Pool Bar, or Pool Room?
What makes you return again, and again to play tournaments at a particular
- Thread starter CocoboloCowboy
- Start date
In no particular order
clean well stocked restrooms,
clean well stocked bar/food goods
clean well busted waitress(es)
Smiles from the owner, manager and all waitstaff
clean well kept pool tables.
9 foot tables (Brunswick, Diamonds, Gabriels)
good space between tables
place to store case and cues near table your match is on
good competition, no bangers
Huge flow chart where everyone can see where they are and who they are playing
All money (entry fee and payouts) are posted after the first round is over
good environment (heating and air conditioning working properly)
good tournament director (knows how to run flow chart and knows rules)
decent entry fee, nothing cheap ($15 to $100 this keeps the bangers out)
added money is great, but not necessary if the above conditions are met
Comfortable chairs to sit in while not at the table shooting
Trash cans, I would be glad to make sure my waste is thrown away if the trash can is close.
Spectators respecting the players and not talking loud enough to distract players at 4 different tables.
clean well stocked restrooms,
clean well stocked bar/food goods
clean well busted waitress(es)
Smiles from the owner, manager and all waitstaff
clean well kept pool tables.
9 foot tables (Brunswick, Diamonds, Gabriels)
good space between tables
place to store case and cues near table your match is on
good competition, no bangers
Huge flow chart where everyone can see where they are and who they are playing
All money (entry fee and payouts) are posted after the first round is over
good environment (heating and air conditioning working properly)
good tournament director (knows how to run flow chart and knows rules)
decent entry fee, nothing cheap ($15 to $100 this keeps the bangers out)
added money is great, but not necessary if the above conditions are met
Comfortable chairs to sit in while not at the table shooting
Trash cans, I would be glad to make sure my waste is thrown away if the trash can is close.
Spectators respecting the players and not talking loud enough to distract players at 4 different tables.
well for me it's pretty much all the good friends that I have there and the INTENSE competition. I live in a small town just north of Dallas, and you wouldn't believe how many strong players are up here. I paid my ten dollars every week over and over forever before I ever cashed. It still doesn't happen as often as I'd like... but like I said, we have some super tough players here and watching and playing against these guys is pretty much how I learned to play.
Unfortunately we have almost NONE of what Tom in Cincy spoke of
Unfortunately we have almost NONE of what Tom in Cincy spoke of
Last edited:
-COMPETITION- period
The payout and the people (competing, running the tournament, and the waitstaff). On a smaller note, I will attend tournaments out of loyalty to the room owner or TD, even if the money is not the best.
Competition, Friends, Fun, Stress Reliever
I play at our local tournaments for all of the above. Sometimes I really get my you-know-what handed to me, and I ask myself "why am I paying for this humility?" Then I have me a Crown & 7 and I'm all better.
Sometimes I cash and when I do, I know it is all good because there are usually no slouches that play in our local tournaments.
One night there were only 11 players and the two stronger machines were Jui Ling Chen and Barry Emerson. So I go ahead and pay my entry and tell my other cronies that 100 to 1 I draw either Chen or Barry. Well, lo and behold I was wrong. I drew both of them---Chen was my 1st match to which he rolled me good 6-2; then Barry lost his 1st match and I just happened to draw him on the loser's side....
Well, it was an early night as I went two and out.....:sorry: How do I like pool now? :smile-us-down:
But I got to watch a lot of good pool as Chen and Barry matched each other in the finals. And I continue to play as I know one day I will rise to the top---but more importantly I love this game too dang much to let the competition get to me. It's all good.
I play at our local tournaments for all of the above. Sometimes I really get my you-know-what handed to me, and I ask myself "why am I paying for this humility?" Then I have me a Crown & 7 and I'm all better.
Sometimes I cash and when I do, I know it is all good because there are usually no slouches that play in our local tournaments.
One night there were only 11 players and the two stronger machines were Jui Ling Chen and Barry Emerson. So I go ahead and pay my entry and tell my other cronies that 100 to 1 I draw either Chen or Barry. Well, lo and behold I was wrong. I drew both of them---Chen was my 1st match to which he rolled me good 6-2; then Barry lost his 1st match and I just happened to draw him on the loser's side....
Well, it was an early night as I went two and out.....:sorry: How do I like pool now? :smile-us-down: But I got to watch a lot of good pool as Chen and Barry matched each other in the finals. And I continue to play as I know one day I will rise to the top---but more importantly I love this game too dang much to let the competition get to me. It's all good.
What makes me return, again and again??
I'm a glutton for punishment.
I usually only play in the tougher tournaments where I am pretty much the sucker in the event. Still, I'd rather have that than dominate in a bangers tournament. It's not that I hope to grow up and be a big-time shooter. I'm past my prime, trying to hang on to the game I once had. It rarely happens but every now and then I'll catch a gear and knock off a champion. This will put a smile on my face for a week. So this keeps me coming back, again and again, to play with the big dogs and take my whippings.
