APA, Not for me.

[catscradle]

...Any handicapping system that does not favor the better player is lame, lame, lame; and encourages sandbagging.

I disagree I think a good handicap system should strive to create an "even playing field" with no advantage given to anyone. That said however I think ALL handicapping systems encourage sandbagging and always will.

Sandbaggers are lame, lame, lame.
...

I agree 100%, but unfortunately there are an awful lot of them. Better players almost always try to hide there speed, even when no handicapping system is involved.

JMHO.

 

[landshark77]

As a lower ranked APA player I will throw my $0.03 in here. (Yes, $0.03, because it is better than $0.02, LOL.)

The APA is good at getting players in the game. I don't know that I would have ever started playing, really playing, if it wasn't for the APA (amongst other things.) Now that I have been playing awhile, I would much rather play heads up, no handicap, strait pool.

The things I don't like about the APA, minus the politics of the different leagues are:

1. The slop ball aspect
2. The handicapping
3. Ball in hand (although I can live with this)

The things I don't like about the BCA, keeping in mind I have never played in a BCA league my COMPLETE understanding of the rules may be off:

1. 8 on break doesn't win (I think it should)
2. The 8 is spotted if you scratch or it goes in early (I think this should be a automatic loss)
3. Ball in hand (again, I can live with this)

I do, however, like the APA innings score keeping system much more than another score keeping system I have been made familiar with.

And as a lower ranked player, I do want to move up in the ranks. If I was told to lose on purpose I would freak. I play to win, although sometimes it doesn't work out to my benefit, LOL!

All in all I would rather play heads up strait pool.

 

[Walt in VA]

....The things I don't like about the BCA, keeping in mind I have never played in a BCA league my COMPLETE understanding of the rules may be off:

1. 8 on break doesn't win (I think it should)
2. The 8 is spotted if you scratch or it goes in early (I think this should be a automatic loss)
3. Ball in hand (again, I can live with this)

Just FYI, under BCA rules, an early 8 is a loss. Also, if you make the 8 and scratch, it is a loss; if you scratch but the 8 doesn't fall, the 8 stays where it is and it's BIH to the other player. See Rules 4.19 and 4.20 under "Rules - 8 ball" at www.bca-pool.com/play
Walt in VA

 

[Razor_Blade]

I couldn't agree with you more. We've a nine on our team and we really have to jump through hoops to get him in a match. It's not like 9s are automatic winners or something, it's tough to get 75 points when your opponent needs 31. They really need to raise the 23 for 9-ball.

I agree the 23 rule should be raised for nine ball. The nine ball handicapping may be a little more fair, but have you ever tried keeping score after seven beers?

 

[landshark77]

Just FYI, under BCA rules, an early 8 is a loss. Also, if you make the 8 and scratch, it is a loss; if you scratch but the 8 doesn't fall, the 8 stays where it is and it's BIH to the other player. See Rules 4.19 and 4.20 under "Rules - 8 ball" at www.bca-pool.com/play
Walt in VA

Thanx Walt, I was unsure of the exact rules because I rarely play BCA rules.

 

[catscradle]

I agree the 23 rule should be raised for nine ball. The nine ball handicapping may be a little more fair, but have you ever tried keeping score after seven beers?

lol.
No, fortunately for my scorekeeping ability (and the good of the world at large) I quit drinking many years ago.

 

[dday]

Personally I don't car for APA. I played for the first time last session while my BCA team was on a break and its not for me. I prefer to play on 9ft tables and don't care for the fact that the APA rule book is an inch thick yet slop counts. Our BCA league is alot more serious than the APA, that may just be at my pool hall but it seems like APA is more about beer and socializing where the BCA is more about the game. Again that could just be where I play.

 

[chefjeff]

Oh yeah, just some observations that rest on their own merits:

Any handicapping system that does not favor the better player is lame, lame, lame; and encourages sandbagging.

Sandbaggers are lame, lame, lame.

QUOTE] <snip>

Aren't sandbaggers simply following the rules as established by the league?

How can following the rules be "lame?"

If it is lame (and I understand your point), then isn't it the RULES themselves, not the unpopular FOLLOWING of them, that need fixing?

Always confused as to why this APA dilemma perpetuates,

Jeff Livingston