Tournaments.....dead money players

[KBP]

I joined the amateur tour this year with no expectation of coming in the money let alone winning a stop. The reason I did it is threefold: 1) I want to support the tour and 2) I want to see how much better the people in the tour are than me and 3) What I can learn from playing the better players.

After 3 stops I have only won two matches. The ones I lost were close and could have gone either way.

But I have found that I don't have to fear any of them. They just are a bit more precise on shot selection and safety play. And make a higher percentage of shots they attempt. When I get to the table and it is runable, then in order to win, I have to run it. Duh. I have to perform. No one gives you anything for just trying. That only happens in our Government schools.

But this experience only costs me $40. Which really does not concern me. And there are quite a few players in the tour who I figure to beat.

Now Capone's has a Monday evening tournament for only $15 where players like Morris, Saez and Crosby play. Limited to 32. And I think Rocky adds $500. But 75 miles each way at night is not my idea of fun. If it was during the day I would be there everytime. Pay $15 to play one of these guys? How great would that be. And what if they gave me a tip on what I should do to improve my game. But of course playing these guys you might only have a few turns at the table and not have anything to shoot at. A local guy from the KPT played, and beat, Tony Crosby. That sure made his day.

Also, watching a player play is nothing like actually playing that person. Do you get nervous? Do you lose concentration? Why does the match just seem to slip away? All valuable lessons that can only be learned by doing.

But cueball1950 I suggest rather than look down at these fillers (not that you do) you should thank them for playing, encourage them, and help them. Because if it wasn't for them then there would be no tournament. Nor any money for the winners.

It is just a plain fact that half the field will lose their first match, and half of those losers will lose their second match. Just look at the brackets of the IPT qualifiers. A lot of dead money there. LOL

In fact, I believe Ga Young went two and out at the last WPBA event. Does that make her dead money?

And it is probably possible that even you have gone two and out at times.

Locally, we have a saturday afternoon tournament for $10 where Dave Ross and Bob Otto play and both have played in the FPT where it is hard for them to come in the money yet in this tournament it is hard for them not to come in the money. Dave I have yet to beat but Bob I beat twice in one day. Now, that is fun.

Oh, it sure ain't about the money.

Jake

Thanks Jake for the good input about the KBP tournaments. This is one of the reasons the tour was started in the first place. Tim and I had been the players that played in the events against pro's......Tim had a lot better chance than I ever did......and we went home with no wins. (Tim did play on the PBT in the late 80' and early 90's and went to the US Open in '95 when you had to work for the spot with events and points) That's the way it goes, you win some and you lose some. So we came up with the Amateur idea to give players that didn't feel ready for the big events to play more their level and have some fun too. We have a blast doing it too. And now that my eye surgeries are done I will be back on the tour running events and checking on things. They said I'm better looking than the other tournament directors . I am looking forward to getting back and working on the tournaments again.
Kay

 

[Travis Bickle]

Brutal term, but if the shoe fits ...

Maybe I'm contrary, but I've got to admit I don't much like the feeling of being dead money. But I also don't like it that I've steered clear of open tourneys because of that. Probably would be a decent goal to play in a Joss event this year. I agree with all the reasons people here step up, but have gotten into a rut of just being a contender, though no big winner, in B-C-D rated things.

I've deliberately "invested" in some small-money games where it was definitely an uphill battle for me ... but just totally giving up a benjie for the almost certain 2 and out? Not yet. Never yet actually gone 2 and out over about a dozen tourneys, and I guess I'm a draggin' my feet on that one. I have some doubt about how my game would hold up ... I'm still liable to brick one when I notice a pro or top player watching, gotta admit. And a hostile rail muttering, even though I know most of em play their best game in the seated position? It would be a good test, too, I guess.

 

[cueball1950]

I should state for the record that i am 1 of those dead money players. I forgot to put that little ditty out there. should have done it before now. but in my defense i am pretty much no longer a player either. no i have not given up the game totally, but, i had to put my priorties together and get them straight. mayeb in the future i will be able to get my head back into playing but until everything on my plate gets cleared this will have to be the best that i can do. but i am not complaining..........................mike

 

[ScottW]

I'm slowly getting over my donator phase... last night, took first in a little local bar-rules tourney (12 folks). Playing in another similar tourney tonight, for the second time - first time was two weeks ago, and I won that one as well.

I'm basically setting what cash I win in these things aside for my 'pool fund' - either for goodies, or instruction. I'm up to $195 in two weeks. Not too bad to start out, methinks.

(It would have been $215 but the fellow I beat in the finals last night insisted on playing $20/game on nine-ball, giving me the 7 & 8, after our match... went back and forth for a while, and just ended up with him up the twenty. Man! At one point I was on a shot where I'd be up $60 and I blew it. *laugh*)