Assess my speed please

Rating system ....

Billy_Bob said:
Another...

OPEN-Players
-Average 8+ balls.
-String racks together more than once in a match.
-Is a threat to run out from every ball, from every position, every inning.
-Typical inning will end in excellent safety or win.

A-Player
-Will string 2 to 3 racks.
-Average ball run, 7-9.
-With ball in hand, will be out from the 3 ball, 2 out of 3 times.
-Typical inning will end with a well executed safety or a win.

B-Player
-Able to run 1 to 3 racks.
-Average run is 5-7 balls.
-With ball in hand will get out form the 5, 2 out of 3 times.
-Most of the time a "B" player will play a "safety" which maybe hit easily 2 out of 3 times.
-A typical inning will end with a missed shot, a fair safety, or a won game.

C-Player
-Will probably run one rack, but usually not more than one.
-Average run is 3 to 5 balls.
-With ball in hand, will get out from the 7, two out of 3 times.
-Mixed results when playing safe.
-Inning ends due to botched position, missed shot or attempting a safe.

D- Player
-Will not run a rack.
-Average run is about 3 balls.
-With ball in hand, will get out from the 7, one out of 3 times.
-Rarely plays a successful safe.
Click to expand...


There are so many rating systems, that they mean different things in different parts of the country. I disagree with the one on A players that they would be out from the 3 2 times out of 3. I would say it would be more like 5 out of 6 times for an A player.
 
frankncali said:
Running racks and rarely missing is what Pros do not APA 6s.

If your average match in APA consists of only 2-3 misses then you are in
a seriously messed up APA division. You should be a 9 in nineball.

An easy way is to gauge is to track how many innings you are averaging but subtracting safes. If your match had 20 innings but both players shot
4 safties then you would have 12 innnings.

APA 6s in 9ball miss and miss often. They rarely break and run a rack and
surely dont do it every match.
Click to expand...

Frank maybe i miscommunicated what i meant. I was trying to say when i am shooting well i can string together a 2 rack run.Now, again i don't do this every single time i play, but i do run a 9 ball rack more times than not in the APA.

I am still very new to 9 ball and this is my 2nd session. Like i said when i left 8 ball i was a 5 but that was 1.5 years ago, and that was after playing 2 full sessions as a six. I believe i will go up to a seven the next session in 9 ball. I am hoping to go up. I use rankings as a way to gauge my progress. As well as my play against some of the better players.

I am not a pro, or open speed nor do i claim to be. my safety play needs work. My pattern play is not perfect and i miss(sometimes more than not). But i believe my good days are becoming far more consistent than my bad days.

Overall i probably need a larger sample size to give any real data. maybe i will start to keep track of innings balls per inning etc.

Thanks again. More insight is much appreciated.
 
had another thought,

My average match is not 2-3 misses. That is a good match for me. Last match i played was 15 innings with 3 safes total.

I believe my average is closer ot the low 20s with a few more safes.

I'll start keeping track.
 
I'm from Southeastern Indiana and around here your top c players are pretty good players capable of putting a 3 pack on you. If your a B player you are probably the best local player and then you have a few A's here and there but don't run into them often. A few years back the c tournaments were hot. 1st place could bring you 2k with the calcutta. The sad thing was you couldn't find any B tournaments. It was either a c tournament or an open tournament so if you was a B player you were kind of screwed. Around here anyways I think the top c players should be B players. But nowadays everybody is playing poker so it dont really matter.:rolleyes:
 
yes

I think a lot of these different systems are good at rating ones true speed. I also think that playing the ghost in 9ball can give you an accurate read on your level. I play the 6 & 7 ball ghost all the time. If im shooting good I can beat the 6 ball ghost on a 7 fter easy, and on the 9 footer it gets a little tough. I have yet to beat the 7 ball ghost, but have come awful close on an 8 footer with buckets. I would say that I fall into a high C level player. I can compete high in the apa, but when I go to local tournies at pool halls im towards the lower level.
 
degenrat said:
had another thought,

My average match is not 2-3 misses. That is a good match for me. Last match i played was 15 innings with 3 safes total.

I believe my average is closer ot the low 20s with a few more safes.

I'll start keeping track.
Click to expand...

I read both your replys and I think you have a good idea of what to look at.
When watching very good players I havenoticed that not only is their position play well beyond most players but that they keep control of the table much better. They miss shots but more often that not they
opt to play a safe or a two way shot aiding in their chances at staying in
control.

