chopping

As someone else already said, poker players chop tournaments all the time and they spend the whole tournament sitting on chairs...lol. A lot of pool players seem to envy the exposure poker has, so as long as your playing the TV events in full that's all that is important.
 
Chopping is no good for pool. Locally, nationally- anywhere. "Nicklaus never won the '86 Masters because he and Norman chopped." "Ali never won the 'thrilla in Manilla' because he and Frazier chopped". 'Secretariat could have been great at the '73 Belmont, but they 'chopped' instead. If you want to be treated like a 'real sport', the best that the players can do is act like a real sport. Just one opinion.
 
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Judging by the replies, it's pretty clear when it's ok to skip the finals.

For me, if people are there to watch it, it's kinda your duty to play it out. I mean, split the $ if you want, but put on the show as expected.

If it's just two guys and a TD after a long day, seems like going home would be fine.

-s
 
Chopping is no good for pool. Locally, nationally- anywhere. "Nicklaus never won the '86 Masters because he and Norman chopped." "Ali never won the 'thrilla in Manilla' because he and Frazier chopped". 'Secretariat could have been great at the '73 Belmont, but they 'chopped' instead. If you want to be treated like a 'real sport', the best that the players can do is act like a real sport.

I guess this also means we should never consume alcohol when playing pool. :grin:
 
Judging by the replies, it's pretty clear when it's ok to skip the finals.

For me, if people are there to watch it, it's kinda your duty to play it out. I mean, split the $ if you want, but put on the show as expected.

If it's just two guys and a TD after a long day, seems like going home would be fine.

-s

Ding. Winner....................:smile:
 
I'm not sure what it means. John Daly consumes an occasional adult beverage on the golf course, does he not?:smile: Is there ANY other sport that features the finalists splitting the $ and having NO ultimate winner? I think it's disrespectful to those that spent their time running the tournament, I think it's disrespectful to those that have spent their time watching the tournament, I don't think it's right, I'll never think it's right, and I'll always be at odds with those that think it's ok because they have a long drive home. So be it.
 
Really????

I am just amazed at the pool culture. I thought that on the AZ forum there were people that care about pool, what can be done to improve it, how the pro players need to promote an image, etc. Guess this thread just shows how much the pool "standards" are followed. I have a hard time believing that there are more posts saying it's ok to chop. Some say it is ok under certain circumstances. To me, it is a very black and white issue. Chopping should not be ok at any level of play.

There's a reason pool doesn't recieve major sponsorship. This is one of the reasons. One doesn't have to around pool long to know that chopping is an accepted part of the norm. The thing is though, that it isn't part of the norm for society as a whole. In fact, I think most people would be shocked to find out this happens. Maybe shocked is too harsh, it would probaly illicit a response more like, "It doesn't surprise me, those pool players are nothing but a bunch of gamblers and degenerates." That is the harsh reality.

This is exactly part of the pool culture that needs to change. Is it really so ingrained in AZ members that they think it is ok? Please explain that to the CEO of some major corporation while you are trying to get sponsorship money from them. Heck, please explain it to Fury while you are at it.

And people wonder why pool never goes anywhere except down...
 
I am just amazed at the pool culture. I thought that on the AZ forum there were people that care about pool, what can be done to improve it, how the pro players need to promote an image, etc. Guess this thread just shows how much the pool "standards" are followed. I have a hard time believing that there are more posts saying it's ok to chop. Some say it is ok under certain circumstances. To me, it is a very black and white issue. Chopping should not be ok at any level of play.

There's a reason pool doesn't recieve major sponsorship. This is one of the reasons. One doesn't have to around pool long to know that chopping is an accepted part of the norm. The thing is though, that it isn't part of the norm for society as a whole. In fact, I think most people would be shocked to find out this happens. Maybe shocked is too harsh, it would probaly illicit a response more like, "It doesn't surprise me, those pool players are nothing but a bunch of gamblers and degenerates." That is the harsh reality.

This is exactly part of the pool culture that needs to change. Is it really so ingrained in AZ members that they think it is ok? Please explain that to the CEO of some major corporation while you are trying to get sponsorship money from them. Heck, please explain it to Fury while you are at it.

