I think part of the problem at DCC may be that full scores are not reported to the desk, just win/loss.
My Fargorate progression
- Thread starter iusedtoberich
- Start date
The problem always starts at the top.
I'm up 3 to 569. I had a 3 set Solatto session against a new to me player last night. I played jam up for me. He told my friend the next day: "He never missed". ha ha. I won all 3 sets, with a combined score of 20-10. He was 554 with about 525 robustness now he's 548 a day later. I ended up 100 beans total on the 3 sets.
The funny part, I hit balls maybe 3 minutes total before starting. I didn't make a single one. No lie. Then once the match started, I couldn't miss! ha ha.
So playing the Main Event at the International Open is not necessary? Plenty of amateur events to fill a week, and get some heavy Fargorate data?
Yes! I didn’t do the main. At $750 it was too much for me to donate. I did the amateur and 4 minis. I could have done a lot more minis but only stayed 3 days. I left before the banks and one hole started.
Then I drove home (to Atlanta), and flew back a week later for Mosconi. If the schedule stays similar next year, you could go for a 2 week vacation for intl open plus Mosconi cup.
@ShortBusRuss Oh, I should be there next year too. I’ll play you all the Salotto you want! Ha ha.
The Mosconi Cup will almost certainly be at Alexandra Palace in 2025.
Also, Pat indicated that the 2025 International will be earlier in November than the 2024 edition.
Latest update I became a TD! I was sick of events ending at 3AM-8AM the past 30 years! I'm calling it "Afternoon Delight", and the emphasis is on being finished before dinner. The entire format is structured around that. First event was over at 4pm. Second event was over at 3pm.
I won the first one. ha ha. That bumped me up 3 to 572.
On the second Afternoon Delight, I lost in the first round and stayed 572. Then I gambled even with another first round loser and lost 2 sets. He's a 641 but is 70 years old and plays below his fargo. I've been gambling with him for 20 years. 20 years ago a fair game between us was him spotting me the 7. We wanted to do Salotto but he doesn't have a smartphone or an iPad so he can't get the app.
Now I'm back in Atlanta. There are no fargo events here. It's really sad. One place I was going that was 1.5 hrs from my house had mostly open events that reported to Fargo and I played when I could. A new TD just took over, and is now using APA style ratings. I don't know what the deal is with the South. Those ratings are so stupid if you ask me.
I will try to bring my Afternoon Delight to a local room here that is 20 minutes from me, Mr Cues 2. I don't know the staff there well yet (I play a ton more in Philly than Atlanta), so I've been going in a bunch the past couple of weeks and saying hello to everyone. Once I get more familiar, I will ask if I can be the TD for an "Afternoon Delight ATL", and bring both FargoRate and "home before Atl traffic" to the locals.
I will try to bring my Afternoon Delight to a local room here that is 20 minutes from me, Mr Cues 2. I don't know the staff there well yet (I play a ton more in Philly than Atlanta), so I've been going in a bunch the past couple of weeks and saying hello to everyone. Once I get more familiar, I will ask if I can be the TD for an "Afternoon Delight ATL", and bring both FargoRate and "home before Atl traffic" to the locals.
So, you seem to have settled in at 570 or so. Do you think you were really playing at 470 for your first 100 games? Or was that from a bad estimate?
I think I've been the same speed for the past 20 years. "maybe" a tiny bit better each year, but just tiny.
The first few tournaments I played in this thread I simply played like crap. It happens. I would have gambled until I went bust with the players that happened to beat me those early tournaments.
I didn't have a starter rating, so the preliminary ratings in the graph under 200 robustness were my actual fargorate.
My compliments to the Chef!!!
I hope these endure for a long time. Wish I lived closer!!!
Nice thread, I like the idea and you definitely spent some time with the updates. I like that Afternoon Delight format and got excited for a moment, until your next post saying you were in GA lol. That spot in PA is driveable for me
Thanks! I'll be back in Philly in a few days and will have an Afternoon Delight tentatively Tues Jan 7.
