China Open Observation

DrOnePocket

DrOnePocket

Banned
I have watched several of the matches that have been available and I have to say that those tables look like the easiest tables on earth. The cloth is incredibly fast and the pockets are HUGE! It's like an over sized bar box. Why are they playing such a big tournament with those conditions?
 
It should be that way!

Golf is played on/in every type of condition. Some times par wins some times 20 under wins, but the players have to play the course, they dont get to decide if it rains or if its cold or hot or how tall the grass will be.

The pockets dont have to be tight at every tourny, nor does the table have to 10' for the pros to show how good they are.

When you show up to play, you deal with the results, win or lose.
 
King T said:
Golf is played on/in every type of condition. Some times par wins some times 20 under wins, but the players have to play the course, they dont get to decide if it rains or if its cold or hot or how tall the grass will be.

The pockets dont have to be tight at every tourny, nor does the table have to 10' for the pros to show how good they are.

When you show up to play, you deal with the results, win or lose.
Click to expand...

You know, I never looked at it that way, but you are so right on with that observation.

What separates the lions from the lambs is those who have the ability to adjust quickly to the playing conditions, environment, et cetera. That, I know.

Another parallel is a pool player who specializes in only one game, say 9-ball, kind of like a one-trick pony. Those who can acquire an expertise or skill set in all pocket billiard games can hold their own in any pool venue. Some players fold like a lawn chair if they have to play straight pool or one-pocket. ;)
 
DrOnePocket said:
I have watched several of the matches that have been available and I have to say that those tables look like the easiest tables on earth. The cloth is incredibly fast and the pockets are HUGE! It's like an over sized bar box. Why are they playing such a big tournament with those conditions?
Click to expand...

You are right about those pockets. They have absolutely no shelf. It`s almost like the pocket opening is cut out into the playing surface.
 
JAM said:
You know, I never looked at it that way, but you are so right on with that observation.

What separates the lions from the lambs is those who have the ability to adjust quickly to the playing conditions, environment, et cetera. That, I know.

Another parallel is a pool player who specializes in only one game, say 9-ball, kind of like a one-trick pony. Those who can acquire an expertise or skill set in all pocket billiard games can hold their own in any pool venue. Some players fold like a lawn chair if they have to play straight pool or one-pocket. ;)
Click to expand...

A really good 'cueist' can 'cue up' in any game. He might not win right away if the game is new to him or HER but it won't take too long, once they get the strategies & nuasnces down.
 
ENGLISH! said:
A really good 'cueist' can 'cue up' in any game. He might not win right away if the game is new to him or HER but it won't take too long, once they get the strategies & nuasnces down.
Click to expand...

That may be in some respects, but I've seen a lot of so-called 9-ball mechanics not fare so well when playing one-pocket. It's not only the strategy of the game which needs to be learned, but it's also the touch, the feel shots. You gotta know when to go for 'em, know when to play safe, et cetera.

9-ball player shooters are more offensive than defensive, at least the ones I've seen, as a general rule. Whereas, one-pocket players are more defensive than offensive. You don't see very many one-pocket players run a rack like you do in 9-ball. ;)

There's a plethora of pocket billiard games, each with different strategies and skill sets: banks (long rail, short rail), rotation (3-ball, 6-ball, 7-ball, 8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball, 15-ball), one-pocket, 14.1 (straight pool), et cetera.

And then there's snooker, which is a whole nother topic altogether. It's kind of comical watching a 9-ball mechanic try to shoot a ball down the rail on a snooker table. :D

We used to play 9-ball on snooker tables many moons ago, and, man, that's one tough ring game. In order to succeed, one must be proficient in all games and have a lot of shots in their arsenal. One-trick ponies will not survive in that ring game. :embarrassed2:
 
JAM said:
That may be in some respects, but I've seen a lot of so-called 9-ball mechanics not fare so well when playing one-pocket. It's not only the strategy of the game which needs to be learned, but it's also the touch, the feel shots. You gotta know when to go for 'em, know when to play safe, et cetera.

