Dennis vs Ko (My Review)

BeiberLvr

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I only watched the first and last nights, and probably watched a total of 30 games or so. I did catch the last few after I woke up in the middle of the night to take a piss.

People say it's good to play races to 100 that way you know who the better play is. Well after this one, I still don't know. Obviously Dennis won and played a little better, but they both made many mistakes (due to fatigue), and the match was close overall. They could play again next week and the results could easily be reversed.

I also hear that marathon races help even out the rolls. Maybe they do, but I saw Dennis miss quite a few shots and hook Ko on another ball. He raised his hand in apology so I know they weren't two way shots. Never saw Ko get some fortunate rolls. Of course, he could have in the games I didn't.

The commentary was good at the start with Robles and Gail (?). I don't know everyone's names but John French and Finnegan were horrible. Snookie (?) was good at trying to keep order, and Hunter was a good addition when he was able to get a word in. Al was Al. No complaints.


Ratings (on a 1 to 5 scale)

Match (2.5)
Commentary (1.5)
Stream Quality (5)
 
BeiberLvr said:
I only watched the first and last nights, and probably watched a total of 30 games or so. I did catch the last few after I woke up in the middle of the night to take a piss.

People say it's good to play races to 100 that way you know who the better play is. Well after this one, I still don't know. Obviously Dennis won and played a little better, but they both made many mistakes (due to fatigue), and the match was close overall. They could play again next week and the results could easily be reversed.

I also hear that marathon races help even out the rolls. Maybe they do, but I saw Dennis miss quite a few shots and hook Ko on another ball. He raised his hand in apology so I know they weren't two way shots. Never saw Ko get some fortunate rolls. Of course, he could have in the games I didn't.

The commentary was good at the start with Robles and Gail (?). I don't know everyone's names but John French and Finnegan were horrible. Snookie (?) was good at trying to keep order, and Hunter was a good addition when he was able to get a word in. Al was Al. No complaints.


Ratings (on a 1 to 5 scale)

Match (2.5)
Commentary (1.5)
Stream Quality (5)
Click to expand...


It's kind of hard to dispute any of this. You are spot on with your assessment. I watched a lot of day 1 and hung in there for day 3 until I passed out. I still don't know how At Large hung in there to keep starts on every rack played, that's quite an accomplishment inn itself.

Yes, too long especially for the table.
4" pockets are too limiting, although both players adapted well, I felt with a standard diamond table, there would've been a bit more speed to the night. A few less safeties, and more offense. (The accu stats make it happen 10 ball just seemed to flow better, so that's what I'm basing my opinion on in terms of spectator experience)

My hope is the Shane/Orcollo match and any subsequent big races stick to the diamond table pocket sizes.
 
You make a good point

SUPERSTAR said:
4" pockets are for 1pocket.
They are stupid for rotation games.
Click to expand...

There's no need for 4'' pockets in any game, just makes the gaming boring with all the ducking and missing.

Buddy Hall always says that "the game shouldn't come down to who shoots the straightest, it should be about who plays the best"

I agree with Buddy!
 
JoeyInCali said:
Ko beat Dennis twice in Taiwan on table like the one in Steinway.
His practice table has 3 7/8"'corners .
Click to expand...

They both are solid and can hit the pocket no matter what size, that's apparent.
As far as a fun and entertaining sport, with a bigger pocket 4.5" diamond, there is more room to cheat the pocket and bring the players skill in imagining creative routes through the rack. What may be straight in to these guys, with an extra half inch of room, they can create an angle and move the cue ball that much more.

What results is a more beautiful game. More entertaining.
 
Break & Pattern play

I might be wrong, but I think if we put the rolls aside, the real big difference was the break and pattern play. Ko scratched way too many times on the break and Dennis pattern play was way more simple than Ko's.

Almost every time Dennis didn't move the cue ball a lot unless he was forced to, taking long shots instead of going for shorter shots and more difficult position.

In the end I think that's the difference. JMHO.
 
BeiberLvr said:
I only watched the first and last nights, and probably watched a total of 30 games or so. I did catch the last few after I woke up in the middle of the night to take a piss.

People say it's good to play races to 100 that way you know who the better play is. Well after this one, I still don't know. Obviously Dennis won and played a little better, but they both made many mistakes (due to fatigue), and the match was close overall. They could play again next week and the results could easily be reversed.

I also hear that marathon races help even out the rolls. Maybe they do, but I saw Dennis miss quite a few shots and hook Ko on another ball. He raised his hand in apology so I know they weren't two way shots. Never saw Ko get some fortunate rolls. Of course, he could have in the games I didn't.

The commentary was good at the start with Robles and Gail (?). I don't know everyone's names but John French and Finnegan were horrible. Snookie (?) was good at trying to keep order, and Hunter was a good addition when he was able to get a word in. Al was Al. No complaints.


Ratings (on a 1 to 5 scale)

Match (2.5)
Commentary (1.5)
Stream Quality (5)
Click to expand...

How do you judge the match ,, this was a highly contested match just about right up to the end ,, on that alone I give it a 4

1
 
Super tight pockets just means less blasting at the hole, more safety play, more hung up balls, more time overall deliberating and performing, that takes up more energy, and makes them more tired, which just compounds all of the above.