Most 7s do not put 2 racks together in the APA. Heck most 9s dont.
It does happen and I have done it but I think the difference in SLs is that
the 9s hold control better than the 7s.
Its also tough to gauge 9s. There are true 9s and then guys that could be alot higher if there was an actual scale that went that high.

Keep an eye on your innnings. Not so much in trying to lower it but find out why you are leaving the table. Are you getting shots after the break?
Are you missing? Is your opponnet hooking you?

Just looking at balls missed can be misleading as well. I recently played a match in which I missed 2 shots. I lost and actually lost pretty bad.
On my breaks I never got to see the one ball. When my opponnet shot
and missed he hooked me and hooked me bad. I missed 2 of the 9 kick shots. On the other 7 I hit the ball but left a shot. The guy I was playing also kicked in two balls and lucked in a few.
In contrast ... A few months ago I played a match where I was just off. I missed 8 open shots and missed at least 4 hooks leaving the guy a shot.
Not only did I win but I won 15-5. I got lucky with a few leaves and was also able at the end to run 24 balls for the win.
Somedays its tough to judge. Its always tought to judge by one or even a few matches. Judging APA matches takes alot of breakdown.

If there are better players aroud ask them for advice. By them a couple beers and ask them to watch your match. They might be able to help
you.
Good luck
 
Harvywallbanger said:
I'm from Southeastern Indiana and around here your top c players are pretty good players capable of putting a 3 pack on you. If your a B player you are probably the best local player and then you have a few A's here and there but don't run into them often. A few years back the c tournaments were hot. 1st place could bring you 2k with the calcutta. The sad thing was you couldn't find any B tournaments. It was either a c tournament or an open tournament so if you was a B player you were kind of screwed. Around here anyways I think the top c players should be B players. But nowadays everybody is playing poker so it dont really matter.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

If the C player is capable of threes what are the bs and As capable of running?
Do the "C" players actually put threes up on people?

Poker is taking alot of players it seems. On here from time to time people will mention players quiting or slowing way down for poker.
Even as a B, C, or D player in poker its easier to get a fair game and the wins are usually more often and more profitable.
 
Billy_Bob said:
Here is one...

D = APA 2/3 can make a couple balls if the shot is easy, but has no idea where the CB will end up.

C = APA 4 Has some CB control and given a easy table could run out.

B = APA 5/6/7 Can run a rack when the table is open, has decent CB control, can break out clusters most of the time, and plays decent safes.

A = APA 8/9 Runs racks fairly often or plays good safes, has excellent CB control, and good all around skills in breaking clusters, banks and kicking.

AA = Semi-pro & Same as the A player but better, and generally can put together 2-4 racks at a time, and when at the table is in control of the game unless he misses a shot.

Open = PRO Players
Click to expand...
Where am I? My cueball control is great but the darn ball won't go in the hole. Guess I'm still a D.
 
To the thread starter, I'd say you are a C, possibly even a C+ player.
 
frankncali said:
If the C player is capable of threes what are the bs and As capable of running?
Do the "C" players actually put threes up on people?

Poker is taking alot of players it seems. On here from time to time people will mention players quiting or slowing way down for poker.
Even as a B, C, or D player in poker its easier to get a fair game and the wins are usually more often and more profitable.
Click to expand...

Well I played in one in Muncie IN and there were over 100 players. I was fortunate enough to win it but there were some tough players. I was told I couldn't play in them anymore but the win was not easy by any means. Alot of my matches were 1 shot games and alot of the players were definately capable of running 3 on you. In fact I think I had a guy put a 3 pack on me. I guess you could say they shouldn't of been in it but they were none the less.
 
Harvywallbanger said:
Well I played in one in Muncie IN and there were over 100 players. I was fortunate enough to win it but there were some tough players. I was told I couldn't play in them anymore but the win was not easy by any means. Alot of my matches were 1 shot games and alot of the players were definately capable of running 3 on you. In fact I think I had a guy put a 3 pack on me. I guess you could say they shouldn't of been in it but they were none the less.
Click to expand...

I am guessing it was one of the "c" level events. Congrats on the win. Pulling the plug on you after one event is tough!

Some of the most fun I ever had was playing in some B and C events in Atlanta about 10 years ago. "B" players played on sundays and "c" players
on Sat. They were weeklyish and ran for around 12 weeks with a big final
event.
I played he B side and did okay. I was a winner of some of the weekly ones but never the final. I got third in one and the payout was over
1000 with calcutta.
I always liked going to events that I thought I had at least a chance in. Sometimes donating to the bigger events and tours is depressing.
 
