Latest Message
4/8/2024
The 1st Sunday of the month 14.1 Tournament at Sam's had 10 players, split into two groups. The results were as follows:
Group 1
1st place - Buzz Poleson
2nd place - Jon Miller
3rd place - Josh Klein-Valente
Group 2
1st place - Jonathan Gifford
2nd place - Cristy Barsky
3rd place - Shaun Smallwood
The next 1st Sunday open tournament will be May 5. As always, registration is required by 10:30 AM that day. The tournament starts at 11 AM. The entry fee is $20. For more info, text Dan Barouty 917-992-1431.
3/31/2024
The winter season 14.1 League Tournament yesterday had 12 players compete in an abridged format for cash prizes. The results:
1st place - Steve Fields
2nd place - Dan Barouty
3rd place - Diamond Mike
4th place - Bill Bradford
The recent Masters Tournament was won by Dan Barouty. Paul Marquez came in second.
The next Open 14.1 Tournament is next Sunday, April 7. As always, registration is required by 10:30 AM. The entry fee is $20.
The next season of the 14.1 League starts tomorrow. If you haven't already joined or renewed, either Venmo Buzz $200 (503 481 0536) or put cash or a check in an envelope with your name and contact info and leave it for him at the front counter at Sam's.
3/26/2024
14.1 Leaguers:
We're down to the last week of the Winter Season. Counting matches may be recorded through the end of the day Thursday. After that, matches should be recorded on the log sheet for the Spring Season. Your winter membership is good through this Sunday.
The top 12 players available next Saturday at 10 AM will play games (to 1/3 of their highest goal) in three groups of four, and the top player from each group plus a wild card will play off for the top 4 places. The top players can be seen on the Leaderboard:
https://sites.google.com/site/straightpoolleaguepdx/
We're still waiting for confirmation from some of the top 12 about whether they're available. We know Vinny can't make it, so we'll go to at least #13. With a few days to add matches, it's worth trying to make a run at a spot. There's cash for everyone who plays in the tournament, with increasing amounts for each win.
The Spring Session (April 1 thru June 30) dues are $200, which includes more for Sam's, more for the tournament, and more for equipment. You can Venmo Buzz at 503 481 0536 or leave an envelope with cash or check at the front counter. Be sure to write your name and any contact info we don't have.
Hope to see you at Sam's this week.
Bill
3/1//24
14.1 League players:
With less than two week to go before the end of season Winter 14.1 League tournament, here's a recap of how to qualify and notes about the Spring session.
The end-of-season tournament is scheduled for Saturday, March 30, starting at 10 AM. The players first deemed eligible for the 12-player tournament are those with the most wins. If multiple players at the margin have the same number of wins, then the players with the fewest losses have preference. A player with more wins and a losing record is considered to be above a player with fewer wins and a winning record. Therefore, it's better to play more matches if you want to qualify for the tournament.
There are frequently qualifying players who are not available for the tournament. So if you're just outside the top 12 on the Leaderboard, you may well be invited into the tournament. If you're close, it's worth showing up before 10 AM on the day of the tournament. If you know now that you're not available for the Saturday, March 30 tournament, and you're in or close to the top 12, please let Buzz or me know. We'll be checking next week with possible eligible players we haven't heard from. The tournament starts at 10 AM and should be over by 3 PM at the latest. If you're not at Sam's by 10 AM, any player who is there will be eligible to take your place. The tournament can't be delayed to accommodate late-comers.
In the League tournament everyone plays to 1/3 of their highest goal reached in the season (with exceptions when playing against players going to 150 with a negative adjustment). Everyone will play at least 3 matches. Cash prizes are awarded to everyone, with additional cash for each win.
Here's the current standings:
https://sites.google.com/site/straightpoolleaguepdx/
Current members may play for free through Sunday, March 31. The spring session of the 14.1 League starts Monday April 1 and runs through Saturday June 30, which is the day the next season-ending tournament will take place. The member fees will be $200 for the spring season. There will be additional awards and probably a larger pool of cash for the June 30 tournament. Costs at Sam's have increased as we increase the wear and tear on tables. Maintenance costs for Sam's have also increased.
You can pay member fees by Venmo to Buzz at 503-481-0536, or to him in person at the March 30 tournament. If neither of these options work, leave an envelope with your name and cash or check inside and Buzz's name on the envelope. Leave it with a wait staff member at the front counter.
Thanks for participating in this great League. Hope see you soon.
Bill
3/13/2024
Spring 2024, 14.1 League
The Spring Session of the 14.1 League at Sam’s Billiards begins April 1, 2024. The membership fee is going up to $200 for the 3-month session. Membership enables players to play for free up to 7 PM every day, except when there are hourly paying customers waiting for a table. Wait staff will ask if League players want to pay for table time or give up their tables when there is a waiting list.
We’re doing away with the maximum number of counting matches between two players—any two players will be able to play as many counting matches between each other as they want.
$20 Sam’s gift cards will be allocated to player(s) who
play more than five counting matches
play the most players
have a winning record
has the high run for the season (not including Danny)
has the highest run as a percentage of their highest goal
has the high run for the end-of-season tournament.
The end-of-season tournament will be Saturday, June 29. The top 12 players with the most wins (and secondly the fewest losses) will be eligible to compete for cash. The payouts will be determined by the number of players in the League.
As always, players’ goals go up by 5 points when they win, and down by 5 points when they lose. The minimum goal may drop to as low as 25, but there are exceptions to stated goals when competing against top players who have a 150+ adjustment.
When players win going to 150, their goal remains the same for the next match, but their opponent’s stated goal is reduced by an adjustment. The 150+ adjustment increases by 5 points with every win. However, their opponent’s stated goal can’t be reduced to lower than the minimum number on the following chart. When playing a 150+ player, the lower players’ goals will be reduced to no less than the following.
