SJM Sizes Up 2024 in Pro Pool

sjm said:
[...]

Happy new year to all AZB posters. See you in 2025.
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Nice summary Stu -- filled with insight as usual

Because we look at somewhat different measures than you do, I'll add a few quick comments. Ko Pin Yi and Chua seem to us to be playing as strong as or stronger than anyone in the world right now. Some players we see as knocking on the door are Pijus Labutis, Robbie Capito, and Kledio Kaci.

Amongst women, Pia Filler is noteworthy for strong and improving play. And then of course there are the amazing young US players Sofia (16) and Savannah (15 next month). They are performing similarly to one another and outrunning their Fargo Ratings by about 30 points. And Linnea Hjalmarstrom, who just turned 17 and is from Sweden, is on a similar trajectory.

Happy New Year!
 
mikepage said:
Nice summary Stu -- filled with insight as usual

Because we look at somewhat different measures than you do, I'll add a few quick comments. Ko Pin Yi and Chua seem to us to be playing as strong as or stronger than anyone in the world right now. Some players we see as knocking on the door are Pijus Labutis, Robbie Capito, and Kledio Kaci.

Amongst women, Pia Filler is noteworthy for strong and improving play. And then of course there are the amazing young US players Sofia (16) and Savannah (15 next month). They are performing similarly to one another and outrunning their Fargo Ratings by about 30 points. And Linnea Hjalmarstrom, who just turned 17 and is from Sweden, is on a similar trajectory.

Happy New Year!
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Thanks for your insight. It's a funny thing, Mike. I've always been undependable about picking winners in individual matches, but I've tended to be spot on in my predictions of who the next great players will be.

As you know, Fargo has no bigger advocate than me, but when I look at potential greatness, I look at much more than performance based on scores. I also look beyond the most obvious intangible that is generally called potential, because that tends to be measured by skills alone.

What I've seen in the future greats time and time again is a conceptualization process that is evolving methodically and accurately and a player that constantly shows more knowledge across the critical skills of pattern play and defense than they did in the past. Gradual increases in conceptualization and decision making can take a long time to show up on the scoreboard, but I watch players closely enough and often enough that I can see who appears to be on the right trajectory with respect to these skills.

I've seen Top 100 players in the world who were clearly not developing constructively in these areas and knew they would never get anywhere near the top. Sometimes, however, I saw lesser players that were clearly on the right track and I knew that, eventually, they would get there.

Let's compare three players, all ranked between 43 and 52 based on Fargo.

Robbie Capito, #52 in the world using Fargo rate, is a fine player and he can run the table as well as many of the most elite, but to me, he qualifies as one not developing much in conceptualization and decision-making skills, and unless that changes, I am guessing he will never crack the Fargo Top 20. Pijus Labutis, #43 in the world based on Fargo, on the other hand, is becoming more and more refined in his conceptualization and decision-making skills, so I would not be surprised in the least if he cracks the Fargo Top 20 down the road. A player that is developing much more impressively in conceptualization and decision-making skills is Mortiz Neuhausen, #48 in the world based on Fargo. Based on what I see from him, I'll be shocked if he does not crack the Fargo Top 20 at some point.

However it all unfolds, Mike, it should be fun to watch.
 
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Here's the footage of my shot of the year. The time stamp would be 41:45.

At double hill, Gorst pulled a rabbit out of a hat to make this three rail shape to the short side while still getting right side of the ball on the two.

It is an example of a shot whose greatness is due to the size of the moment. This shot won Gorst a title.

 
sjm said:
Here's the footage of my shot of the year. The time stamp would be 41:45.

At double hill, Gorst pulled a rabbit out of a hat to make this three rail shape to the short side while still getting right side of the ball on the two.

It is an example of a shot whose greatness is due to the size of the moment. This shot won Gorst a title.

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Filler was like, #$%#$%^#^ this is over now ;(
 
sjm said:
Don't think I follow that. As noted, the Gorst/Kaci final in the World 9ball was decided by Kaci's defensive error at double hill. Yes, I gave full credit to Gorst's play onto the 2ball in the World Pool Masters final, calling it the shot of the year.

Didn't see much of Manas, but don't agree on Yapp. His 2024, in which he made less prize money than in 2023, was almost a repeat performance.