Thanks. It was about 3 or 4 years ago. Anyways they didn't pull the plug on me right then. When I showed up for the next one it was discussed and I was told before the tourny started this would be my last one. I got like 3rd, 4th, or 5th I can't really remember. Sure there are alot of people that sneek in those C tournaments but even the top ones that are supposed to be there really shouldn't be. They should be B's as well so us B players can have a big tourny. Around here once you can't play in the C tournies thats it, your thrown in with the lions.:( Sure you can go around and play in the local weekly tournies for $5 entry but as far as big money events your screwed.
 
The original author is a C player. So am I. One should only count averages and performance in competitive matches. At my absolute very best I can run 3 or 4 racks in a race to 9. Straight pool top result is 52 balls. But guess what. I lose too often to guys who runout maybe once in a few days. Maybe the potential is there to be a B, but my averages are equal to that of C players unfortunately. If only I could force myself to play a little smarter, less agressive and be better under pressure...easier said than done for me. B players are very consistent actually.
 
Frank, Thanks again for the indepth replies.

As for misses and innings. I agree that misses alone are not a good gauge overall. In my particular match i only left my opponent one shot the entire match. Every other shot save 1 was a safe, a 2 way shot or a made ball.

To the 2 rack run point, Is that accurate that a 6 or 7 shouldn't run 2 racks?
I don't mean to sound arrogent in the slightest, and perhaps I am underranked as some seem to think. However running 2 in 9ball on a small(7 or 8ft) and fast table seems to be very doable for me. not every week, but i seem to be doing it or getting Very close with some consistency.
 
You say you break and run out in 8 ball quite frequently but you are only a 5 just does not follow. How many BRO patches did you receive?

Anyway, I would say you are a C-, maybe just barely a C player.

Still a long way to go.

And since you have to ask that tells me that your knowledge base is not there.

I would rate many of the SL 7's around here just C players.

Jake
 
JJ thanks for the reply. I stated that 1 and a half years ago i was rated as a 5 when i left 8 ball. Also that i was rated as a 6 in 8ball much more than i was rated a 5. i played 3 sessions and for 2 of them i was rated a 6. i was a 5 for about 4 weeks before moving. I currently am not in any 8 ball leagues. I believe that my game has improved dramatically since i left 8 ball team.

I will be pickign another 8 ball team up soon. I am certain i will shoot as a 6.

And to clarify if i didn't earlier: I do not sandbag, ever. I don't miss on purpose unless it's a safe/2 way shot. I play my game all the time. I am happy when my rank goes up, as i am usually shooting well. On top of that being ranked higher forces me to step up my game.
 
I dont get it? Sorry.

degenrat said:
Frank maybe i miscommunicated what i meant. I was trying to say when i am shooting well i can string together a 2 rack run.Now, again i don't do this every single time i play, but i do run a 9 ball rack more times than not in the APA.

my safety play needs work. My pattern play is not perfect and i miss(sometimes more than not).

Thanks again. More insight is much appreciated.
Click to expand...

My personal best was a 5 pack I put on a guy in a chalk talk tour event in Wisconsin. But I have regressed to a level just above suck!!
No more practice, no table time, no focus, no dedication... That sounds about right.

As for my first comment to you: "MARK SPEED";
well that would put you in the easy picking category of, good enough to have an ego, but not smart enough to know you are being outclassed by a player holding back and draining your pockets.
It can be a dangerous level to transition through.
 
ProG8R, thanks man, i appreciate the honesty. And thankfully for my pockets i do not play for loot. I will play for table time or beers though :)

I have been making some progress so there is light at the end of the tunnel.
 
3kushn said:
Where am I? My cueball control is great but the darn ball won't go in the hole. Guess I'm still a D.
Click to expand...
Oh you should give yourself a break ;) I'm sure you're a C player. A 3C player that is.

:rolleyes:
 
Some thoughts

I notice in alot of threads the same things are said about table time and skill level relative playing time.
In fact if you have strong fundamentals and play a good shoot speed your table time is not a big factor. So many players never know or take the time to develope a good stop stroke. With a good stop stroke everything just gets easier and easier. And because you know exactly where you are aiming your mind is on one thing only, moveing the cueball with consistancy and that is a automatic with a stop shot stroke.
As simple as this sounds it is not. But if you take the time and practice your stop stroke and use the angles you have to move the rock you will need lees and less practice to keep your form because you are basicly shooting the same shoot over and over again.
Happy Pocketing :)
Nick
 
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