.

He sure can pop 'em in. Makes it look like bar pool.