If a player ever has a question as to why they are handicapped a certain way or why another player is handicapped another way, I can provide my reason as long as I’m looking at their spreadsheet. If the spreadsheet isn’t supportive of the handicap they are playing, it’s because I have strong reason to believe they are sandbagging and I’ll explain my reasoning.
Once a PACS Player has a very solid 9 Ball PACS history (30+ matches), it is very unlikely that they will drop more than 1.0 Handicap below their maximum PACS 9 Ball HC achieved. If it does happen, it would likely take a very very long time (think multiple years). The reason for this has to do with the way that 9 Ball is scored (all losses and wins aren’t created equal). If a player suddenly has a prolonged period where they are playing waaaay below their long term average, it looks suspicious and I’m not going to bite.
Remember, Handicaps are based on most recent 5, 10, and 20 matches once a player is established. Tournament performance (and especially recent tournament performance) is also a strong barometer. Other considerations are robust Fargo ratings or if a player is having success in outside tournaments. I do consider Fargo ratings (the more robust, the better) and to a lesser degree, other league ratings when I’m assigning a starter rating. I’m happy to send players a spreadsheet showing their stats upon request.
In 9 Ball, NO CONSIDERATION is given to match win-loss record when determining Handicaps. The metric used is match points “for” and “against”.
If a player on my team ever has an obvious foul, I’m going to call it 100% of the time if I saw it (whether I was asked or not for a watch). Likewise, if a player on the opposing team has a very obvious foul which I saw, I’m also going to call it. Sportsmanship is important to me and as a League Operator, I can’t preach proper sportsmanship but then turn a blind eye if my team is the offender. Likewise, I can’t call it on my team and turn a blind eye if the opposing team was the offender. Hopefully by now, most of you know I’m honest. If you believe I’m not, why are you still playing in a league with a League Operator you don’t trust?
Slow play continues to be a very major problem with certain players. By “slow”, I’m referring to average length of time between shots. Going forward, these habitually slow players are going to have an adjustment made to their handicap which makes it harder for them to win. It will be an internal adjustment. We all know who these players are. Captains should address it with their players. If anyone wants to know if any of their players are impacted, please call me. If you yourself are wondering if you are a slow player, contact me and I’ll also tell you. I’m not trying to be mean or harsh, but slow play affects the “fun meter” for those playing and those watching and wanting to get home at a reasonable time.
CLICK HERE for detailed information on the algorithm that helps determine skill levels. This document can also be found on the “Registration-Skill Level Info” Page.