Predator World 8 Ball Championship (Nov 19-22), Puerto Rico, Winner $60K

[couldnthinkof01]

Eight ball is just as great a game as any other.
Watching these men put on a show this week was so enjoyable.
The puzzles they solve....pressure positional shots...
The humidity slowing the table down was a nice side effect of the location, I thought.
Winner breaks, decent race, comebacks..I like it all.

 

[kling&allen]

Most 9 ball runouts are execution games that are truly brainless for pros with typical patterns that any half-competent league player can predict. At least we get to see them negotiate problems and weigh options when they run out an 8-ball rack. Not to mention that the end of an 8-ball rack is the most interesting and dangerous part of the whole process, unlike 9-ball which is a formality for pros when there are 3-4 balls left.

I'm shocked that people are minimizing the difficulty of what the players showed us this week.

I don't think anyone is minimizing the difficulty of this event or the skill of the players. If you like tactics and defensive play, 8 ball on a 9 foot table isn't your favorite game to spectate. I don't remember one attempted safety in the final?

This is the same critique people make about 9 ball on the barbox. But the more events and the more variations available for us to watch, the better. The streams were great for this event.

 

[AtLarge]

Several days ago in this thread I asked where Skyler Woodward was, and I don't think anyone answered. He didn't play in the World 8-Ball event, but I thought he was signed up for it, and I thought I saw him in the audience in San Juan at the 10-Ball event. Does anyone know now? Is he okay? I sure hope his presence at the Mosconi Cup isn't affected.

 

[kling&allen]

Several days ago in this thread I asked where Skyler Woodward was, and I don't think anyone answered. He didn't play in the World 8-Ball event, but I thought he was signed up for it, and I thought I saw him in the audience in San Juan at the 10-Ball event. Does anyone know now? Is he okay? I sure hope his presence at the Mosconi Cup isn't affected.

He has been posting raffles and stuff on his Facebook page with daily videos and he looks fine. I don't know why he didn't play in the PR events.

 

[AtLarge]

He has been posting raffles and stuff on his Facebook page with daily videos and he looks fine. I don't know why he didn't play in the PR events.

Thanks; good to hear. The last post I see on his Facebook page is from Oct. 11. Maybe because I am not a "Friend?"

 

[kling&allen]

Thanks; good to hear. The last post I see on his Facebook page is from Oct. 11. Maybe because I am not a "Friend?"

"Chalk it up with Sky Woodward" is the group he uses for public posts about pool.

 

[AtLarge]

"Chalk it up with Sky Woodward" is the group he uses for public posts about pool.

Thanks. From a video he posted 2 days ago, with whiskers, I conclude that the guy I saw at the 10-Ball event in San Juan and I thought it was Skyler was not Skyler. Also, in response to the question "Why no 8 ball?" he says "I didn't get an invite or I would have been there for sure." If that was referring to the World 8-Ball -- ????

 

[Woodshaft]

Also, in response to the question "Why no 8 ball?" he says "I didn't get an invite or I would have been there for sure."

He's now sponsored by Cuetec. Maybe his sponsor (Cuetec) only paid for SVB and Gorst to go.
Also, these were Predator sponsored events. Perhaps Predator felt 2 Cuetec Studs was enough and "blocked" Sky out.
I'm guessing it's something sponsor-related one way or the other...

 

[nicksaint26]

He's now sponsored by Cuetec. Maybe his sponsor (Cuetec) only paid for SVB and Gorst to go.
Also, these were Predator sponsored events. Perhaps Predator felt 2 Cuetec Studs was enough and "blocked" Sky out.
I'm guessing it's something sponsor-related one way or the other...

You mean to tell me he wouldn't play unless his sponsor puts him in? I highly doubt that he would just pay his own entry fee.

 

[skogstokig]

He's now sponsored by Cuetec. Maybe his sponsor (Cuetec) only paid for SVB and Gorst to go.
Also, these were Predator sponsored events. Perhaps Predator felt 2 Cuetec Studs was enough and "blocked" Sky out.
I'm guessing it's something sponsor-related one way or the other...

i hope you're wrong but idk.

 

[Cornerman]

Despite the romantic fantasy, there are just as few if not less safeties in top level 8-ball on barboxes. I did years of US open 8-ball commentary on both big and small tables. It’s a break and run contest. On the small table, the player is always gunning for any clusters. Any long, drawn out safety battle would typically be on the bigger table.

 

[Joe_Jaguar]

Despite the romantic fantasy, there are just as few if not less safeties in top level 8-ball on barboxes. I did years of US open 8-ball commentary on both big and small tables. It’s a break and run contest. On the small table, the player is always gunning for any clusters. Any long, drawn out safety battle would typically be on the bigger table.

Barboxes are a joke in any conversation regarding pros.

 

[Brookeland Bill]

Barboxes are a joke in any conversation regarding pros.

Bar boxes hurt the image of pool especially when so called “pros” compete on them. They belong in bars and only bars. I feel the same way about 7’ and 8’ tables when it comes to professional pool.

