WPBA San Diego Classic Update

[alinco]

Can you say how it is that Lac is able to compete at this high level? She seems to be very savy and is being helped by Mentors that traveled with her (did you ?). Since I don't know what great women play in D.C., I have to guess that she plays boys/men - which is good for her game.

She is very under control like ice; does that come from gambling? Will we see her more in the future? Will she continue with the WPBA because she has backers?

In a world of the same o' same oh it was a treat for us on the West Coast to see Lac and the other up and comers.

Hi Lamas,

I've watched My-Hanh progress from a good player to a very good player the last 3 years. She plays lots of tournaments including weekly tournaments with mostly men. You can see her Tiger Pool Tour progress here:

http://www.planet-pool.com/showplayer.php?829

There are actually quite a few very good women players around DC. My-Hanh doesn't have a walk in the park at any events. Ming Ng, Linda Shea, Cheryl Squire and recently Megan Minerich all provide plenty of competition to win the Tiger events. A couple years ago Sueyen Rhee and Pamela Treadway were winning most of the events and that really showed My-Hanh the level of play needed to be a regional tour winner.

Like Fragged mentions below, I really don't think she is working closely with anyone. She's just very self-determined. I'm pretty sure her plan is to play all WPBA events this year.

Andy

 

[Johnnyt]

Congrats Allison...again. What can ya say...The lady got game. Johnnyt

 

[beetle]

My-Hanh Lac plays out of northern Virginia. She went down to Florida recently for the Regional Tour playoff tournament.

My-Hanh won the Tiger Pool Tour points list last year which qualified her to play in the WPBA events this year. What a thrill to beat Jeanette and Jasmin back-to-back! Keep it going!

Andy

WOW. I just saw this. Congratulations My Hanh. I don't mind losing $$$ to you now! I'm honored to lose to you!

 

[LAMas]

Hi Lamas,

I've watched My-Hanh progress from a good player to a very good player the last 3 years. She plays lots of tournaments including weekly tournaments with mostly men. You can see her Tiger Pool Tour progress here:

http://www.planet-pool.com/showplayer.php?829

There are actually quite a few very good women players around DC. My-Hanh doesn't have a walk in the park at any events. Ming Ng, Linda Shea, Cheryl Squire and recently Megan Minerich all provide plenty of competition to win the Tiger events. A couple years ago Sueyen Rhee and Pamela Treadway were winning most of the events and that really showed My-Hanh the level of play needed to be a regional tour winner.

Like Fragged mentions below, I really don't think she is working closely with anyone. She's just very self-determined. I'm pretty sure her plan is to play all WPBA events this year.

Andy

Thanks,
I also note that Ming is still playing well but not touring with the WPBA - I also missed Megan here at Viejas. Yes there is more competition for the women around DC than here in So Cal - We look to Malissa Herndon and Morris here. We don't have a woman's tour either.

 

[Jaden]

No surprise to me

IT is absolutely no surprise to me that Allison won. From all of the matches that I saw, Allison is in another league compared to the rest of the women. Her fundamentals, shot selection, position play are all top notch, and all of the other girls I saw make mistakes and miss shots and get bad position. The only person there that looked like they might have a chance based on the way they were playing was Ga Young Kim.

Jaden

 

[LAMas]

... The pockets looked loose to me so to the person earlier who said they were tight, I don't know what crack they were smoking, ...
Jaden

Were you there to measure them?

Steve T. the Tournament Director said that the women want tighter pockets so that there would be more missed shots for TV, otherwise the game of 9 Ball looks too easy to the viewers.

He took 2 balls and squeezed them into the mouth of the pocket to demonstrate that they are cut to 4.5" vs. a more standard 4.625" and taper inward to less than that.

These Brunswick tables look like to ones used at the Normandy Club tourney last year by the Men - There were complaints then that they were tight and cut so that they would hang or spit the balls - more than a standard pocket.

Must be better crack than yours.

 

[Jaden]

THey may be cut different at wider angles...

Were you there to measure them?

Steve T. the Tournament Director said that the women want tighter pockets so that there would be more missed shots for TV, otherwise the game of 9 Ball looks too easy to the viewers.

He took 2 balls and squeezed them into the mouth of the pocket to demonstrate that they are cut to 4.5" vs. a more standard 4.625" and taper inward to less than that.

These Brunswick tables look like to ones used at the Normandy Club tourney last year by the Men - There were complaints then that they were tight and cut so that they would hang or spit the balls - more than a standard pocket.

Must be better crack than yours.

I don't like pockets that are loose with wider angles. I much prefer pockets that are cut to like 4.25" that have lesser angles, that way they don't look like there is more pocket there than there is. If you hit it in the obvious part of the pocket, then you will be more likely to make it. It doesn't make sense to try and make the pockets so you will miss more, just make it so you have to shoot more accurately to make it.

I play on a table with 4" pockets so even a table with 4.5" pockets looks loose to me. My brother and I were both looking at this table and my bro said to me, wow look at these buckets, so it's not just me....

