My name is Jimmy Robinson i play pool in Terre Haute Indiana. I play A.P.A. and V.N.E.A. The A.P.A. is a joke I am looking for a new league could someone tell me about the T.A.P. league. Just so everyone knows I have been in the A.P.A. since 1991 thats along time to give to a league and have only bad feelings for it. Dont get me wrong I have meet some great people and had a-lot of good runs in our state tourny and the nationals. So if someone can give me info about the T.A.P. league. Thank you!!!!!!!!!
Can someone tell me about the TAP league
- Thread starter jimmyjdrii
- Start date
I would be interested in hearing from TAP players, especially those that have also played BCAPL or APA and can give comparisons.
That said, here is some info from their site:
http://www.tapleague.com/
Here's a link to the rules:
http://www.tapleague.com/rules.html
That said, here is some info from their site:
http://www.tapleague.com/
Here's a link to the rules:
http://www.tapleague.com/rules.html
TAP league is where all the sandbaggers from the APA go when they get kicked out of there. It is still handicapped and the sandbaqgging is worse. Play BCA or ACS leagues.
Just my 2 cents.
Just my 2 cents.
I am a member in both the APA and TAP leagues, and in my personal opinion I like TAP much more because there is much less "slop" pool and the overall quality of the players to me appears to be higher. Whatever your rating is in the APA you are probably going to be one rank lower since the league doesnt use the same formulas and stats to determine your ranking as far as I know. I have been seriously considering the APA Masters division within the next session or two and I would imagine that is better than both to be honest since it is an un-handicapped league but if you are looking for something new either TAP or the APA Masters would probably be a good bet.
I agree, I played APA 14 years TAP 2 years in my area the TAP league has a much higher caliber of players, call pocket, they start you one sl below your APA and I also find that (in my area) the TAP players are there to play pool and get better, not just get drunk and argue but may be different elsewhere. The negative's (in my area) are the TAP league is not as large, not as good at geting info out to players. All that said I personaly like TAP much better than APA or even APA masters. If you have any specific questions about TAP leauge PM me. No im not an APA hater I liked it just found TAP to be more enjoyable for me.
P.S. go to super billiards expo march 18th-21st and you can watch several TAP events "ralley in the valley" and check out alot of cuemakers. http://www.superbilliardsexpo.com/
I did forget to mention that in my post, the TAP leagues will probably be smaller since it isnt nearly as well known, so you will not meet as many new people but the ones you do meet will have similar interests, the people do take it more seriously like he said, playing to improve, not just to hang out and drink with friends. I am not an APA hater either, there are things I dont like about it sure but it is a good way to get into game situations and practice in that sense but I just think TAP is an overall better league.
I played one session in a TAP league that was trying to get started. To me, it seemed very similar to APA. The score keeping was a bit more complicated and so the handicap system might have been a bit better than the one used in the APA. I currently play BCA and VNEA and would recomend you try out either one of those leagues if they are available in your area. Another thing with the TAP league is that I believe they do not host their national tournament in Vegas which may or may not be important to you.
Actually nationals for TAP are in Las Vegas this year 2010 and 2011 at ballys/harrahs. But they change the venue approxamitly every 2 years I belive recently they did florida, new orleans and Atlantic city they try to use this as a selling point that for nationals you get to go different places than APA but I still think Vegas every year might be better.
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jdxprs
Banned
tap is a HUGE improvement over apa. the rules are similar except it is call pocket, and open after the break, and you can use jump cues. the other main difference is a 25 rule instead of 23. i doubt you will have problems with breaking up teams since you get 25 to work with AND your current players will be lower skill levels in tap.
sandbagging is a LOT LESS of an issue in tap. the main reason people sandbag in apa is to keep teams together. no problem with that in tap.
this past november, nationals were held in charleston s.c. and it was amazing. the event will be held in vegas for the next two years.
bottom line, if you like the main ideas of apa, but are tired of breaking up teams to stay under the 23 rule, you will LOVE TAP.
sandbagging is a LOT LESS of an issue in tap. the main reason people sandbag in apa is to keep teams together. no problem with that in tap.
this past november, nationals were held in charleston s.c. and it was amazing. the event will be held in vegas for the next two years.
bottom line, if you like the main ideas of apa, but are tired of breaking up teams to stay under the 23 rule, you will LOVE TAP.
