World 10-Ball Championships, Feb-Mar 2024, Las Vegas, The Rio

[Island Drive]

I like the format/period.
Similar to tennis majors.
The commentators will come with time and $$$$$$$.
Most often it's a close friend of the venue/production event, not a real announcer.


bm

 

[skogstokig]

Ask time has passed since he won his first major, he's not the same as back then fast/loose & intimidating and great, he still plays great/BUT.
Recently I've found it very difficult to watch this great player/good guy do his up/down/look around 3 or 4 times on MANY shots before pulling the trigger.
My read, this change to this type of up/down/look around stuff is Not helping him improve his game.


bm

i agree. i think he became yippy and insecure. it's very different from a year ago when he was full of confidence and stayed down on his shots. hopefully he will return to that form

 

[kling&allen]

I don't think this event is getting enough praise. Has there been some ridiculousness with the rules? Yes, but the overall quality of play and the almost-best out of 5 format is excellent in my estimation. The racking has improved dramatically. Enough so, that I could be convinced it's the way to go. The production value surpasses anything we've seen in the history of pool, of course with the exception of what Matchroom puts out. That's just bad luck timing on Predator's part. If they could just improve the commentating, I would give it an overall excellent grade, which with my grade and 7.99 you could put down a down payment on a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Nothing against any of the ones doing the commentary, it just comes across like they never have a number one guy (or gal) out front setting the stage. Instead it seems like just a bunch of decent color commentators working together.

The free stream the last week has been incredible to watch these matches.

 

[jsp]

I don't think this event is getting enough praise. Has there been some ridiculousness with the rules? Yes, but the overall quality of play and the almost-best out of 5 format is excellent in my estimation. The racking has improved dramatically. Enough so, that I could be convinced it's the way to go. The production value surpasses anything we've seen in the history of pool, of course with the exception of what Matchroom puts out. That's just bad luck timing on Predator's part. If they could just improve the commentating, I would give it an overall excellent grade, which with my grade and 7.99 you could put down a down payment on a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Nothing against any of the ones doing the commentary, it just comes across like they never have a number one guy (or gal) out front setting the stage. Instead it seems like just a bunch of decent color commentators working together.

I know others hate it, but I think call shot 10-ball should be the format of champions. And previously I have been indifferent to the no-early-10-balls rule, but having seen several matches where half a dozen times the rack would have ended early with a combo on the 10, I'm actually warming up to that rule. Especially if the break is as unpredictable as it has been (by not using a template). We've seen a bunch of great safety battles, and the superior movers having an advantage (e.g. Alex beating Filler).

Don't get me wrong. I still like traditional 9-ball (slops). I think it should still be the dominant game, since it's more of a runout style game making it more entertaining to the casual viewer, and luck plays a bigger part which levels the playing field and allows a variety of winners. But I think the WPA struck a great balance making the games of 9-ball and 10-ball different with their rules. Variety is good, and we've witnessed that this week with the men playing call shot 10-ball while the women play traditional 9-ball.

 

[garczar]

I like the format/period.
Similar to tennis majors.
The commentators will come with time and $$$$$$$.
Most often it's a close friend of the venue/production event, not a real announcer.


bm

Agree. Its funny how for YEARS pro pool sucked BIG time and now when its catching-a-gear again all people do is bitch about the promoters/formats. I like the short race/shootout deal. Players have to come-with-it right outta the gate, they can't feel their way into a match.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... P.S. Bob, I paid 200 for one night and the Gold Coast wanted 190. ... Uber wanted $50 and a taxi wanted $55.

Gold Coast was $136 total for 1 night and Lyft was about $25 each way. I'm chicken to try Vegas busses.

 

[VVP]

I generally liked the format. I don't think shootouts should be used in a World Championship though. I do like them in the PBS. I had no problem with the commentators understanding that they are trying something new with the remote commentary to save costs. Lastly, I think the Women Showdown should be a 10 ball event. Just my thoughts.

PS: they need to be more lenient with the time for breaks if they don't have dedicated bathrooms for the players. It looks like Skylar was making the case that he had to walk across to the other side (the way he was pointing) to go to the bathroom and yet he was penalized.