Maybe it's just the facing angle that makes it look like buckets, but it also depends where they are measuring the 4.5"s. I didn't see the TD put two balls in the jaws, but as far as I'm concerned, if you can fit two balls into the front of the jaws, then it is a loose table.


Jaden

 

[sarahrousey]

The pockets are tighter than in years past. If you watched the tournament on thursday then the pockets probably did seem a bit looser. The new cloth makes the pockets seem big on the early days. Some shots, especially down the rails at a slower speed can catch a huge part of the rail and slide right in. If you notice, things changed on friday and saturday after continuous play. And contrary to belief, the tv table is one of the tables that has been used all week in the tournament, not a new table brought in just for the finals.

Sarah

 

[Jaden]

I've never seen them in years past....

The pockets are tighter than in years past. If you watched the tournament on thursday then the pockets probably did seem a bit looser. The new cloth makes the pockets seem big on the early days. Some shots, especially down the rails at a slower speed can catch a huge part of the rail and slide right in. If you notice, things changed on friday and saturday after continuous play. And contrary to belief, the tv table is one of the tables that has been used all week in the tournament, not a new table brought in just for the finals.

Sarah

The only times I've seen them in years past is on TV, so I don't know. This was the first WPBA tournament I've seen live. I was there on Friday and I did get to see you play Sarah, not bad BTW. You played well the match I saw. I guess I'm just used to tighter tables I've mostly played at my house at hollywood billiards and at shooter's in Riverside. I carry around a tape measure everywhere I go and measure the pockets on the tables I play on, so I would say I'm a pretty good judge of how tight a table is. I will not say that the tables weren't 4.5" and they might well be tighter than in past years and I think that's only a good thing. I'm not trying to degrade the level of play or take away from the WPBA at all, I'm merely stating it as I saw it and for someone to say that they are really tight I think is funny, but that's probably just because I'm used to considering something much tighter to be truly tight. When you're used ot playing on 4" corners, anything else seems loose. LOL.

Again, for all the female pros that played, you played very well and I look forward to seeing you play more often, oh and Ga Young Kim, if you're reading this, you are extremely attractive and you are now officially on my freebie list with my wife.

Jaden

 

[diller47]

eye candy

Sarah Rousey lost to Gerda 9-7.

Kelly Fisher beat Jasmin Ouschan 9-7

edit: Looks like Jeanette lee will be playing Jasmin Ouschan in the 1 loss side.. that would be an interesting match to see.

I'm betting Xiaoting Pan will do well in this tourney after not being able to play in Taiwan. Probably wanting some sort of revenge

not hardly they should both eat a meal once in a whilespecially jeannette shes kinda on the ugly side if you ask me............................................

 

[av84fun]

I don't like pockets that are loose with wider angles. I much prefer pockets that are cut to like 4.25" that have lesser angles, that way they don't look like there is more pocket there than there is. If you hit it in the obvious part of the pocket, then you will be more likely to make it. It doesn't make sense to try and make the pockets so you will miss more, just make it so you have to shoot more accurately to make it.

I play on a table with 4" pockets so even a table with 4.5" pockets looks loose to me. My brother and I were both looking at this table and my bro said to me, wow look at these buckets, so it's not just me....

Maybe it's just the facing angle that makes it look like buckets, but it also depends where they are measuring the 4.5"s. I didn't see the TD put two balls in the jaws, but as far as I'm concerned, if you can fit two balls into the front of the jaws, then it is a loose table.


Jaden

First, the dimension between the points on the corner pockets is only ONE variable that leads to the pockets playing "tight." The facing angle and especially the depth of the shelf have a LOT to do with how though the pockets are.

In addition, using balls to measure the point distance is a flawed method since, due to the angle of the facings, a portion of the balls sit BELOW where they touch the points.

But having played in the Pro Am, I can verify that the pockets measured 4.5 by using the ball method.

Second, how many male pro tournements are played on either 4 or 4.25 pockets do you think? My guess...and it is nothing more than that because I haven't personally measured any pro event pockets...but my guess is that the number would be right around zero.

Regards,
Jim

 

[Jaden]

well, then you'd be wrong.

First, the dimension between the points on the corner pockets is only ONE variable that leads to the pockets playing "tight." The facing angle and especially the depth of the shelf have a LOT to do with how though the pockets are.

In addition, using balls to measure the point distance is a flawed method since, due to the angle of the facings, a portion of the balls sit BELOW where they touch the points.

But having played in the Pro Am, I can verify that the pockets measured 4.5 by using the ball method.

Second, how many male pro tournements are played on either 4 or 4.25 pockets do you think? My guess...and it is nothing more than that because I haven't personally measured any pro event pockets...but my guess is that the number would be right around zero.

Regards,
Jim

The pockets at Hollywood billiards, where the swannee memorial that Johny Archer just won and the tourney's that Jay's thinking about holding are a little less than 4.25". So that's atleast one, and so far, it's the only pro level event that I've played in, so it's all I have to go by, but I'll be playing in lots more, so I'll be sure to give an update on what they're played on.