Listed goal between Minimum goal vs 150+ player
25 to 35 15
40 to 50 20
55 to 65 25
70 to 80 30
85 to 95 35
100 to 110 40
115 to 125 50
130 to 140 60
145 to 150 70
150+ 100
For example, if your stated goal is 60, you would go to no less than 25 when your opponent is going to 150 with an adjustment of -35 or more.
Notes:
Check the Leaderboard and any recent adjustments in the log not included in the Leaderboard to determine the goals for each player before a match.
If the wrong goals are set at the beginning of the match, the match still counts.
A player can choose to go to a higher goal than required if his opponent agrees.
A player may concede the match before his opponent reaches his goal.
An unfinished match may be continued later, with the date noted as the finishing date.
If the tables fill up, single players should give up their tables to players playing a counting 14.1 match.
Buy something at Sam’s and tip generously.
Everyone is encouraged to pay membership fees through Venmo to Buzz, using his phone number, 503 481 0536. If that doesn’t work for you, put cash or a check in an envelope with your name and contact info inside and Buzz’s name on the envelope, and leave it with a server at the cou 3/8/24
The March 3rd 14.1 tournament was split into two groups. Here are the results:
Group 1
1st - Rob La Raus (third monthly win in a row)
2nd - Marshall Amiton
3rd - Diamond Mike
Group 2
1st - Steve Harris (high run 13)
2nd - Jake Morin
3rd - Kevin Twilleager
Also of note, first-time 14.1 tournament player Karen Hamby lost by 1 ball to seasoned 14.1 player Shaun Smallwood.
The advanced 14.1 group now plays on Saturdays, one game a day for a month. Last month's advanced tournament was won by Paul Marquez. Bob Ohashi came in second.
The next open 14.1 tournament will be the first Sunday in April. Join us on April 7 at Sam's Billiards. Registration is required by 10:30 AM, the tournament starts at 11 AM. The entry fee is $20.
The Spring session of the 14.1 League starts April 1. More info coming soon.
2/27/24 The 1st Sunday of the Month Straight Pool Tournament is coming up this Sunday, March 3 at Sam's Billiards. The registration deadline is 10:30 AM. The entry fee is $20. Players will play in groups with others of similar skills. Cash prizes and gift cards will be awarded. Dan Barouty will be running the tournament.
2/7/24 Fifteen players participated in the 1st Sunday tournament. Six others were asked to come back for a separate tournament the following Saturday. The results of the 1st Sunday tournament were:
Group 1
1st - Rob La Raus
2nd - Cristy Barsky
3rd - Diamond Mike
Group 2
1st - Martin Wragg
2nd - Jake Morin
3rd - Josh Klein Valente
Group 3
1st - Matt Poole
2nd - Gary Siegberg
3rd - Shaun Smallwood
The top players in the extra tournament the following week were:
1st - Paul Marquez
2nd - Bob Ohashi
1/7/24
Twenty players showed up for the 1st Sunday of the month tournament at Sam's Billiards today. The group was separated into 4 groups of 5 players each, based on perceived skill levels. Everyone played everyone else in their group, four games each. The top group played games to 60, group 2 went to 40, groups 3 & 4 went to 30. Here were the results:
Group 1
1st - Dan Barouty
2nd - Vinny Mellott
3rd - Bob Ohashi
Group 2
1st - Rob La Raus
2nd - Cristy Barsky
3rd - Ron Spagle
Group 3
1st - Evie Hazlett
2nd - Shaun Smallwood
3rd - Josh Klein-Valente
Group 4
1st - Josh Robbins
2nd - Justin James
3rd - Steve Harris
High Run: Dan Barouty - 34
12/30/23
Fall Season Complete
The end-of-season tournament for the 14.1 League was Saturday, December 30. Twelve finalists were separated into 3 groups of 4, based on their highest season goals. Each group played a round robin to 1/3 of their high goals. The results were as follows:
Group 1
1st place - Dan Barouty
2nd place - Bill Bradford
3rd place - Vinny Mellott
4th place - Tom Walsh
Group 2
1st place - Diamond Mike
2nd place - Buzz Poleson
3rd place - Marshall Amiton
4th place - Mike Berger
Group 3
1st place - Gary Siegberg
2nd place - Tony Waite
3rd place - Jeff Benjamin
4th place - Steve Harris
Dan Barouty won the high run prize for the tournament with a run of 45.
Paul Marquez won the high run prize for the session with a run of 68.
Steve Harris and Tony Waite won gift cards for the most opponents played in the season, at 13 each.
Winter Season Begins
If you've paid your dues for the winter season ($150 to Buzz) you can begin to log matches in the ring binder in the cabinet. Starting goals for all possible players are listed in the Leaderboard for the Winter 2024 season.
https://sites.google.com/site/straightpoolleaguepdx/winter-2024-leaderboard
12/23/23
We're down to the final week of the fall season of the 14.1 League. Counting matches may be recorded through Thursday, December 28. The end-of-season tournament is Saturday, December 30, starting at 10 AM. The top 12 players will compete in 3 groups of 4 (based on highest goals) for cash prizes. The top 12 are those with the most wins in the season, or the alternates available that day to fill in for those who can't be there. If you're in the top 12 or close, let me or Buzz know if you will or won't be available to play in the tournament on the 30th.
https://sites.google.com/site/straightpoolleaguepdx/fall-2023-leaderboard
Your current membership is good through the end of the month, but renewal fees of $150 are already being collected at the front desk and to Buzz's Venmo account. His phone number is 503-481-0536.
See you at Sam's,
Bill Bradford