9-ball player shooters are more offensive than defensive, at least the ones I've seen, as a general rule. Whereas, one-pocket players are more defensive than offensive. You don't see very many one-pocket players run a rack like you do in 9-ball. ;)

There's a plethora of pocket billiard games, each with different strategies and skill sets: banks (long rail, short rail), rotation (3-ball, 6-ball, 7-ball, 8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball, 15-ball), one-pocket, 14.1 (straight pool), et cetera.

And then there's snooker, which is a whole nother topic altogether. It's kind of comical watching a 9-ball mechanic try to shoot a ball down the rail on a snooker table. :D

We used to play 9-ball on snooker tables many moons ago, and, man, that's one tough ring game. In order to succeed, one must be proficient in all games and have a lot of shots in their arsenal. One-trick ponies will not survive in that ring game. :embarrassed2:
Click to expand...

I totally agree with you. That is what I meant when I said 'CUEIST'. The Miz did fairly well playing Snooker in the challenge deals AND with his normal tip sized cue. There are many one trick ponies. There are fewer real 'CUEISTS'.
 
King T said:
Golf is played on/in every type of condition. Some times par wins some times 20 under wins, but the players have to play the course, they dont get to decide if it rains or if its cold or hot or how tall the grass will be.

The pockets dont have to be tight at every tourny, nor does the table have to 10' for the pros to show how good they are.

When you show up to play, you deal with the results, win or lose.
Click to expand...

Good observation...and they all have to play on the same tables.

My observation...this has gotta be the most colorful tournament I've
seen for a long time.....check this draw...
...lotta characters in it...:cool:
http://cms.top147.com/index/wl.php?cid=20

:groucho:
 
shanesinnott said:
Yep, Oscar is the only player representing the USA that made it out of the group stages!
Click to expand...

You can cheer for Jason Klatt also...(the Sarah Rousey connection)

And Alex Pagulayan made it...the whole world tends to cheer for Alex.
 
No less a player than Mike Sigel said he felt more pressure when the pockets were loose. On tough equipment, he noted, he felt pretty sure he'd get back to the table soon, but not on loose equipment. In a TAR Podcast, both Hatch and Dechaine made similar comments.

Still, as one poster noted, great players can adjust to any equipment and conditions that they encounter, and I agree in full.
 
PT, U are so correct.
Nice to see Jason come through.
I also love Alex but I will still have to Toot My Horn just a
little louder for Oscar being that I''m also a Californian.

Noel
 
PT, U are so correct.
Nice to see Jason come through.
I also love Alex but I will still have to Toot My Horn just a
little louder for Oscar being that I''m also a Californian.

Noel
 
fool4pool said:
PT, U are so correct.
Nice to see Jason come through.
I also love Alex but I will still have to Toot My Horn just a
little louder for Oscar being that I''m also a Californian.

Noel
Click to expand...

The Dominguez family is a credit to the game of pool.

If Oscar wins this one, I will try to be a better person....
..I'll give more to charities and be nicer to people.
 
sjm said:
No less a player than Mike Sigel said he felt more pressure when the pockets were loose. On tough equipment, he noted, he felt pretty sure he'd get back to the table soon, but not on loose equipment. In a TAR Podcast, both Hatch and Dechaine made similar comments.

Still, as one poster noted, great players can adjust to any equipment and conditions that they encounter, and I agree in full.
Click to expand...

Two points of view and I agree with both.
However:
What I don't under stand is why do pockets have to be real loose or real tight? Why not something in the middle like say 4 1/4" pockets.
Where the player won't know when they'll get back to the table, but still tight enough to make that a possibility.
 
If I recall what I saw Friday, they are playing alternate break so a "lesser" player cannot put together packages because of loose pockets.

If somebody loses. it's because on that day the other guy played better, not table conditions.
 
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