Ultimate Pool USA

skor said:
You can not argue that 9ft is harder than 7ft.

It's not a matter of fun or no fun; I'm sure it's fun. I had a blast in the 90s playing APA in NYC bars on 7ft tables.
But I did practise on 9ft to become better and eventually moved to only 9ft tables.

If you want to create a strong pro field of players, you need to start nurturing kids and amateur players from the start, and working on the same equipment and conditions like the pro does is the only way to go.
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Ultimate Poll USA is doing exactly what they know works. It's not designed to be the world class field with the toughest conditions. It's designed to make pool fun and enjoyable to watch. I also love the bigger tables, but this format is so much fun and you still have to play well to win. I have a hard time getting excited to watch the same small group of top pros play the same game on the same equipment every day. I'm glad they're doing something new!
 
easy-e said:
Ultimate Poll USA is doing exactly what they know works. It's not designed to be the world class field with the toughest conditions. It's designed to make pool fun and enjoyable to watch. I also love the bigger tables, but this format is so much fun and you still have to play well to win. I have a hard time getting excited to watch the same small group of top pros play the same game on the same equipment every day. I'm glad they're doing something new!
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tbh it's more fun watching the likes of you and hogue play 8-ball than it is watching filler or gorst. filler is playing eurotour 8-ball right now. i watched a match earlier today, no misses, no excitement either.
 
skor said:
You can not argue that 9ft is harder than 7ft.

It's not a matter of fun or no fun; I'm sure it's fun. I had a blast in the 90s playing APA in NYC bars on 7ft tables.
But I did practise on 9ft to become better and eventually moved to only 9ft tables.

If you want to create a strong pro field of players, you need to start nurturing kids and amateur players from the start, and working on the same equipment and conditions like the pro does is the only way to go.
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The one thing that can be more difficult on a 7' is clutter. There is less room to move the cue ball around.
 
FrankieD said:
I was just watching the Predator Euro 8 ball. With a square break and minimal power there are seldom any clusters to address. The 7' clutter makes it way more entertaining.
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they don't miss on 7ft either, forget it. pro 8-ball is, if not broken, then at least very difficult to get to where it's a sufficient test for the very elite players. i would enjoy ultimate pool much less if the usual top pros crowded out the current cast of players. i probably wouldn't watch it tbh, and i hope they keep it as it is
 
hang-the-9 said:
Don't they have some match limit time and non-standard rules for fouls and safeties?
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The time limits are mostly enforced on the tv table or what is called the main arena area.

Slop counts in Ultimate Pool, but let's be real it doesn't come into play much if not at all.

You pick your set, stripes or solids. Once contact is made first with your chosen set, nothing else matters. What I like is your opponent is sitting in their seat watching with mouth shut. There is no questions where are you going, what are you shooting etc etc.

Safeties and fouls are just like one would be accustomed to playing anything else.

Pattern racking on the break is mandatory!! :)


Having just played in a CSI run event, don't play on the slow side or the refs will be watching and you will be lagging for the win if over the match time limit.
 
I absolutely love the fact that the 30-second shot clock is in use. I wish all pool tournaments could find a way to implement this.

What I don't like is the time limit for the match. I don't like that the player in the lead can literally stall (by taking the whole 30 seconds on shots that could be pocketed in 10 seconds or less). Stalling to win is no good for pool. There should be a particular number of games a player must win before the match is over. JMHO
 
Fore Rail said:
The time limits are mostly enforced on the tv table or what is called the main arena area.

Slop counts in Ultimate Pool, but let's be real it doesn't come into play much if not at all.

You pick your set, stripes or solids. Once contact is made first with your chosen set, nothing else matters. What I like is your opponent is sitting in their seat watching with mouth shut. There is no questions where are you going, what are you shooting etc etc.

Safeties and fouls are just like one would be accustomed to playing anything else.