That would save a lot of people a lot of money. A casino is a terrible place for a pool tournament, look at the DCC now, not saying the DCC tournament is bad but the venue is no good because poolplayer+casino=:shrug:. Leave the card tournaments to the blow your dough show casino's. People should take the APA for what it is, a night to hang out with some friends and play bad pool so you can try and play good pool when it counts.
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Very good comments from all. I am going to look into starting a TAP league in my town. thanks to all.
TAP Georgia
From my experience just here in Georgia ,I have to say I like TAP way better than APA. It has always seemed way more competitive and ALOT harder to get to a 7 in than APA. Terry does a great job and makes players feel very appreciated .If TAP in this area got as big as APA it would truely be a site to behold. The only problem I have with TAP that is even worth mentioning is the score keeping could be simplified to some degree but it keeps at least one person watchin ....:grin-square:
I played APA for 3 sessions and quit and have been in TAP for close to 4.5 yrs I think ....wow .....just realized that .I need to get serious and practice
From my experience just here in Georgia ,I have to say I like TAP way better than APA. It has always seemed way more competitive and ALOT harder to get to a 7 in than APA. Terry does a great job and makes players feel very appreciated .If TAP in this area got as big as APA it would truely be a site to behold. The only problem I have with TAP that is even worth mentioning is the score keeping could be simplified to some degree but it keeps at least one person watchin ....:grin-square:
I played APA for 3 sessions and quit and have been in TAP for close to 4.5 yrs I think ....wow .....just realized that .I need to get serious and practice
USA Pool League
With this talk about handicapping and sandbagging and 23 or 25 rule.
Please check out the USA Pool League - a division of CSI.
National Handicap system that eliminates most of the sandbagging. (Over 1.7 million matches and over 70% are hill-hill).
Looking for new league managers: Free protected territory
1 on 1 match play
Free 'Leaguesys' software
Supports pro pool
Contact our office (702-719-7665) for more info. Or e-mail marke@playcsipool.com.
Thanks,
Mark Griffin, CEO
CSI
BCAPL
UAPL
Swanee-USBTC-US Open 10-ball
(I really believe this is the future of pool - you owe it to yourself to check it out and see for yourself - it will cost you nothing.)
With this talk about handicapping and sandbagging and 23 or 25 rule.
Please check out the USA Pool League - a division of CSI.
National Handicap system that eliminates most of the sandbagging. (Over 1.7 million matches and over 70% are hill-hill).
Looking for new league managers: Free protected territory
1 on 1 match play
Free 'Leaguesys' software
Supports pro pool
Contact our office (702-719-7665) for more info. Or e-mail marke@playcsipool.com.
Thanks,
Mark Griffin, CEO
CSI
BCAPL
UAPL
Swanee-USBTC-US Open 10-ball
(I really believe this is the future of pool - you owe it to yourself to check it out and see for yourself - it will cost you nothing.)
I think you are pretty much spot-on in your assessment.
I play both APA and TAP (just started here again this year) and I enjoy both. The part I like about TAP is the 25 handicap points and the lack of slop (call the pocket on all shots). I like the way the APA is run better...Terry Justice here in Maryland does a super job, IMO.
I have been fortunate enough to go to Nationals in both. I have been 7 times in APA and once (this year) for TAP, down in Charleston, SC. We came in 9-16 at TAP this year and should have done a little better...I hate those 8AM matches.
At any rate, I think that if you just enjoy pool, either league can be a blast....one of my favorite things is the Rally in the Valley with TAP. Some good pool played there.
Joe
TAP has more sandbaggers by far. I have been in both leagues.
Sure the scorekeeping is different in TAP - you have to mark every ball pocketed etc. This is a nightmare - and when you consider that its purpose is to handicapp the players better, it is just a joke because TAP has much more sandbagging than the APA.
