i can see it both ways good and bad. "ruining the sport"? no way. if anything is helping the sport.
Handicapping has ruined the SPORT!
- Thread starter David Marcus
- Start date
Methinks David Marcus should go find the best regional tour (non-handicapped) in his area and play in it for a while. Maybe after investing mucho dinero into it, and never cashing, he could have a better understanding of why handicapping exists.
I tried the tourneys playing straight-up. I never fared too well. Got tired of donating. Quit going to tournaments. Do you think the winners/people that cash in these tournaments miss me (and others like me)? Sure they do. Because with me (and others like me) the tournament may have had more entrants therefore increasing the prize fund for the persons that cash (almost always the better players). You, David Marcus, if you ever have a chance at winning/placing in a tournament, are better off having me (and others like me) in it. That will only ever happen if the tournament is handicapped.
Don't you find it challenging trying to outrun the spot???
And....not to nitpick....but wouldn't it have been a better statement in your OP to have asserted that "Handicapping is ruining tournaments" instead of "the sport". The sport is NOT ruined in any way, shape, or form. It is alive and well most anywhere there is a decent population and places to play.
Just my opinions. YMMV
Maniac
I tried the tourneys playing straight-up. I never fared too well. Got tired of donating. Quit going to tournaments. Do you think the winners/people that cash in these tournaments miss me (and others like me)? Sure they do. Because with me (and others like me) the tournament may have had more entrants therefore increasing the prize fund for the persons that cash (almost always the better players). You, David Marcus, if you ever have a chance at winning/placing in a tournament, are better off having me (and others like me) in it. That will only ever happen if the tournament is handicapped.
Don't you find it challenging trying to outrun the spot???
And....not to nitpick....but wouldn't it have been a better statement in your OP to have asserted that "Handicapping is ruining tournaments" instead of "the sport". The sport is NOT ruined in any way, shape, or form. It is alive and well most anywhere there is a decent population and places to play.
Just my opinions. YMMV
Maniac
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Not a problem...
It's not a problem,just an observation....in some ways I think handicapping stunts ones development and slows the learning curve. I think you are missing my point...
It's not a problem,just an observation....in some ways I think handicapping stunts ones development and slows the learning curve. I think you are missing my point...
I never looked at it as donating....
I never looked at it as donating, I always viewed it as paying for an education!
I never looked at it as donating, I always viewed it as paying for an education!
I see what you're saying, but I don't agree with it.
I think you are missing the point..
Eric,
I think you are missing the point....it's just that times have changed. Years ago,when you played in a tournament,whether it be $5 or $40, you expected to "play the IRON",(as we used to say),nobody gave or got a spot....it was a different mindset..your first question wasn't "what's the race?", it was "What table?". You either played up to the next level or you got your head kicked in...I'm just making an observation of how things have changed....
Eric,
I think you are missing the point....it's just that times have changed. Years ago,when you played in a tournament,whether it be $5 or $40, you expected to "play the IRON",(as we used to say),nobody gave or got a spot....it was a different mindset..your first question wasn't "what's the race?", it was "What table?". You either played up to the next level or you got your head kicked in...I'm just making an observation of how things have changed....
and many more were discouraged by constantly throwing their money away and never winning a match-when u first start playing there is no way to beat a top player even with the 6 out or more.
lmao....this what I thought too..
I don't know about you,but my banker will not
give me a student loan on friday to further my education.
I have thought about checking with the goverment..
no child left behind kind of thing...lol.
In my opinion, there are only two types of successful non-handicapped tournaments:
1) Open it to everyone. To make this work on a consistent basis, you need to draw lots of top players with a big payout and lots of shortstop players with the notoriety. There's only room for so many of these events in a year.
2) Get a group of players that all know each other and agree that they play close enough to the same speed that they are willing to play even. Maybe you can even pick up a few that will donate for the experience if the entry fee is low enough.
About a year and a half ago, we had a group of players that were all in the A/B range that we did a non-handicapped double elimination tournament with about every month. Eventually, we added a player that was clearly better than the rest of us, he won, and the whole thing dissolved because there was now a clear favorite to win every time. The mistake we made was asking everyone if they'd still play the next tournament if we let the new player in, to which everyone said yes. What we should have asked is if anyone felt that letting the new player in significantly reduced their chances of winning. I'm sure that would have elicited a different response.
1) Open it to everyone. To make this work on a consistent basis, you need to draw lots of top players with a big payout and lots of shortstop players with the notoriety. There's only room for so many of these events in a year.
