Honestly rate yourself

K

Koop

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey everyone,

I really enjoy reading the posts out there and I can't help but notice there are some really good players on here. I would be curious to know, at what level you consider youselves to play at. I can tell you that I play mainly league and a few tournaments here and there. I am currently teetering between a SL6 and SL7 in the APA. I suppose I would rate myself a low B player but I don't really know for sure. I can only compare myself to other local players so that is about where I see myself. I'd be interested to learn what kind of talent we have here.

Thanks and kind regards,
Dave
 
DDKoop said:
I am currently teetering between a SL6 and SL7 in the APA. I suppose I would rate myself a low B player but I don't really know for sure.
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The vast majority of APA 8-ball SL-6 players are C players in New England. In APA 9-ball, an SL-6 is probably closer to a D player, as far as the New England Tours go (Killer B's, Ct. 9-ball)

Fred <~~~ H-player
 
Fred Agnir said:
The vast majority of APA 8-ball SL-6 players are C players in New England. In APA 9-ball, an SL-6 is probably closer to a D player, as far as the New England Tours go (Killer B's, Ct. 9-ball)

Fred <~~~ H-player
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Hey Fred,

Thanks for that info. I was actually using the Killer B's as a barometer because in my opinion most of those guys are actually A players. If you look at Jason Michas, Chris Leal, Tim Perry etc... they are all beginning to cash in Joss events which tells me they have progressed beyond B status. I suppose I still may be considered a C player but from the tournaments I have been to I would have to honestly rate my self higher than a C. Of course I may then get my ass handed to me in which case I would then definitely consider myself a C with no problem.

Dave <~~~ Thinks Fred is probably better than H.
 
Fred Agnir said:
The vast majority of APA 8-ball SL-6 players are C players in New England. In APA 9-ball, an SL-6 is probably closer to a D player, as far as the New England Tours go (Killer B's, Ct. 9-ball)

Fred <~~~ H-player
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I'm a SL 7 and consider myself a C player. I typically run 1-3 racks (9-ball) per night (2-5 hours) and am a pretty decent shot. The most racks I've been able to string together is 3 (9-ball), I've run 30 in 14.1, I've run 8 and out in one hole but get my ass handed to me by the better players, and I don't play 8-ball except on league nights so that's definitely not my best game (not to mention the fact that I don't really like it...lol).

I personally think that the bar leagues here aren't very strong, reason why a C player is a 7, but them's the breaks. I read a post on here not too long ago that was talking about how most people tend to overestimate their speed and that got me to take an honest look at how well I play and that's what I came up with. Before reading that I probably would have rated myself a B player but upon honest reflection I am just a C!

That also reminded me of when I first started playing and only played in bars. I live in a small town and could beat most of the people in the local bar so i thought I was hot shit. However, I went to the poolhall that I currently frequent now and got my ass handed to me by a 15 year old kid. That was my first experience of overestimating my speed...lol. Of course that was 9 years ago and I still only play at a C level :( My goal is to eventually be a decent A player so all I need to do now is quit work and school and devote 8 hours a day to my game and I'm sure I'd be there in no time!
 
I consider myself to be a C player. The most racks I've broken and ran is 2. I'd like think I play good safeties though. In all truthfulness, I don't think it matters much. There will always be someone better.
.
 
The common issue mentioned above is relativity. I think it's important to try to find a barometer that everyone can use to estimate what their skill level is. On a tight 4 1/2 X 9 Diamond I can run one rack of 9b one in 5 or 6 attempts all things being equal. I can string 3 racks once in a while (maybe 3 or 4 times a year) and 5 racks once in a great while (once a year maybe). Of course this could vary according to other factors such as playing in tournaments or gambling. I don't gamble much so I'd have a hard time guaging that one. Tournaments make me stress more so I probably don't play quite as good although I have strung 3 racks in a tournament on a GCiV that was pretty tight. My high rating in the USPPA was 96 and I placed with that rating. A decent pro is probably a 180 or so. Efren is probably like a 220 or something. Tony Chohan and Amar Chang are probably somewhere around 160.
 
