How can we equalize pool for elders?

T

tommyceilings

The Netherland Nihilator
Silver Member
This is a general question, and after watching the Efren match, it made me wonder.
I'm not saying Efren is decrepit nor are any other 60 year old + players.

However, if they can still run out, and pocket balls as good or better than their younger counterparts, how can tournaments be equalized for them?

Being someone who is older and having health problems, I've asked for alternate breakers where I said, I don't care who they have to it for me, pick anyone and have them break. Tournament directors have been incredibly gracious with this and will say no problem, we just need to put it to a vote. inevitably one person raises their hand and says no and I'm out.

There are a lot of older players and to just put them up there asking them to rack their own (that's hugely painful on the hip and back) as well as break their own, is just basically saying to the other player even if they are inferior, here is your WIN.
 
play one pocket tournaments.....:eek:
just kidding.....:smile:
p.s im 60 too...:(
 
There are plenty of players that play well with a soft break.

For 8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball. The ruling is usually that 4 balls much touch a rail after contact and break as hard as possible. If that's as hard as the elder players can do, then so be it.
 
Dave,

If you aren't making a ball with your soft break, or you can't hit them hard enough to make them go around, then what's the use?




DAVE_M said:
There are plenty of players that play well with a soft break.

For 8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball. The ruling is usually that 4 balls much touch a rail after contact and break as hard as possible. If that's as hard as the elder players can do, then so be it.
Click to expand...
 
I don't run tournaments so I don't know if this is within the bounds, but it might help to talk with the tournament director well in advance to see if it can simply be made into a rule of the tournament -- no vote necessary. He might lose one player (the one who's voted no), but gain many more. I doubt 99% of the other players would care (if nothing else, pride would force them to say "yeah, let the old guys have a designated breaker...")
 
Each young player ,,playing an elderly player must drink 6 shots of 101 Wild Turkey before each match--that should take care of making all things equal:rolleyes:
 
Why does it have to be equalized?

No other sport factors age into it... we have 30 something football players playing on the same fields as 20 somethings...

Why can't skill be everything?
 
tommyceilings said:
Dave,

If you aren't making a ball with your soft break, or you can't hit them hard enough to make them go around, then what's the use?
Click to expand...

Then it's time to quit or take up one pocket. Most athletes playing a somewhat physical sport, retire sooner or later.
 
A better way to put this would be to have table assistance for those with physical limitations. Physical limitations are not age specific.

I would never have a issue with someone assisting a player that has physical limitions.....of course within certain criteria.

BTW.... I turn 60 soon however I am not one that needs asstince but have seen enough players, of all age groups, that do to understand this idea. I would help just to keep people playing.
 
Last edited:
I play with a guy that's nearly twice my age.. yet I still need a handicap. How do you fade that? Play in the (super)senior division or in a handicap tournament. Not really sure sure how you could handicap it only for a select few without there being problems. Maybe the TD could be an optional breaker for everybody?
 
mmedford said:
Why does it have to be equalized?

No other sport factors age into it... we have 30 something football players playing on the same fields as 20 somethings...

Why can't skill be everything?
Click to expand...

Agreed. I am 58 going on 59 and come from an era were if you were challenged to a game you say yes or no and the best game wins no handicap you can't beat them then don't play them. The other Night I played a open player/pro 25 games of 8ball I won 4 games and had 1 ball left On the table 7/8 times.
After the match I said we will play again in 6 month he said
I will be lucky to win 2 games next time.
You must be challenged or you will not improve no matter what age.
MCP.
 
Doesn't help on the break, but FARGO Rankings can equalize players based on their history of play. I just found out about this recently and it is interesting. I know one guy in my area is inputting every tournament he can find to build a database on area players for tournament reference.
 
Fair spot

I think it would be only fair that anybody over the age of 58 gets all the breaks and ball in hand after the break in any game played including one pocket. And of course we could discuss any ball spots you might offer us old timers after we start from there!
 
tommyceilings said:
This is a general question, and after watching the Efren match, it made me wonder.
I'm not saying Efren is decrepit nor are any other 60 year old + players.

However, if they can still run out, and pocket balls as good or better than their younger counterparts, how can tournaments be equalized for them?

Being someone who is older and having health problems, I've asked for alternate breakers where I said, I don't care who they have to it for me, pick anyone and have them break. Tournament directors have been incredibly gracious with this and will say no problem, we just need to put it to a vote. inevitably one person raises their hand and says no and I'm out.

There are a lot of older players and to just put them up there asking them to rack their own
(that's hugely painful on the hip and back) as well as break their own, is just basically saying
to the other player even if they are inferior, here is your WIN.
Click to expand...

Um...no. Don't get me wrong here. I love older folks, but.
THEY have to break. Does the Senior golf tour allow others to tee off for them?
Does the ATP (tennis) tour allow others to serve?
The break in pool is important and to allow a proxy in this case sorely disrupts the integrity of the game.
Once again....NO.
 
bdorman said:
I don't run tournaments so I don't know if this is within the bounds, but it might help to talk with the tournament director well in advance to see if it can simply be made into a rule of the tournament -- no vote necessary. He might lose one player (the one who's voted no), but gain many more. I doubt 99% of the other players would care (if nothing else, pride would force them to say "yeah, let the old guys have a designated breaker...")
Click to expand...

I would love to have a designated breaker. I have hip problems that don't allow me to break with any power.
In order to beat the top players in a tournament of nine or ten ball I need to make a ball on the break to either run some balls or play a safe. You can't beat the better players if you break and then go sit down. Just give me someone with medium break speed and I'll take over from there.
P.S. I'll be 74 pretty soon.
 
crabbcatjohn said:
I think it would be only fair that anybody over the age of 58 gets all the breaks and ball in hand after the break in any game played including one pocket. And of course we could discuss any ball spots you might offer us old timers after we start from there!
Click to expand...

I'm 73 and I'll take all the breaks and BIH on a BB in 9 ball against almost anyone. That's way too much of a spot to give anyone that's played for years. I asked for just all the breaks from Buddy 15 years ago and from Corey about 7 years ago. Corey ignored me and Buddy said no. Johnnyt
 
bbb said:
play one pocket tournaments.....:eek:
just kidding.....:smile:
p.s im 60 too...:(
Click to expand...

I had one older person tell me that he didn't like playing one pocket because it was too hard due to the constant getting up and down out of the chair.

It would be better to play 14.1 or straight pool.


🍻
 
tommyceilings said:
This is a general question, and after watching the Efren match, it made me wonder.
I'm not saying Efren is decrepit nor are any other 60 year old + players.

However, if they can still run out, and pocket balls as good or better than their younger counterparts, how can tournaments be equalized for them?

Being someone who is older and having health problems, I've asked for alternate breakers where I said, I don't care who they have to it for me, pick anyone and have them break. Tournament directors have been incredibly gracious with this and will say no problem, we just need to put it to a vote. inevitably one person raises their hand and says no and I'm out.

There are a lot of older players and to just put them up there asking them to rack their own (that's hugely painful on the hip and back) as well as break their own, is just basically saying to the other player even if they are inferior, here is your WIN.
Click to expand...

I don't think the break should count anyways. One could say it's good for tv..... but they don't even show pool on TV anymore.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top