2) Get a group of players that all know each other and agree that they play close enough to the same speed that they are willing to play even. Maybe you can even pick up a few that will donate for the experience if the entry fee is low enough.
About a year and a half ago, we had a group of players that were all in the A/B range that we did a non-handicapped double elimination tournament with about every month. Eventually, we added a player that was clearly better than the rest of us, he won, and the whole thing dissolved because there was now a clear favorite to win every time. The mistake we made was asking everyone if they'd still play the next tournament if we let the new player in, to which everyone said yes. What we should have asked is if anyone felt that letting the new player in significantly reduced their chances of winning. I'm sure that would have elicited a different response.
The world has changed.
Nowadays people would like to get a little something more for their money.
Personally I don't see how you can complain. Just play everyone better than you straight up and then with the people weaker than you , they get weight so now you have to play better to beat them.
Win/Win for you no ?
I don't see how this has ruined anything. Handicapping a tournament means people who wouldn't normally have a shot of winning can be competitive.
This is the exact opposite of the sport being ruined. Now more people can play and enjoy the sport.
Simple solution. Don't play in handicapped tourny's. Problem solved.
This is the exact opposite of the sport being ruined. Now more people can play and enjoy the sport.
Simple solution. Don't play in handicapped tourny's. Problem solved.
Wow that is one sh*ty league you played in. APA has Masters which isn't handicapped....
Hsandicap tournaments bring me to the pool room
I played in a Handicap One Pocket tournament and played a good player.
He got upset and said it wasn't a fair game. The set went to hill hill
.
He wanted to gamble after words, I said I don't like to gamble with someone who get's upset.
He has lost my money forever.
I don't play in US Opens because , I know I will never have the skill to beat Efren, SVB, Corey.
I play with my friends because I love playing pool and want to have a good time.
Although I wonder sometimes if they like me or my money....grin.:grin:.....LOL.
I support the pool room, I always make sure I eat and drink and tip the waitresses well.
Yeah, I do donate to the Handicap Tournaments and Live Streamers once in a while as well.
Education no not in the Pool Room, instead I went to San Jose State BSME.
I donate to SJS every year.
SJS made it possible for me to earn $250,000 a year.
The only whiners I give money too, is my Wife, Kids, State and Federal Government. :thumbup:
Marcus no way you getting any of my money in an Open Tournament :smile:
Good Luck to you, Barney
I played in a Handicap One Pocket tournament and played a good player.
He got upset and said it wasn't a fair game. The set went to hill hill
.He wanted to gamble after words, I said I don't like to gamble with someone who get's upset.
He has lost my money forever.
I don't play in US Opens because , I know I will never have the skill to beat Efren, SVB, Corey.
I play with my friends because I love playing pool and want to have a good time.
Although I wonder sometimes if they like me or my money....grin.:grin:.....LOL.
I support the pool room, I always make sure I eat and drink and tip the waitresses well.
Yeah, I do donate to the Handicap Tournaments and Live Streamers once in a while as well.
Education no not in the Pool Room, instead I went to San Jose State BSME.
I donate to SJS every year.
SJS made it possible for me to earn $250,000 a year.
The only whiners I give money too, is my Wife, Kids, State and Federal Government. :thumbup:
Marcus no way you getting any of my money in an Open Tournament :smile:
Good Luck to you, Barney
Handicapping is fine as long as everybody is rated properly. Problems arise when a player is rated an A when they really play like a B. The last tournament I played in was during the Superbowl and I came in 6th out of 19 players. The guys that beat me were AAA and a B player. The B player was definitely my fault and had a great amount of chances to put him away but I came up short.
So that being said the last 4 or 5 guys were all rated A+ or higher. The cream does rise to the top almost all of the time handicapped or not. Occasionally you will have a C or B player that is just in stroke and snaps the tourney off but that's what you would have to do as a weaker player... Be ON!!! No tournament is easy to win and you have to grind it out.
So that being said the last 4 or 5 guys were all rated A+ or higher. The cream does rise to the top almost all of the time handicapped or not. Occasionally you will have a C or B player that is just in stroke and snaps the tourney off but that's what you would have to do as a weaker player... Be ON!!! No tournament is easy to win and you have to grind it out.
hmmm . . . . yeah . . . . I forgot about that . . . . .
Thanks for reminding me . . . .
I have a bad feeling that in order to qualify for 'masters' you have to be on a regular team . . . . .
But I'll keep my ears open . . . .
The APA Masters division in this area has no restriction about needing to playing on a regular team. Not sure about other places.