Hardest title to win?

Mole Eye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I stated an opinion that the Derby City Master of theTable was the hardest title in pool to win, knowing not many would agree. I was wondering what title would be more difficult? I base my argument on the fact that each of the 3 disciplines requires that the Master of the Table is solid in all aspects of the game. Not to mention that it is an 8 day marathon with 400 or more players competing in each discipline. It was said that the Chinese players don’t appear, which is true to an extent, but the best players of North America for the most part don’t go to the China Open or All Japan either. When the Chinese do appear, with a few exceptions, they don’t do well. Home field advantage seems to go both ways. Convince me otherwise. I’ve got an open mind. Not a good mind, but an open one.
 

Tin Man

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I'd say the world championship.

SJM can give the best answer in terms of format, top players, etc. I just point out that SVB has never managed to win it. That says it all...
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Excellent post, and you offer a well reasoned argument.

World 9-ball Championship is the toughest. Tied for second are the US Open 9-ball and the China Open 9-ball. Fourth would be the All Japan Championship.

Still, there is much truth in your post. For an aspiring pro, it's probably a harder journey to the Derby City Master of the Table title than the others, because one must learn to excel in all the American fringe games in which very little money can be made competing compared to nine ball. That said, for the limited number of Internationals that have bothered to learn all the American fringe games, they have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. DCC Master of the Table, once monopolized by American players, has been dominated by the Asians, who have won eight of the last nine.

I can definitely see where you are coming from. Master of the Table is super-tough to ever achieve, and for most non-American players, it's impossible as the American fringe games are not played much by all but a few overseas players.

I have never seen a player from China at Derby City but your suggestion that they fail when they come to the US is uninformed. At the last US Open 9-ball in 2019,, Wu got to the final and Liu Haitao, who previously had a third place finish at the US Open, tied for 5th. You observation that American players rarely go to the Asian events has only become true in recent years, and it was a direct result of sustained American failure at these events. The last time an American won one of the three overseas giant field multi-stage majors (World Championship, China Open, All Japan) was when Earl won the World Championship in 2002.

Still, there is much truth in what you have posted. It may take even greater commitment to the game to win DCC Master of the Table than any of the majors.
 

Mole Eye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Excellent post, and you offer a well reasoned argument.

World 9-ball Championship is the toughest. Tied for second are the US Open 9-ball and the China Open 9-ball. Fourth would be the All Japan Championship.

Still, there is much truth in your post. For an aspiring pro, it's probably a harder journey to the Derby City Master of the Table title than the others, because one must learn to excel in all the American fringe games in which very little money can be made competing compared to nine ball. That said, for the limited number of Internationals that have bothered to learn all the American fringe games, they have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. DCC Master of the Table, once monopolized by American players, has been dominated by the Asians, who have won eight of the last nine.

I can definitely see where you are coming from. Master of the Table is super-tough to ever achieve, and for most non-American players, it's impossible as the American fringe games are not played much by all but a few overseas players.

I have never seen a player from China at Derby City but your suggestion that they fail when they come to the US is uninformed. At the last US Open 9-ball in 2019,, Wu got to the final and Liu Haitao, who previously had a third place finish at the US Open, tied for 5th. You observation that American players rarely go to the Asian events has only become true in recent years, and it was a direct result of sustained American failure at these events. The last time an American won one of the three overseas giant field multi-stage majors (World Championship, China Open, All Japan) was when Earl won the World Championship in 2002.

Still, there is much truth in what you have posted. It may take even greater commitment to the game to win DCC Master of the Table than any of the majors.
Thank you for the response. I noted there had been exceptions for the Chinese, and I am including the Taiwan players. Cheng’s Victory at the US Open being one, and JL Chang’s Winston the International plus the Derby 10 ball. Other than those I could not recall any, so thanks for the update. The field at the US Open and World Championship is tremendously strong, so I certainly understand that point.
Thanks again
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Thank you for the response. I noted there had been exceptions for the Chinese, and I am including the Taiwan players. Cheng’s Victory at the US Open being one, and JL Chang’s Winston the International plus the Derby 10 ball. Other than those I could not recall any, so thanks for the update. The field at the US Open and World Championship is tremendously strong, so I certainly understand that point.
Thanks again
If we're including Taiwan here, don't overlook Ko Ping Chung's win at the 2019 World 10-ball Championship, played in Las Vegas, in which he beat Filler in the final.
 

MitchAlsup

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Outside of pool: the hardest title to win is "successful father".......but I digress.........
 
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