Each year, he had a bad year until fourth quarter. In 2023, he finished strong with wins at the Battle of the Bull and the International 9ball. In 2024, he did the same but finished strong with wins at the Reyes Cup and the International 9ball. In my opinion, his play at the International was much stronger in 2023 than in 2024.

With due respect, I don't think Yapp took it to the next level this year.
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Manas is a rising talent, but he still has a long way to go.

Yapp was, by his standard, not especially good the first 10 months of the year. Winning MVP at Reyes got his confidence back and he finished the year very strong. But he did not make the leap I've been expecting since his Covid-period loss in the US Open to Biado.

Other than Krause, the two players who really came on strong in 2024 were Patsura and Labutis, as sjm noted.

The most notable backslider imo was Wiktor Zielinski.

Down years for Ouschan and Woodward, relatively speaking, and Shane Woolford failed to progress on the U.S. side. Sam Henderson might be one to watch, however.
 
''What a sense of nerve that was.''
WTH?
at 42 minute mark announcer says that after getting shape on the 2 ball.
Never thought of a true feel shot being ''said'' that way, but it makes some sense.
It tho wasn't real nervy, cances of getting hooked were maybe 1%, making it NON- nervy. :)
 
sjm said:
Yes, FSR played some of the best pool ever seen at the Mosconi and if he can sustain that level of play in 2025, he may recapture his very top gear. It's one of the more intriguing stories as we enter 2025.

It's hard to imagine Fedor duplicating his 2024, but I suspect that he and Filler will be the top two on the 2025 AZB money list, as they have been for quite some time.

What to expect of Chua is not clear. Yes, he had a solid year in 2024, but I'm not as convinced as some others that he can be counted as one of the most elite quite yet.

Kaci runs hot and cold, but we know that he has a gear that gives him a chance to win even the toughest titles.

Agreed that Roda looks tough, as does Pijus Labutis. I'd also suggest that Bernie Regalario showed a lot of form for 19 years old in 2024. and he is one to watch.

The coming year looks exciting for sure.
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Sanchez looked like THAT GUY again in the final few months of the year. We'll see.

I am big on Chua, as you know, but I also want to see if he can sustain it. That's the true mark of greatness, and admittedly, he has not been consistent until the past year.

Kaci's injury is, of course, the main reason he's run hot and cold lately. I don't know what it is, but he also hasn't seemed fully committed. Took a lot of time off last year and it showed.

I'd be curious to see if his younger brother, Kledio, makes a bigger step. Ditto for the youngest of the Ko brothers.

Among younger players, Moritz Neuhausen is still just 21, I think. He's been making steady progress.

Then there's Robbie Capito. A one-off, or can he do more?

I still think Tyler Styer can hit another gear. I wonder if at the last Mosconi he got over his yip-yips. Such great fundamentals when he is on, but his mental game has always been a killer.
 
jbart65 said:
Manas is a rising talent, but he still has a long way to go.

Yapp was, by his standard, not especially good the first 10 months of the year. Winning MVP at Reyes got his confidence back and he finished the year very strong. But he did not make the leap I've been expecting since his Covid-period loss in the US Open to Biado.

Other than Krause, the two players who really came on strong in 2024 were Patsura and Labutis, as sjm noted.

The most notable backslider imo was Wiktor Zielinski.

Down years for Ouschan and Woodward, relatively speaking, and Shane Woolford failed to progress on the U.S. side. Sam Henderson might be one to watch, however.
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I'll keep an eye out for Manas.

In my opinion, Zielinski is still plagued by a weak break compared to the very best, but he played quite well at the International 9ball, reaching the quarterfinals, so we'll see if he has found something.
 
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sjm said:
As 2024 in pool fades into the sunset, let us size it up. It began in disarray, as WPA edicts of 2023 had male pros scrambling. Most signed with Matchroom. I will touch on pool politics, but this thread will focus on 2024 in competition.

I The Year in Tournament Play

1st Quarter: Gorst won Turning Stone. At Derby City, Filler won banks, 9ball, 10ball and Master of Table, as Gorst took one-pocket. Neuhausen won in Colombia. In March, it was Corteza at the LV Open and Biado at the World 10ball. SVB shone at the PLP.

2nd Quarter: Shaw ruled at Super Billiards. Gorst aced the World Pool Masters. Capito shone at the UK Open. At the World 9ball, Gorst triumphed. Filler won in Dubai and Grabe in Maldives.

