American Rotation in Dallas/Fort Worth area?

Well, K2Kraze and I made it out to Witten's tonight. It's a great place with three 9-foot Gold Crowns in good condition. The food and staff are also great.

We played a race to 150 and I narrowly got the best of it, 150-134 or so I think, so it came down to one rack. We were neck and neck for most of the match and if we were playing to 100, K2Kraze would have had the best of it. An unfortunate scratch in the side near the end on a 10-ball (I think) helped push the match in my favor.

Things I learned:
1. Running 15 balls in rotation is tough
2. Safeties make a huge difference
3. Breaking well is paramount

K2Kraze broke better than me by far. I would also say his safeties were generally better. I think I got a little more lucky with my kicks. It was definitely fun and I'm looking forward to playing again.
 
Well put, Samiel :-D

Great match - and nice work tonight!

Playing American Rotation in a competitive environment like we did tonight at Witten's, on the always fabulous 9' Gold Crown, with a perfectly matched opponent (and new acquaintance I might add thanks to the forum) revealed many unique nuances of this game.

I went in with an unbiased mindset and clear understanding of all the rules by playing a few racks at home first. The following elements really stood out immediately:

1) NO OTHER game gives the two players constant options and input - whether shooting or not shooting at the time - offensive or defensive. For example, a MISSED SHOT - the opponent can assess the current table layout based on their skill set and the expected capability of the shooter that missed the shot - and then make the call to require the shooter to continue play and shoot again from where the balls lie, or accept the table and take over play. The threat of a ball-in-hand foul is ever-present and factors in many shots.

2) FOULS - usually as a result of a great safety play by the opponent - is a major factor - rewarding the player that left the challenging shot with ball-in-hand anywhere in the table. Absolutely paramount when the 2-point balls 11-15 are remaining. I'd estimate that good safety play can make the win/lose difference between any two different skill level players more balanced - and thus no need for handicapping. If you're not a great shot maker, you can always be a threat by having good safety play and cue ball control.

3) using the scoring app makes the game easy to follow - and by requiring continuous observation and involvement of the non-shooting player to keep a running score, offers a lot of opportunities to learn new strategies as well as learn how your opponent thinks and which shot choices they make and why.

4) the first ball-in-hand shot immediately following every opening break cannot be taken lightly and will reveal an immediate weakness in assessing a table. Beginning with a combination, carom or kiss shot is not uncommon.

I absolutely loved the game - and would encourage anyone living in the Fort Worth, Bedford, Euless, Hurst and surrounding areas to give it a try - and perhaps we can get a league put together operating out of Witten's with Joe Tucker's help :-)

I'm available many weekdays per month during the day and possibly early Sundays if anyone would like to set up a match. The match we played to 150 points with both of us neck and neck for most of the game took about 2 hours. Great food, music and non-smoking made it pleasant.

Great job, JoeT!

Thanks again, Samiel - looking forward to another match soon.
 
Glad you guys got together and thanks for the great report.

There's interest in the area and hopefully we can get a group together at Whittens over time. With just 3 tables I can see a Monday-Friday schedule working well there. With a 10 player group and 5 matches per week we could schedule just one (Feature) match Mon-Fri up on table 1.

Thanks for playing guys and glad it was a well fought game.
 
Joe - can you give us any idea what is involved getting a local group together? What is the role and involvement of the place we play at - are they actually the "sponsor" - and how can I help get them on board? Thanks!
 
Anyone interested in scheduling and playing an American Rotation match out of Witten's in Hurst, TX feel free to give me a text or call at 817-454-1089. Kerry.
 
K2Kraze said:
Joe - can you give us any idea what is involved getting a local group together? What is the role and involvement of the place we play at - are they actually the "sponsor" - and how can I help get them on board? Thanks!
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They are kind of a sponsor as most rooms don't charge table time for the 5 matches that take place each week. We don't want rooms to lose money so if their tables would be collecting table time it may or may not be a feasible for them. Whittens with only 3 tables may be tough but as I said earlier scheduling just 1 match Mon-Fri could work well.

What has to be done is this;
Get 10 players that would like to give it a try for at least one 9 week Series.
I would make an online schedule/chart for the players to follow.
One person can collect the money or I can take paypal or checks from each player for you.
At the end of 9 weeks you would have a top 6 player playoff that qualifies 1 player for our nationals and can pay the top 2-4 players back some local money.
At $20 per match per player and each match taking 2-3hrs its like paying $8 an hr for table time while competing in a national event. Nobody gets hurt and we're helping to form a much needed national tour for the industry and our players.
 
