What are your thoughts on handicapped tournaments?

Question

It seems like most handicapped tournaments favor the lower-ranked players. If you play, how do you feel when you lose to someone who's won fewer games than you or when you beat someone who's won more games than you?

p.s. Feel free to go off on the subject. I enjoy reading long answers. Also, if your answer depends on the game played, please explain...I'm thinking mostly of 9-ball, but write about whatever you like.

Answer 1

Sure they do thats the point Not so much tourns but most of the time i give the last 2 or the 8 in reg play

8 ball a 1 rack spot or whatever

Answer 2

They favor lower ranked players when you are playing average ranked players like myself.....a true "scratch" or "Open" player will not get bothered by the spot.....you have to have it in order to get more bodies and thus more bodies to spend money in the club in drinks and food.....someone like me that is what I would call a little above average or a "weekend warrior"  will struggle to cover the spot...it is enough pressure and I don't normally handle it...but an "open" player will normally win....assuming he is not playing a "ringer"...the spot is great when I am playing up...but a lot harder when playing down......Johnny and Straight probably don't have problems covering but I think that they might with a "spot" have trouble covering me....and it would make it more competitive but in the end they would probably win 7-8 out ten matches with me.....

Answer 3

I agree that it helps the lower abled player, I can see if they used it in beginner tournaments, or intermediate.

I didn't use the word ranked, because they may not be, but with the handicap, they become ranked???.

I used to watch drag race handicap races, and the handicap made it ridiculous.

If you spot a three legged horse enough it can win>

You would feel like sh*t, how can you feel?

Answer 4

There is a formula in pool tournaments I've seen over, and over, and over again in bars and pool halls over the years that makes it clear why pool halls often have handicapped tournaments.

Say a bar starts a weekly 8 ball tournament. Nothing big, maybe $5 entry, race to 3. The initial tournament starts with 8-12 people, who are often regulars at the bar that would be considered "bangers." The tourney works. It gets more popular, attracts some of the league players, and grows to 20-30 people. The bangers start getting outplayed, but still hang in because they're having fun. Well, a couple of hot shots from the local pool hall get wind of a 30 man tourney with a bunch of losers, and see an easy cash in. They come in and take the 1-2 spot every week for the next month. Of course all the bangers quit because they have no chance, and many stop hanging out at the bar on tourney night. Most, if not all of the league players quit as well. Next thing you know, they only ones left are a few of the league players and the 2 hot shots. Within a few months, the tournaments folds, and the bar has lost 5-6 regulars because of it.

I'm not saying this happens to every tournament, but it happens a lot. Most of the low buy-in, non-handicapped tournaments that I've seen that seem to thrive are the ones that ban specific players who win too often or are just plain too good.

Handicapped tournaments are designed to give the bad players a chance. The best players usually still win the most, but bad players creep into the money spots and pick up a win every now and then. This keeps player turnouts higher, and makes more money for the bar. Players like Wally get pissed and don't like them, but I guarantee that most bar or pool hall owners would rather have 30 bad players than 10 good ones in their bar any day of the week. This is why the APA is the largest league in the country, and why non-handicapped leagues don't have nearly as much success.