3rd Quarter: Mickey Krause snapped off the European Open. Gorst won the US Open 9ball. Neuhausen won the summer Turning Stone. At the World 8-ball, Filler prevailed and he then defended his title at the China Open.

4th Quarter: Chua won at Hanoi. Asia won the Reyes Cup (Yapp MVP). Filler won the Challenge of Champions, and Patsura the Predator 10ball. At the International, Yapp won 9ball, SVB won 10ball and Mario He won 14.1. Team Europe won Mosconi (Shaw MVP). Maciol captured the Qatar 10ball.

II. A Closer Look

1. Best Match Nominees:

A. Filler 10, Gorst 9, Derby City 10ball semifinal, January
Filler jumped out to 6-2, but Gorst was brilliant in rallying to get to the hill first at 9-8. Filler broke and ran for double hill. Gorst had to push out in the case rack and Filler was first to the shot in the match deciding sequence.

B. Lunda 3, Gorst 2, Derby City Bank Pool, January
Evan won rack one and Fedor the next two. Evan fought hard for double hill, but Fedor’s cross-side miss in the case rack was costly as Evan ran a superb five and out.

C. Gorst 13 Filler 12, World Pool Masters, final, April
Filler ran to a good lead before Gorst sizzled to pull ahead. Filler regrouped to gain the hill at 12-10, but Gorst won the last three racks, including a masterful runout at 12-12.

D. Capito 10, Gorst 8, UK Open, Round of 16, May
Capito led early, but Fedor stormed back for an 8-7 lead. Robbie regrouped and shone in the closing racks for victory.

E. Gorst 15, Kaci 14, World Pool Championship, final, June
With a $250,000 payday in sight, Gorst ran to an 8-3 lead, but Kaci found his form to catch him at 13-13. Kaci gained the hill first, but at 14-14, his anti-climactic defensive error was fatal, with Fedor running out for the title.

F. Patsura 10. Dominguez 9, US Open, Round of 32, August
Patsura led but Oscar grinded for double hill. A fine safety by Oscar seemed like a match winner but Patsura, with a shot for the ages, snookered back with a Z-kick to win 10-9.

... my choice is Match C, the World Pool Masters final.

2. Best Shot: Patsura’s Z-kick at the US Open rates but I am going with Gorst’s double hill 1ball in the World Pool Masters final. Making the three-rail shape onto the short side of the 2ball while finding the right side of the ball was remarkable and it secured the title.

3. Best Event: US Open 9ball. It produced an electrifying final day having four World 9-ball champs in Gorst, SVB, Filler and Feijen. A fan’s dream come true!

4. Best New Event: Predator Challenge of Champions. Predator’s round robin, multidiscipline, event in November featuring Filler, Gorst and Biado was great. Honorable mention to the Reyes Cup, a new event bound for greatness.

5. Most Improved Event: World Pool Masters. For years, this event offered a less than stellar field, but it has evolved into a gathering of the elite, reaching new heights in 2024. Nobody will mistake a 16-player single elimination event for a major, but the event’s profile continues to rise.

6. Best Player: Fedor Gorst. In January, he won Turning Stone and the Derby City one pocket, but moved on to bigger things, winning the World Pool Masters, World 9ball, and the US Open 9ball. His efforts brought a haul of $510,000 in earnings. Not wanting to be overshadowed, his lady Kristina Tkach won the Women’s World 10ball and was first on the women’s money list with $137,000 won. Now that is a power couple!

7. Most Improved Player: Patsura, barely. Vitaly Patsura and Mickey Krause took giant steps forward. Krause won the Bucharest Open and European Open and was on the winning Mosconi team. Patsura won the Predator 10ball, Texas Open, and Skinny Bob 9ball. Also, Labutis, Chua, Roda, Regalario and Maciol took big steps forward.

8. Most Memorable Day of Play by One Player: Robbie Capito’s Saturday at the UK Open. He beat both Gorst and Filler to reach the semis on route to his first major title.

9. Best Producer: Matchroom. They still set the pace in event production. Their arenas are fan-friendly, their events unforgettable. Hands on workaholic Emily Frazer is their secret sauce and she shone brightly in 2024.

