Generally the more money for the entry fee, the better the players. $20 is quite high.
I feel it is good to play the best players you can find. However, if you are a beginner and constantly playing someone who can break and run, break and run. Or run out at their first or second visit to the table, then you wind up sitting in your chair (called the "electric chair!) and watching them run the table.
These very good players pretty much know if they are going to make a shot or not. If they can't make a shot (which includes pocketing the ball and leaving the cue ball in a good position for their next shot - or being able to run out), they will hit one of their balls and leave the cue ball so you have no shot! (They play a safety.)
They keep control of the table at all times. This can be discouraging to a beginner.
A beginner needs practice shooting balls in, practice running a series of balls, and competitive practice. But the competitive practice should be with players slightly better than yourself *most* of the time.
If you can easily win 1st place in a particular tournament every week, then time to find a tougher tournament.
With that said, I think it would be good to go play in the Bellflower tournament once a month or at least go and watch. Watch how they play. See how they leave the cue ball for their next shot each time. See how they play safeties if they do not have a sure shot. They make it look easy. The key of course is leaving the cue ball for an easy shot on their next ball. This is what they do.
For MOST of your tournaments, I would suggest finding weekly bar tournaments with lower entry fees. Like $3. These will probably have a mixture of some not so good players and a few good players. Then you will at least get a few shots at the table.
My first tournament (easy tournament), I lost my first two matches and was out. But I had a ton of fun. Went back the next week and got hooked...
"Green fee" pays for the table time. Same as putting quarters in a bar table basically.
"C" is a C player. (My next post after this will have the ratings.)
Sounds like the 3 highest "C" players would split $100. Or get $33 each.
96 players means it will be limited to 96 players. This gives you an idea of how long the tournament will run. Some small tournaments can be just a few hours. Others all day. Others several days. Also if it is a limited number of players, might want to get there early to be sure you can get in.
"Double" means "double elimination". You can lose two "matches" before you are out of the tournament.
A "match" can be a series of games - called "race to". A "race to 3" would mean the first player to win 3 games would win the match. Or a "race to 2" would mean the first player to win two games would win the match.
Another term is "in the money". Tournaments may pay say, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. When you keep winning and get to where you are playing for 2nd and 3rd place, you are "in the money". Basically does not matter who wins the match, you both will win something.
Also they say "on the top" or "on the bottom". Or "winner's bracket" and "loser's bracket" respectively. When you win all your matches, you stay in the winner's bracket (on the top)
Here is an example of a "tournament bracket" or "player sheet" for 8 players....
http://www.crowsdarts.com/brackets/8bracket.doc
On the sheet above, the winners stay on the top portion of the sheet. Players who have lost one match go to the bottom of the sheet or into the "losers bracket".
Some tournaments may have a "race to 2 on top" and a "race to 1 on the bottom". If you don't lose any matches, every match will be a race to 2. If you lose a match, then your next match(s) will be a race to 1.
Some tournaments increase the race when you get into the "money". So race to 2 on top, race to 1 on the bottom, then race to 2 again when in the money.
Another term is "bye". If there is an odd number of players like 9, then you can't match up everybody for the first round of play. So the 9th player gets a "bye" and will play one of the players who won the first round. Basically you get a "free win" for your first match if you get a bye. Some players get upset if a very good player in a tournament gets a bye. (This is done by random draw BTW.) Of course it does not matter! The very good player will probably take 1st bye or not.
I would suggest playing "bar rules 8-ball" tournaments to start with. (I hate bar rules BTW.) If you get experience playing in these tournaments, you will learn the value of playing in a tournament with written rules. Learn the value of playing in a BCA rules tournament. Learn about sharking and poor sports. Good lessons!
Also might want to play in a low fee weekly BCA rules tournament to see the contrast. The best players and best sports play in BCA rules tournaments.
I would suggest getting a BCA rule book here (or at your local billiards store)...
https://www.bcastore.com/product_info.php?products_id=118