Jaden

 

[LAMas]

The pockets are tighter than in years past. If you watched the tournament on thursday then the pockets probably did seem a bit looser. The new cloth makes the pockets seem big on the early days. Some shots, especially down the rails at a slower speed can catch a huge part of the rail and slide right in. If you notice, things changed on friday and saturday after continuous play. And contrary to belief, the tv table is one of the tables that has been used all week in the tournament, not a new table brought in just for the finals.

Sarah

Sarah,
Thanks for the heads up - love your play and in the past - your hair do/s.
Do they use the same Brunswick tables with brown cloth and "tight" pockets at all of the venues?

I understand that there is/was a practice table upstairs. If so, that's not enough to go around for practice to get used to the tables nor the one hour before the tourney.

Are the tables that you play at home on also say double shimmed (tight)? Here in LA the Hardtimes started shimming their tables years ago and gradually most rooms have a few of them.

Thanks.

 

[LAMas]

First, the dimension between the points on the corner pockets is only ONE variable that leads to the pockets playing "tight." The facing angle and especially the depth of the shelf have a LOT to do with how though the pockets are.

In addition, using balls to measure the point distance is a flawed method since, due to the angle of the facings, a portion of the balls sit BELOW where they touch the points.

But having played in the Pro Am, I can verify that the pockets measured 4.5 by using the ball method.

Second, how many male pro tournements are played on either 4 or 4.25 pockets do you think? My guess...and it is nothing more than that because I haven't personally measured any pro event pockets...but my guess is that the number would be right around zero.

Regards,
Jim

At the Bellflower Hardtimes in LA, they shimmed all of the tables in the tournament room (10) to less than 4.5" and the business fell off because they were hard to pocket shots for beginners. Since then they are less than 4.5" but less tight and businees has picked up though table no. 1 is still left very tight.

After tightening the pockets, they had one of their last big tournaments that drew several good shooters from Canada and Northern CA. I was sweating and heard a couple of Northern shooters complain that they couldn't run out and that the pockets were too tight - they didn't fare as well as the regulars.

I used travel/vacation up North to San Jose and San Fran. back then, and all of the tables I played on were factory cut and not shimmed. In recent years though all of the pool halls now have several shimmed pocket tables.
Thanks.

 

[Johnnyt]

My little 8 table room in the 1960's and early 1970's on Long Island was by any means an action room. I had one tight pocket table (4.25) for when there was pro level action and the rest had buckets. One of the 8 was a billiard table.

In most rooms you have far more bangers than B players and up. The bucket pockets lets them make more balls and there for they comeback again. Johnnyt

 

[vagabond]

The pockets at Hollywood billiards, where the swannee memorial that Johny Archer just won and the tourney's that Jay's thinking about holding are a little less than 4.25". So that's atleast one, and so far, it's the only pro level event that I've played in, so it's all I have to go by, but I'll be playing in lots more, so I'll be sure to give an update on what they're played on.

Jaden

Pockets were tough in Veijas casino but the pockets at hollywood billiards are smaller than the pockets of the WPBA`s tournament at Veijas that was concluded yesterday.
It was nice meeting you Jaden.After the dinner where did y`all go?

 

[Jaden]

WE went back in...

Pockets were tough in Veijas casino but the pockets at hollywood billiards are smaller than the pockets of the WPBA`s tournament at Veijas that was concluded yesterday.
It was nice meeting you Jaden.After the dinner where did y`all go?

IT was nice meeting you too, we went back in and finished watching Allison's match with Vivian Villareal.

Jaden

 

[Black-Balled]

WOW. I just saw this. Congratulations My Hanh. I don't mind losing $$$ to you now! I'm honored to lose to you!

I just checked out the brackets. She beat: J. Chen, J. Lee, J. Ouschin, J. Kelly...only missing Corr/ Fisher!

GEEEZIS!

 

[cubc]

She can only beat women whose first name starts with J???

 

[mapman72]

Can you say how it is that Lac is able to compete at this high level? She seems to be very savy and is being helped by Mentors that traveled with her (did you ?). Since I don't know what great women play in D.C., I have to guess that she plays boys/men - which is good for her game.

She is very under control like ice; does that come from gambling? Will we see her more in the future? Will she continue with the WPBA because she has backers?

In a world of the same o' same oh it was a treat for us on the West Coast to see Lac and the other up and comers.

My-Hanh plays against the boys often. She is also not afraid to gamble. The Tiger tour in the DC area has some good regional talent and My-Hanh is probably the best female in the area. A good rivalry has developed between her, Sueyen Rhee, and Ming Ng. Any decent women's event in the area has these three and a host of other solid players. My-Hanh has matured over the last couple years and her game has improved leaps and bounds. At her age there is really no cap to how good she can become. You will definetely see more of her on tour.