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The
500 Game Study
I watched over a thousand
games of leading pros in tournament play on Accu- Stats Videos while conducting
research for Play Your Best Nine Ball. As part of the study, I kept detailed
records in several statistical categories for 500 of those thousand plus
games. The results of the study will presented in this section along with
other findings from my research.
Statistical Sampling
With any statistical study,
the bigger the study, the more reliable the results. However, there quickly
comes a point of diminishing returns, which is why relatively small samples
are statistically valid to within 2-3 percentage points or less. That’s
why the Nielsen Ratings, which show us what America watches on TV, only
survey 5,000 households!
My research covers 500 games
and more than 6,000 shots, so there is every reason to believe that it
is statistically valid in most categories to within a percentage point
or two. For extremely rare shots, however,
such as masses or 5-rail
position plays, you would need to sample tens of thousands of racks.
Benefits to Your
Game
My research project was
conducted with this thought in mind: to discover how the pros play, and
to use this information to help you with your game. In the months
ahead I will share with you some definite conclusions that are revealed
by the study. These will include things like:
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Should you play 1-rail or 2-rail
shape most often?
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How often should you expect
to break and run multiple racks?
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How often do the pros scratch?
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What are the average results
of the break?
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How often do pros win on combos
and billiards?
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Who wins the push out battle
most often?
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