Pros in local tournaments

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Do your local tournament directors allow professionals to play? I'm not talking about joe-blow pro who plays in the Derby every year. I'm talking about a world-class player who's beaten all the greats at one point, including Efren, and was selected to play on the IPT. In my town, some tournaments allow them and some don't. I have mixed feelings about this. On the bad side, most of the tournament money will go to the pro. The good side is you can learn a lot, and it's a huge confidence boost when you beat a player of this caliber.
 
Love to see the pros!

Roll-Off said:
Do your local tournament directors allow professionals to play? I'm not talking about joe-blow pro who plays in the Derby every year. I'm talking about a world-class player who's beaten all the greats at one point, including Efren, and was selected to play on the IPT. In my town, some tournaments allow them and some don't. I have mixed feelings about this. On the bad side, most of the tournament money will go to the pro. The good side is you can learn a lot, and it's a huge confidence boost when you beat a player of this caliber.
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Where else could you get a race to 7 with a world class player for $20.
 
The hall/bar that hires me to promote tournaments will not let any pro's or road players play in the events. I have to clear questionable players with upper management before I let them play.
 
Players who show up for the monthly tournamnet at Diamond billiards in Chattanooga have included - Shannon Daulton, Rob Saez, Troy Frank, Wade Crane, Sarah Rousey, Jonathan Hennesey, Jerry Slivka, Bobby Pickle. (The list goes on) Each month the competition is TOUGH, and any pro or road player is welcome.
 
Tony Crosby and Buddy Hall often play in our Wednesday weekly tournament. I like having the pros in it.
 
Most tournaments in my area do not let pro caliber players play. The rule is pretty much aimed at two local players.
 
tough call for the promoter

I favor open competition because I have discovered that tough competition is the best way to improve. However I have also seen people start dodging the competitions that they think they have no chance of winning and this killing participation when one or two people win constantly.

It is always a tough call for the people promoting events. My opinion is that for the most local participation the "bigtime" pro's should be excluded. Most people are more interested in a shot at winning than they are in getting trounced by the best.

Hu
 
Jerry Yost said:
Where else could you get a race to 7 with a world class player for $20.
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Well said!!
You can't pay $20 to get a chance in the batters box in a game situation against Clemens, and you can't get a chance to catch a TD pass thrown by Elway, or Montana (know you know how old I am!) either.
Only in the world of pool can you pay your entry fee and have a chance to end up on the other side of the table from somebody you've only read about in magazines! And here's the best part....................a Joe Blow average 'player' having the game of his life against a world class pro having a really bad day with bad rolls can sometimes come away with a suprise win when it comes to 9-ball. To me, that's the one of the greatest joys that world of billiards has to offer.......................a shot at 15 minutes of fame for almost anybody.
Joe Blow
 
People who won't play a tournament because of great players in it are no heart loser nits. Period. I wish I could play a tournament with top notch players all the time. I have no shot, but so what. For a dirt cheap entry like 20 or 50 who cares? I understand not gambling with top players. Don't do it if you like money. But a tournament is to see who's best. If you win a tournament where players are excluded, you weren't the best. So there is no pride in winning. So many people are such losers.

As I have posted before, I wish people still respected amateurism. Even golf has gotten too soft. In pool there is no such thing as amateurism. IMO what tournaments should do is have amateur events and paying events. The best way to keep pros out is to offer a cheap tournament where first place is a trophy. Would a road player bother? But if you want to play in a tournament that pays cash, you are playing a professional event and should expect open and professional competition.
 
The allow them in the Amsterdam NYC leagues. Tony Robles, San Soucci, J. Berreta, and others. I think its great practice. I'm looking forward to playing one of them. Occasionally they have open tournaments for them to play in too against the amateurs.
 
Tokyo-dave said:
Well said!!
You can't pay $20 to get a chance in the batters box in a game situation against Clemens, and you can't get a chance to catch a TD pass thrown by Elway, or Montana (know you know how old I am!) either.
Only in the world of pool can you pay your entry fee and have a chance to end up on the other side of the table from somebody you've only read about in magazines! And here's the best part....................a Joe Blow average 'player' having the game of his life against a world class pro having a really bad day with bad rolls can sometimes come away with a suprise win when it comes to 9-ball. To me, that's the one of the greatest joys that world of billiards has to offer.......................a shot at 15 minutes of fame for almost anybody.
Joe Blow
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Hell i've played in a lot of open tournments with pro's in them. I hope i do draw one of them. I have to play my game .And they have to win .No heat on me, cause i'm jus a nobody .Do think that they want to get beat by a nobody? Then a somebody, Jus play your game thats what thay do ..

Deadstoke32 more heart then brains..( sometimes)..... ;) ;)
 
Jerry Yost said:
Where else could you get a race to 7 with a world class player for $20.
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In my tour I leave it up to the RO to designate whether the event is open to the WPBa Touring Pros or not. My State Championship events are always open. It's fun matching up to a Pro and seeing where your game stands.

Heck, I knocked out Dawn Hopkins in the NJ SC to take 4th place. Of course now I'm looking at working the dreaded "Security Post Position #2" at next year's Expo, but what the heck!