I'm a glutton for punishment.
I usually only play in the tougher tournaments where I am pretty much the sucker in the event. Still, I'd rather have that than dominate in a bangers tournament. It's not that I hope to grow up and be a big-time shooter. I'm past my prime, trying to hang on to the game I once had. It rarely happens but every now and then I'll catch a gear and knock off a champion. This will put a smile on my face for a week. So this keeps me coming back, again and again, to play with the big dogs and take my whippings.
Where is this place?
Where is this place?
Last Open Up the Bar Boxes, and CHARGE A FLAT GREEN FEE.
Tom In Cincy said:
Last Open Up the Bar Boxes, and CHARGE A FLAT GREEN FEE.
Last edited:
Equipment/conditions and competition. Sometimes the rules of the tourney as well.
If all the areas (entire region, not just one town) best players and maybe even a few pros show up I think most of you would be willing to overlook alot of the stipulations mentioned in this thread. I certainly don't need an attractive, attentive, and curtious wait staff!!! Who cares, I'm there to play pool. Food? So what, I can make a quick trip to Taco Bell, KFC, Mcie D's , something...again, I'm there to play pool. Bathrooms? Do poolhalls HAVE bathrooms?? The upkeep of the equipment I kinda get, but adjusting to different conditions is part of the challenge; besides everyone else has to play on the equipment too. And, any sporting events that I HAVE to know about (frequent updates) I'll just keep up with on my phone, so 60" plasmas are not needed.
You guys would probably worry about all this added stuff when going to a strip joint too. I wanna know what kinda TALENT is there!!
You guys would probably worry about all this added stuff when going to a strip joint too. I wanna know what kinda TALENT is there!!
Last edited:
1) well-maintained 9' tables
2) players who take the game seriously and some of whom are better than me
3) nice, friendly people (the players, the pool room staff, and the people running the tournament)
Beyond that, nothing else is very important to me in a tournament.
-Andrew
2) players who take the game seriously and some of whom are better than me
3) nice, friendly people (the players, the pool room staff, and the people running the tournament)
Beyond that, nothing else is very important to me in a tournament.
-Andrew
mandersotx said:I play at our local tournaments for all of the above. Sometimes I really get my you-know-what handed to me, and I ask myself "why am I paying for this humility?" Then I have me a Crown & 7 and I'm all better.
Sometimes I cash and when I do, I know it is all good because there are usually no slouches that play in our local tournaments.
One night there were only 11 players and the two stronger machines were Jui Ling Chen and Barry Emerson. So I go ahead and pay my entry and tell my other cronies that 100 to 1 I draw either Chen or Barry. Well, lo and behold I was wrong. I drew both of them---Chen was my 1st match to which he rolled me good 6-2; then Barry lost his 1st match and I just happened to draw him on the loser's side....
But I got to watch a lot of good pool as Chen and Barry matched each other in the finals. And I continue to play as I know one day I will rise to the top---but more importantly I love this game too dang much to let the competition get to me. It's all good.
Could you please tell Barry hi for me? I miss him. We won a scotch doubles tournament together and he gave me one piece of advice that I still use.
trustyrusty said:If all the areas (entire region, not just one town) best players and maybe even a few pros show up I think most of you would be willing to overlook alot of the stipulations mentioned in this thread. I certainly don't need an attractive, attentive, and curtious wait staff!!! Who cares, I'm there to play pool. Food? So what, I can make a quick trip to Taco Bell, KFC, Mcie D's , something...again, I'm there to play pool. Bathrooms? Do poolhalls HAVE bathrooms?? The upkeep of the equipment I kinda get, but adjusting to different conditions is part of the challenge; besides everyone else has to play on the equipment too. And, any sporting events that I HAVE to know about (frequent updates) I'll just keep up with on my phone, so 60" plasmas are not needed.
You guys would probably worry about all this added stuff when going to a strip joint too. I wanna know what kinda TALENT is there!!
I can't believe no one else has said the money! I would think that is the biggest criteria. And as far as tournaments, if the TD or owner are jerks, it can make the tournament a miserable experience. The people are important -whether the competition or the staff.
rackmsuckr said:
That's what usually brings in the good competition, but is not very important to me....so, I guess to get the best players there (my number one reason for going/playing), money is probably the biggest factor...
Tom In Cincy said:
I often wonder how many Pool Bars, and Pool Rooms would still be in business in the Bangers, Recreational Player, and the Recreational League Player that were just out for an evening or day of fun stopped playing pool?
What would the effect be on the Pool industry?:wink:
rossaroni said:
That is a very good point about some Bars & Rooms not owning the tables.:thumbup: