What level am I?

M

Mustardeer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Quick question:

I've tried to stay away from leagues but finally looking to enter a lot of tourneys to get better.. I always thought I was a C player. Got to play someone who's been around a long time. After one game I said I was a C he laughed and said no you're a B and he's B+. Then we raced to 11 and even though he broke and ran out twice I still won 11-8. Which means I'm at least a B. Just got off the phone w a league guy I said I was a B player he said I'll start you out as a 4. He said he's a 7 and he's looking for a 2 for his team. So confused. What's a 4? Can't find anything online. Can someone explain. Basically if we're playing 8 ball on a barbox it's very rare for me to break and run out but if you break and run to the key ball and miss you probably won't get back to the table. Or if you miss two shots in one game you'll prob lose. In rotation games on a 9' if I get to the 7 there's a chance I won't run out. Am I a 4? Also worth mentioning I played a famous player a few times ( he's prob top 50 in the world, he played in Mosconi cup.. ) the difference in levels was insane. Like night and day. Not even remotely close. So does 4 sound right? Curious what to expect playing other 4s.
 
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If you don't know the answer, there is no way you are a B. Probably a C- or a D. League players in general are much lower skill levels than people who gamble day in and day out in pool halls. The A B C D is mostly for the pool hall gambler ratings.
 
I just joined a league and I really don't look at the rankings of players in the particular league km in. Now days yoh have far too many sand baggers in leagues that the rankings really don't matter much as far as wanting to know the level of your own play. What I do and I've always done is play in actual tournaments with top notch players, pro and some not and just see where I stand against these guys. I have actually played against some of the world's best pool players and I've beat one, and I still to this day have not played that good, and I've lost to them most of the time. I do consider myself a far above average pool player but I also know this game goes up and down for everyone. When I started this league they started me off as a 4 and I know I'm not a 4 by far, in this area league and in a week they jumped me to a 6 and that's still pending on if they want to put me a 7

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iusedtoberich said:
If you don't know the answer, there is no way you are a B. Probably a C- or a D. League players in general are much lower skill levels than people who gamble day in and day out in pool halls. The A B C D is mostly for the pool hall gambler ratings.
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Absolute ridiculous statement


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To me, a money player and a tournament player are different animals. For me, my skill level goes up when I play for money

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Mustardeer said:
Quick question:
... So does 4 sound right? Curious what to expect playing other 4s.
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Here is a whole web page about ratings:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/threads/ratings.html

A-B-C-D mean different things to different people. APA 2-7 (or 9) means different things in different areas. A single race to 11 tells you only a little about how you rate against your opponent.

For the APA 4s around here, break-and-runs are very rare, but you don't say what system you are talking about when you say "4".

So, until you have played for six months or so in a system, it's really hard to say how you rank within that system, especially if your game is changing rapidly.
 
Clicked on that link thanks for sharing. Turns out the numbers have to do with how many innings it takes one to win the game. So turns out I'm about a 6. We'll see what happens. Case closed thx guys.
 
Most leagues have a standard starting point for new players regardless of actual ability. If you perform better it worse they will adjust from there. Sight unseen I can tell you that a player that can fade a player who broke and ran more than twenty percent of his breaks (2 of 8 or 9 > 20%) is probably not a C-/D player. I can't give you a rating without seeing you play, however, the logic of iusedtoberich is flawed. Again without seeing I could be wrong, but based on the description alone I'm not thinking C-\D. Just the simple logic of 11-8 against a player that can get out makes you think higher even if just slightly. Not knowing were you stand against other players doesn't make you a bad player. I also know some league guys that will run you of the table for the cheese, just saying.
 
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Mustardeer said:
Clicked on that link thanks for sharing. Turns out the numbers have to do with how many innings it takes one to win the game. So turns out I'm about a 6. We'll see what happens. Case closed thx guys.
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Not quite. It's total innings per win (innings in your losses count towards "innings." If you're only considering your inning in your wins, then whatever innings numbers you've calculated will be higher once you add the innings in your losses, and your handicap will be lower. I think by your descriptor, you'll be in the 5 zone

But, regardless, you need to play to find out.


Freddie <~~~ SL-4 on my best days
 
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Each league has its own rating scale. A 6 in one league will be different in another league.

They're all different.

Different things affect your level depending on the league, as well.
 
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Mustardeer said:
Clicked on that link thanks for sharing. Turns out the numbers have to do with how many innings it takes one to win the game. So turns out I'm about a 6. We'll see what happens. Case closed thx guys.
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Probably a 5-6 in APA 9 ball and 5 in 8 ball.

The letter rating system is funny but I know B players that are 8-9 in 9 ball.

I would call myself a C+,B- player but have run a 2 pack, 8 n out several times and am capable of playing decent (still learning this stupid game lol). My basis of comparison though is (if the scale goes D, C, B, A, Short stop, Pro, World Beater) playing with a bunch of monsters and learning from them as well as rubbing shoulders with pros and world beaters.

In APA I'd probably be a 7 in 9 ball and a 6 in 8 ball.

Mathers--------->still learning
 
Dont worry about your skill level. Over time you'll know exactly how you play relative to the field your playing in. Yes there are some over-rated and under-rated players in every system. But..Does that really matter?! I just play my best every chance I get. The only ones really concerned about your skill level are the teams you play with. This is to prevent any team from being top heavy from good players. You should want to win every match/game/ball you can, regardless of whoever you play against. Be it Efren Reyes or the drunk chick in the bar, you're the only one at the table when its your turn to shoot. I play decent (9/7 apa, 8 upa), but when I was lower rated, I didn't care who I played against. I don't care now either. I just love the sport. (yes I said it, its not a game by my definition).

Do your best and learn to improve your skill.
 
Skratch said:
Dont worry about your skill level. Over time you'll know exactly how you play relative to the field your playing in. Yes there are some over-rated and under-rated players in every system. But..Does that really matter?! I just play my best every chance I get. The only ones really concerned about your skill level are the teams you play with. This is to prevent any team from being top heavy from good players. You should want to win every match/game/ball you can, regardless of whoever you play against. Be it Efren Reyes or the drunk chick in the bar, you're the only one at the table when its your turn to shoot. I play decent (9/7 apa, 8 upa), but when I was lower rated, I didn't care who I played against. I don't care now either. I just love the sport. (yes I said it, its not a game by my definition).

Do your best and learn to improve your skill.
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This is your best answer. Have fun and enjoy your new league.
 
robsnotes4u said:
From "league players" on


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I know you've been around for a while... You really think if you took 100 league players, and 100 pool hall regulars, the league players would have a chance in hell? I've played in 5 or 6 leagues over the years, and the vast majority of people I have seen on the leagues were D players by pool hall gambling ratings. The pool hall "regulars" just don't like leagues for whatever reason, so those higher skilled players don't participate as much in the leagues.

Of course, there is always an exception, and sometimes a top pool hall player that is A speed will join a league.

Btw, I define A speed at an absolute minimum of a player who can consistently beat the 9 ball ghost on standard 9' tables.

Usually the top speed of the league, like an APA 8 or thereabouts, is a B player.

This has been my experience. Yours may vary:)
 
I think your definition was spot on. That's not to say there aren't some great players in some of the leagues. The great ones are usually there just to get qualified for the state level tourneys though.
 
I like to use equal offense as a gauge. Play a few sets of it and post your scores.
 
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