Matchroom Opens -- qualifiers

Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

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One thing I failed to notice about the table from Matchroom that listed the upcoming events was this:

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It seems the current plan is to have no direct entries to the Opens-- only seeded players and winners of qualifiers.
 
Not sure if that's any different then what it was before. I don't recall the 2023 USopen being listed as "top 128" + "128 local and international dead money"
 
Flakeandrun said:
As long as these qualifiers are numerous and cover a lot of ground. I see that as positive.
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If they really get 128 players from qualifiers it will cause a lot of buzz in all the rooms/clubs that participate. The last MR event that I remember with qualifiers was the 2019 US Open in Las Vegas, but there were only a dozen or two entries by that path.
The_JV said:
Not sure if that's any different then what it was before. I don't recall the 2023 USopen being listed as "top 128" + "128 local and international dead money"
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I don't recall any qualifiers for 2023. I think it was all by direct entry.
 
The_JV said:
At best it was "winners of minis". Wherein room owners directly bought spots as used them as prizes in unofficial qualifiers.
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The difficulty with remote qualifiers is that you have to find 16 or so people who are either ready to go to the event or are willing to donate for a little competition and to have a horse in the race.
 
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This is a very positive development. Top 128 is a very lenient rule for automatic qualification. Fields will no longer be filled based on first come first served for the dead money players. The result will be stronger and stronger fields, and that's to pro pool's great advantage.
 
sjm said:
This is a very positive development. Top 128 is a very lenient rule for automatic qualification. Fields will no longer be filled based on first come first served for the dead money players. The result will be stronger and stronger fields, and that's to pro pool's great advantage.
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Stu, its the way it should be, certainly makes the game more professional, when you have to earn your place at these prestigious MR events. And your right, the fields will get so much more stronger, becouse of it.
 
about time. they had qualifiers for the first US open they did in mandalay bay, don't know why they moved away from that system. but what it essentially became is a webpage updating contest.
 
The dates for the UK Open were just announced... May 7-12. New location in Telford, not the Copper Box.
 
Open = Fundraise for Prize Fund

I am dead money. I might book hotel, rental and show up to not play.

Sounds like math class (most people never play or talk theory in math class, its whine whine whine). Its perfect.

Im waiting for the NYC open. I meant hanging in the room. Gotham today.
 
What? Noooooo. I love watching the first 2 rounds of the US Open full of 2-and-out guys who just want to shake hands with Earl or get destroyed by Judd Trump. Those guys can't win a damn qualifier. So what? I'm supposed to watch guys that have just as little chance of winning but offer zero entertainment value with their badness? This sucks... now I won't be able to say I'm better than some guys in the US Open :p
 
Colonel said:
Well then it’s no longer an “Open” then is it?
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Sure it is. It's Open to anyone who wins a qualifier and those are open to everyone. You have several rounds of qualifying for the US Open in golf. It is still open. Could you imagine if they let in hackers the way bangers were getting into the 9b US Open just because they got to the registration counter first?

Qualifiers weed out the no-talents in it for the experience and result in a better product. Only uncapped fields like the Poker World Series should truly be 'open' in the way that anyone with the entry fee gets in. But when limited to 128 or 256 spots, there should be a more stringent vetting of competitors than who can line up first.
 
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WobblyStroke said:
Sure it is. It's Open to anyone who wins a qualifier and those are open to everyone. You have several rounds of qualifying for the US Open in golf. It is still open. Could you imagine if they let in hackers the way bangers were getting into the 9b US Open just because they got to the registration counter first?
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No, it’s not really. This isn’t golf for one, and “Open” in pool, and especially this event from the time BB created it meant OPEN until it was purchased by MR, so we’ll have to agree to disagree.

It’s not always bangers either. I saw something transpire at the event held in September of 1999 that was one of the most interesting and satisfying hustles I ever saw transpire in pool.
 
WobblyStroke said:
Sure it is. It's Open to anyone who wins a qualifier and those are open to everyone. You have several rounds of qualifying for the US Open in golf. It is still open. Could you imagine if they let in hackers the way bangers were getting into the 9b US Open just because they got to the registration counter first?

Qualifiers weed out the no-talents in it for the experience and result in a better product. Only uncapped fields like the Poker World Series should truly be 'open' in the way that anyone with the entry fee gets in. But when limited to 128 or 256 spots, there should be a more stringent vetting of competitors than who can line up first.
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Assuming MR's use of the word "qualifier" means what we here are presuming it to be. This is the single very reason I played in the last USopen. I had a strong feeling that the second group of 128 was going to become exclusive eventually. ...and by exclusive I mean for those who place a primary focus on their game, AND manage to win some level of MR sanctioned qualifying event. However I do think we're leaping a bit here and wouldn't be surprised if "qualifier" simply means that their credit card didn't kick back the payment.

I'm not a guy that will win one of these qualifying events, and I live in a region that will most likely mean I will have to invest in travel/stay just for the opportunity to hopefully catch lightening at one. That said, with my bucket list USopen play box checked off. I'm all for a qualifying system. The product will be better, and maybe we won't have to listen to whiners here bitch about the first couple days of play.
 
Colonel said:
No, it’s not really. This isn’t golf for one, and “Open” in pool, and especially this event from the time BB created it meant OPEN until it was purchased by MR, so we’ll have to agree to disagree.

It’s not always bangers either. I saw something transpire at the event held in September of 1999 that was one of the most interesting and satisfying hustles I ever saw transpire in pool.
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Yeah it is, it's open. It's not an invitational and not a tournament solely for protected players. Anyone can play if they qualify.

We live in the information age. It was way easier to hustle in 1999 than it is now. Now the hustler would need to be that bit more creative and find a way to qualify under the radar.....
 
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