You're definition of "Afternoon Delight" and mine are
Cool to see you putting your money where your mouth is or insert your own cliché. I may have already posted that. Who knows anymore???
I've been in Atl the past few weeks and donkeyed off work the whole time. I started going out to play a lot more in Atl, I haven't really in about 10 years in Atl (most of my play has been in Philly).
No fargo, but went to the local room's weekly events. They have a good system for a weekly, IMO. Everyone is a number, and there is an in-house chart with what the race lengths are when number x plays number y, etc. Pretty standard stuff before the days of FargoRate. I liked this TD's adjustment system, however. Every time you win a match, your rating goes up .1 points. Every time you lose, it goes down .1 points. He had a paper notebook tracking it. Only the whole number matters as far as what the handicap is, so you must win or lose a lot of matches before it goes up or down to the next whole number. New players are started at x.5. He had me as I think 6.5, and watched me play and then made me 5.5 the next week. All other in-house handicapped events I've played the past 30 some years the adjustment only occurred if you won the event.
I asked the TD about switching to FargoRate. He said no way, everyone cheats at it (me paraphrasing). I just shook my head on the inside and kept my mouth shut.
I went 2 and out.
I go back the next week and sign up. Then a guy I last played maybe 12 years ago showed up. I've been trying to get a game with him and it just never worked out. I think 12 years ago we played one set for maybe 100 or 200. I forget who won, but I remember it was a close game. So we both dropped out of the tournament to play instead.
We played race's to 7 for 200. I lost 5-7, then won 7-2. Set 3 we were tied at 5-5. My stomach was hurting the whole set, and when it got tied (he was ahead), I asked if we could call it even, since we were even in sets and the score was even. I told him why. He was cool with it. I drove home as fast as I could and ran to the toilet, not a second to spare. ha ha.
A few days later he texts me and we play again. We raise the bet to races to 7 for 250. Sets go 7-3, 3-7, 3-7, 7-1. Break even again. I counted up our total games across the 2 sessions, I'm ahead 37-32. I had some really nice outs, especially the lat set I won 7-1. I went home with a huge smile on my face.
No fargo, but went to the local room's weekly events. They have a good system for a weekly, IMO. Everyone is a number, and there is an in-house chart with what the race lengths are when number x plays number y, etc. Pretty standard stuff before the days of FargoRate. I liked this TD's adjustment system, however. Every time you win a match, your rating goes up .1 points. Every time you lose, it goes down .1 points. He had a paper notebook tracking it. Only the whole number matters as far as what the handicap is, so you must win or lose a lot of matches before it goes up or down to the next whole number. New players are started at x.5. He had me as I think 6.5, and watched me play and then made me 5.5 the next week. All other in-house handicapped events I've played the past 30 some years the adjustment only occurred if you won the event.
I asked the TD about switching to FargoRate. He said no way, everyone cheats at it (me paraphrasing). I just shook my head on the inside and kept my mouth shut.
I went 2 and out.
I go back the next week and sign up. Then a guy I last played maybe 12 years ago showed up. I've been trying to get a game with him and it just never worked out. I think 12 years ago we played one set for maybe 100 or 200. I forget who won, but I remember it was a close game. So we both dropped out of the tournament to play instead.
We played race's to 7 for 200. I lost 5-7, then won 7-2. Set 3 we were tied at 5-5. My stomach was hurting the whole set, and when it got tied (he was ahead), I asked if we could call it even, since we were even in sets and the score was even. I told him why. He was cool with it. I drove home as fast as I could and ran to the toilet, not a second to spare. ha ha.
A few days later he texts me and we play again. We raise the bet to races to 7 for 250. Sets go 7-3, 3-7, 3-7, 7-1. Break even again. I counted up our total games across the 2 sessions, I'm ahead 37-32. I had some really nice outs, especially the lat set I won 7-1. I went home with a huge smile on my face.
