The only thing tough about this event is the level of the competition. Otherwise it's very fair:
ALL matches are a Race To Fifteen, Ten Ball. It is Single Elimination and players will play one match per night. If you win two matches you are in the money. First will pay $9,000, second $4,500 and third-fourth $2,250 each. Hope this answers your question.
its the squarest deal there is in pool, no bullshit math, I'm donating $$$ as is Greg. We have no profit motive. If you play good enough you win period. Its a long enough race that the rolls should even out, if there was time a race to 21 would be even better,
SVB gave me that idea, a single elimiation race to 21 10 ball tournment is what he thinks would be the best format. Granted that favors him so he likes it, JA agreeded-we talked about this right after the M-Cup. Just kicking around tournment ideas. At first I didnt agree, I went and took a shower and thought about it for 15 minutes and I came to the conclusion I really like it as well, I do my best thinking in the shower.
Due to time problems etc at the Derby we cant race that long, There is a chance I will so something much bigger with that format. I didnt want to pay deep in this event from day one, as players are going to be there anyways, its smart to pay deep to attract players if you only have one thing going on. If Barry at the US Open only paid the top 4 guys and the other 252 didnt make a penny, he wouldnt get 256. I can fill up and only pay the top 4. The players can do a saver for their entry $$$ if they win their first match or it first 2 matches, i'm not 100% awake. So they can mitigate their risk.
I want to thank Greg for adding $5000, This has been a triple tough year for me and $5000 right now inst the best move but I believe in keeping my word-So I stepped up, with out knowing Greg was going to as well. I will do this every year far as I know. I would announce well in advance if I changed my mind about doing it, But thats very unlikely. This is year 3#, This is far less than I want to do for pool but its better than nothing. My credibility/reputation with the players is very important to me. I respect all of them, unless they give me a reason not to-but I dont put my self in a spots to get burned.
I wish the hell I played good enough to play in this event, Someday in perhaps 3 more years I might give it a go, I have a brain thing I'm working on that might help my game enough that playing in the Fatboy Challenge could become real for me. Right now I dont stand a prayer to win my first match.
Also I want to thank Jay for running it for me, its really for the players not me. I like Jay's work and he is a close personal friend as well.
Best
eric/Fatboy