 

[LHP5]

Yeah, I think I was initially wrong about the format. I love a long race but this short set format is not bad. It adds a lot more of a sweat and each shot becomes crucial. I don’t know if it’s the table or pressure but there were a lot of misses and positional errors in both quarter finals matches. Even the last round had more errors than expected.

 

[Scrunge19]

I had a very nice room at the Gold Coast (across the street) and a couple of very nice meals.

This is the first CSI event for which the new hotel management is in place. As for the bananas, as reported before they are somewhat larger and not quite as crisp, and only $3! On the other there was no free drinking water available anywhere in the hotel -- no water fountains and no water stations in the tournament area. Previous CSI events had big kegs of water and cups. It turns out that the new company didn't feel that the contract covered free water and they wanted $10,000 to put water out. The solution is to bring a water bottle and fill up at the restroom sinks.

The absence of water stations was upsetting to me as well. I take a bottle with me every year to fill with ice/water so not having that option was a bummer.

For future reference though, the soft drink machines in the food court are self service and offer water as an option. It’s a little out of the way, but I filled my bottle up there several times over the course of the week that I was out there.

 

[Island Drive]

Gold Coast was $136 total for 1 night and Lyft was about $25 each way. I'm chicken to try Vegas busses.

I was at a Vegas event and was watching Corey, I noticed he had no water and asked if could help. He say yeah. Went to the portabar and asked how much for a 10 oz water. $6
Having worked and been around these situations all in my youth I then look for a referee and their court area. They always have Casino/made bottled water for them, in short containers. When the ref went to the table, I grabbed one of Many and gave it to Corey. He had a funny look, but realized it had NOT been opened and thanked me.

John Lewis recommends, and I've used and like this transportation from the airport and back/the Beltran 702-739-7990.
$30 R/T to the major casinos.
If you choose them.
Just make sure you call the day before (24 hrs) before departure to make sure your pickup is confirmed.
A bellman recommendation.

 

[david(tx)]

I've watched most of the matches in part , I've seen the same referees over and over. Now all of the sudden in the semi's I see 2 refs that I didn't see in the televised matches.Anybody recognize these semi refs?

 

[spartan]

Wow, momentum swings like pendulum in both semis. Both matches tied 1-1 in sets in best of 5 sets

Gorst on machine mode 1st set while Biado looked lost taking lot of punches backpedalling. 2nd set Gorst few misses errors, Biado won hill hill. 3rd set now Biado leads on hill 3-1
Oi won 1st set easily looked unstoppable on way to win 2nd set but Grabe fought back won 2nd set hill hill. Now 3rd set Grabe leads on hill 3-2
Both matches might just go full 5 sets and they have been playing 2 hours already

 

[SA96]

I love this new format from the WPA.

Sets make the matches a lot closer and interesting.

 

[spartan]

what foul?

At about 1 min 30 secs , the 8 ball moved. Ref was on left side of Biado so missed it

 

[skogstokig]

At about 1 min 30 secs , the 8 ball moved. Ref was on left side of Biado so missed it

View attachment 746465

no way he didn't feel that..

 

[skogstokig]

insane rack from fedor, two jumps in a row followed by a bank for the runout

 

[trob]

Agree. Its funny how for YEARS pro pool sucked BIG time and now when its catching-a-gear again all people do is bitch about the promoters/formats. I like the short race/shootout deal. Players have to come-with-it right outta the gate, they can't feel their way into a match.

That’s what pool players do . They bitch about everything you don’t hear the pro players bitching about the color of the balls or the format. They are happy the game is on the up swing and are there for the ride.

 

[spartan]

Wow, Oi vs Biado final
This is probably the 2 oldest (40+) finalists in a World rotation final. Surprising since about 75% of 800+ are below 40
2 favorites-Biado the favorite to win and Oi the fan favorite.
2nd final in this event for Oi. Will the joker in the pack be 2nd time lucky? He is due to win a major title.

 

[Poolmanis]

Oi is very solid player. Almost every tournament he enters he is in last 8. Very underrated player. I hope he goes to end this time!

 

[Poolmanis]

Meh. I am watching this at work and Oi is too nervous...