 

[telinoz]

I was explaining how to rack 8-Ball, using WPA standard pattern to some of my friends yesterday and one of them said the World 8-Ball just held didn't always follow the pattern as per the rules.
He took some screenshots, he was right.

This is what I am talking about:

Now, it seems a bit off that the referee's didn't know this and the racking varied.

Obviously, nobody went as far as Corey Deuel's famous 8-Ball rack which ties up one set of balls.
But, I would have thought a WPA event would have stricly followed the WPA rules for how to setup the rack...

 

[skip100]

I was explaining how to rack 8-Ball, using WPA standard pattern to some of my friends yesterday and one of them said the World 8-Ball just held didn't always follow the pattern as per the rules.
He took some screenshots, he was right.

This is what I am talking about:
View attachment 673018


Now, it seems a bit off that the referee's didn't know this and the racking varied.

Obviously, nobody went as far as Corey Deuel's famous 8-Ball rack which ties up one set of balls.
But, I would have thought a WPA event would have stricly followed the WPA rules for how to setup the rack...

Rules

Navigate the rules and regulations of pool with ease. Stay informed and play fair with WPA Rules!

wpapool.com

The text before this image says the balls should be "placed in the triangle without purposeful or intentional pattern" other than the 8-ball and the two rear corners.

 

[telinoz]

Rules

Navigate the rules and regulations of pool with ease. Stay informed and play fair with WPA Rules!

wpapool.com

The text before this image says the balls should be "placed in the triangle without purposeful or intentional pattern" other than the 8-ball and the two rear corners.

Thanks, I stand corrected.
The image was just an example.

 

[Joe_Jaguar]

I was explaining how to rack 8-Ball, using WPA standard pattern to some of my friends yesterday and one of them said the World 8-Ball just held didn't always follow the pattern as per the rules.
He took some screenshots, he was right.

This is what I am talking about:
View attachment 673018


Now, it seems a bit off that the referee's didn't know this and the racking varied.

Obviously, nobody went as far as Corey Deuel's famous 8-Ball rack which ties up one set of balls.
But, I would have thought a WPA event would have stricly followed the WPA rules for how to setup the rack...

"But, I would have thought a WPA event would have strictly followed the WPA rules for how to setup the rack"

One would think but this has not been the case. I emailed the WPA years ago early on regarding the Qatar WPA World 9 Ball on the ignorant three point "rule" being used which was not a rule of 9 ball and their response was that the event organizers had leeway to change rules as they wanted. So even though it was a WPA Championship it wasn't by WPA rules. LMFAO. I believe a number of years later a revision was made that included that ignorant three point "rule" as an optional breaking rule that could be included in the playing rule set of an event.

 

[Nick B]

Bar boxes hurt the image of pool especially when so called “pros” compete on them. They belong in bars and only bars. I feel the same way about 7’ and 8’ tables when it comes to professional pool.

No it's worse. It promotes poor mechanics and holds back proper stroke development. That's why the snooker Galls came over and quickly dominated. The Mens game is at a higher level and requires power and the Snooker men have very little financial incentive to come over. Barbox is not keeping the game alive....it's holding it back in the US (OK BB warriors...Flame On!). The Euros have lapped the Americans and even the mighty Filipinos. Forget what I think. Exhibit #1:

 

[skogstokig]

I was explaining how to rack 8-Ball, using WPA standard pattern to some of my friends yesterday and one of them said the World 8-Ball just held didn't always follow the pattern as per the rules.
He took some screenshots, he was right.

This is what I am talking about:
View attachment 673018


Now, it seems a bit off that the referee's didn't know this and the racking varied.

Obviously, nobody went as far as Corey Deuel's famous 8-Ball rack which ties up one set of balls.
But, I would have thought a WPA event would have stricly followed the WPA rules for how to setup the rack...

i have learned that one as well, but i always forget it. it was a NY player that showed me that pattern, supposedly an optimum for suite separation. i wonder if it's optimal for second ball break though?

 

[BasementDweller]

No it's worse. It promotes poor mechanics and holds back proper stroke development. That's why the snooker Galls came over and quickly dominated. The Mens game is at a higher level and requires power and the Snooker men have very little financial incentive to come over. Barbox is not keeping the game alive....it's holding it back in the US (OK BB warriors...Flame On!). The Euros have lapped the Americans and even the mighty Filipinos. Forget what I think. Exhibit #1:

You're conflating two different past times. There's amateur pool and professional pool. Bar tables are ABSOLUTELY keeping the amateur game alive. Actually it's thriving. It's sort of comical to think that folks that play once a week and never practice would continue to show up for league night on 9 footers. The reality is -- pool is very difficult for almost ALL players even on a bar table. So bar tables certainly have their place and playing on them can be enjoyable for 90 plus percent of players.

Now the pro game? I don't know what the answer to that is in the States, but I know bar tables aren't going anywhere.