Next room in Atl, in the sticks, 1.25 hrs from me. This town, Macon, had a room that was doing open fargorate events. They switched to a new TD who now does race to your number style events. Anyway, a new room just opened up in the same town called Brass Rack. My gf has friends in this town, so I dropped her off for the holidays for a few days, then went to the room to play, and had a week to myself
I decided to give the tournament a try. It's the same new TD, but I need my fix, even though no fargo. Plus its a good drive from Atl, and I can go super fast in my new to me 20 year old 911 as there don't seem to be any cops (only when solo in the car). The room is nice, it's a bar with a super good full menu, 8 new Diamond 7', and one new Diamond 9'. I showed the TD my fargorate, and he made me a #5. This tournament had I think 12 players. I was legit the best player there. I ended up winning. The house added 100, so I think I won 140 or so for first.
Afterwards, one guy asked me to play. We played races to 5 for 100 on the 9'. He was not my speed. I easily won 2 sets. I'm guessing he was about 500. He then asked for a spot. So we played 6-4. He ended up winning hill-hill, and we called it a night, me ahead 100.
I decided to give the tournament a try. It's the same new TD, but I need my fix, even though no fargo. Plus its a good drive from Atl, and I can go super fast in my new to me 20 year old 911 as there don't seem to be any cops (only when solo in the car). The room is nice, it's a bar with a super good full menu, 8 new Diamond 7', and one new Diamond 9'. I showed the TD my fargorate, and he made me a #5. This tournament had I think 12 players. I was legit the best player there. I ended up winning. The house added 100, so I think I won 140 or so for first.
Afterwards, one guy asked me to play. We played races to 5 for 100 on the 9'. He was not my speed. I easily won 2 sets. I'm guessing he was about 500. He then asked for a spot. So we played 6-4. He ended up winning hill-hill, and we called it a night, me ahead 100.
Probably best to smile and be quiet, but...
If they cheat in that little room tournament, it means they lose on purpose. That puts free money into the pot for those that don't cheat. If he were running 600-and-under also, it would be different.
The TD invited me to to their next week's event, which was a 500 added split bracket at the same venue, with #6 being the max handicap allowed. I was worried about it taking forever. Their prior event at another room started Sat at noon and ended Sun at 8AM. It had 70 players, double elimination 10 ball. This one was capped at 32 players, short races, and 9 ball. So I felt it could be done around 1am.
35 players showed up. I won my first match, lost my next 2.
The ratings are close, but nowhere near as good as fargorate. The person who beat me the second match was rated 5, same as me, but is a 633 with 1200 robustness. She went for the first blind bid.
And another guy is 584 with 992 robustness and rated a 4. (I'm a 572 currently). These two examples were the only two I actually knew from before and knew could play and had lots of fargo robustness as they are like me and travel a lot to play.
Anyway, I lose, and it's still early, maybe 4pm, and I'm killing time. I hit balls for a couple racks with a banger, who didn't know how to play 9 ball. I showed him how to rack, with the 9 in the middle.
(the tournament ended up finishing at 8pm, the last two players chopped it. I was super pleased it ended early).
Then a guy I played in the prior week's tournament asked me to play. I remember we played a race to 3 and it went hill-hill in the tournament. He didn't really impress me, but I didn't remember too much. I asked do you want to play cheap? He said what's cheap? I say 5 a game? He says let's play a race to 3 for 100. I say ok. We go to the 9' Diamond, and he then asks how about race to 5 for 200 instead. I say ok.
Now, this guy is jumping around, hooting and hollering, riding the 9, and has his friends cheering him on. He's flying high and beats me 5-1. I message a friend of mine and say: "now I know how it feels to play me!" (I've been known to do the same thing depending on who I'm playing).
Second set I win 5-2. He's a little quieter. ha ha.
Third set we raise the bet to 300, I win 5-1.
4th set I lose 1-5. We are even.
He is playing fast and loose and getting out. But I know I play better watching him now a few sets.
5th set I lose 2-5. I'm down 300 now.
He has a corporation all in with him. I ask is anyone betting on me? ha ha
6th set is for 300 and goes hill hill. We back up jack up to 500.
7th set is race to 5 for 500. It goes hill hill. We back up and jack up to 600.
