How to play a match during COVID-19

During this strange time, a lot of us, myself included are finding it continually frustrating, that life may never get back to the way things were, so how would be even consider playing an 8 Ball Pool Match, especially if we are vulnerable?

Yesterday I had a lovely, almost 2 hour telephone conversation with Robin, the creator of Illuminated Cueing Arts, apart from putting the world to rights, we talked about in Oregon, USA they are locked down and that he uses Zoom to teach his students remotely.

During the conversation I mentioned that our League has no plans to open back up.. yet, even though it is possible to play up at the Academy or down the pub, I think it's too soon but with the obvious isolation, ones mental health can suffer, but obviously what do I know?
Personally, if I didn't have to work in peoples homes, I would not be back at work, and if I had the chance I would work from home, but that's another story.

So this all lead down the route of finding unique was to play against an opponent. This post is how to play against someone remotely with the ICA System.

So lets talk about How to Play Remotely with ICA.

If like me you have your own pool table and ICA system, you are good to go, or if you don't and you have someone you know that does, this is still an option. I am open to letting others who want to use my table and system, the only caveat here is, you must bring cake, Tea and Coffee will be provided. It's worth noting that a full size cue will not get around my table, but please bring your own and I have a short cue that would be cleaned along with the table and all areas, oh and Jasper My German Shepherd might want to get under your feet :-)

It doesn't matter what size pool table you have, within reason, the ICA system is designed for 7-9ft tables, but it scales down onto my 6ft table nicely, one caveat though is, that the projected object ball size is a little smaller than the balls themselves, but that doesn't make a difference for pattern layouts.

So, in a match scenario, we could have 2 players and 1 referee.
Each Table would need to be able to stream video via Zoom so all are well and truly Social Distancing.
The referee would keep score on a Spreadsheet or pen and paper, but it is possible to share a spreadsheet in Zoom.
A pattern of a layout of 15 balls would be made available, so no one runs the risk of a bad break.
Each player should pot as many balls in one run as they can, this will become their score for each innings if you like.
Now the League have done something similar to this on presentation nights, but having a table layout with all the balls open would make things easier for all skill levels.
To make things more challenging, after each Pattern has been played, a new fresh Pattern could be used, and maybe the referee could only release those patterns to the players when they start, so there is no advance practicing going on.
You can pot any balls in any order, with the exception of the black which has to be potted last, so this means you can play yellows and reds (or Spots & Stripes) in any order, this entails that each player isn't stuck on say Yellows, (or Spots) with no way of achieving a decent score for that frame.
If you potted the white ( or scratch) your run on that pattern is over and your score is the total object balls potted.
If you potted the black (8 ball) before all other object balls, your run on that pattern is over then and you score Zero for that frame.
After, lets say 3 patterns, a total score is added up and the winner would be the one with the most points.

I will be recording a video showing how to download a Pattern designed for the ICA System, from the internet and load it directly into your pool table. - Advanced stuff, not really :-)