10. Best Sponsor: Predator’s value to pool is hard to overstate. Whether producing events, or sponsoring events and players, Predator is a very positive force in pro pool’s growth for both the men and women. Their inaugural Challenge of Champions event was superb.

11. Best Commentator: Scott Frost. Matchroom has a monopoly on the top commentators, and relative newbie Frost has emerged as a very elite one.

III. What I Will Remember Most

1. Matchroom Contracts: By end of January, most elite pros had signed a contract with Matchroom.

2. Matchroom’s Global Reach Continued to Grow: In 2023, Matchroom brought ranking events to Poland, Spain, and Vietnam. They further globalized in 2024, bringing WNT ranking events to a) Colombia, b) Saudi Arabia, c) UAE, d) Maldives, e) Finland, f) Morocco, and g) Portugal. As WNT ranking points can now be earned worldwide, a rising star can begin to blaze a trail to becoming a WNT pro BEFORE bearing the imposing costs of world travel.

3. Extreme Pool Politics Lessened Participation: As elite pros juggled loyalties to sponsors, federations, producers, and governing bodies, on far too many occasions, players opted to skip top events for political reasons.

WPA took the extreme measure of banning all 245 who played in Matchroom’s Hanoi Open from WPA sanctioned play. Most knew the ban was coming, and quite a few top players opted to sit out the Hanoi Open.

Matchroom disqualified Filler, who skipped Hanoi, from the Reyes Cup, despite his having already qualified on merit. They then disqualified him from the Mosconi.

Each of us may back any horses we like in the feuds now framing pro pool’s landscape but, for now, the losers are the pro players, denied a chance to maximize income, and fans, deprived of seeing best possible fields at the majors.

Due to so many politically driven absences by elite players, the quality of the pro pool offering took a hit in 2024. Most notably, the World 8ball, Hanoi Open and Qatar 10ball had depleted fields, and the Mosconi without Filler was a diluted affair.

Perhaps 2025 will be the year that pool’s murky waters are cleared, but there is little evidence that reconciliation between WPA and Matchroom is imminent. The result I seek is for WPA to get out of Matchroom’s way and let them continue growing our sport.

4. Barry Hearn, US Open: Barry competed with joy and good sportsmanship, then delighted all by announcing that the 2025 champ will win $100,000.

5. SVB, Panozzo, and Griffin to BCA Hall of Fame: Living legend Shane Van Boening was inducted, along with Mike Panozzo, editor in chief of Billiards Digest, and the late Mark Griffin, founder of CSI and owner of the BCA pool leagues. Shane and Mike spoke well to the gathering, and Ozzy Reynolds spoke well in accepting for Griffin.

6. Another Downer at Derby City: An incomparable pool fiesta crossing four disciplines, Derby City, once again, finished a day late and few saw the 9ball final. It was sad to see this fine event, once again, end with a thud.

7. No World Cup of Pool: Not certain why, but there was no WCOP in 2024. I love the event, so I was disappointed.

8. Per AZB List, Pro Men Made More: These numbers are based on the AZB money list as shown on 12/17/2024.

The top 5 combined for prizes of $1,449,000, compared to $1,235,000 in 2023, a gain of 17%. The Top 10 combined for prizes of $2,166,000, compared to $1,854,000 in 2023, a gain of 17%. The Top 25 earned $3,485,000, compared to $3,168,000 in 2023, a gain of 10%.

The Top 50 earned $4,883,000, compared to $4,494,000 in 2023, a 9% gain. Prize growth of the Top 50 was reduced by politically driven absences of elite players at the majors.

IV What Did You See?

What did I miss or get wrong? With which of my observations or choices do you disagree?

V In Conclusion

In competition, 2024 will be remembered as the year of Gorst, now the #1 ranked player. Banned from the majors in 2022 for his nationality alone, he has rebounded from that persecution and written an inspiring comeback story.

2024 was politically turbulent. I hope pool’s powerbrokers can get on the same page to end pool’s reign of terror. Pros face tough decisions and many of them have irreconcilable conflicts of interest to juggle as they plot their courses.

Happy new year to all AZB posters. See you in 2025.
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Thanks Stu, you've done it again. Number one on AZB for the tenth year in a row!
 
Based on what he did at the Beasley Open, I'm looking for Nathan Childress to jump up many rungs on the USA ladder.
 
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