What EXACTLY is an "A" Player?

prolecat

prolecat

Go Gators!
Silver Member
I always see users referencing the term "'A' Player" What exactly do you guys define this as? What qualifies someone as an "A" Player. Im sure all this is really a matter of opinion, and is different for everyone. Give me your definition of an "A" player.

Also what does "WTB" mean ive been wondering :cool:
 
OPEN-Players
-Average 8+ balls.
-String racks together more than once in a match.
-Is a threat to run out from every ball, from every position, every inning.
-Typical inning will end in excellent safety or win.

A-Player
-Will string 2 to 3 racks.
-Average ball run, 7-9.
-With ball in hand, will be out from the 3 ball, 2 out of 3 times.
-Typical inning will end with a well executed safety or a win.

B-Player
-Able to run 1 to 3 racks.
-Average run is 5-7 balls.
-With ball in hand will get out form the 5, 2 out of 3 times.
-Most of the time a "B" player will play a "safety" which maybe hit easily 2 out of 3 times.
-A typical inning will end with a missed shot, a fair safety, or a won game.

C-Player
-Will probably run one rack, but usually not more than one.
-Average run is 3 to 5 balls.
-With ball in hand, will get out from the 7, two out of 3 times.
-Mixed results when playing safe.
-Inning ends due to botched position, missed shot or attempting a safe.

D- Player
-Will not run a rack.
-Average run is about 3 balls.
-With ball in hand, will get out from the 7, one out of 3 times.
-Rarely plays a successful safe.
 
An A player is entriely subjective, but a "shortstop" is not a bad example.

That would be a player who can be competitive with most players, even some professionals, but will probably not beat the best players in long races.

Here we call touring tournament players or top road players AA players.

As for WTB, it means "Want to Buy."
 
prolecat said:
I always see users referencing the term "'A' Player" What exactly do you guys define this as? What qualifies someone as an "A" Player. Im sure all this is really a matter of opinion, and is different for everyone. Give me your definition of an "A" player.

Also what does "WTB" mean ive been wondering :cool:
Click to expand...


I think you just asked a very tough question. I have read posts about different ways to rate players, but then again they all lack covering the mental side of the game. I have been to pool rooms were the 'A' players can run racks, that is until they meet up with a B+ player from another region of the country that kills them.

I believe that we can all identify strong players though in pool especially, the levels of players very so much. I would say that if you could identify an 'A', then within the 'A' set there are levels and levels of differences in strength.


(edit) I just noticed Billy-Bobs posts.
 
I see, ok well at least now i can put something to the value "A" Player when i read it in the forums, does everyone agree with BB's response?
 
I got the above from someone else's post. I think the racks they are talking about running are 9-ball racks?

So last night I played a couple of hours (8-ball) and usually ran about 5 or 6 balls in a row. And had a couple of table runs of 7 or 8 balls. So that would put me in the "B" category.

However so far as "Mixed results when playing safe" and "Inning ends due to botched position, missed shot or attempting a safe", I am also that way. So that would put me in the "C" category.

So B with elements of C?

(I'm working on safeties and position play.)
 
Billy_Bob said:
I got the above from someone else's post. I think the racks they are talking about running are 9-ball racks?

So last night I played a couple of hours (8-ball) and usually ran about 5 or 6 balls in a row. And had a couple of table runs of 7 or 8 balls. So that would put me in the "B" category.

However so far as "Mixed results when playing safe" and "Inning ends due to botched position, missed shot or attempting a safe", I am also that way. So that would put me in the "C" category.

So B with elements of C?

(I'm working on safeties and position play.)
Click to expand...

That was 9 ball only. Don't know how it would differ in 8 ball.
 
An "A" player is entirely subjective, however, I'll say for discussion sakes an "A" player is one of the biggest fish in a small pond. As soon as they get out of the little pond, they're just another pool player.
 
supergreenman said:
An "A" player is entirely subjective, however, I'll say for discussion sakes an "A" player is one of the biggest fish in a small pond. As soon as they get out of the little pond, they're just another pool player.
Click to expand...

supergreenman...I would add just one word to your last sentence. As soon as they get out of the little pond, they're just another EXPERT pool player.:D

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
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Billy_Bob said:
I got the above from someone else's post. I think the racks they are talking about running are 9-ball racks?

So last night I played a couple of hours (8-ball) and usually ran about 5 or 6 balls in a row. And had a couple of table runs of 7 or 8 balls. So that would put me in the "B" category.

However so far as "Mixed results when playing safe" and "Inning ends due to botched position, missed shot or attempting a safe", I am also that way. So that would put me in the "C" category.

