knowing your true rating

[StormHotRod300]

Ok, today i goto the pool hall for leagues APA 9ball, well i get there at about 1245pm and it starts at 2pm, well a guy i know who is a SL6 in the APA asks me if i want to shoot just for table time, playing 8ball. So i was like sure, no biggie.

Well i just got moved upto a SL6 in 8ball, which i am more of just a strong 5, cuz the only reason i got moved up is because i was beating SL3's n 4's. Yet my first match as a SL6 was against a 5, and i lose to 4 to 1. And i will say i did play like crap, not saying its a excuse but i didnt play to well.

But anyways, so i am playing this guy today race to 7 in 8ball and i beat him 7-3, and we got done just before league was to start and i was like, well gotta, go. And someone asked him if he lost or won, and he said he lost but, wasnt really trying, cuz when we got done, he wanted to go again for a second set.

So i have chimed in on the past couple threads on sandbagging, and it kinda makes me wonder how your suppose to know your true rating, if people are always sandbagging or trying to hustle, just to win.

Expecially when someone say miss's that easy shot or maybe gets just a bit outa position and leaves the table open for you to run out. Which makes it look like your playing better than you are. Yet its cuz thats what the other person wants you to think.

Just to be able to turn around and say up the bet, and take your money.

dave

 

[Jaden]

It becomes difficult

It does become difficult to figure out where you stand when you don't know if the people you are playiing are sandbagging or not. That's one reason why a lot of people say the only way to know ho well you play is to play for money and see if you win.

I personally suggest that if you are really trying to improve your game, then play better players for money, (an amount that you can afford to lose), and ask for nothing, except maybe the breaks so you get a chance to shoot. Then when you start to win, without quiting, you'll get an idea of where you stand.

The problem with trying to make money with pool by hustling or sandbagging, is that it WILL mess with your consistency. You cannot remain as consistent as you other wise would be if you're missing on purpose or not trying your best all the time. I usually have just been screwing around. It wasn't until recently that I decided to start really taking my practice seriously and I've been a strong A for several years.

A guy about eight months ago was watching me practice just screwing around and came up to me wanting to know if I wanted to make some money playing for him. He said what are you like a 90,(usppa rating)? I said actually when I'm really trying I'm closer to a 120. Now mind you, I have only played a USPPA tournament once like five years ago,when they were offering free membership, so these are just estimates.

It was then that I realized that I needed to start taking the game a little more seriously, and with the promise of a decent payday with the IPT, I'm going to have to try.

 

[chefjeff]

APA's handicapping system makes legal sandbagging very profitable....why would you expect anything different from one of their players?

Jeff Livingston

 

[Gerry]

The only way to get rid of sandbagging is to have a minimum requirement to get into a tournament. Like in another post, set up a skills test, if you rate a certain level, you can play, like on the pro golf tour.....if you make it thru the qualifyer, you get to play......Gerry

 

[Jaden]

good,

The only way to get rid of sandbagging is to have a minimum requirement to get into a tournament. Like in another post, set up a skills test, if you rate a certain level, you can play, like on the pro golf tour.....if you make it thru the qualifyer, you get to play......Gerry

that sounds like a plan....