Pattern racking on the break is mandatory!! :)


Having just played in a CSI run event, don't play on the slow side or the refs will be watching and you will be lagging for the win if over the match time limit.
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Don't they have a thing where deliberate fouls are not allowed? Such as hitting the opponent's ball and giving up ball in hand. Under normal pool rules those are OK when done correctly with a legal stroke.

I just don't see the need for yet another different ruleset. It's just branding like soda. The guy that runs Virgin said it best, you can have a lot of very similar products, but the specific branding and marketing is what sells it. Just another pool league is just another pool league, but you mess with the rules some, and BAM, it's some different thing that can be promoted. I think he said "anyone can sell brown sugar water with bubbles, but you need to put your name on it and promote the name". Bonus Ball tried it, made a new game instead of just using 8 ball with teams, and no-one cared much except some of the core pool fans, and even those did not stick long with it. Chinese 8 Ball is having success, because they are offering so much money with it, not because it's a better sport or rule set. This Ultimate Pool thing is the same way, people are going to it because they are getting marketing and money behind it, not because it's a better game.
 
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Maniac said:
I absolutely love the fact that the 30-second shot clock is in use. I wish all pool tournaments could find a way to implement this.

What I don't like is the time limit for the match. I don't like that the player in the lead can literally stall (by taking the whole 30 seconds on shots that could be pocketed in 10 seconds or less). Stalling to win is no good for pool. There should be a particular number of games a player must win before the match is over. JMHO
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i agree with you, but if you look at the history you find it’s a foundation of the game
 
hang-the-9 said:
Don't they have a thing where deliberate fouls are not allowed? Such as hitting the opponent's ball and giving up ball in hand. Under normal pool rules those are OK when done correctly with a legal stroke.
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They have a rule where you have to make an attempt to play a ball of your own group.

I don't think that would be terribly hard to work around.
 
Bob Jewett said:
Evidently their PR person is inactive. There's a FaceBook page, but it doesn't seem to have a schedule. The schedule is also not on the AZB calendar. The stops seem to have a standard format of nine ball, nine on the spot, $4000 added (less greens fees).

I see on YouTube that Stop #6 was played two weeks ago. Here's part of the stream.

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I've reached out for info on this tour multiple times.
 
Bob Jewett said:
Evidently their PR person is inactive. There's a FaceBook page, but it doesn't seem to have a schedule. The schedule is also not on the AZB calendar. The stops seem to have a standard format of nine ball, nine on the spot, $4000 added (less greens fees).

I see on YouTube that Stop #6 was played two weeks ago. Here's part of the stream.

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I let you guys know which one I will play in.
 
hang-the-9 said:
Don't they have a thing where deliberate fouls are not allowed? Such as hitting the opponent's ball and giving up ball in hand. Under normal pool rules those are OK when done correctly with a legal stroke.

I just don't see the need for yet another different ruleset. It's just branding like soda. The guy that runs Virgin said it best, you can have a lot of very similar products, but the specific branding and marketing is what sells it. Just another pool league is just another pool league, but you mess with the rules some, and BAM, it's some different thing that can be promoted. I think he said "anyone can sell brown sugar water with bubbles, but you need to put your name on it and promote the name". Bonus Ball tried it, made a new game instead of just using 8 ball with teams, and no-one cared much except some of the core pool fans, and even those did not stick long with it. Chinese 8 Ball is having success, because they are offering so much money with it, not because it's a better sport or rule set. This Ultimate Pool thing is the same way, people are going to it because they are getting marketing and money behind it, not because it's a better game.
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The main reason for the rules is to speed up the game. You can schedule the matches so easily when there is a match clock. They also find it boring to watch when players slow the game down with intentional fouls. I love the rules. I suggest you play an event and see how fun it is for yourself!
 
easy-e said:
The main reason
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no i think the main reason is to keep the audience involved and inside the mind of the players, much like the way poker put the card in the hole camera cam and gave the crowd something to watch-

cards, pool, baseball- it’s all boring
but everybody understands in the ninth inning when the count is 3-2 in a tie game what is going on

same in NFL, two minute warning, down by 5, the team has to drive the length of the field for a TD or lose the game
 
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