Barbara
 
deadstroke32 said:
Hell i've played in a lot of open tournments with pro's in them. I hope i do draw one of them. I have to play my game .And they have to win .No heat on me, cause i'm jus a nobody .Do think that they want to get beat by a nobody? Then a somebody, Jus play your game thats what thay do ..

Deadstoke32 more heart then brains..( sometimes)..... ;) ;)
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Exactly!!

I know of a couple of WPBA Pros that will no longer play in Regional Tour events because they don't want to take the chance of losing to an Amateur or Semi-Pro player.

Barbara
 
The Wednesday nite 9-ball tournament at Orange Ball Billiards, Rockville....yes.

As Jerry Yost put it, bring your $20 and have a chance to play some of the best...Mike Davis, Keith "Earthquake" McCready, Ryan McCresh just to name a few. They use the event as a tune-up for the weekend.

The Saturday Morning tournament at All Star Billiards, Frederick...no.

This is an APA handicapped 8-ball event for amateurs only. Low side is S/L 2-4 and high side is S/L 5-7. Play thru your side of the bracket with top 3-4 of low side facing top 3-4 of the high side in APA handicapped race. That way, half of the winners must come from the low side...makes it very entertaining for the low side. BTW, don't think that because you are S/L 7, you will walk away with the cash. There are so VERY tough guys on the low side that make a 5-2 race very difficult.
 
For the most part

A+ players are not allowed to play in weekly tournaments.
For most of them, the money is not enough for the time.
They can do much better just getting a $100-200 set for
2-4 hours, especially on a weekend night. These are 8-16 entry
tournaments, that usually only pay $80-$120 for 1st.
The larger tournaments, like 32 player and up, they can play,
but most of the 32 players ones are handicapped anymore,
and the better you are, the more quarters you pump in.
Even Shooters big Thanksgiving tournament was switched
from a Open 8 ball tournament to a handicapped 9 ball tournament,
and many good players still come to play, and play with their
11 or 12 handicap. (handicapped 2-12). Defining handicaps
is a problem, especially for out-of-towners, and you always
end up with someone, playing as a 5 that is really a 7.3 speed.
Events like the Midwest 9 ball tour, 64 player events, I expect
pro level players in those events, and they are.
 
I used to play every year in the annual Pete Sinkler 14.1 tourny at D&D family billiards back in Pa. I had NO chance to win, but I would play to fill the field of 16 if needed because I worked there. The entry was $100 and I still consider it the cheapest seasoning I ever got. I had the chance to play Hopkins, Baroutti, Florida Bob Maidhoff, Don Polo, Jack Calavita (sp), Sigel, Rempe, etc. The farthest I ever went was 4 rounds with runs in the 50's, and I loved every minute of it. The last year I played I broke, Florida Bob hit me with a 124, I ran maybe 30/40, and missed a break ball, he went out. He knew my speed and congradulated me for having the heart to play. Not to mention all the guys would give me all kinds of advise while we were playing, and after the game. They would treat you differently/better knowing your trying to get better and step up. I hope I can make it up this year for the tourny.....Gerry
 
MFB said:
Most tournaments in my area do not let pro caliber players play. The rule is pretty much aimed at two local players.
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This seems like kind of a funny rule to me. To a typical Minneapolis B-level player, running into Jimmy or Lee (the two he's referring to) is not much different than running into Jamie or Derik or Robbie or Mario or Ty... So excluding those two doesn't have much impact on the "also played" crowd. Who it helps is these other top-tier regional players. Seems to me it might be better to just flatten out the payouts a bit.

mike page
fargo
 
I OWN Jose Parica!

Weekly 9-Ball tournament Orange Ball Billiards Rockville Maryland. $5 dollars of the $20 entry goes to play Parica in a race to 2 for your name to go in a hat for a cue that he is sponsoring. Challenger breaks each rack. Watching Parica taking all challengers, the guy is amazing. Over the course of the night (4-5 hours) I don't think I saw him miss more than 1 or 2 balls. I take my chance at the table and snap the 9 on the first break. I loose the second game. Game three we are both ducking on the 8, both leaving it in the middle of the short rail with the cue ball at the other end of the table. I finally leave a chance for him to play offensive but the shot was tough. He misses and leaves me a shot. I pop the 8 down the long rail drawing back for shape on the nine. Pocket the nine for the first name to go in the hat. Parica plays until 11:00 pm before another local player gets 2, again with one game won with the 9 on the break. Last challenger of the night, Keith "Earthquake" McCready. Keith wins the race to 2 making it three names in the hat. Parica had to play 30-40 races that night. Keith's name gets drawn for the cue! A great $20 memory for me!
 
Barbara said:
Exactly!!

I know of a couple of WPBA Pros that will no longer play in Regional Tour events because they don't want to take the chance of losing to an Amateur or Semi-Pro player.

Barbara
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Really? Who would they be? Most of the WPBA Pros I know take the opportunity to play every chance they get. Maybe there are other reasons they don't want to play in some marginal tour events.

John
 
mikepage said:
This seems like kind of a funny rule to me. To a typical Minneapolis B-level player, running into Jimmy or Lee (the two he's referring to) is not much different than running into Jamie or Derik or Robbie or Mario or Ty... So excluding those two doesn't have much impact on the "also played" crowd. Who it helps is these other top-tier regional players. Seems to me it might be better to just flatten out the payouts a bit.

mike page
fargo
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I agree with you Mike.
 
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