Handicap - what to give/get?

[Bob Jewett]

I am curious how to know what handicap to ask for/give in matches.

If you normally ask for 3 games in a race to 9, what is the correct handicap when getting a ball, and what do you prefer? ...

If you want a situation that is easy for both players to understand and is easy to extend to third parties, games on the wire is best. There are tables available that list the relative strengths of various games-on-the-wire matches with reasonable accuracy. I don't think such a listing is possible with the various winning ball spots. For example, I think the winning six is a larger spot on a tougher table. I don't think the percentage of won games (without a ball spot) changes much for harder/easier tables.

 

[Johnnyt]

Once you get down to a pro or strong shortstop Vs from B- down....games on the wire don't mean anything. I would take the wild 6&7 and alt breaks as a B player. Johnnyt

 

[Flex]

Once you get down to a pro or strong shortstop Vs from B- down....games on the wire don't mean anything. I would take the wild 6&7 and alt breaks as a B player. Johnnyt

At Mark Wilson's Billiard Bullpen http://www.playgreatpool.com/billiard_bullpen.html he runs a handicapped 9 ball tournament on Sunday afternoons. The handicaps are made with balls and not games. He assigns a handicap to a player, which is non-negotiable, and IMHO, very fair.

If a player is handicapped a 5, for instance, and is playing an 8, the 5 will get 3 balls from the 8, that is, the wild 6, 7, and 8, since 8 minus 5 equals 3. The balls are not wild on the break and the race is to 5, winner breaks. Nobody complains about the handicapping, and people happily match up based upon his skill rating determination. The tables have normal, standard pockets, and are 9' Brunswick Gold Crowns, with the exception of a 7 footer barbox.

He, Mark, for instance is an 11. Jeanette Lee is a 9, and others there have their own handicaps. The highest handicap, if memory serves, is a 12.

If you take a look at the chart on the wall there showing who the winners are, you'll not find that any particular person has a lock on the tournament, or even is consistently or frequently the winner. Entry fee is $15.

Also, the tournaments are double elimination.

All in all, it's a good setup.


Flex

 

[Marvel]

I am curious how to know what handicap to ask for/give in matches.

If you normally ask for 3 games in a race to 9, what is the correct handicap when getting a ball, and what do you prefer?

I am pretty new in using the ball-handicap, so I am curious about how to know what comes next in the handicap-system if you win/lose?

Of all these I list up here, how would you "rank" them? Playing 9-ball, this is how I think I would list them: (But not sure, because sometimes 1 wild ball can be better than 2 call balls)

6 and 7 both wild
Call 6 and wild 7
Call 6 and call 7
7 and 8 both wild
Call 7 and wild 8
7 and 8 both call
Wild 6
Call 6
Wild 7
Call 7
wild 8
call 8

How can you compare these handicaps to giving games on the wire in a race to 9? Is the 6-ball like giving 4 games?

When do you use ballhandicap and when do you use games on the wire? Sometimes give/get both, if so, why?

Please help me, I want to start to WIN moneymatches too

In a nutshell, I'd say 1 on the wire (race to 9) equivalents wild 8, and 2 on the wire, wild 7.
3 on the wire wild 6, 4 on the wire wild 5.

The bigger the handicap, the more the psychology comes into a game.

Someone might feel very confident suddenly when only thing he has to do is to run until the ball number 5. The same guy might choke and find it very difficult to run a rack, even starting from 4-0.
Same goes otherways also, with different personality. Which you like better, works better. Also the table conditions etc are factors..

 

[Marvel]

In a nutshell, I'd say 1 on the wire (race to 9) equivalents wild 8, and 2 on the wire, wild 7.
3 on the wire wild 6, 4 on the wire wild 5.

The bigger the handicap, the more the psychology comes into a game.

Someone might feel very confident suddenly when only thing he has to do is to run until the ball number 5. The same guy might choke and find it very difficult to run a rack, even starting from 4-0.
Same goes otherways also, with different personality. Which you like better, works better. Also the table conditions etc are factors..

And at least in the Philippines, they don't like to give three extra wild money balls, as it get's too obvious to get them on the break. For example, in 9-ball, they much rather give 5,6,9, or 4,7,9, than 6,7,8,9, unless they have breaks.

IMO, if giving balls, they shouldn't count on break, but the next biggest on the table is the wild ball. If 8 on the break, then 7 etc..

I spotted last time in Philippines this one fellow 6,8,10, in 10-ball, and when he got his break going, he made the ball behind the 1 (I placed 6 and 8 behind 1, as in 9-ball) way too often. It sucked
Probably there can be safer place for a ball in 10-ball rack, but I don't know about it..

 

[Roy Steffensen]

And at least in the Philippines, they don't like to give three extra wild money balls, as it get's too obvious to get them on the break. For example, in 9-ball, they much rather give 5,6,9, or 4,7,9, than 6,7,8,9, unless they have breaks.

IMO, if giving balls, they shouldn't count on break, but the next biggest on the table is the wild ball. If 8 on the break, then 7 etc..

I spotted last time in Philippines this one fellow 6,8,10, in 10-ball, and when he got his break going, he made the ball behind the 1 (I placed 6 and 8 behind 1, as in 9-ball) way too often. It sucked
Probably there can be safer place for a ball in 10-ball rack, but I don't know about it..

Played 10-ball with the 7 wild today. First we placed it where you placed it, I made it 2 out of 3 tries. Then we placed it next to the 10, and then I broke from another place with sidespin and banked it in the side 2 out of 3 times, so we ended up placing it on the last line, in one of the corners.

 

[JoeyA]

I am considering giving you the orange crush in a race to 9, but I get all the breaks and ball in hand after the break. Deal?

The orange crush is the 5 ball AND THE BREAK. Don't know squat about Norway except I loved those sardines with the fisherman in the yellow raincoat on the top of the can from Norway.
JoeyA

 

[JoeyA]

What's the 5 out called?

Orange crush plus?

Flex

Has to be the orange crush through. Wishing Roy would give that up. Too embarassed to ask for it.
JoeyA

 

[Roy Steffensen]

The orange crush is the 5 ball AND THE BREAK. Don't know squat about Norway except I loved those sardines with the fisherman in the yellow raincoat on the top of the can from Norway.
JoeyA

I thought the orange crush was the 5 and out, not the break too...

But I'll just add a ball then and give you the 4, but I keep all the breaks and bih, ok?

Uhm, and yes, race to 1

 

[JoeyA]

I thought the orange crush was the 5 and out, not the break too...

But I'll just add a ball then and give you the 4, but I keep all the breaks and bih, ok?

Uhm, and yes, race to 1

OK, but you have to give me the ability to push after the break before you shoot.
JoeyA