8th set is race to 5 for 600. It goes hill hill. He asks what now? I say I'm going to the bathroom now, when I come back, you all tell me what the new bet is. We back up and jack up to 700.
9th set is race to 5 for 700. I win 5-3. I'm up 400 now.
10 set is race to 5 for 700. I win 5-1. I'm up 1100 now. All his partners drop out.
11th set is race to 5 for 700. I win 5-3. I'm up 1800. He finally quits and says he can't beat me.
I counted up the games when I went home, and ended up 44-39 (including the 3-2 tournament win). He should have beaten me though. He dogged at least 5 9 balls, no lie, and maybe 5 more 8 balls that were all pretty easy.
I haven't gambled this much in years. I can't even remember the last time.
Some of the outs I made on the 9' Diamond were super, super nice. I went home with a big smile again. I think because I played really well (at times), more so than the money. ha ha. The room opened up in Nov, but I'm not sure if the cloth on the 9' Diamond was older. It felt more like 1 year old cloth than 1 month old cloth. Anyway, the table was playing tough, and I impressed myself at times.
35 players showed up. I won my first match, lost my next 2.
The ratings are close, but nowhere near as good as fargorate. The person who beat me the second match was rated 5, same as me, but is a 633 with 1200 robustness. She went for the first blind bid.
And another guy is 584 with 992 robustness and rated a 4. (I'm a 572 currently). These two examples were the only two I actually knew from before and knew could play and had lots of fargo robustness as they are like me and travel a lot to play.
Anyway, I lose, and it's still early, maybe 4pm, and I'm killing time. I hit balls for a couple racks with a banger, who didn't know how to play 9 ball. I showed him how to rack, with the 9 in the middle.
(the tournament ended up finishing at 8pm, the last two players chopped it. I was super pleased it ended early).
Then a guy I played in the prior week's tournament asked me to play. I remember we played a race to 3 and it went hill-hill in the tournament. He didn't really impress me, but I didn't remember too much. I asked do you want to play cheap? He said what's cheap? I say 5 a game? He says let's play a race to 3 for 100. I say ok. We go to the 9' Diamond, and he then asks how about race to 5 for 200 instead. I say ok.
Now, this guy is jumping around, hooting and hollering, riding the 9, and has his friends cheering him on. He's flying high and beats me 5-1. I message a friend of mine and say: "now I know how it feels to play me!" (I've been known to do the same thing depending on who I'm playing).
Second set I win 5-2. He's a little quieter. ha ha.
Third set we raise the bet to 300, I win 5-1.
4th set I lose 1-5. We are even.
He is playing fast and loose and getting out. But I know I play better watching him now a few sets.
5th set I lose 2-5. I'm down 300 now.
He has a corporation all in with him. I ask is anyone betting on me? ha ha
6th set is for 300 and goes hill hill. We back up jack up to 500.
7th set is race to 5 for 500. It goes hill hill. We back up and jack up to 600.
8th set is race to 5 for 600. It goes hill hill. He asks what now? I say I'm going to the bathroom now, when I come back, you all tell me what the new bet is. We back up and jack up to 700.
9th set is race to 5 for 700. I win 5-3. I'm up 400 now.
10 set is race to 5 for 700. I win 5-1. I'm up 1100 now. All his partners drop out.
11th set is race to 5 for 700. I win 5-3. I'm up 1800. He finally quits and says he can't beat me.
I counted up the games when I went home, and ended up 44-39 (including the 3-2 tournament win). He should have beaten me though. He dogged at least 5 9 balls, no lie, and maybe 5 more 8 balls that were all pretty easy.
I haven't gambled this much in years. I can't even remember the last time.
Some of the outs I made on the 9' Diamond were super, super nice. I went home with a big smile again. I think because I played really well (at times), more so than the money. ha ha. The room opened up in Nov, but I'm not sure if the cloth on the 9' Diamond was older. It felt more like 1 year old cloth than 1 month old cloth. Anyway, the table was playing tough, and I impressed myself at times.
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