What has to be done is this;
Get 10 players that would like to give it a try for at least one 9 week Series.
I would make an online schedule/chart for the players to follow.
One person can collect the money or I can take paypal or checks from each player for you.
At the end of 9 weeks you would have a top 6 player playoff that qualifies 1 player for our nationals and can pay the top 2-4 players back some local money.
At $20 per match per player and each match taking 2-3hrs its like paying $8 an hr for table time while competing in a national event. Nobody gets hurt and we're helping to form a much needed national tour for the industry and our players.[/QUOTE]

To play at nationals is it required you played 9 matches or can a pro just pay 200 and compete?
 
Kerry if 1/3 of the people in the pool world were 1/2 as nice as Samiel, Pool would thrive.
Good safety play probably widens the "skill" gap,as does, option to pass the table back.
Sounds like a great game anyways.
 
<br />
To play at nationals is it required you played 9 matches or can a pro just pay 200 and compete?<br/>
You have to qualify, can't just pay entry. Have had a few pros that asked that question at nationals.
 
alphadog said:
Kerry if 1/3 of the people in the pool world were 1/2 as nice as Samiel, Pool would thrive.

Good safety play probably widens the "skill" gap,as does, option to pass the table back.

Sounds like a great game anyways.
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Couldn't agree more on your comments regarding Samiel, AlphaDog. It was yet another great experience and demonstration of two competitors that could appreciate great play in one another and recognize such without giving up the elusive and unspoken psychological component that I've also found in most guys playing in a straight pool league as well.

By the way - where are the rest of the dang fine nice folks like Samiel to play this dang fine game? :-D
 
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K2Kraze said:
Couldn't agree more on your comments regarding Samiel, AlphaDog. It was yet another great experience and demonstration of two competitors that could appreciate great play in one another and recognize such without giving up the elusive and unspoken psychological component that I've also found in most guys playing in a straight pool league as well.

By the way - where are the rest of the dang fine nice folks like Samiel to play this dang fine game? :-D
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The rest of us are in Alabama. I hope y'all get it going soon out there. Texas is supposed to be where it's at. Texas needs someone representing them at Nationals......especially from the Dallas area.
 
Allen Brown said:
The rest of us are in Alabama. I hope y'all get it going soon out there. Texas is supposed to be where it's at. Texas needs someone representing them at Nationals......especially from the Dallas area.
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Do your homework Texas is represented.
 
Up until the 1980's you couldn't walk into poolroom on the Eastcoast that there wasn't 1 or 2 rotation type games going and the same with 14.1. Most 6-10 table rooms paid rent and electric off one rotation table that went 12 hours a day or more 7 days a week. In my 9 table room in the 1960's-1970's there would be two tables with four players playing some type of rotation game going. Two or three 14.1 tables, one 6 ball and two nine ball tables and the one billiard table with one or two players. Had a waiting list just about every nigh after 7. No 8 ball, no 1-hole, no pinball, no beer or wine, but you could buy anything from hand guns to a car slightly used and a little on the warm side. Johnnyt
 
What a vision and memory that stirs up, Johnnyt. Except for the secret back-room card games and a bingo pinball machine, you described nearly the exact smokey pool hall - called the "Rec Center" - my father would take me into when I was a kid back in a small SD one-stoplight town.
 
AmRo match tonight..

I play on a TN AmRo league and it's well worth the money! We have a fairly strong field of players , being that most low-level players from APA aren't quite interested in 15 ball rotation. But, having said that.. The rest of the high ranked players are delighted to play heads up with the stronger guys in a 2hr + match! Our room manager gives the table to us for free, so it's like matching up with the best competition in town for a $20 set with no risk of losing much... Oh and did I mention the table time is free?? How can you lose :)
 
CokerFan82 said:
I play on a TN AmRo league and it's well worth the money! We have a fairly strong field of players , being that most low-level players from APA aren't quite interested in 15 ball rotation. But, having said that.. The rest of the high ranked players are delighted to play heads up with the stronger guys in a 2hr + match! Our room manager gives the table to us for free, so it's like matching up with the best competition in town for a $20 set with no risk of losing much... Oh and did I mention the table time is free?? How can you lose :)
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You summed it up perfectly, TY.
 
I played a couple of matches this weekend with a friend. We raced to 100 and I barely won 100-96 or so. The second match he wanted to play to 150 and well, it really wasn't that close. He really likes the game and I'm going to see if he'd be interested in league, but he's really not the league type of player.
 
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