And people wonder why pool never goes anywhere except down...

This thread is about handicapped tournaments and has nothing to do with professional pool.
 
I think chopping is just fine.

Lets assume that 1st place money is 2500, 2nd is 1500.
Why should one player get 1000 less for getting a couple of bad rolls?
I would do the deal like this: 1800 to both and extra 400 for the match winner.

Why would anyone disagree with a deal like this unless that person feels like he has an enormous edge over his/her opponent? But since we are talking about handicapped tournaments, this is almost out of the question.
 
'NEver' and 'always' can never always be correct.

There are times when it is the best choice, times when it is the worst choice and times when the choice falls anywhere in between.

And to top it off, each person has his own reasoning.
bellcurve.jpg
 
Actually, a local handicapped tournament is the one situation where I have no problem with people chopping. These things are more like leagues than tournaments in the sense that players are not competing against each other as much as they are competing against their individual handicaps, and the winner will often be the player who outruns his/her handicap the best, rather than the player who plays the best pool on that day or weekend. In my experience, they don't draw a lot of spectators, because people realize they will be seeing a lot of lopsided and sometimes unfair matches due to inaccurate handicapping. Now, if there is a calcutta (which to me is kind of absurd in a handicapped event), then it is different because the players have an obligation to the calcutta participants to finish their matches, but otherwise I see no problem with people chopping it up, especially if the tournament is running beyond it's scheduled time.

Aaron
 
I chop more than Paul Bunyan! The reason is that I usually have to work the next day at 7am...and it's just not worth a little extra chedder to stay and play...It's not like I'm doing it at 10pm...it's usually getting close to 2.
 
What????????????

This thread is about handicapped tournaments and has nothing to do with professional pool.

You've got to be kidding? You really don't think the two go hand in hand?Chopping is bad for the image no matter the level. I was illustrating that.

So tell me all the ways that chopping is ok, then tell me why the pros in any sport you pick shouldn't chop.
 
You've got to be kidding? You really don't think the two go hand in hand?Chopping is bad for the image no matter the level. I was illustrating that.

So tell me all the ways that chopping is ok, then tell me why the pros in any sport you pick shouldn't chop.

You seem rather arrogant and I refuse to get sucked in.
 
I have yet to see anyone in the pool room give the players grief over chopping a local handicapped event in 30 years of pool.

I can understand not chopping large pro events or anything that is added dough and is broadcast. But local handicapped events are all about the players, not spectators. In most cases you cant even play unless you have participated a certain number of times in a weekly handicapped event bc they take a buck or two a week out towards the quarterly or semi annual added event. Ive seen it chopped 5 ways at the end with the calcutta dough and prize money getting whacked up into various corporations. Many times these are all friends too. The pool players all seem to understand and are ok with it. Im wondering if the people voicing so much displeasure have been in the position to be the ones chopping a 2 day event after 14 hrs of pool is coming to a close. Or are they voicing the rail's opinion?
 
Unless there is zero money added, it shouldn't be allowed. Anyone caught should be banned from that tournament in the future.

Owners throw money in the pot because they want warm bodies in the bar/hall spending money. Chopping so you can go home early defeats the purpose. If an owner is fine with that, as stupid as it is, then it's their business.

Must spread rep around...this is the most sensible argument I've heard yet. I've changed my mind about chopping.
 
What????

This thread is about handicapped tournaments and has nothing to do with professional pool.

Chopping at any level, anytime, for any reason is wrong.

You seem rather arrogant and I refuse to get sucked in.

Funny, I thought the same of yours. :smile: This exactly illustrates what I said about chopping being so ingrained in the pool culture that some people think it's ok.

I'm just asking everyone on this thread that think chopping is ok, why the double standard?

My Norwegian roots only allow me to see this in black and white. Chopping at any level is just plain wrong and pool suffers because of it.

Oh my, what am I saying, :embarrassed2: I know that most pool players don't think beyond their nose, much less the future.

Sorry I wasted my breath. Chop away. LOL
 
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