Situation Last Night

Fair to announce special conditions if the player chooses to at the calcutta. "I'm sick" or "I have to be on the big silver bird at 6:30AM, tournament over or not.

Some people think that outsiders bring money into a calcutta, I think they pull more out than they put in.

From the player's viewpoint 10% to 15% of the calcutta in jelly used to be pretty standard, when it was pool hall regulars buying the calcutta. Most players bought half of themselves but it was probably a bad move long term especially where the custom was fifteen percent jelly. Pay nothing for 15% of the winnings or pay 50% for fifty percent of the winnings so you are paying fifty percent of ticket price for 35% of the winnings. Hmmmm, calcutta purses are usually very top heavy. Unless the player is feeling very confident, the fifteen percent on a free roll is probably the better deal.

OK, how about from the gambler's standpoint. A handful of local heavies have bid the favorite players up to five to ten thousand. Not ridiculous, some top players go for over twice that in a calcutta.

A gambler has bought four players: One cost him seventy-five hundred. One forty-five hundred and he got a local favorite for a thousand. The seventy-five hundred dollar player finished outside the calcutta. The forty-five hundred dollar player got red hot and won the whole shebang. The thousand dollar player didn't cash either. Now the 4500 player is looking for nice jelly. Thing is, the gambler isn't holding $4500 in tickets, he is holding $13000 in tickets just to break even. Fifteen percent to the player might be mighty big after all of the buyer's expenses are taken out. He might have bet on the rail too. If he did and lost, he has to consider that.

If the gambler is a serious gambler he is keeping a running tally for the week and year too. Football, the ponies, poker, who knows what all, he may be behind overall even after winning the calcutta. He is trying to claw back to even, overall. He is still in the hole and a player thinks they should get a fifteen percent gift?? Hard to see from the gambler's viewpoint.

No way to completely control it but I like a side pot for players only. One thing not mentioned about calcuttas, the damned things can run for hours or a full day. Funds for a side pot might take a minute when signing in. Since all players pay the same, no time spent bidding.

I fully agree with the player having the sayso when they are ready to quit. A chance a gambler takes just like he takes a chance of the player eating some food that doesn't agree with him and playing poorly or dropping out.

Hu
 
How is that different from the regular tournament pot?

Jelly is definitely called for there.
We don't have Calcuttas out here in AZ, but we do usually have lots of side pots. The main purse is made up from all of the (for example) $50 entry fee. Then you'll have the opportunity to enter a separate one, two, or even three side pots for various amounts, and usually a "winner take all" side pot. lots of players just pay the base rate of $50 but you have choices...
 
How is that different from the regular tournament pot?

It is called a side pot or a cash option, a handful of things. The difference is in the second name, option. Nobody has to buy into the side pot to play in the tournament but those that want to play for more can buy into the side pot. Maybe twenty each or fifty each, all players pay the same to buy in if they want in. Like the calcuttas, the side pot is top heavy, paying about half the places the tournament pays.

I like the cash option. The player knows what it is, has his money ready, and just needs to have his name added to the side pot list when he pays. Quick, simple, profitable if you are on a roll.

Hu
 
If a gambler who aint shooting in the tournament decides to enter the calcutta I feel he does so at his own risk. If the player he has decides to split or leave early for whatever reason the gambler has no say in the matter. Isnt that why they call it gambling??
 
the player is lucky that he has the right to buy half himself in the calcutta. if he chooses not to then he should have no interest in it at all.
no jelly and no say in what happens.

just like the winner of the calcutta has no say in how the player plays or makes his agreements.

they are two separate prize funds.
 
Just deleted a long post. Things are getting interesting enough I don't care to talk about them even on AZB!

Calcutta bids in hundreds, maybe even low thousands probably no big deal. Calcutta bids and payouts in tens of thousands, maybe more, make me want to hunt for cover!

Hu
 
i cant think of any sporting or betting event where if i do not have a prior arrangement with the winner i owe him anything. jelly role was made up by winners to get free money for no risk. stupid in my book to fall for that..
 
i cant think of any sporting or betting event where if i do not have a prior arrangement with the winner i owe him anything. jelly role was made up by winners to get free money for no risk. stupid in my book to fall for that..
Isn't kind of the same as tipping a waitress, barmaid, pizza guy, etc????? Did not "customer" (gambling railbird) not get "good service by way of the winning player??
the player is lucky that he has the right to buy half himself in the calcutta. if he chooses not to then he should have no interest in it at all.
no jelly and no say in what happens.

just like the winner of the calcutta has no say in how the player plays or makes his agreements.

they are two separate prize funds.
Why is the player lucky to buy himself? In most tournaments the Calcutta prize would be pretty lame if the players didnt partake in it themselves. It seems fair to me that the player has the right to buy half of himself. Why don't the railbirds who are just there to gamble do their own Calcutta instead of riding the backs of others??
 
I F'ing hate calcutta. I'm there to murder the field, not there to let degenerate gamblers self pleasure and posture for 45 minutes before an event starts. Rack em. Bet on the side in your own games if you want.