Guaranteed, if this were played on 4.5" pockets, it would have been a better match and quicker and if it had been played on 5" buckets, you would have seen a much more explosive match with all sorts of amazing brilliant dynamic play, that would have taken half the time.

Sure, keep a tight table at home to practice on, but for competition, it's basically a gaff table.

Just because they agreed to the conditions, doesn't make it any less stupid.
 
to me it's as simple as the following, larger pockets means more room for the more dynamic shots

smaller is like chinese 8 ball, you simply must pot balls and stay in line, nothing fancy

your style of play and skillset dictates where you will have the advantage
 
Match was excellent. Agree totally about the commentary, John French should have been locked out of the booth, I had to mute it most times that he went in. Hunter Lombardo is okay but tended to over analyze a little too much and came off a little condescending when he had the Asian girl working with him and they were discussing the magic rack. That Troy guy was actually the best one, I thought. They should use him more.

As for the pockets I thought they were about perfect for players this caliber -- tough but fair. If the pockets are too big it takes a lot of the drama out of the play, and if they're too small the standard can drop a little too much so to me the 4" size was right on the money.

My only complaint was that the match was a little too long. Obviously that's the proposition but even with the 6pm starting time they went later than 2am all three nights I believe, which is pretty hard on the sweators and the broadcasting crew. Even here out west that meant it was after midnight every night. It's their money that's being wagered so of course final say is up to them, but I think a 75 game race and going to 25 each night would work a little better for the fans. They could also start at 5pm EST rather than 6pm (which was actually 645pm the first night, if I recall). That would make it easier too.

Definitely got my money's worth, though.
 
They should have called this an exhibition. This is no gamble lol. First, Ko backer remain unknown ( which seems normal) until after the match John French announced both Ko brothers are now playing for him under his table with Dennis and John Morra. And it didnt happen yesterday. It has been a 6 months process. With Ko questionable shot selections in some critical moments and Dennis played like he is in hurry sometimes plus someone probably wagered on the side and win big. I am not implying anything but let think for a minute haha. Seeing Dennis plays like this, he doesn't stand a chance against Shane in 4 1/2 pocket
 
Last edited:
Cardigan Kid said:
They both are solid and can hit the pocket no matter what size, that's apparent.
As far as a fun and entertaining sport, with a bigger pocket 4.5" diamond, there is more room to cheat the pocket and bring the players skill in imagining creative routes through the rack. What may be straight in to these guys, with an extra half inch of room, they can create an angle and move the cue ball that much more.

What results is a more beautiful game. More entertaining.
Click to expand...

I emphatically agree. I also don't care for races to 100. Far better to play an all round like at the dcc., imo. Viewers get to see a showcase of different games instead of connect the dots pool, which is what 9 & 10 ball offer. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy playing these two games and even watching them to an extent. But pool is much more than these two games. I'm not interested in buying a stream of long race rotation, but I will buy the dcc stream. To each their own, of course..
 
Bbutler said:
Match was excellent. Agree totally about the commentary, John French should have been locked out of the booth, I had to mute it most times that he went in. Hunter Lombardo is okay but tended to over analyze a little too much and came off a little condescending when he had the Asian girl working with him and they were discussing the magic rack. That Troy guy was actually the best one, I thought. They should use him more.

As for the pockets I thought they were about perfect for players this caliber -- tough but fair. If the pockets are too big it takes a lot of the drama out of the play, and if they're too small the standard can drop a little too much so to me the 4" size was right on the money.

My only complaint was that the match was a little too long. Obviously that's the proposition but even with the 6pm starting time they went later than 2am all three nights I believe, which is pretty hard on the sweators and the broadcasting crew. Even here out west that meant it was after midnight every night. It's their money that's being wagered so of course final say is up to them, but I think a 75 game race and going to 25 each night would work a little better for the fans. They could also start at 5pm EST rather than 6pm (which was actually 645pm the first night, if I recall). That would make it easier too.

Definitely got my money's worth, though.
Click to expand...

Troy is always good.
 
My favorite commentator by far was the Ukrainian mobster sounding guy from the first night. I liked his voice, and his words, and his analysis. Does anyone know his name?

The match itself was BORING! screw these rediculous races to infinity. Especially on stupid tight tables.

Dennis is horrible to watch. He needs a shot clock.

Man long races suck. I'm a fanatic like most of you, and they suck to watch.

Make the races to 11. The results will be almost identical. And each match will take 2 hours instead of 3 days.

End rant.
 
We all like to PLAY pool. But in order even for us die hards to WATCH pool, there needs to be excitement to keep our attention. These crazy races to infinity offer zero excitement.
 
One thing I noticed is that a lot of folk thought Dennis would lose. Dennis is one of the baddest players on the planet. Ko is great and this is just a smaller setback after his stellar year.

I've seen Dennis play better and you can watch the youtube videos of him playing at Hard Time where he is running racks on a table that tight in 9 Ball all day long. His final with Mika in the 2014 Swanee is instructive about how hard a time he has with super tight pockets and high humidity.

For the money Dennis continues to be one of the best players in the world.
 
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