FORUM CLOSING ON 14th JANUARY

Barney · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

Oxford Singles Pool League

The Pool Shark · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

Are you not entering yourself then, Tom?

Dammit! I was counting on you playing so I don't finish last! Still, at least Malc's in there... biggrin

Seriously though - it's about time and I'm looking forward to it. Well done for finally organising something that several members of the forum have talked about (but done nothing about) for years!

GOD · Veteran Poster (Pots the first red)

Idea steeler!

-- Edited by GOD at 11:40, 2008-12-17

Barney · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

If others have had this idea before then I've not been privy to it so I'm quite happy to claim it as my idea!

At least if others have thought about it, then that's all they've done! All it takes is for someone to actually do something about it!

My interest in this league was never to enter it. Plus if I entered it I'd obviously win and then people would moan that it's been fixed. I'm very happy with the line up though, it should be a very interesting league. I think it's quite hard to pick a favourite from that list as the usual "anyone can beat anyone" comment can easily be attached to all of the players.

Barney · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

In addition, in order for this league to work and be sustained I need the first season to work hence the numbers are capped at 12. This means we have 11 rounds of matches so each player has one match to play per month.

Once we've completed the first season I will have a better idea of how easy it is for the players to arrange one match per month. If it is easy then we can look at one match per three weeks hence we can accomodate more players in a single league.

If one match per month is preferred then we can look at having more than one section so that the frequency of matches can be maintained.

IF there is suitable interest from other players to enter the league for the 2009 season then I can create a second division but for this to work realistically I need another 12 players so feel free to express any level of interest to me.

Tom.

jamesyboy · Veteran Poster (Pots the first red)

id be interested in playing.

Barney · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

If you're interested seriously take a look at the Word file from the link and send me a text or email to confirm. If I get another 12 (11 including James) then I'll consider running a second division for 2009.

Tom.

JFK · Senior Poster (Nominates their colour)

I'd love to enter. Knew nothing about it till now.

jamesyboy · Veteran Poster (Pots the first red)

JFK wrote:

I'd love to enter. Knew nothing about it till now.

same here

Minx · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

Absolutely BLOODY TYPICAL. I am so furious I can barely type..............

If you go to www.a1poolclub.co.uk you will see that Ben and I actually created a very similar league a couple of months ago, and ran it successfully.

Guess what - round robin - 12 players - all matches at A1.
I don't know where you get your ideas from Barney...

We held it on a Sunday night, so we didn't advertise the first one on the forum so as not to p*ss the Sunday League off when they were trying to get entries in for the winter league. Pity they have not shown the same respect to us in return. And don't try telling me you didn't know about it - Ash and Emma knew all about our league, having had a couple of clashes over one player and what he was playing on Sundays.

We were planning on running the next one in Jan/Feb and advertising that one to the wider community.

So thanks for screwing up my league, screwing up A1's oppurtunity to have it's own tournament, and generally sh*tting on everything I have done.

Barney · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

I think you are over-reacting. I'm not trying to create anything to take away players from your league or to impact upon A1 Pool Hall's business.

The league I am running is not aimed at players who would play at the A1. In any case there is no reason players cannot play in both. If you read the league instructions this will be clear.

I know that A1 run a singles league on a Sunday night as A1 didn't enter any teams into the Sunday League. I have no idea how it is run, any similarities between the league are not intended and are probably indicative of the fact that we took a similar approach when considering how to run them.

I could explain in detail how the instructions evolved but that is not for here unless anyone is particularly interested. Certainly I started from scratch and did not use any Oxford league as a template.

Please feel free to email me or call me if you have any further grievance. I propose this is better than posting an angry message on the forum.

Tom.

Minx · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

My angry post, which everyone will know is extremely unusual from me, was the most appropriate way of communicating the problem. A private conversation between you and I would not illustrate to everyone else that you have come in and basically spoiled any chance of my league becoming a bigger competition, as Ben and I hoped it would.