I get it, they're a big draw, but they are also dumb as hell. The funniest part is when an OK-ish player bids themself up hundreds of dollars and there's about a 0.2% chance they can win. I mean, it makes them look like a big shot in their head but all I see is a sucker. Of course the other "players" make like it's a big deal but that's just because there's more money to rob. I'd rather shoot someone's liver out on the table than pose and posture with a few bucks during the auction. There's pool to win and these fools are worrying about paper. 🤣
 
player should bid on himself just like any other in the calcutta. if he goes too cheap he takes half. if he goes high he passes on it. not fair to the original bidder.

and that is exactly what the railbirds are doing their own calcutta betting on the side with no involvement on the players. but most allow the player to buy a piece of it if he wants.

and it isnt like tipping for service as you got no service from the player. you just bet on an outcome.

but go ahead and give out jelly rolls and money to players. to each his own. as long as the player doesnt expect it. then it isnt a gift.
 
I got tired reading this since its a reminder of how our tournaments are here. Just waiting and waiting and waiting. Which is a big reason why I quit.

I can certainly relate to the "2am while having to work at 6" thing.
I only play in small tournaments these days. I just can’t waste my entire saturday sitting around for hours waiting to play.
 
I only play in small tournaments these days. I just can’t waste my entire saturday sitting around for hours waiting to play.
There's got to be some tournament format that doesn't end at 2 in the morning but is still good competition. If you could depend on people coming back next week, you could stop when you get to the top four and pay them equally, and then have the top four play next week on the side of the main tournament. Kind of a two tiered thing.

Or have a sort of round Robin where everybody plays two or three sets and then after a couple of months, the top players have a season championship tournament. You could only count the top four weeks so someone wouldn't be eliminated if they missed a week. I don't know how you'd split the pot, though.
 
There's got to be some tournament format that doesn't end at 2 in the morning but is still good competition. If you could depend on people coming back next week, you could stop when you get to the top four and pay them equally, and then have the top four play next week on the side of the main tournament. Kind of a two tiered thing.

Or have a sort of round Robin where everybody plays two or three sets and then after a couple of months, the top players have a season championship tournament. You could only count the top four weeks so someone wouldn't be eliminated if they missed a week. I don't know how you'd split the pot, though.
For a couple years I ran a once a month 9 ball tournament at my families bar. $20 entry. limited it to 16 players . The tables opened for practice at 10 and it started at 11. We used 3 tables with a 4th for practice and money games and it was always over between 4 and 5. I packed it with a lot of local tough players. People always joked it was the toughest $20 tournament they ever played in but what they loved was you got to play pool and still had your evening to do what you wanted with the wife or gf And if you won you made and easy $160 to pay for the date lol Everyone was happy
 
There's got to be some tournament format that doesn't end at 2 in the morning but is still good competition. If you could depend on people coming back next week, you could stop when you get to the top four and pay them equally, and then have the top four play next week on the side of the main tournament. Kind of a two tiered thing.

Or have a sort of round Robin where everybody plays two or three sets and then after a couple of months, the top players have a season championship tournament. You could only count the top four weeks so someone wouldn't be eliminated if they missed a week. I don't know how you'd split the pot, though.
There's a local tournament coming up and I'd like to attend. It's race to 7 9 ball on winner side, not sure on loser side. 8 tables. They are expecting around 64 players and the calcutta starts at 3PM, tournament at 4PM.

I don't think they realize the thing won't be over til probably 5AM at the earliest. I bet it goes on until 7AM.

It's on a Saturday so why in the heck don't they start calcutta at 8AM and the tournament at 9AM sharp? This gives the bar a chance to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as maybe getting over by 2AM. I doubt I go. I'm not trying to be a wimp but I don't want to deal with no sleep. It's tearing me up because I do want to go and support the local hall but I know for a fact I'll play like dog crap after hours.
 
It's on a Saturday so why in the heck don't they start calcutta at 8AM and the tournament at 9AM sharp? This gives the bar a chance to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as maybe getting over by 2AM. I doubt I go. I'm not trying to be a wimp but I don't want to deal with no sleep. It's tearing me up because I do want to go and support the local hall but I know for a fact I'll play like dog crap after hours.
I feel the exact same way. Why should I waste hours and hours for the gambling parasites? Until the local halls stop catering to these gamblers, it won't change, and pool will continue to suffer overall in the US as a result.
 
player should bid on himself just like any other in the calcutta. if he goes too cheap he takes half. if he goes high he passes on it. not fair to the original bidder.

and that is exactly what the railbirds are doing their own calcutta betting on the side with no involvement on the players. but most allow the player to buy a piece of it if he wants.

and it isnt like tipping for service as you got no service from the player. you just bet on an outcome.

but go ahead and give out jelly rolls and money to players. to each his own. as long as the player doesnt expect it. then it isnt a gift.

I F'ing hate calcutta. I'm there to murder the field, not there to let degenerate gamblers self pleasure and posture for 45 minutes before an event starts. Rack em. Bet on the side in your own games if you want.

I get it, they're a big draw, but they are also dumb as hell. The funniest part is when an OK-ish player bids themself up hundreds of dollars and there's about a 0.2% chance they can win. I mean, it makes them look like a big shot in their head but all I see is a sucker. Of course the other "players" make like it's a big deal but that's just because there's more money to rob. I'd rather shoot someone's liver out on the table than pose and posture with a few bucks during the auction. There's pool to win and these fools are worrying about paper. 🤣
45 minutes for a Calcutta??? Was it a 2 man tournament?? Its always the same thing, going once.....twice......three times..... then someone finally increases the bid, always right when the TO is about to say "sold" someone jacks it up. If I am bidding for myself with someone and they raise I raise right back until it gets too high, then I go buy half. I suppose I still have the same attitude as when I was racing, I expect to win otherwise why bother showing up? Too bad it doesn't work as well at pool, but I hope the time doesn't come that I walk in the door thinking I'm going 2 and out.
 
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