These "meaningless rating systems", I thought were quite common. I guess they are just used in this area. When Shannon Daulton hosts a tournament here, every player has a skill level. From C all the way up to A+++ (A triple plus). If an A+++ plays against a C level player, the A+++ has to win 13 games to the C's 7. Pro's aren't allowed in these tournaments, but A+++ are the highest level you can be at and still play. I hope this clears it up a bit.
Since you obviously hadn't heard of the rating system I was talking about, how were you able to put number totals to it. I don't pretend to know everything so maybe you can teach me something new.
I left your name off of the quote because I can't blame you, or anyone else, for following what you are told. If you are told, or expected to play within these rating systems, then it's what you know and understand.
I do have a problem when someone some says, "well around these parts, you'd be
x rated, but over in that other city you'd be
xy++A rated." Why? Because, it makes all of these "systems" ambiguous. I might as well make up my own since I live in a different country. When we have to add symbols to the ratings, it becomes a joke or at the very simplest, a sign of poor planning.
The number totals come from a rating system designed to test your ability to pot balls and play position. It is a variation of Straight Pool and Hopkins Q-Skills, but adapted to allow for weaker players. The A+++ rated players (we have wonky ratings here too) often get humbled by Fargo.
I posted it before, but it got buried in a thread but I think a combination of PAT + Fargo is a much better way to rate a player.
Since I'm already long in this post, I'll go further, but only a little. According to Accu-Stats, Dominguez shot an average of (I think) 68% on the TAR table. Shane was around 84% (I don't have the stats handy but this is close enough). If Shane is A++++ then what if I shot 96%? What is my rating? A+++++++? This is where these weird systems fall apart because they can't handle even moderately better players.
No matter where I am, or what city surrounds me, I shoot the same. However, in Vegas, I'm roughly an APA 5, in Florida I was rated a 7. There are badges that say, "I beat an APA 7!!" If you get a badge to say you beat me, the standard's pretty low. If people here are 9's (probably are) then I expect to see you kicking Shane's ass up and down the table. Of course, he's an APA 24. I hope you get 3 badges for it. Unless you play him in New York. There you just get an angry stare and a chilli-dog.