If you'd created a league a couple of months ago, run your first successful season, and then someone, say Malcom, came in and announced their similar singles league and persuaded all the top players to join that instead then you'd be p*ssed off too.

The A1 singles league was never intended to remain for just the players who go their regularly. It was the first step to trial the format and see how it worked, before expanding into a bigger contest. Ben's interest was always to end up with a singles compeitition of the highest standard.

You state you knew about our league, therefore why did you not extend the common curtesy of mentioning this to us previously, rather than softly softly gathering a group (away from the forum!!) and announcing it once it has all been set up behind our backs.

DISGUSTING!!!

Barney · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

I'm sorry you are upset about this.

The Pool Shark · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

Surely both singles leagues can co-exist? There's a huge difference in the entry fees for a start.

I couldn't even enter A1's tournament as I cannot commit to every Sunday, but I will look forward to challenging the best players over best of 19's in Tom's league because I can arrange a suitable date to play each month. Over the year that means I'll get at least 110 frames of pool against top quality opposition (even if I lose 10-nil every week!).

For those that can make every Sunday, and don't want to stump up £100 to enter will surely favour Jaz and Ben's tournament?

Apart from the fact it's 12 players (which I think Tom chose more based on the months of the year than the fact that's what A1's inaugural tournament used), and round robin (which surely it has to be anyway), there are few other similarities.

MING · Ultimate Poster (2-0 up in a best of 7)

Calm down children...

The 2 competitions don't affect each other as far as i can see. The A1 Singles League has matches played each Sunday as per a normal league (correct me if i'm wrong), whereas Tom's Singles League has players arranging a date/time to play their matches so should not affect any league in any way. I certainly couldn't play in the A1 league due to other commitments but can in Tom's as the matches are mutually arranged with a one month timescale in which to play each match.

Additionally, Tom's league is £100 per person to enter and seeing as local tournaments struggle to get entries at £10 per person, that rules out a lot of people.

No doubt Tom asked the players he thought most likely to stump up the cash first to get the thing underway so for the 2 people seemingly disappointed not to have been asked, JFK (ill and haven't been playing) and jamesyboy (will you seriously stump up the dosh), it's probably why you were overlooked.

So in short

Division Two (provisional entries)

1. John Kinsey
2. James Watson
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

All cheques payable to "MING's 2009 Beerfest Fund"

-- Edited by MING at 13:46, 2008-12-18

easy dolla · Regular Poster (Wins the toss)

I would also be up for it, i know i said no last week tom but now i know more about it i would play...

Barney · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

The draw was made last night at the Blackbird. There is a file containing the fixtures for the season on the website which is available for download.

I intend to print and distribute hard copies to the 12 who have entered the league but feel free to print your own.

Kevin McIlroy is the first to have paid. The deadline for paying the entry fee is the end of January but you are quite welcome to pay me sooner.

At this moment I have six names for a second division. My opinion of the second division is that either it should be not for money, maybe a £20 entry fee which would work out as £100 to the winner, £60 to 2nd place, £40 to 3rd place, £20 to 4th place and £20 to the winner of the playoff.

More importantly I would need to negotiate the additional matches with Rileys. I'll report back soon.

Currently I have six names interested in a second division.

Tom.

The Pool Shark · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

Barney wrote:

The draw was made last night at the Blackbird. There is a file containing the fixtures for the season on the website which is available for download.

Woohoo - I've already qualified for the play-off! wink

Barney · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

Ho ho ho.

That's automatic so will change as results come in.

Barney · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

We now have nine names for the second division. Three more and I'll be able to run it for 2009 pending negotiation with Rileys.

-- Edited by Barney at 13:11, 2008-12-19

JFK · Senior Poster (Nominates their colour)

Barney wrote:

My opinion of the second division is that either it should be not for money, maybe a £20 entry fee which would work out as £100 to the winner, £60 to 2nd place, £40 to 3rd place, £20 to 4th place and £20 to the winner of the playoff.

What? That would make the whole thing not worth it. I thought the point was to make it cometative?