I have absolutely no idea where I stand as a "rating". It would be nice to have some way to do it. My best racks I put together in 9-ball is 7 one time and then a few 5 packs. My bar box 8-ball game is strong, I can ERO about 50-60% of my breaks in tournaments and have always made the final board in vegas at the BCA/VNEA. At the end of the day in Calgary there are quite a few players I have to put above me though. While I have beat everyone in small tournaments in races to 5 my chances of winning in longer races like 9 or 11 in a bigger event plummet. My chance of beating Edwin Montal, Tyler Edey, Nick Kruger, PJ Massicote, Dave Martin, anyone at that level would be low, real low. Would not have thought so until playing Bill Ganne in the Alberta 9-ball championships, I ran the first rack on him, broke, did not make a ball, and next time I saw the table I was down 3-1 and was looking at a crappy shot/table. Missed and then it was 6-1 before I saw the table again, I had so far missed one shot and had a dry break... That kind of offense is real tough to deal with and I really dont have the game to counterpunch that and stay close, I dont put 3 packs out there enough to deal with that. While Bill had a good match that day a player of Edwin's level will put out that kind of offense alot in those events, and I cannot even fathom how one beat Archer when he is on, I have nothing that could combat his type of offense at the table.
 
I carry an A+ rating, but feel I play more like an A. When I last played Mika Immonen, I was given four on eleven, and I won 11 - 10 and then lost 11 -10. I can give the seven to more than a few APA7 players. I rarely run more than three straight racks of nine ball. I like my defense and kicking a lot, but my break is only ordinary. I don't kid myself, for I know I don't belong on the table with the very best, and I feel lucky that I've had so many opportunities to play the great ones over the years.
 
I would rate myself as a middle of a the road b+ with the weird rating system here in Vancouver. The rating system here is kinda obscured. I've seen supposedly As not being able to run racks consistently and I 've seen B+s that can put racks in quite nicely. I can beat As, playing even, quite often. The rating system here in Vancouver is kinda screwed because people tend to want to push someone up a level. The more people there are at higher ratings, the less people will need to spot games in tournaments/gambling. So basically if someone flukes a weekend tournament, he's pushed up by the other players. A recently met someone who told me he's an A+. In reality I think he's more of a middle of the road A. I think he got to be A+ probably because he won some tournaments in a less competitive pool room, where C+ level players think they're B+s.
 
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sjm said:
I carry an A+ rating, but feel I play more like an A. When I last played Mika Immonen, I was given four on eleven, and I won 11 - 10 and then lost 11 -10. I can give the seven to more than a few APA7 players. I rarely run more than three straight racks of nine ball. I like my defense and kicking a lot, but my break is only ordinary. I don't kid myself, for I know I don't belong on the table with the very best, and I feel lucky that I've had so many opportunities to play the great ones over the years.
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Hey, sjm ! It seems we're both on the same skill level. Surely nowadays I would need a handicap from Mika to beat him but I've done it without a handicap as well.. but quite a few years ago already. I also rarely run more than 3 racks of 9-ball, though in last Finnish ranking-tournament I put a five-pack on my opponent. And just a month ago made 85 in straight pool. Do you play straight pool, sjm ? High run ?

Tell Mika to kick some American butt at the Mosconi Cup (from me) !! :D
 
After reading these posts and some reflection I would have to say that I am probably a very good C player. I was trying to gauge myself against local talent but like someone above mentioned, sometimes there is a tendency to over rate youself.

To SJM and mjantti. Beating someone like Mika is something to be awful proud of. I have watched him on several occasions and the guy can sure play some flawless looking pool.

Dave
 
I watched mjantti on a video that he provided a while back and I was impressed with his play. I beleive he was playing 1h. SJM, I tip my hat to you too because if you can play Mika with just a slight spot, you're playing pretty sporty. I'll bet Gremlin would be surprised because from reading some of his posts, he seems to think most of the posters here are not very good. I hope he reads this thread.
 
