Theoretically, if the US Open changed...

If the USOpen9BallChampionships switched to 10 ball, would it be the same tournament?

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arsenius

arsenius

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This is a completely theoretical question that I've been bouncing around in my head for a while. I believe the US Open is the longest running pool tournament. If it changed from 9 to 10 ball, would it still be the longest running tournament? Why or why not?

I know this is totally irrelevant and maybe just semantics. But if you change the game, is it really the same tournament? If so, how much can you change the game? Can you switch to 8 ball?

(And just to be extra clear, to my knowledge this change is NOT happening!)
 
i would like it to change to ten ball and slightly longer races ideally.

these changes would really help push the game forward in my opinion. ten ball on the diamond tables has really proved itself to be the ideal game for the future and the pro's i think.

and the longer races are self explanatory.

it would still be the same tournament in a way, but it would benefit from the opportunity to 'relaunch' and reinvent itself.
 
I think changing it to 10 ball would make it a tougher tourney and you would not see as many upsets like you may see in 9 ball. JMO.

Southpaw
 
Southpaw said:
I think changing it to 10 ball would make it a tougher tourney and you would not see as many upsets like you may see in 9 ball. JMO.

Southpaw
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I agree with you here and the potential upsets bring larger fields.
 
10 ball is the way to go,tougher break and you wont have people running away with a match since its harder to string racks together. :)
 
Fast Lenny said:
10 ball is the way to go,tougher break and you wont have people running away with a match since its harder to string racks together. :)
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It will affect the lesser players far more than the good players which would have an affect on the participation. At least 25% of the field can't get out anyhow.
 
I think they should do both at different times of the year. 10-ball in spring and 9-ball in fall. Schedule the 10-ball in April or sometime not conflicting with other big events, and keep the 9-ball where it is.
 
It is the U.S. Open 9-BallChampionship.
I think it is obvious, if you change the game it is definitely a different tournament.
 
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Rich R. said:
It is the U.S. Open 9-BallChampionship.
I think it is obvious, if you change the game it is definitely a different tournament.
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Exactly! :)

Must be a slow topic day in Forum Land! :D

JAM
 
good question

The olympics keeps adding new events and it's still the olympics. I think years ago straight pool was the title for the national tournament before nineball was taken seriously. Not sure if this is relevant.:rolleyes:
 
Rich R. said:
It is the U.S. Open 9-BallChampionship.
I think it is obvious, if you change the game it is definitely a different tournament.
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Agreed. Different game, different tournament.
 
Different game, different tournament.

On a broader point, the rules are in question. When they came out with the new WPA(?) rules for 10 ball where you could pocket a ball after calling safe and forfeit your turn, this was a great disappointment to me. I think if you are playing ANY form of rotation, it should follow the Texas Express(?) rules used today for 9 ball.
 
Rich R said:
It is the U.S. Open 9-BallChampionship.
I think it is obvious, if you change the game it is definitely a different tournament.
Click to expand...

JAM said:
Exactly! :)

Must be a slow topic day in Forum Land! :D

JAM
Click to expand...

i think you're dismissing too handily a very good thread to be fair.

there is a genuine strong case for 10-ball to be the new game of the pro's, and it solves a lot of the fundamental flaws in 9-ball (mainly regarding the rack). plus it makes having a good break a requirement too.

anyway point is as a long established and well respected tournament it would be a significant thing if they changed to 10-ball - led the mass changeover so to speak.

in a way the question of whether it'd be a different title or not is not such a silly one. after all 9-ball and 10-ball are the same game in theory and the idea behind it, and the way it's played. it's just 10-ball is a 'tweaked' version of the game and improved. if they changed the game to one pocket then it'd definitely be a different tournament - but 9-ball to ten ball is a grey area.

i personally hope they do change. it would be good for the game.
 
worriedbeef said:
i personally hope they do change. it would be good for the game.
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The 'US OPEN 9 BALL' tournament is a title that cannot be used anywhere else in the US, or suffer legal battles from Mr. Berhman.

