Should a pool hall give free table time to warm up before an event?

[snipershot]

My local pool hall has free practice before the tourneys, and after you are knocked out, you can play free until the tourney is over. I believe that is more than fair. Ive seen people play the tourney and go 2 and out in less than an hour, so if you make them pay from that point on, they will just leave. If you let em stay, they order food, sodas, snacks, beer, etc. It really makes a good impression on new players when they find out they get to play for a couple more hours after they get put out. If a lower skill player gets put out early, he/she might be discouraged to enter another tourney, which is bad for our local pool scene, because we need all the pool players we can get!

Joe

 

[Bambu]

Unless it's in a bar with only 1 or 2 small tables, I've never seen a tourament with no warm up time.

 

[alstl]

I think a room owner should want to promote players taking the tournament seriously, and warming up before you play is a good idea. So yes, I think rooms should offer some warm-up time and charge a green fee or whatever that makes it right for the room.

Afterwards could go either way, imo. We have our Monday 9-ball tournament going on right now, and I'd say it's pretty generous.

$10 to enter. race to 3/2 100% paid out
free pizza buffet
tournament tables open for two hours before and all night afterward.

Right now a couple knocked-out guys are playing straight pool. Another pair is matching up at 9-ball

I wish I was in Fargo if that's how you do it there. If you could get a handle on that snow and ice thing I might move.

Unfortunately, I've seen a place charging greens fees try to charge for warm up time and I've seen option 3, they counter guy lets his buddies warm up for free but everybody else has to pay. Great way to run off customers.

 

[OTB]

yes, if there is a green fee.............if its split quarters as you go, then pay the dough.