Handicapped Tour and Calcutta

As many of you know, I run the Omega Billiards Tour here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

It's a handicapped tour and there are many reasons for this decision:

1. It allows for ALL players to play.  From the lowest (beginners) to the highest (pros).
2. It means the lower players have a better chance against the top players.
3. It means that we don't limit it to just amateur players (master and pros can play).
4. It allows for the beginning player to improve and get experience against better players in a bigger tourney.
5. If it was not handicapped, the sponsor and I felt that many of the beginners wouldn't play as often as they do.  Or even the "middle of the pack" players if the top players always won.
6. We didn't want the top players take all the money - we wanted the middle and lower players to be able to get a chance at the money, too.
7. Handicaps allow for tougher competition for the top players, too.  It's definitely not a gimme.

There are many more reasons, but those are just a few.

While a handicapped tour allows for all players to play, running a handicapped tour causes a lot of complaints lol.

The problem lies in the fact that the handicaps are not always correct.  It's based on KNOWN ABILITY.  I don't care what you are ranked in BCAPL, ACS, or APA, it's based on known ability.

However, I don't know ALL the players and depend on others to give me their opinions.

But, even then, sometimes I'm given wrong info.  Not intentionally!  Never.  Just, they didn't know.

I explained at the last tourney just last weekend how the handicaps work and why some people get moved up or down, and others don't.  Long story short, we don't move players up if they place well a few times.  We don't move players down if they place bad.  Going two and out does not mean you will be moved down.  It just means it's a tough field (and maybe you didn't play your best, lol).  (like I did last time haha.)

I have moved over 15 players up or down because their ranking was INCORRECT.  And I hope that players talk to me about rankings.

HOWEVER!

Most do - BUT AFTER THE  FACT.

I admit I'm frustrated about this part. 

Sure,  I know I will ALWAYS get complaints about handicaps and I know I will ALWAYS hear about this person or that person, but I make decisions based on how they play with my own eyes, and also from opinions of others.

However, if I don't know the player, I can only go by others.  And sometimes I have been given wrong info.  But players don't tell me before the Calcutta that someone is ranked too low!!  Instead, they bid on them because they are low!  Then after the tourney, they complain to me that they were ranked too low.

Omg.........

So, basically, they are abusing the system and taking advantage of the system at the same time!

No one will say anything because they don't want to knock anyone.  And if they can get someone cheap in the Calcutta, all the better for them right?

But then all I hear about is complaints during the tourney and after about these certain players!  Well, if they ranking is WRONG, then tell me, discuss it with me, before the Calcutta.  

PLEASE.

PLEASE.

My goodness this would help out IMMENSELY on the complaints that I get about new players.

/thank you for listening/