I think you want 10 ball to have a Yearly OPEN and you want it to be as prestigious as the US Open 9 Ball tournament.

That would be nice, but I doubt it would happen anytime quickly... unless the UPA/BCA sanctions it and owns the rights to the name "US OPEN 10 BALL"
 
Tom In Cincy said:
The 'US OPEN 9 BALL' tournament is a title that cannot be used anywhere else in the US, or suffer legal battles from Mr. Berhman.

I think you want 10 ball to have a Yearly OPEN and you want it to be as prestigious as the US Open 9 Ball tournament.

That would be nice, but I doubt it would happen anytime quickly... unless the UPA/BCA sanctions it and owns the rights to the name "US OPEN 10 BALL"
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this is true but the point i am making is if Mr Behrman decides to change the US Open 9 Ball championship into the US Open 10 Ball championship, it would be great. Not having a seperate event.

9-ball has served us well over the years, but it's time to progress! Ten ball is the future!
 
The main complaint against 9-ball has been the effortless break seen at the WPC. But if you've been watching the last couple years of the US Open 9-ball, the break has been anything but effortless for the players. I rarely saw any packages. Lots of scratching on the break. Lots of dry breaks. Lots of successful breaks with no good look at the lowest ball (lots of push-outs).
 
worriedbeef said:
this is true but the point i am making is if Mr Behrman decides to change the US Open 9 Ball championship into the US Open 10 Ball championship, it would be great. Not having a seperate event.

9-ball has served us well over the years, but it's time to progress! Ten ball is the future!
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Yes, this would be great. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

As it is, young people are not taking up the game because it takes WAY too long to get good at.

Let us now, take 9 ball, and make it even HARDER, so the young "borderline" pros can't ever win a match against the top pros, thereby discouraging them from continuing to practice/compete.

IMHO, 9 ball has it's place firmly entrenched in American pocket billiards. Start another Open even with 10 ball if you want to, but DO NOT take away the US Open 9 Ball event.

I think reshaping the US Open 9 Ball championship into a 10 ball event is a HORRENDOUS idea. Yes, the best of the best would win more often. And much like all of us going to our weekly bar tournaments and KILLING them, the domination of a few pros over the the US Open 10 Ball Championship would slowly kill off the attendance, the way it does with weekly tournaments.

A big reason a lot of players attend the US Open currently, is for the chance to catch a groove and beat ONE big name pro. That is just not going to happen in 10 ball. The same player who might get beat 11-7 by Archer in 9 ball, might well get beat 11-4 or 11-5 in 10 ball.

And they very well may reflect aftwerwards, "I got no chance to win a match except against someone of my own speed. What am I doing here?"

And the next year, they don't come.

I say, leave the US Open 9 Ball championships alone.

Russ
 
worriedbeef said:
i think you're dismissing too handily a very good thread to be fair.

there is a genuine strong case for 10-ball to be the new game of the pro's, and it solves a lot of the fundamental flaws in 9-ball (mainly regarding the rack). plus it makes having a good break a requirement too.

anyway point is as a long established and well respected tournament it would be a significant thing if they changed to 10-ball - led the mass changeover so to speak.

in a way the question of whether it'd be a different title or not is not such a silly one. after all 9-ball and 10-ball are the same game in theory and the idea behind it, and the way it's played. it's just 10-ball is a 'tweaked' version of the game and improved. if they changed the game to one pocket then it'd definitely be a different tournament - but 9-ball to ten ball is a grey area.

i personally hope they do change. it would be good for the game.
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No one is dismissing anything.
10-ball is a great game and it would be fantastic to have a U.S. Open 10-ball Championship. However, it is a different game and you cannot just replace 9-ball with 10-ball and consider it the same championship. There is more involved than just adding a ball to the table. If you change the game, it is a different championship.
I don't see anything wrong with having two different U.S. Open Championships, one for 9-ball and one for 10-ball.
 
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