So B with elements of C?

(I'm working on safeties and position play.)
Click to expand...

You are applying the chart wrong.

8 ball and 9 ball are two totally different animals.

Making 5-6 balls in a row in 8 ball is easy (and a losing proposition if you ONLY run 5-6 then miss).

Making 5-6 balls in rotation (per 9 ball) is much tougher. You don't have the luxury of missing your position then deciding to shoot another ball instead.

You might wanna try breaking and shooting 10-20 racks of 9 ball and tell us what your average ball run is. Hell, even start with BIH after the break.
----------------------------
Per Billy_Bob-
"Quote:
Originally Posted by APA7
If everybody had UR attitude and never played lesser guys, then why would an A player want to play U???


The have *not* wanted to play me up till now except for a couple of them.


Quote:
Originally Posted by APA7
So since U improved so much in UR 2 years of playing seriously, who have U beaten? There's a *lot* of good players there, have U ever played in a tournamant besides a bar tournamant, and can you name some of the *really good* players that U beat??


Well let's keep this in perspective. I live in a rural area which has some not so skilled players. Then there are medium sized towns nearby with better players. And then large cities further away with very good players. Then the pros.

So on a scale of 0 to 20, 20 being best or pro, there are a lot of 0's around here. I am working my way up to about a "5" on the scale of things.

So I'm not going around beating any "names". But I am improving at a steady pace. And playing only the best players (for around here that means 10's on a scale of 0 to 20), I have had a good "boost" in the right direction.
"
--------------------------

*Edit-Just to give you some idea, based on your ratings, you'd probably be a "D" player. The best players that rate at "10" would probably be "B" players. It sounds like you aren't too familiar with these types of ratings. Try playing the 9 ball ghost, with BIH after the break. Then, apply the AVERAGE balls run to the chart and it will give you a rough idea where you're at.


Eric
 
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"A" Ghost

JoeyInCali said:
An A player imo beats the 9-ball ghost on a big table.
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I actually like this very simple definition...and think that it's a good test of skill.

The problem IMO is that people tend to rate themselves based on their best performance, and not on their average performance. What percentage of the time does someone need to beat the ghost in order to rate as an "A" player.

Surely, nobody can beat the ghost every single attempt (as evidenced by some other recent threads...lol.). Some would argue by the ghost definition, if they beat the ghost more times than the lose to it (win like 51% of the time), then that qualifies them to be rated as an "A" player...while others would say that if they can beat it even once that it qualifies. I think that this demonstrates how subjectiveness will always tend to creep into the definition...
 
prolecat said:
I always see users referencing the term "'A' Player" What exactly do you guys define this as? What qualifies someone as an "A" Player. Im sure all this is really a matter of opinion, and is different for everyone. Give me your definition of an "A" player.
Click to expand...

I like to compare the rankings to martial arts rankings. In many martial arts, a "black belt" is a symbol that you have mastered the basics. Compared to non black belts, you are an expert. But there are several degrees above 1st degree black belt, and the goal is to use those basics to improve. Such is an "A player."

IMO, the level just below the black belt (brown, red, purple, whatever) is what I'd call a "B player." All the physical tools are there, but needs to put in more time to get his black belt. But he can kick some serious ass vs. the rest.


Also what does "WTB" mean ive been wondering :cool:
Click to expand...
Want to Buy.

Fred
 
Well an A player around here is one who can shoot good sometimes, can shoot really bad sometimes. Not very consistant. It would probably be a B/B- on the scale that Billy listed.
 
I also agree with the definition of an A player as someone who can beat the Ghost on a 9ft table. IMO though, A players have a hard time beating the nineball ghost and its a pretty close game. AA players on the other hand rob the nineball ghost.
 
uwate said:
I also agree with the definition of an A player as someone who can beat the Ghost on a 9ft table. IMO though, A players have a hard time beating the nineball ghost and its a pretty close game. AA players on the other hand rob the nineball ghost.
Click to expand...

That's quite something. I watched a fellow who played the ghost on a 9 footer and robbed him, 7-2. Does that make him a AA player?

Flex
 
I agree with the A player beating 9 ball ghost.
I would say anyone that robs the ghost on a 9' table would be a semi pro or pro.
other words AA player = semi pro or pro.
 
travislj said:
I agree with the A player beating 9 ball ghost.
I would say anyone that robs the ghost on a 9' table would be a semi pro or pro.
other words AA player = semi pro or pro.
Click to expand...

This fellow insists he's not anywhere near that level. He also said he watched Larry Nevel play and wasn't very impressed. Go figure.

Flex
 
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