At least in the APA you could complain about somebody's handicapp and it would taken care of. In the TAP league, the division rep NEVER adjusts anyone's handicapp.
More money goes back to the players in APA. Do your research and you will see that I am correct.
And last but not least, the number one reason that I hate the TAP league is that it is full of wannabe Fast Eddie Felson players who think they are playing straight pool against FATS - one in the side - pop - two in the corner - pop - cross bank the three - pop. I mean who gives a crap. Eight ball is meant to have a luck factor involved, just like 9 ball, and I love it. And every time I hear a TAP player call the APA league the lucky league I have to barf - like these players can really play that game of 8 ball. Damn wannabees. :grin-square: They just love to think that they are in the better league.
This is where I completely disagree with you. I can only speak for the TAP league that I am in but the players take it much more seriously and dont sandbag, they are playing to win and to improve not just to win a trip to nationals as a low handicap and "cheat" their way to more money or a title. It isnt a nightmare at all, it makes it so people cant get lucky like they do with just blasting balls and having something go in somewhere. It may not be Shane and Mika playing but it sure is alot better than drunkard A and drunkard B just slamming balls around. I am not debating the fact that APA has more money in it, because there are more players in the league, if anything that should go to show you that the people who are playing TAP are there to get better, not just to win money. Playing TAP 8 ball eliminates ALOT of the luck factor that you are talking about because you need to take into consideration breaking clusters, playing safeties, position, etc not just smashing balls all over the place and having something eventually go in. Same with the 9 ball, its different than the APA in the sense that you arent playing a points race, you are playing real 9 ball and to be honest when it is played with two people who are SL4/5 or above in TAP then it is played legitimately anyway, there may be more misses and poor position than the pros sure but it isnt just hit em and hope. It sounds to me like you may just be in a poorly run TAP division because you seem to me the only one who feels that way about it.
jdxprs
Banned
i don't feel there is supposed to be a "luck" factor in 8 ball.
when you see a 4 in tap, don't think 4 in apa, think better. its not sandbagging, it's that the players in tap are a higher quality.
You hit the nail on the head here. All leagues are just a product of the people who run them. Handicap systems, score sheets, payouts, regionals, nationals etc., are fairly even across all of the league systems. All have their strong and weak points. They've all got their way of doing things that made sense to someone when they started it up.
The problems arise when it's turned over to league operators, licensees, directors or whatever their called. There are good ones and bad ones and whether they represent BCA, APA, VNEA, TAP or whatever alphabetical organization you want to name, THEY are the ones who drive the reputation of the entire league system the represent.
Then you add players of widely varying skill levels, backgrounds and ethical standards it further muddies the league experience. Strong leadership at every level is needed to make this a positive experience for everyone.
I am the league director for my in house TAP league on Tuesday nights. We also have an APA league in the same house on Monday nights. Lately I have been getting quite a few folks from Mondays wanting to play TAP to "challenge themselves". Their words not mine. Our league is acknowledged as the stronger of the two. APA 4s, 5s and 6s all play at least one skill level lower in my league than they did in APA on Mondays.
I don't tolerate blatant handicapping in our league. A recent player coming back to TAP after a few years tried to come in as a 3. His first match was against our team and I matched him up against our 7. He sandbagged as obviously as anyone I've ever seen. His stats came back as a 3. I spoke with our licensee and made it clear that this guy should be a 5 and he is now locked as a 5 until I decide to have him unlocked. This is the way it should work and with the licensee in charge now it is how it IS working.
I've had to work with incompetent licensees in the past and it's a completely different story.
Sandbagging DOES happen in TAP as it does in any handicapped league system. I do feel that when we complain to HQ that we ARE heard however. The leadership of TAP at least gives the appearance of trying to maintain a level playing field. If somebody thinks sandbagging is going on
I've never played APA, but only because of scheduling. I'm sure I will try it at some point and since the local APA league operator is very experienced, I'm sure I'll have fun.
One thing that keeps me with TAP that was mentioned before is the Rally in the Valley in Valley Forge. It is an absolute blast to play pool for 14-16 hours a day for three or four days straight.
So, OP, join TAP or start your own division. We'd love to have you.
Mike