RichardCranium said:
He said that a 9 rated player in Arizona is a solid player...That same 9 rated player in San Diego is just another above average player...That same 9 rated player at Hardtimes in Bellflower....is a sucker...
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Great post. Can you imagine running into someone who's an SL-4... out of Hard Times Bellflower? Run, don't walk.

Fred
 
D- Player
-Will not run a rack.
-Average run is about 3 balls.
-With ball in hand, will get out from the 7, one out of 3 times.
-Rarely plays a successful safe.

C-Player
-Will probably run one rack, but usually not more than one.
-Average run is 3 to 5 balls.
-With ball in hand, will get out from the 7, two out of 3 times.
-Mixed results when playing safe.
-Inning ends due to botched position, missed shot or attempting a safe.

B-Player
-Able to run 1 to 3 racks.
-Average run is 5-7 balls.
-With ball in hand will get out from the 5, 2 out of 3 times.
-Most of the time a "B" player will play a "safety" which maybe hit easily 2 out of 3 times.
-A typical inning will end with a missed shot, a fair safety, or a won game.

A-Player
-Will string 2 to 3 racks.
-Average ball run, 7-9.
-With ball in hand, will be out from the 3 ball, 2 out of 3 times.
-Typical inning will end with a well executed safety or a win.

OPEN-Players
-Average 8+ balls.
-String racks together more than once in a match.
-Is a threat to run out from every ball, from every position, every inning.
-Typical inning will end in excellent safety or win.
 
Thats an intersting breakdown. We should almost get a test that people can do to test their level against other players. The ghost is one of the greatest challenges.

ATM I play the ghost by breaking, taking ball in hand after the break, and then attempting the run, if I miss I lose the game and rerack and try again. I can almost always beat the ghost in a race to 9 doing this now.

A lesser player could allow for a miss and taking a second ball in hand per each game, lesser then that taking a 3rd bal in hand after a miss. Using the above system it would seem that is a person can be the ghost with ball in hand off the break they are playing close to a A level, a B level player would beat the ghost with ball in hand off the break and a extra ball in hand each game after a miss, and lose normally with the ball in hand off the break and loosing after a miss. The C player would need the initial ball in hand and the 2 extra chances/ball in hands per a rack to beat the ghost. D player, yet another BIH.

The next step I would imagine would be to take the ball in hand away from the break, but that makes it ALOT harder, I would probably have a tougher time beating the ghost then as in at least 1/3rd of the games you are going to have a pretty poor looking table and look at the 1 on average, barring you make it in the side and have to get a decent look at the lowest ball. That initial ball in hand puts you in control of the table, without it you are often required early to make a great shot to get in shape to make the run.

The only problem with systems such as this is that alot of people have trouble playing the ghost, they dont play it like they play another live person, whether better or for worse. All the same the above system would be easy for people to test themselves and see where they stand.
 
Using the above as a guideline....

I would say when I'm playing my worst, I'm usually a C and rarely a D.

I did have two break and runs in a row a few weeks ago, so I guess that night I might have been a B.

And some nights I can run 5 in a row and sometimes 6 or 7. Other nights I'm lucky to run 2 in a row.

My safeties are terrible though (working on that), so I guess that puts me at a C with fits and spurts of "B" at times...
 
Billy_Bob said:
Using the above as a guideline....

I would say when I'm playing my worst, I'm usually a C and rarely a D.

I did have two break and runs in a row a few weeks ago, so I guess that night I might have been a B.

And some nights I can run 5 in a row and sometimes 6 or 7. Other nights I'm lucky to run 2 in a row.

My safeties are terrible though (working on that), so I guess that puts me at a C with fits and spurts of "B" at times...
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If you can run 6 or 7 racks in a row without too many lucky shots I'd say you're a A++ player. I've never ran more than 5 racks in a row...
 
Billy_Bob said:
And some nights I can run 5 in a row and sometimes 6 or 7. .
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That is 6 or 7 balls (not racks)- FYI

I guess I need to point that out with so many sharks around here...
 
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