If you only make it £20 ... as soon as anyone loses a few they'll just give up. Put £100 on it .... not as easy to walk away. Anything less than £100 makes it hardly worth the effort.

PoolQueen · Ultimate Poster (1-0 up in a best of 7)

Another thing you should do is charge a £50 deposit on top of the £100 which is refundable provided players play all their matches to stop the bottom few not bothering with the last matches.

the apprentice · Veteran Poster (Potting like a demon)

Keep divvy 2 £20 and im in :)

(Im a student remember)

jamesyboy · Veteran Poster (Pots the first red)

a couple of points id like to make:

1. i never said i was disapointed, i only read about the league on here and all i said is that i was interested in playing.

2. having not read the instructions (due to the fact that i dont have any office software on my laptop), i didnt realise that the entrance fee was 100 quid and seeing some of the other people who are interested, i think i would have little chance in winning, but i would still give it some thought as it means extra practice and a chance to play pool with players i wouldnt usually play with.

-- Edited by jamesyboy at 18:25, 2008-12-19

-- Edited by jamesyboy at 18:27, 2008-12-19

Manse · Senior Poster (Pots off the break)

JFK wrote:

Barney wrote:

My opinion of the second division is that either it should be not for money, maybe a £20 entry fee which would work out as £100 to the winner, £60 to 2nd place, £40 to 3rd place, £20 to 4th place and £20 to the winner of the playoff.
What? That would make the whole thing not worth it. I thought the point was to make it cometative?

If you only make it £20 ... as soon as anyone loses a few they'll just give up. Put £100 on it .... not as easy to walk away. Anything less than £100 makes it hardly worth the effort.

I think John has a good point.

Jamie - I thought you were going to uni? Change of plan? You and Ginger made a career on the radio?

8ball · Senior Poster (Nominates their colour)

A £20 entry would mean more people will be willing to give it a go, £100 is a lot of money for some people who would be less inclined to enter for that amount. With the format that is being used it give people a chance to win at least your entry fee back even if you lose some early matches.

MING · Ultimate Poster (2-0 up in a best of 7)

8ball wrote:

A £20 entry would mean more people will be willing to give it a go, £100 is a lot of money for some people who would be less inclined to enter for that amount. With the format that is being used it give people a chance to win at least your entry fee back even if you lose some early matches.

A1's got a Singles League that's more your kinda thing. BIG BOYS ONLY here...

MING · Ultimate Poster (2-0 up in a best of 7)

the apprentice wrote:

Keep divvy 2 £20 and im in :)

(Im a student remember)

Just add it to your Student Loan

Barney · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

All,

Terry from Rileys has changed his mobile number and I've updated the files to reflect this. This is the number you must use to book a table for your matches.

Tom.

Barney · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

Ok so there's been a decent level of interest in me operating a second section to compliment the "top" section.

A number of people have expressed their interested and have also given me their opinions around some of the details of how it should function.

My suggestion for a second division is as follows: It will run as per the top section with the following two exceptions:

* All money to be a fifth of the top section i.e. £20 entry, £100 to winner etc...

* Tables from Rileys not on free play.

The reasons for this are that the two sections can't be for the same money as the standard will inherently be different. The winner of the top section will have worked a lot harder for their £500 than the winner of the second section. Therefore it is fair enough that the second section should be for less money. Plus we are going to find another 12 people happy to pay £20 much easier than another 12 people willing to pay £100.

Rileys aren't keen on both sections being free play but they may be able to offer a discounted rate for the second section. Even if not each player is playing one match per month that may take 90 minutes with the cost shared between them and opponent so actually I don't think it's too bad to pay for the table.

I don't want to start a whole new set of postings in response to how the second section should run otherwise we'll get nowhere. So far I have 10 players interested but can they contact me to confirm their interest based on the two points above and the rules already published:

1. James Watson
2. Craig Coles
3. Tom Williams
4. John Kinsey
5. Nick Mansell
6. Nicki Hoskins
7. Lee Brown-John
8. Dave Crawford
9. Pete Timms
10. Jamie Saczak

Regards
Tom.