Konrad Juszczyszyn, An amazing player.

S

smoochie

NotLikeThis
Yesterday I was watching these ghosts challenges online where pro's play at their home with cameras, and I've watched about 3 matches where this guy plays. I have yet to see him miss a ball! I am really impressed by the way he plays.

But how come a guy who plays this good has yet not won the US Open or the World title of pool? I know it takes a lot of luck to win big major tournaments but I don't know, this guy either is extremely good or his table is extremely easy? I'll let you decide. I don't know his pocket-size but the guy just doesn't miss a shot so far that I watched three matches.



I am expecting him to win a major tournament as soon as luck come his way in an event, if he keeps playing like this.
 
konrad has won the european 9-ball championship, in which as you can imagine the competition is purdy tough
 
Personally, I would never rate any player based on their play against the ghost. One can get a sense of a player’s offensive potential, but if they don’t have to make a ball on the break to keep shooting, it doesn’t even begin to approximate competitive play. Further, if ball in hand is taken it is an even further from a test of the skills needed to beat the elite.

In competition, other than when opponents hand them to you, runout chances don’t land in your lap, but must be earned, and there are just a few ways to earn them.

1) by breaking the balls in a way that something goes in and making shape on the lowest numbered ball
2) with defense well conceived and well executed
3) with tactical excellence, including skillful use of two way shots, good downside management in both offense and defense, and good judgement in push outs.

I’ve seen players that excelled against the ghost who were underdeveloped in the skills that determine whether they can beat elite players to the shot, and that’s why the ghost is not all telling.

As far as Konrad, whom I’ve watched live many times, he is a very classy player with a bright future, but I wouldn’t yet call him one of the most elite in the skills that pertain to beating top players to the shot. He is a very straight shooter and I wish him the best of luck, but I am not surprised in the least that he hasn’t yet snapped off one of the biggest titles (US Open 9-ball, China Open 9-ball, International 9-ball, All Japan 9-ball, World Pool Masters, World 9-ball, World 10-ball, World Cup of Pool) yet. His Fargo is 778, which makes him the 78th highest rated player in the world and only 6th best in Poland. Give him time. Perhaps he’ll be counted among the most elite one day.
 
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There are hundreds of guys out there, that play so good it's scary. They can't win enough to buy dinner ,so they fade away into oblivion.
 
book collector said:
There are hundreds of guys out there, that play so good it's scary. They can't win enough to buy dinner ,so they fade away into oblivion.
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And there we have it...the sad state of pool. The golfer ranked 78th in the world probably lives very well.
 
Juszczyszyn is pretty good at 14.1 also. He won the American Straight Pool Championship in 2017.
 
bb9ball said:
And, not to knock Konrad, but if pool had the same money as golf, it would be even harder to get into the top 78.
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If pool had the same purses as golf, it would be as difficult to be the #78 pool player as it is to be the #78 golfer. If one includes all the qualifying tournaments, all the local and mini-tours, and the elite amateurs, there are probably tens of thousands of people working at trying to become a PGA Touring pro.

Another difference between golf and pool is that even if you are one of the truly elite and manage to become exempt on the PGA Tour, you can lose your PGA Tour card after any year in which you fail to finish in the top 125 on the money list, and then you have to return to the qualifying system or the local or mini-tours to try to get it back.
 
Poland has a VERY good pool association. They have a lot of top players coming out of their junior programs. Wiktor Zelinski is another monster.
 
sjm said:
If pool had the same purses as golf, it would be as difficult to be the #78 pool player as it is to be the #78 golfer. If one includes all the qualifying tournaments, all the local and mini-tours, and the elite amateurs, there are probably tens of thousands of people working at trying to become a PGA Touring pro.

Another difference between golf and pool is that even if you are one of the truly elite and manage to become exempt on the PGA Tour, you can lose your PGA Tour card after any year in which you fail to finish in the top 125 on the money list, and then you have to return to the qualifying system or the local or mini-tours to try to get it back.
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Yes and no on the PGA Tour. Certain events(majors, Players, WGC) carry multi-yr exemptions. Winning a regular event gets you 2yrs and 20wins along with 15yrs on tour is a lifetime exemption. Arnie and Jack's events are 3yr iirc. But yes, for most guys you have to be in top-125.
 
sjm said:
[...]

As far as Konrad, whom I’ve watched live many times, he is a very classy player with a bright future, [...]
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I suspect you remember the Gotham City Classic five years ago, when he beat
Wilkie 10-7
Kazakis 10-3
Orcollo 10-8
Dechaine 10-9
Boyes 10-2
Yu Hsuan Cheng 10-9
Yu Hsuan Cheng 13-6

Konrad is indeed a fantastic player.

Keep an eye also on Szymon Kural, who beat Konrad out of the Polish 10-Ball Championships in December. Though Szymon is rated only 727, he may start going up in a year and a half when he turns 18 and is old enough to get a driver's license.
 
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