WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP (6-10 June2021) Champion $50K

[sjm]

Skyler overcuts a three ball by a mile but it somehow goes in. The overcut leads to poor shape on the four, and he misses a super-tough shot with the bridge. Albin gets on the board, and it's 3-1. Skyler should have coasted to 4-0 here --- we'll see if this is a turning point.

 

[Diamond69]

Sky drops a ball on the break, but has to play safe but leaves a small window for the hit by Albin, leaving nothing. Sky returns a safety. Albin makes the hit but leaves the 1 makeable. Sky makes the 3 but overplays position. Needs the bridge for a tough thin cut on the 4 and misses. Albin finishes off a reasonably basic rack. 3-1 Sky.

 

[sjm]

The last quarterfinal is about to start between Al Shaheen and Kaplan. If you predicted that one of the quarterfinals would be Kuwait vs Poland, take a deep bow.

 

[sjm]

Biggest fluke of the day as Albin misses a jump shot on the one by over a diamond and it caroms in, thereby developing the two in the process. Sky's got to feel sick about that one, and his lead is down to 3-2.

 

[Diamond69]

Albin drops one on the break, but no clear shot on the 1. Sinks the 5 ball (maybe) as part of pushout. Sky tries for the 1 and misses bad on a poor looking stroke. But leaves Albin a jump. Albin misses as bad as a league player and flukes in a carom that could only happen if you miss the shot by a diamond and a half (which he did). While not happy with making the rack harder than it should have been after the fluke, he finishes it off. 3-2 Sky. As I have a conference call in a few minutes, hopefully SJM can keep people updated.

 

[jay helfert]

Now it's...Go Skyler!

Guess I'll now join the chorus...Shane...no world championship.

Shane lost to Oliver who?

 

[sjm]

Shane lost to Oliver who?

Oliver Szolnoki of Hungary, who has just beaten Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, the 17th best player in the world by Fargo, to advance to the semis. Wonder how the Asians feel watching this event play out. Oliver's Fargo is 767, not in the world Top 100.

 

[Diamond69]

Albin with a open rack after the break and runs out for a 3-3 tie.

 

[alstl]

Watching it on youtube - the rest of the world showed up looking like professional pool players. America's last remaining player has a mullet.

LOL

 

[Get_A_Grip]

Shane lost to Oliver who?

Shane started out as solid as ever. Then they had some safety battles. Oliver fluked a couple safeties on Shane. It seems like those games got Shane out of stroke, then Shane missed a couple balls, and Oliver got really solid -- making balls on the break and not missing much at all. From what I remember, Oliver only missed a few really long shots, but he ran out pretty good in most games.

 

[Nostroke]

Yeah, it was as memorable a World 9-ball Championship as we've ever seen with Earl and Francisco producing a classic in the final.

I guess their excuse is they are not American but that's a poor one seeing as it happened on Euro soil under MATCHROOM and Archer's win was in a whole other era.

 

[Chili Palmer]

Don't think it had anything to do with it, the top players just played bad.

IMHO it had something to do with it. Take away the need for 100% accuracy on every shot and 2nd tier players have a much better chance of running the table when they get there. Shane most definitely made mistakes and still might have lost but, it wouldn't have been this bad.

 

[sjm]

Sky back on top 4-3.

 

[gerryf]

IMHO it had something to do with it. Take away the need for 100% accuracy on every shot and 2nd tier players have a much better chance of running the table when they get there. Shane most definitely made mistakes and still might have lost but, it wouldn't have been this bad.

But that decreased accuracy requirement also benefits the top players. They should have had a much better chance of running out as well.

 

[sjm]

IMHO it had something to do with it. Take away the need for 100% accuracy on every shot and 2nd tier players have a much better chance of running the table when they get there. Shane most definitely made mistakes and still might have lost but, it wouldn't have been this bad.

Agreed 100%. Everyone's a run out player on these bucket tables. At the World Pool Masters, only the stars of the game were completing the runouts consistently, which is why the last four there had an average Fargo of 818.

As it's Matchroom at the helm, we can feel confident they will learn from this mistake and fix this for their next event.

 

[BlueRaider]

Agreed 100%. Everyone's a run out player on these bucket tables. At the World Pool Masters, only the stars of the game were completing the runouts consistently, which is why the last four there had an average Fargo of 818.

As it's Matchroom at the helm, we can feel confident they will learn from this mistake and fix this for their next event.

Maybe they like the chaotic, "random" nature of the event? Potential for tons of upsets with the tables configured like this. I don't like it, as I like the tension that comes with tight pockets and knowing that being in line is still no guarantee of getting out. But it does lead to some crazy results, as we've seen thus far.

 

[Chili Palmer]

But that decreased accuracy requirement also benefits the top players. They should have had a much better chance of running out as well.

Correct, and the fact Shane wasn't playing his best gave Oliver the opportunity to win, had the table been tighter it would've been closer (edit: changed to closer). One game specifically Oliver had the 7 AND the 8 wipe their feet on the way through the door and never should've fell but they did and he ran out.

Loose pockets have absolutely affected the tournament.

 

[sjm]

But that decreased accuracy requirement also benefits the top players. They should have had a much better chance of running out as well.

A reasonable point but it tends not to work that way. Ask any 800+ Fargo player if they'd rather gamble with a 750 Fargo player on a tight table or a bucket table. My guess is that 100% of them will say a tight table, because their straight shooting edge and pattern play edge become more important on the tight table.

 

[Chili Palmer]

A reasonable point but it tends not to work that way. Ask any 800+ Fargo player if they'd rather gamble with a 750 Fargo player on a tight table or a bucket table. My guess is that 100% of them will say a tight table, because their straight shooting edge and pattern play edge become more important on the tight table.

Thinking about that Stu, in reality, a player of ANY FargoRate would prefer a tighter table if playing against a lower rated player, I know it's true for me.

 

[MattPoland]

Watching it on youtube - the rest of the world showed up looking like professional pool players. America's last remaining player has a mullet.

LOL

That’s hair discrimination. He’s wearing a traditional style indigenous to his native region.