Please Excuse The Long Post Below
This may not be the right thread to post this comment, but it’s akin to a few posts above (Mods, feel free to move if necessary).
I visit Hard Times 3-5 days a week and know a lot of the people who participated in and/or watched the Tad Cup tournament. There IS talk about the "true" ranking of the player who won, AND other players believed to be "underrated" and who received an "unfair" handicap advantage during the tournament.
I don't know if any of the above is true, but the following pertains to tournaments in general, not the HT Tad Cup tournament, its participants or those who run it.
Since there is no perfect way to keep track of every player's "true" rating, "unfair" tournament results are possible, including:
1. An "A" player (sandbagging or not) may mistakenly be let into a "B" tournament and possibly win, and
2. Underrated players (sandbagging or not) or those receiving "incorrect" handicaps MIGHT place high OR win tournaments due to the "unfair" advantage received.
Outcome #1 hopefully isn't a big problem for participates or those running the event because overall, the "A" player should be discovered before the tournament or, if during, asked to 1) leave, 2) forfeit their prize, 3) not to play in future "B" tournaments, 4) all of the above or 5) permitted to continue/win/move on.
Outcome #2 COULD BE a problem, especially if allowed to continue for any length of time. A "correctly" handicapped player placing high or winning a tournament is a good thing. This is what the handicap advantage is about. Everyone, regardless of their skill level receives a fair shot. On the other hand, if a player is underrated and receives an "incorrect" handicap which gives them an unfair advantage and enables them to place high or win tournament after tournament, that COULD BE frustrating for the other contestants who are properly ranked.
Personal example: Five years ago I visited a friend in Chicago and watched him participate in a monthly tournament that didn’t have correct handicaps in place. Of course, there was a player who was extremely better than the rest but no matter how much the other participants complained, the sponsors would not correct his handicap or ask him not to participate.
The other players got very frustrated and stopped participating two months afterwards and the tournament is no longer being held. Too bad it came to that.
In regards to the Tad Cup, we all know there are going to be issues in every tournament. All we can do is smile, move on and be better prepared next time.
Chris, congrats on winning the Tad Cup and good luck if you change your mind and decide to sell the cue.
This may not be the right thread to post this comment, but it’s akin to a few posts above (Mods, feel free to move if necessary).
I visit Hard Times 3-5 days a week and know a lot of the people who participated in and/or watched the Tad Cup tournament. There IS talk about the "true" ranking of the player who won, AND other players believed to be "underrated" and who received an "unfair" handicap advantage during the tournament.
I don't know if any of the above is true, but the following pertains to tournaments in general, not the HT Tad Cup tournament, its participants or those who run it.
Since there is no perfect way to keep track of every player's "true" rating, "unfair" tournament results are possible, including:
1. An "A" player (sandbagging or not) may mistakenly be let into a "B" tournament and possibly win, and
2. Underrated players (sandbagging or not) or those receiving "incorrect" handicaps MIGHT place high OR win tournaments due to the "unfair" advantage received.
Outcome #1 hopefully isn't a big problem for participates or those running the event because overall, the "A" player should be discovered before the tournament or, if during, asked to 1) leave, 2) forfeit their prize, 3) not to play in future "B" tournaments, 4) all of the above or 5) permitted to continue/win/move on.
Outcome #2 COULD BE a problem, especially if allowed to continue for any length of time. A "correctly" handicapped player placing high or winning a tournament is a good thing. This is what the handicap advantage is about. Everyone, regardless of their skill level receives a fair shot. On the other hand, if a player is underrated and receives an "incorrect" handicap which gives them an unfair advantage and enables them to place high or win tournament after tournament, that COULD BE frustrating for the other contestants who are properly ranked.
Personal example: Five years ago I visited a friend in Chicago and watched him participate in a monthly tournament that didn’t have correct handicaps in place. Of course, there was a player who was extremely better than the rest but no matter how much the other participants complained, the sponsors would not correct his handicap or ask him not to participate.
The other players got very frustrated and stopped participating two months afterwards and the tournament is no longer being held. Too bad it came to that.
In regards to the Tad Cup, we all know there are going to be issues in every tournament. All we can do is smile, move on and be better prepared next time.
Chris, congrats on winning the Tad Cup and good luck if you change your mind and decide to sell the cue.
Last edited:
